anguilla travel guide

Here’s my guide for spending a week in Anguilla, packed with delicious restaurants and beautiful beaches. 

My Anguilla Travel Guide

Back in December, I asked for recommendations for Anguilla on Instagram. And you all delivered. It was really out of character for me to ask, but I took screenshots of all the replies that came through and that really planned our whole trip. It was amazing. This community really made our much-needed time away incredible, and I want to pay it forward by sharing! If you want to go to Anguilla or have it on your hit list, I hope you have an incredible experience, too. 

If you like travel guides like this, let us know! I’m happy to do more of this.

When it came time to choose our vacation destination, Adi and I wanted somewhere beautiful, but less commercial, and somewhere that felt luxurious and had delicious restaurants. Anguilla hit all the points.

We flew into St. Martin (a 4-hour flight from Newark) and took a 30-minute boat ride over to the island. Once there, we took taxis when we needed to go places, but next time I would rent a car—the cabs add up! 

If your ideal vacation involves hopping from one crystal clear beach to another, eating delicious meals, and avoiding large crowds, Anguilla is for you. They’re in the process of building a bigger airport that will allow for more commercial flights to come in, so if you’re planning to go, do it soon before it loses its island charm.

Where to Eat in Anguilla

Anguilla is known for having the best food in the Caribbean, from freshly caught seafood to Caribbean classics like jerk-style meats. And rum! Here are the best restaurants we went to in Anguilla (and everything we ate!). 

Blanchards is located in Meads Bay, one of the most popular beaches on the island. This is where most of the hotels and a few of the best restaurants are located. We started with happy hour at Blanchards Beach Shack, which is great for lunch and snacks (or feeding your kids if they’re with you), then walked Meads Bay to watch the sunset and explore the hotels on the strip before heading back for dinner. We will definitely be going back to the Beach Shack for lunch and happy hour next time we come and Blanchards for dinner without question—it was my favorite meal in Anguilla.

We got two salads, one with iceberg and tahini ranch (how could I not get it) and a chickpea salad. We also got string beans and homemade ricotta. After those apps, we didn’t feel like we needed mains, but they all sounded great. To finish the meal, we got the lemon pound cake and cracked coconut for dessert. So good. 

The people eating here were both local and tourists, but more so locals which I loved. Everything we ordered was prepared in a simple and delicious manner which my husband and I both really appreciated. I had the tuna tartare and seafood salad, with crayfish, snapper, lobster, shrimp, and conch—it was the best I’ve ever had. Adi got the lamb shops which were also delicious. We got the coconut cake and brownie for dessert; the coconut cake was incredible and the brownie didn’t disappoint. The whole meal was simple, light, and incredible.  

Our dinner here was amazing. I especially loved the tuna flatbread and the guacamole appetizer served with plantains. The tuna dish reminded me a lot of the tuna pizza at Momoya (one of my favorites) but Straw Hat’s was even better. We both got the simply prepared fish as mains, Adi got snapper and I got grouper. We got two desserts, a chocolate cake and an ice cream pie, both delicious. We left feeling full and satisfied.

Veya

A beautiful restaurant that had live music while we ate. The tuna crudo, steak lettuce wraps, banana cheesecake trifle and chocolate lava cake were my favorites. We ordered three apps and one main to share because the apps all sounded so good and we couldn't decide which to get. I would order that way again next time, too. It’s always fun to try a lot of different dishes.

Julian’s

This was the restaurant in our hotel, which was a great option when we wanted to have a chill evening in. Adi got gazpacho and I had French onion soup to start, then we shared a tomato tartare with burrata and the snapper for our main. Dare I say we skipped dessert this night? I honestly don't remember.

Uchu

This is the only Peruvian restaurant on the island. I had the burger (pictured) and thought it was great. A lot of people also love The Cap Shack at the other end of the beach. 

On my hit list for next time: 

  • Hibernia - Sad we didn’t get there this time as it's supposed to be one of the best

  • Sharkey’s - We had a reservation there the night we ended up eating at our hotel…pickleball and yoga in the same day got the best of us

  • The Cap Shack - Cap Juluca will definitely happen again and everyone there recommended it

  • Sunshine Shack - A bar recommendation

  • Bankie Banx - Another bar known for live music and drinks

What to Do in Anguilla

Explore the Beaches

There’s no shortage of gorgeous beach options in Anguilla (and at a certain point they do all start to look the same). We loved exploring Meads Bay, Shoal Bay East, and lounging at Cap Juluca.


Play Pickleball & Do Yoga

This and our yoga setup were unique to our hotel, so if you’re interested in activities like these, definitely check out what amenities are offered by the hotels you’re looking at. 

Take a boat to Prickly Pear

We took a 20-minute boat ride to this small island off Anguilla and I loved exploring it. I found gorgeous sea glass and we had lunch that felt like a home-cooked meal, with lobster, small plates of salad and potato salad, mahi mahi, and ribs (which oddly I loved!).

Go to Shoal Bay East

This was on the opposite side of the island from our hotel, but it is one of the bluest and most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. 

Rent a Chair at the Cap Juluca Hotel

We loved this beach so much that we came back two days in a row. It was only about a 10-minute drive from our hotel, and for $50 you can get two beach chairs and an umbrella and enjoy the beach all day. This was my favorite beach of them all and the most beautiful—it felt like we were swimming in a crystal clear pool. Beyond incredible.

Where to Stay in Anguilla

We stayed at Quintessence, a 12-room adults only hotel that looks like a mansion. The resort is above Long Bay Beach, and our room had a gorgeous view of the water. I’m not sure I would stay here again although it was very beautiful. I need to see more people! Next time, I’m going to look into Tranquility Beach, Malliohuana, and a few others.

How to Prepare for Your Trip to Anguilla

Packing Essentials

  • Rolling Carry-on - We packed only with carry-ons (we do this all the time)

  • Personal Bag - I have this in navy blue. You need it if you travel with carry-ons only. It hooks over the handle of rolling luggage and acts as my personal bag (it fits under the seat in front of you). It can also double as a beach bag if necessary and has good compartments. AND IT’S 28 DOLLARS!

  • Crossbody Bag - For strolling the beach. 

  • Beach Towel - Brought this to have just in case for exploring beaches but didn’t wind up using it (the hotel provided towels). That said, it’s a must for summer! I take it with me everywhere and it folds down to basically nothing.

  • Hanging Cosmetics Case

  • Sunglasses

  • Hat

  • Beach Top - I love the color of this top. 

Travel Toiletries

Where are your favorite restaurants and beaches in Anguilla? I'd love to know for next time—because there will definitely be a next time.