By Larry Fox and Barbara Radin Fox
(c) 2002 Larry Fox and Barbara Radin Fox
Shoppers won't like Anguilla, for there are no duty free outlets, no Columbia Emeralds or Little Switzerlands. Golfers, too, will want to avoid this small island, which lacks even a par-three course. Cruise ships, most of them anyway, avoid it, preferring the busier ports on nearby St. Martin or Antigua. And if you like to play the slots or blackjack, this isn't the island for you.
So why is Anguilla one of the Caribbean's best-kept secrets?
This flat, dry island, located just six miles north of the French side of St. Martin/St. Maarten, lures visitors with many pristine beaches, outstanding resorts, at least 70 excellent restaurants (a rarity in the Caribbean), a friendly population and just enough diversions--artists, fantastic galleries and island get-togethers, to mention just three--to keep you entertained.
We go for all those reasons, but mainly for the beaches and the food. And that, for us, is far more than enough.
Though small--about 16 miles by 3 miles--getting around the Anguilla can be an adventure. There are few road signs. You navigate using hotel and restaurant signs, and the looming hulk of the French half of St. Martin just seven miles away (if you can see it on your left, you're heading south; on your right, you're going north). It sounds difficult but you just can't get lost on this small island and getting lost is an adventure that cost you only a few minutes. There is no public transport, and taxis are expensive, so most visitors rent a car, even if only for part of their stay.
And you will need it just to explore Anguilla's has more than 30 dazzling white sand beaches. And each offer different charms. Our favorites are Shoal Bay East, a 2-mile-long strand on the Atlantic side that is edged by mangroves and lovely villa complexes. This is where you can find Uncle Ernie's (no phone), an unpretentious beach bar with great grilled chicken and ribs and live music. Ernie's is also a popular gathering place at night.
Our second favorite beach is Rendezvous Bay, a curving 1-mile strand that faces St. Martin, offers calmer waters. The spectacular beach and stunning view has lured some of the top resorts on the island: Cuisinart and Rendezvous Bay. And when we you want to get away from the crowds, we head to Shoal Bay West (yes, there are two Shoal Bays). This pristine strand on the southwestern tip of the island offers emerald-green waters and lots of privacy.
Two other beach attractions are also a must-see. Johnno's Beach Stop (264/497-2728) on Sandy Ground is a calm cove that is popular with boaters and the few small cruise ships that come to visit. Johnno's is an Anguilla landmark, and attendance at the open-air bar's Friday night party and Sunday afternoon jam is almost required. Scilly Cay (264-497-5123), another landmark popular with locals as well as tourists, is a small islet in Island Harbor. You get to the island by parking near the dock in Island Harbour and waving to the cay. A shuttle boat will come to ferry you across. The restaurant/bar there serves grilled local lobster, crayfish and chicken and offers music by local bands on Sundays. Before or after the meal, visitors can snorkel the clear waters around the island.
When the sun becomes too much, we take time off to visit the island's many galleries. On the main road at the Cove Road is a small building housing Something Special (264-497-5655) and the Devonish Gallery. Something Special has a nice selection of jewelry, perfumes and resort wear. Devonish Gallery (264-497-2735) displays paintings, wood sculpture, pottery and art from artists around the region. Acrossthe road is Cheddie's Carving House (264-497-6027) where you will find exquisite wood sculptures.
In a stone house ("The Old Manse") on the hill road above Sandy Ground, you'll find the glass studio of Italian artist Gianni Bracciali. She creates original large platters and dishes of varying sizes, fish, frames, ornaments and jewelry set in sterling silver. In a long narrowroom in the back of the house is the Stone Alley Art Studio of painter Lynne Bernbaum, who paints a variety of watercolors and oils.
On a hilltop in the neighborhood of North Hill are two artists who work in quaint gingerbread-style homes. French woman Michelle Lavalette, who has lived in Anguilla for 12. Michelle displays her large oils of flowers and plants (264-497-5668).
Just next door is a colorful cottage that is the gallery and studio of local artist Michelle Owen-Vasilis, who paints water colors of Caribbean scenes (264-497-5705).
The Valley, what passes for a downtown on Anguilla, is where you can find the World Art & Antiques Gallery (264-497-5950), a shop full of treasures from the Far East. The owners also run a similar shop at the posh Cap Juluca resort. Savannah Gallery (264/497-2263) in the lower Valley displays contemporary art from the Caribbean region.
Anguillans are very proud of their island's past. The Heritage Collection Museum (South Hill Plaza; 264-497-4067), a privately owned museum, houses an array of Anguillan artifacts, old records and photographs tracing the island's history from the golden age of the Arawaks to the present time. On display from the Arawak period are pottery shards, zemi idols and stone tools. Colville Petty, OBE, a historian and collector, is the curator-owner of the museum and is very happy to answer questions visitors have about the island's past.
Another offbeach diversion is a day trip to nearby St. Martin. The 20-minute ferry costs $12 each way and departs every 30 minutes from the dock in Blowing Point. An open-air craft market, more upscale shops and French cafes and restaurants are a short stroll from the ferry landing. Taxis are always waiting to pick up passengers at the ferry stations on Anguilla and St. Martin.
When the sun sets, another attraction of Anguilla takes center stage. Other islands have great beaches and wonderful art galleries, but Anguilla stands apart in the sheer number and variety of outstanding dining rooms it has. By some counts, there are more than 70 gourmet restaurants on the island. We still haven't tried them all, but we're still amazed on the excellence and creativity we constantly found.
Blanchard's (264/497-6100) on Meads Bay serves Cajun, Caribbean, and Asian dishes. Fish is the specialty, and the mussels are memorable. Hibernia (264/497-4290) serves delectable dishes including duck breast with passion-fruit sauce, and an unusual Thai-inspired bouillabaisse.
E's Oven (264-498-8258) on the main road in South Hill serves lighter local fare, including tomato tart and an outstanding curried goat. It's a great place for lunch or a lighter dinner.
Also on the main road is Tasty's, an unpretentious dining spot that has attracted international attention. Tasty's is owned by Dale Carty, who studied under legendary chefs, father and son Jo and Michel Rostang in France and worked at the super-chic Malliouhana Hotel on the island. Carty's dishes have been featured in Travel and Leisure and Bon Appetit. His cuisine leans heavily on local fish and vegetables.
After dinner, don't expect much in the way of nightlife. Anguilla is a quiet island. There is a lively scene at Johnno's on Sandy Ground and Uncle Ernie's on Shoal Bay, but we found the perfect end to a perfect day here is just a quiet moment gazing at the clouds of stars overhead or the twinkling light of St. Martin.
As we said, Anguilla is not for everyone. And that's what makes it special.
Anguilla accommodations are expensive. Expect to pay $250 a night andup during the winter season. Here are our favorites:
CAP JULUCA -- Maunday's Bay; 264/497-6666 or 888/858-5822. This 179-acre resort Moorish-style resort has 58 rooms, seven suites and six private villas.
THE ENCLAVE AT CINNAMON REEF -- Little Harbour; 264/497-2727 or 800/222-2530. Quiet and isolated on a small, protected beach with few waves, this resort offers 8 studios, 14 1-bedroom suites.
COVECASTLES VILLA RESORT -- Shoal Bay West; 264/497-6801 or 800-223-1108. Elegant and very private apartments -- eight with two bedrooms and four with three bedrooms-- decorated with custom-made wicker furniture and hand-embroidered linens. on one of Anguilla's prettiest beaches.
CUISINART RESORT & SPA -- Rendezvous Bay; 264/498-2000. This luxurious beachfront newcomer offers 93 rooms, suites, and penthouses on stunning Rendezvous Bay. The resort is a development of the Cuisinart food-processor company and features a demonstration kitchen with complimentary cooking classes. There are two excellent restaurants
RENDEZVOUS BAY HOTEL -- Rendezvous Bay ; 264/497-6549 or 800/274-4893. Friendly and more casual than some of the upscale resorts, this resort -- Anguilla's first -- sits on the fine white sand of Rendezvous Bay, just 1 mile from the ferry dock. There are 20 rooms, 24 1-bedroom villa suites.
SHOAL BAY VILLAS -- Shoal Bay; 264/497-2051. This small wo-story condominium hotel is on 2 miles of splendid sand. Units - including two studios, two with two bedrooms, and nine with one bedroom - are brightly decorated and have fully equipped kitchens.
Contact the Anguilla Tourist Board, Old Factory Plaza, The Valley, Anguilla, BWI;1-800-553-4939 or 264-497-2759. Website: www.anguilla-vacation.com; e-mail: atbtour@anguillanet.com
American Eagle and other airlines serve Anguilla from Puerto Rico. Passengers also fly into St. Marteen/St. Martin and then take a commuter plane or the ferry to the island.