The Caribbean islands are among the most-visited touristic locations in the world. Home to luxurious resorts, delicious cuisine, crystal clear waters, and the softest, whitest sands imaginable, these islands are very popular with beach-goers and outdoor enthusiasts. The Caribbean region gets some of the hottest and brightest weather of any place on Earth, meaning that the sun is always shining and the temperatures are always ideal for spending a day lazing around on the beach or taking a dip in the water, with Caribbean beaches also being well-suited for water sports, beach games, and other activities like scuba diving and snorkeling.
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Many Caribbean visitors tend to take cruises around the islands, visiting multiple areas and nations and spending a couple of days in each one, while others simply pick one island and spend their whole trip in the same place. Whether you're planning to take a Caribbean cruise or simply fly over and experience a few the islands for yourself, you should certainly consider stopping off at Anguilla. This British overseas territory is located in the Lesser Antilles, north of St Martin. Anguilla consists of the main island and several little islands and cays dotted around along the coastline. It's a small island, covering just 35 square miles (91 square km) in total, but it has a lot to offer, with some of the Caribbean's prettiest beaches being found on Anguilla.
Best Beaches in Anguilla
The island of Anguilla has a lot of lovely beaches to explore. Some of them are lined with upscale resorts and local restaurants serving up scrumptious seafood delicacies, while others are less touristic and relatively untouched by the tourism industry, offering subtler, quieter environments for romantic getaways or travelers in need of some peace and quiet. No matter what sort of beach you need, you’ll find it here. Read on to learn all about the best beaches of Anguilla.
- Shoal Bay East
Shoal Bay East is one of the biggest beaches on Anguilla and definitely one of the most popular coastal spots on the island too. It has even been ranked as the best beach on Earth by several high profile tourism companies and beach experts due to its unique beauty, amenities, and stunning sand. The sands on this Anguilla beach are breathtakingly white and soft, making it a lovely spot to stroll along and listen to the sounds of gentle waves and playful kids. A great spot for families, Shoal Bay East is served by lots of good seafood eateries that allow you to eat right on the beach itself, along with plenty of popular bars too.
- Rendezvous Bay
Looking out onto the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea, Rendezvous Bay runs for two miles in total, making it a terrific beach for romantic strolls and long, lazy sunbathing sessions. Due to the huge size of this beach, you can always find a nice secluded little spot for you and your friends or family to sit down, and Rendezvous Bay never gets too noisy or busy, even on the sunniest days at the height of summer. The nearby Dune Preserve restaurant is a must-visit location here with really charming decor and lots of exciting live music evenings. It's one of the island's top nightlife destinations.
- Sandy Ground
Sandy Ground is one of the liveliest beaches in Anguilla, so if you're looking for a quiet, low-key sort of place, this isn't the one for you, but if you want a vibrant atmosphere and a good taste of local culture, Sandy Ground is the place to be. It's a large and beautiful beach that is always lined with a lot of boats of all shapes and sizes. The boats really add to the experience at this beach, making it a super spot to do some people watching and snap some photographs. Not only that, this beach is also the host of some of Anguilla's biggest and best live events like the August Carnivals and summer boat races. If you want to dance the day away and party into the night, this is the best beach to choose.
- Maunday's Bay
This is one of the least-visited and most untouched beaches on Anguilla, so it's undoubtedly the best place to go if you just want privacy and peace. In fact, if you arrive on a good day, you might even get the place more or less to yourself. Maunday's Bay is quite a small beach, with large, looming cliffs offering shade on the one side and lush vegetation lining the other. The waves here are almost nonexistent and the turquoise waters are simply delightful for swimming and diving. There's only one major resort in the nearby area too, so the atmosphere is always very peaceful on this Anguilla beach.
- Barnes Bay
Barnes Bay is one of the lesser-known beaches on Anguilla. More tourists have learned about this luxurious little location in recent years, but it still doesn't attract the same sort of crowds or noise as places like Sandy Ground. Some top class resorts have also opened up near Barnes Bay, with lots of luxury villas offering private rented accommodation too, making this a great place to base your entire Anguilla vacation. With soft, sugary sand and warm waters that are nicely protected by local rock formations along the coast, Barnes Bay is a nice spot to do some swimming and snorkeling.
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