From Kite Surfing to Cool Festivals Anguilla is a Caribbean Gem

Blanchards Anguilla

Bankie Banx Dune Preserve

AWS kite picture2

AWS yoga pic2

Scilly Cay – Lobster

Anguilla is the secret gem of the Caribbean and a magnet for celebrities like Liam Neeson when he's craving a chic retreat. With powdery white beaches, theatrical dramatic sunsets and a genuinely cool vibe, it is a destination holiday hot spot where just one social media post will incite serious envy from friends.

Tucked away in the Eastern Caribbean, Anguilla is the most northern island in the Leeward Island chain and is one of the Caribbean’s best-kept secrets, measuring just 35 square miles with a population of 15,000 people. The island boasts 33 pristine white sand beaches, tempting turquoise waters and world-class restaurants.   Anguilla offers a choice of international hotels and luxury spa resorts, modern villas and small intimate properties, boutique hotels, apartments and welcoming guesthouses.

The pace of life is calm and relaxed: visitors can do as little or as much as they like on this tropical paradise.

Anguilla offers an experience like no other: glorious year-round weather, breath-taking vistas, azure waters, incredible beaches, mouth-watering cuisine, and activities land- and sea-based.  A warm and friendly welcome awaits visitors to Anguilla: it is the pinnacle of the idyllic Caribbean escape.

Here are just five reasons to visit in 2016:

NEW NATIONAL HERITAGE SITE

November 2015 saw the opening of the Amerindian Fountain Cavern at Shoal Bay East. This incredible underground cave, 50ft beneath Anguilla’s surface, was once a site of pilgrimage and worship. It is an exceptional pre-Columbian archaeological site and is home to one of most complete examples of early indigenous Amerindian art in the world.  The art is beautifully illuminated from the natural light pouring in from the entry hole in the cave’s ceiling.  Fountain Cavern is the oldest known and longest used ceremonial cave site in the entire Caribbean. There is now a visitor and interpretation centre, showcasing artifacts and providing information on the historic site.

33 PRISTINE BEACHES

Anguilla boasts some of the best beaches in the Caribbean. Choose from over 30 with picture perfect white powdery sand. Key spots to catch some rays include: Rendezvous Bay which is perfect for strolling along the blinding white sands and trying out the colourful beach bars dotted along the way, and the secluded Little Bay picturesque romance. Also, as the island is just 35 square miles and has only six traffic lights, it’s easy to find a few favourite sandy spots, even if staying for just a week.

FOODIE HEAVEN

The culinary scene in Anguilla continues to flourish. With a population of less than 15,000 the island still boasts over 100 restaurants – one for every 150 Anguillians – so there’s something to please every taste and budget.  A new one to look out for will be Zemi Beach House Resort which opens in February 2016 and will feature six places to eat. The restaurants will offer farm-to-table dining, using vegetables and herbs grown in the surrounding garden as well as a specialist rum room.

KITE SURFING

Anguilla is now one of the world’s hottest destinations for kite surfing. There are multiple kite surfing schools opening up across the island – one of the newest and best is Anguilla Watersports, offering aquatic activities from kite surfing to paddle boarding. It’s a great place to learn as instructors are qualified to the highest standard and all equipment is brand new and of the highest quality.

MUSIC SCENE

The island has a thriving and globally respected music scene with festivals throughout the year, the most notable being the annual reggae festival, ‘Moonsplash’ in April. It has been described as the Western Hemisphere’s full moon party and could be considered the very opposite of Coachella with it’s uber-relaxed, unpretentious vibe. The festival gets bigger and better each year, attracting an array of international artists. The venue is the ‘home’ of Bankie Banx- the Dune Preserve, a beach bar made of driftwood, with bags of rustic charm.

Up and coming singer-songwriters such as Omari Banks and Ruel Richardson are making names for themselves on the international music scene (Omari has recently completed his European tour), yet regularly perform at many of Anguilla’s intimate beach bars and world-class resorts.  For more visit the website

Packages to Anguilla start from £1969 per person for 7 nights. Currently there are no direct international flights to Anguilla but British Airways and Virgin fly to Antigua where it is possible to get a short, connecting flight to the island.

Alison Carmichael-Rulten

Hi, I'm Alison Carmichael-Rulten the Publisher of Vacation Goddess, and I want to thank you for visiting Vacation Goddess – the one-stop shop for insider travel news, deals, 'Guest Goddes's stories, and of course our personal travel experiences. Plus, as we love to cruise we also try to find some amazing cruise deals for you too. From luxury, longer escapes right down to weekend breaks we know you love everything travel related. Here at Vacation Goddess, we hope you will find loads of inspiration and of course some amazing travel deals. We love a holiday at a great price and that's why we seek out what we call 'Champagne Experiences, on a Sparkling Wine Budget.' We constantly showcase a variety of special deals and offers and from time to time some very special competitions. Our recent 'Win a Trip to London' competition received over 24,00 entries. We invite you to visit us often, join our mailing list and please tell your friends