Anguilla Bliss

While researching/contributing on forums for other Caribbean islands, I came across many postings on Anguilla with glowing reports of its beaches, restaurants and people. Living in California, I had never heard of the island before but my curiosity was certainly aroused. And thank heavens for the internet and travel forums like fodor's and tripadvisor, otherwise, I might not have ever come across such a gem of an island.

During the return flight on my last wonderful Caribbean trip, I picked up and read a book entitled "A Trip to the Beach" which illustrated life on Anguilla that only heightened my already growing interest in the island. It seemed hard to believe that Anguilla could be so special and revered, but there must be something to it for so many visitors to happily settle upon that island for many repeat visits, largely forgoing all the other possibly exciting Caribbean islands. So I embarked to go discover it for myself...to see if reality met hyped fantasy.

Now that my 30's are almost over and with a growing family (a 4yr old son and a 1yr old daughter) on top of a really tough busy season at work, a relaxing beach vacation was what I needed most in May 2008. Anguilla most certainly delivered.

We (my family including mother-in-law and two sister-in-laws) first started with a very tiring, frantic flight from Los Angeles followed by a whirlwind overnight stay on St Maarten. To top it off, after I dropped off the rental car and got a taxi from the Juliana airport to drive me over to Marigot for the Anguilla ferry, the cabbie was sharing her woes with me during the drive explaining that her son was wrongly in a St Maarten jail for rape and people trafficking charges and about her mounting legal fees. So you can only imagine my unbridled relief and anticipation as I was being ferried away from St Martin towards Anguilla aboard the open-top Diamond I vessel.

After going through passport control and customs at Blowing Point, we came across a most friendly taxi driver, Frank, who was the best welcome the island of Anguilla could ever deliver as he was very engaging and informative during the brief ride to our treasured home for the week...the Malliouhana Hotel & Spa.

If you wish, you can read my gushing report about the heavenly Malliouhana at the following tripadvisor review: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...-Anguilla.html

Suffice it to say, we had a most pleasant stay that the entire family enjoyed.

We did venture to the other resorts and their respective beaches, Cap Juluca on Maundays Bay, Cuisinart on Rendezvous Bay and Ku on Shoal Bay East. Every one of them looked enticing and wonderful, but my curiosity as to possible stays elsewhere was sedated while just relaxing or frolicking at the eastern end of Meads Bay where the Malliouhana Hotel resides. On Anguilla, I'm sure I would have felt the same way at any of the other resorts because any one of its fabulous beaches has a way of melting away any doubts or concerns.

On to one of my favorite tropical island activities – snorkeling. I came assuming that the snorkeling on Anguilla was relatively poor compared to other destinations.

The Malliouhana resort provides a complimentary boat/snorkel excursion (M,W,F) which I took advantage of one morning. It takes you out to Sandy Island (fair reef snorkeling if you can handle the outer portions, otherwise passable) and Little Bay (snorkeling stunk but it was a neat locale; later found out I didn't make it to the turtles spot which was around the western bend a bit). But the boat ride was a fantastic way to get a different glimpse of the island and its beaches on the Atlantic side. Not only that, it was terrific meeting other resort guests and Clevette, the skipper.

Up to that point, I was agreeing to the general consensus that Anguilla was a poor snorkeling destination and almost packed up my snorkel gear for good, but I thought I'd give the island one more shot. So I made a solo return trip to Shoal Bay East, it's most famous beach. But before going out, I walked over to Shoal Bay Scuba at Ku and asked someone where the best snorkeling was and he told me "start from where the reef meets the shore and swim along the reef." So I went to where I thought he was talking about, the "point" or corner where Upper Shoal Bay begins, and headed out from there. Where that channels you to is the outer portion of the inner reef where there are healthy corals, underwater flora and a wide variety of fishes, eels and even a turtle sighting for me. I swam the entire length back to the wide channel which is quite a ways offshore (30-40 yards from the shoreline) but directly in front of Shoal Bay Scuba at Ku. Suffice it to say, I was left a very happy snorkeler. It rivaled many of the popular from-shore snorkeling spots on St John USVI, an island known for its terrific snorkeling, and better than anything from shore on Turks and Caicos (Coral Gardens or Smith's Reef, both which I have thoroughly enjoyed).

My tip: snorkel the outer-portion of the inner reef out at Shoal Bay; you’ll know by keeping the reef always to your left.

Another person I met at Le Bon Pain raved about the snorkeling he did on a recent boat trip out near Prickly Pear Island, not necessarily the immediate area fronting the island, but the exterior reef a little ways northeast of the island. I ran out of time to check it out for myself, but I'm definitely planning to visit there should I return to Anguilla (hopefully someday soon).

Now even if I didn't experience the wonderful snorkeling that I did at Shoal Bay, I would have still been left a happy camper on Anguilla because of the wonderful relaxation and dining that I encountered on the island. Some forum contributors have suggested that you can't get a bad meal on Anguilla, which I thought was preposterous on tropical islands (and I've had my share of overpriced, bland meals), but my family had nothing but mostly positive dining experiences on Anguilla. They too were astounded by the quality of the dining on such a small island with limited resources. Even the take out pizza and pasta we got our first night at Un Amore were good and reasonably priced.

For breakfast, I made many early trips to Geraud's which was convenient to the West End. Geraud Lavest, originally from France near Lyon, and his chef wife, originally from French Canada, are a very friendly couple, and we sampled many of his croissants, danishes, rolls and buns. There are also delicious breakfast items like a mouth-watering brioche French toast and ham and egg croissants along with Starbucks coffee. We even enjoyed the Sunday brunch there as well with endless mimosas and bellinis. The bakery/restaurant itself is very modern and nice.

I also managed to make it all the way out to Le Bon Pain bakery out near Island Harbour. Talk about a fun bunch of French bakers to overhear while relaxing at their outside patio sipping a delicious coffee waiting for my baked goods which turned out to be so delicious…the warm, buttery croissants were as good as advertised. And the super friendly lady working the front was very charming as well. One of the bakers even came out, greeted me by shaking my hand with his flour-encrusted hand. Like a said, a fun, charming bakery. What a way to start a morning before a visit to wonderful Shoal Bay.

For lunch, we tried a few places. Le Bistro, the pool and beach side restaurant at Malliouhana, was only fair. My son's dry burger could have served as a moisture absorber but my ham and cheese sandwich on baguette was good. As any resort dining, it could get costly. We particularly enjoyed E's Oven. The small, warm rolls were a good start and Vernon Hughe's famous half chicken baked in its own juice was worth the visit...very tender and very delicious. I also tried the curried Anguillan goat meat for the first time, which will also be the last time I ever try goat. Not a flavor I particularly found appetizing but at least I gave it a shot. For local traditional, I much preferred the creole conch. The best item had to have been the grilled crayfish. Laced with garlic, it was delicious, either as a meal or on top of a romaine lettuce salad.

Another favorite lunch spot was Trattoria Tramonto. It is so scenic there, located beachfront there on Shoal Bay West between the Altamer and Covecastle villa resorts. The friendly service, delicious pasta and wonderful setting was enjoyed by all. The only miss item was my wife's spaghetto alla carbonara. I was shocked when she asked for a side of marinara sauce but when I took a taste of her carbonara, I understood. Yuck. It didn't taste like any carbonara we ever enjoyed in Rome or even in the States. But everyone else enjoyed their meals so 4 out of 5 wasn't so bad, and you can't top its setting during lunchtime.

The only problem with dining out for lunch on Anguilla is that it takes so darn long. Our lunches would on average run about two hours long, not including drive time, which is valuable time away from the beach. Next time we visit, we'll simply pre-order take-out items from places like Un Amore or Fat Cat Gourmet and spend most of the day on the beach. Then again, I have to revisit just to try places I was hoping to, like Smokey's and Gwen's Reggae Grill, but I unfortunately ran out of days.

For dinner, we tried three of the most popular dining spots: Blanchard's, Straw Hat and Veya. Blanchard's was worth the hype and every cent because of the delicious food and setting. The lobster and shrimp cake appetizers were incredible, and I particularly enjoyed the Caribbean Sampler. Every family enjoyed their meals and cocktails. Even with the earliest seating, the restaurant got very full and my little daughter was too fussy for us to linger there long and enjoy the evening. My only complaint is that the wait staff there were fairly reserved with no warmth…sort of robotic service. Maybe if Bob or Melinda were physically present that evening things may have been different. Still, a few family members considered Blanchard's the best dining experience during our brief trip.

Straw Hat was probably our least favorite dining experience of the three. Although the food was good, it just wasn't memorable or flavorful like the other two. My En Papillote (whole snapper stuffed with fresh herbs and vegetables) would have been a wonderful treat if I didn't have to fish out pieces of bone from my mouth while trying to enjoy it. It was supposed to have been deboned. One the other hand, the setting was very nice in low lighting emanating from their name-sake chandeliers. And being over-water, looking out towards St Martin, we were further blessed with a full moon that evening. However, the service there too was a bit robotic lacking any warmth except for the incredibly friendly hostess. And Peter, the owner, stopped briefly by every other table but ours. I was ready to share with him how my son was a big fan of the kid's show (Blue's Clues), which he was formerly a producer of for Nickelodeon, but I never got the chance to until exiting. Still, it is a fine establishment of its own accord (enough that we bought a few t-shirts and caps there) and worth the drive to Forest Bay to soak in the atmosphere and views there...just not on par with Blanchard's or my favorite, Veya.

Veya, with so much hype being the new "it" restaurant on Anguilla, we saved it for our last night. What a fond conclusion. The atmosphere was unique to Anguilla...more like a lounge setting that is Asian-inspired, as was the food. The complimentary conch fritters were an incredible start to our meal (the best that I can recall, and I had my fair share on Turks and Caicos). Every drink, appetizer, soup and meal was presented in an appealing (almost artistic) fashion. The Johnny cakes I tried for the first time were good but the pumpkin and banana bread were worth savoring. On the whole, our family enjoyed the entire dining experience there. My hats off to the inventive chef, Carrie Bogar, and her very tall husband, Jerry, who was a gracious host greeting every table. On top of that, our service was terrific--friendly, warm and seemingly sincere--easily the best we encountered all week. I can't forget to mention the live lounge music supplied by a wonderful vocalist who evokes the melodies of Sade.

Transportation:
We had a rental car for our five days there, a large Hyundai minivan (H1 or something similar), booked through Avis (Apex car rental). The whole process was convenient. They left the car for me at the Malliouhana resort, even came there the next day to have me sign the paperwork and they dropped us off at the ferry terminal in Blowing Point after we returned the vehicle at the office in the Valley. Very friendly service. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to others.

Shopping:
We stocked up on some essentials (beverages, diapers, baby food) at Albert Lake's, which was very large and clean and very similar to a U.S. supermarket. Ashley's was a step below but there’s an ice cream store next door.

For souvenirs, our favorite stop was Irie Life, which we felt had quality t-shirts, clothing and caps. Just steps from a fantastic viewpoint overlooking Sandy Ground.

Weather:
After reading all the reports of high surf on Meads Bay in recent months (March and April 2008) we were a little worried, but we must have gotten lucky. The weather was perfect during our stay. The first night at Malliouhana, we heard crashing waves and there was some surf that first full day on Meads Bay but every day afterwards it was calm and smooth like glass. We didn't experience any rainfall until our final night after we finished dinner at Veya. So we were blessed with perfect weather and calm seas for almost our entire trip.

Final musings:
I believe I "got" Anguilla on my brief initial visit. It's not just the idyllic beaches, some of the finest you'll find on planet Earth; or the warm, hospitable residents who seem very content yet grateful; or the plethora of wonderful dining choices, from inexpensive to expensive, and from delicious local foods (except maybe the curried goat ) to far-flung Asian-inspired dishes; or the relative safety and peacefulness (lack of crowds, casinos and traffic) and minimal commercialism (no tacky tourist traps everywhere) on the entire island. But rather, it's the whole combination of all the above that gives Anguilla a very special Caribbean "vibe"--a true sense of "no worries mon."

I can see why a lot of you return to that island time after time. It's very comfortable and relaxing on Anguilla, which I imagine can’t be replicated anywhere else in the Caribbean. If I lived on the East Coast, I'd want to travel to Anguilla every year as well.

Upon exiting the ferry port at Marigot, St Martin after the sad, parting ferry ride from Anguilla, we were immediately accosted by the aggressive car rental soliciting agents. Welcome back to reality!!!...my Anguilla bliss was officially over :'(. As a car rental agent was driving me through the heavy traffic to another lot in Marigot to pick up our rental, he inquired as to my Anguilla trip and I responded that it was wonderful. He then replied "but St Martin is so much better. Lot more to see and do. I went to Anguilla for my honeymoon for a weekend but I came back that same day. It's too quiet there." I silently chuckled. "Too quiet." To me, that's a good problem to have for Anguilla. And I hope it never changes.

Lastly, for those that might be interested, I posted some family photos of our Anguilla trip on Webshots:
http://travel.webshots.com/album/563...TJMlfy?start=0

Happy travels everyone!

Your pics are fabulous. They brought back wonderful memories of Anguilla's beaches. If I remember correctly, you only had your son when you filed your last Caribbean trip report. Congrats on the new baby girl. Your children are precious! You make me want to have a 2nd one!
Thanks for sharing.

What a great, helpful trip report and your children are beautiful! Those views are amazing and remind me that I need to put Anguilla on our list of "go back to" islands. We've gotten hooked on St. Croix so keep returning....but will venture further once our kids are grown.

Hold on to those pictures. Our first pictures of the Buccaneer on St. Croix were with kids the same ages. They are now 11 1/2 and 14 and love returning every year!

Shhhh - people will find out how fabulous it is. Really, love new converts -- Anguilla is just the best and your reports hit the high points! See you soon.

Great trip report! Thnaks for taking the time to post.

Thank you for a wonderful trip report= you make we want to go back today!

Thanks everyone for your kind words. fodor's forums was the first travel site that I've been utiling as a planning resource since 2002 (every trip has been spectacular since) and this is my way of contributing back to all of you and to continue the forum's success.

Happy travels!

great trip report!
how would you rate the island overall as compared to other Caribbean islands you have visited?
based on beaches, scenery, dining,
resorts, and the overall vibe.
did you find the beaches nicer on Anguilla or Provo?

patsfan1,

I REALLY enjoyed Anguilla and St John, but for different reasons. I'm more into natural settings and peace/calm, and think the following ratings of Caribbean islands is a fairly good one:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/tr...caribbean.html

Anguilla vs Provo: Grace Bay Beach is hard to top anywhere in the world...an incredible 12-mile stretch of unbelievable sand and water quality. But in virtually every other category, Anguilla tops T&C. I'd plan to return to Anguilla a lot sooner than I would T&C (which I loved as my first visit to the Caribbean).

Excellent review!!! I visited Anguilla 2 yrs ago with DH and can't wait to go back this winter Reading your review was like walking down memory lane.

Awesome trip report. My husband I stayed at the Westin St. Maarten last summer and went to Anguilla for the day. Your pictures brought back beautiful memories. Would love to go back and spend more time there. We've been to several islands in the Caribbean and Cancun and our favorites are Anguilla and St. John.

Great trip report! Anguilla is amazing, isn't it? We went a couple of years ago, and loved it.

Also, thanks for your reply on my thread on Hawaii with a 1 year old on the US board...much appreciated!

Since I'm on the East Coast, we have a long flight to Hawaii the way you do to the Caribbean -- how did you find such a long flight with your 1 year old? Was it difficult, or easier than you thought?

hey beachgirl86,
thanks for your thoughtful feedback
traveling with a 1yr old imho is a lot easier than traveling with a 2yr old because they generally can't walk at that stage yet. when they get their legs, they can be quite restless and very hard to keep stationary (on a plane).

this obviously isn't for everybody, but we give the kids benadryl right before boarding (makes for a peaceful journey for parents and fellow passengers for several hours).

there's a lot of good tips for traveling with babies (and lots of other baby topics) at the following:
http://www.babycenter.com/flying-tra...-with-children
http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin...isplay.php?f=3
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=221

best wishes during your pregnancy and towards many happy years of traveling with little one(s)!