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Car rental prices on Anguilla?? Is a car necessary?

Car rental prices on Anguilla?? Is a car necessary?

Old Jul 27th, 2001, 05:33 AM
  #1  
Butch
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Car rental prices on Anguilla?? Is a car necessary?

All this Anguilla talk has sparked my interest. Is a care necessary? What is the price range? Also, are there restaurants in a variety of price ranges?
 
Old Jul 27th, 2001, 06:29 AM
  #2  
al
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Anguilla's a pretty desolate island. There's really not alot going on, aside from some beautiful (and expensive) resorts. I suppose the answer to your question depends on how long you're staying. If it's a day trip to Shoal Bay or Scilly Cay the answer is "maybe" -- you can either rent a car for a day (remember, they drive on the LEFT) or take a cab and arrange for them to come back to pick you up at an appointed time. If your stay is longer, yes, a car would be advisable. Cost wise, shouldn't be much different than any other island, around thirty bucks a day.
 
Old Jul 27th, 2001, 07:11 AM
  #3  
Shari
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Anguilla is not what I would call "desolate". True, it is not lush with tropical foilage like St. Lucia. It is an arid climate with little rainfall, relatively flat. Rental car is not necessary...just HIGHLY recommended. It is very easy to get around in Anguilla, even with driving on the left. I had NO problems, and it was my first experience driving on the left side. We rented a car for $30/day, expect to pay from $30-$40 depending on the rental company. The car will allow you to explore all the beautiful beaches of Anguilla at your leisure, and more cheaply than taxi travel. There are so many beautiful spots on Anguilla, I would not isolate myself at one resort for the bulk of my vacation. This is an island to EXPLORE!
There are some very upscale resorts on Anguilla; Cap Juluca, Mallihuana, Cove Castles, etc. But there is also a wide selection of accomodations in other price ranges. Restaurant dining can be expensive there, but the food is exceptionally good. There are also a number of more moderately priced restaurants to help ease the bruise in the wallet.
There is limited nightlife, a few places that have mostly local (read reggae, calypso, etc) music at night and on weekends. There are NO casinos or golf courses. There is NO large airport for jet traffic, small planes only fly into Anguilla. There is also no large pier for cruise ship traffic. The cruises that visit Anguilla bring maybe 100 passengers.
There are about 1,000 guest accomodation rooms, which means the island is NEVER crowded! This unspoiled, unhurried, non-commercial atmosphere coupled with some of the most spectacular beaches in the Caribbean are what draws one to Anguilla.
If you enjoy go-go beach action, lots of partying, casinos and nightclubs, Anguilla probably isn't for you. But, if you enjoy spending the day on a quiet, relaxed, stunningly beautiful beach, snorkeling along reefs easily accessible from the beach, and unhurried island atmosphere, you would enjoy Anguilla.

Please feel free to e-mail me with questions.
 
Old Jul 27th, 2001, 07:52 PM
  #4  
Marty
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Definitely rent a car. We rented one from Island Rentals and the hotel we stayed at set the whole thing up. Remeber you will be driving on the left.
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 09:33 AM
  #5  
Cathy
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Butch,
I agree with the prior posts - you definitely need a car to explore Anguilla, to be more precise - you need a jeep. Many of the beaches are off road and if you have a jeep you can get just about anywhere. A lot of Anguilla's treasures are off of her paved roads. I have rented twice from Island Rental. They are always very prompt and courtous and have nice jeeps. The hotel where you stay can probably make arrangements for you. You will also need a temporary license which is about $10, which you get when you do the paperwork for the vehicle rental. When you arrive on Anguilla you will need to take a taxi from Wallblake airport to your destination (there are always plenty of taxi's at the airport waiting and there are set fares from the airport to the villas/resorts so no haggling over price). When you leave, you can leave your vehicle, with the keys in the glove box at the airport, a really nice arrangement. What I have done in the past is had the villa where I am staying have a driver meet me at the airport, and on the way to the villa stop at the grocery store so that I can pick up supplies for a few days. I spend two or three days lounging on the beach and then get a vehicle and explore for the last 4 or 5 days. Rates are very reasonable $35 -$40 daily. As for restaurants, I would suggest the local places to get a real taste of Anguilla and very reasonably priced meals. English Roses, Tasty Cafe, Uncle Ernies on Shoal Bay as examples. The airport has GREAT goat curry. I tend to stay away from the high priced touristy restaurants so I really can't make a recommendation on them. I like to eat where the locals do, another way that I feel I truly experience Anguilla. Anyone you talk to will be glad to direct you to a great eating spot. I hope if you do visit Anguilla you will love her as much as I do.

Cathy
 

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