I'm heading to Anguilla in about 10 days and would like some advice on day trips to other islands. I know St. Martin is a ferry ride away, but what about other islands? Anyone done any boat trips/tours that you would recommend? Many thanks!

St. Martin and St. Barts can be done as day trips by boat. It might be better going to St. barts by plane if you get seasick though, it can be rough. There are other islands close by, but because of plane schedules you may want to overnight. Caribbean Star airlines is generally more on time than Liat. Saba is beautiful, especially if you like hiking and diving. We stayed at Queens Garden Resort which was fabulous. St. Kitts and Nevis are also good side trips.

Another airline to check into for day trips from Anguilla would be Windward Island Airways, aka WinAir. They fly the most frequently throughout all the local islands.<BR><BR>I second the opinions of Jean for day trips from Anguilla, although some would have to be longer than a day, as she said.<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Second the recommendation of Winair - they fly frequently and we have found them to be VERY reliable, unlike some other Caribbean Airlines.

I think you will be so captivated by Anguilla that you will forget all about a trip to another island....

This past Feb. we took a day trip away from Anguilla to St. Barts. We took a boat from St. Martin and found it to be a long, long day. We were sorry we did it. A day is not long enough to appreciate any island. Also traveling can be tiring and filled with hassles. If I were you, I would stay in Anguilla, we wish we had!

When I stayed in Anguilla 25 years ago (before it had ANY resorts), there was a 19th century schooner that came into Sandy Ground twice a year to bring supplies to the lighthouse staff. It made an overnight (about 4-hour) trip to the lighthouse, leaving Sandy Ground some time after midnight and arriving at dawn, and it took passengers. At the time I was the only American tourist on the island and one of 3 passengers who got to go on this unforgettable voyage, for free. I was seasick but that was more than compensated by the leaping dolphins and flying fish under the starry skies and crescent moon that night, a sight I will never forget, straight out of a storybook. When we arrived we got to tour the lighthouse, which sits on a rocky bluff in the middle of the ocean with nothing between it and Africa. The ship left to go back to Anguilla at about 8 a.m. I have no idea if this trip is still available or even if the lighthouse is still there, but if I ever went back to Anguilla it is the first thing I would look into. A once in a lifetime experience, and probably exactly as it was 150 years ago.

Keely, I almost fell over when I read your e-mail! Your memories of the trip, the fish and the moon are like mine. The cook made us very hot, milky, sweet tea to drink while we sat on the deck looking around as the night sky disappeared into dawn. That schooner was called the Warspite, she would leave from Anguilla before dawn to take the supplies to the men on Sombrero. Sometimes it was a quick trip, sometimes all day. I went on a longer one and had so much fun exploring and jumping off the rocks into the water. Sadly the Warspite was destroyed in a hurricane in 1984, her bell is in the Pumphouse Bar in Sandy Ground. The lighthouse is still in existence, but is now automated. A company called Beale Aerospace wanted to lease Sombrero to use it for rocket launching, but the people of Anguilla were justifiably horrified and he disappeared back to whereever he came from. The birds and lizards have the rock back to themselves as it should be. Actually it has been recognized as an important habitat for them and I believe there is a species of lizards there unique to the island.<BR>What were you doing in Anguilla so long ago? How did you hear of it, and have you gone back since then?

Thank you all for your responses - they were most helpful. Looks like maybe we'll spend our entire week enjoying Anguilla and save the other island visits for another trip. Thanks again!

Anguilla - So I wasn't just dreaming! It was wonderful to read your post. In 1975 I was looking for an unspoiled, out-of-the-way island to spend my 5-week vacation, and at that time without internet I had to use old-fashioned guide books. I focused on the islands that were least talked about then, Anguilla and Montserrat (where I went in 1978). Back then there were only a few guest houses on Anguilla, no hotels, and no real restaurants except for a few roadside stands and Skipper's bar. That November on the island, there were a half dozen British tourists and myself. All the beaches were deserted. I stayed with the lovely Carty family (I know, everyone is named Carty there) in Sandy Ground and rented their beachfront apartment. Their daughter was Alison and I believe she married David Carty, who published the Anguilla Times. For food I'd buy whole lobsters or kingfish for $1 from the local fishermen and paid the housekeeper another $1 to cook them for me, or I ate with the Cartys. All the locals without exception were incredibly friendly and warm. I'd meet complete strangers on the road who invited me into their homes for lunch. I haven't been back since then, and I have mixed feelings about returning because my memories of that time are so vivid. I'd love to stay at Cap Juluca and I'm not surprised that people discovered that island and built some of the most dreamy-sounding resorts there. Maybe one day! I'd love to talk to you further - my real email address is [email protected]. Thank you so much for your update!

Keely,<BR><BR>This is incredible! I'm sending a short message to your address.