christine79

I booked a flight with AA to Anguilla for May, and am in the process of making reservations with Rendezvous Bay!

So do you think I need to rent a car if we'll be there for 5 nights? It's just that, when we go to restaurants at night, we like to have a few drinks, so I don't know if it'd be safe to drive. If we do things like fishing and horseback riding, does the place you arrange trips with pick you up or do you have to arrange to meet them?

Any other helpful tips are welcome.

LisaDee

Lucky you! We travelled to Anguilla in May 2005 and fell in love with the place. I can't wait to return.

We were also there for 5 nights and rented a car for the entire stay. It was nice to have a car not just at night for dining but mostly to explore the island and its gorgeous beaches during the day. It was also fun to go check out all the resorts I had read about in my obsessive reading of trip reports. We rented our car from Ronnie Bryan and he was great.

We did a sailing/snorkelling trip on Chocolat and had to meet at the dock, they didn't pick us up.

There's been so much written about all the restaurants I won't recommend any in particular--we loved every place we tried: Zara's, Tasty's, Straw Hat, Picante...Straw Hat probably had the best atmosphere but I'm still thinking about those amazing seafood crepes at Zaras.

I would recommend a half-day trip on Chocolat if you like to snorkel and Sunday afternoon at Gwen's Reggae Grill on Shoal Bay East was great fun.

Have a wonderful trip!!

LisaDee

One more thing...if you're at Shoal Bay East, get an outdoor massage at Malakh Day Spa next to Gwen's. It was so amazing to be outside, just feet from the water, with the breeze and sounds of the surf. Heaven!

christine79

That does sound like a beautiful setting for a massage.

I'm definitely going to research restaurants because we really can't eat at the expensive ones every day. I'll need to know what the reasonably priced ones are.

My husband also loves to fish. Hopefully we can do a half or full day trip.

beachgirl86

Awesome! We went this past June, and found it to be just amazing. Shoal Bay East is incredible.

I would rent a car if I were you. It was easy, the rates were good, and it really allows you to go all over the island. The restaurants are phenomonal!

MaryD

Off season, Avis (on-line) is the cheapest that we've found but you could ask RBH what they're renting cars for. There are great reasonably priced restaurants: E's Oven & Tasty's on the main road not far from RBH; Picante, a great Mexican seafood place; the Pumphouse, Sunsets, Roys & Johnnos in Sandy Ground, the port where there's live music every night; Corner Bar pizza on North Hill; the beach bars on Shoal Bay East; the Ferryboat Inn, very close to where you're staying -- lots of places. You will love it there! (GET A CAR -- there are 33 beaches & about 80 restaurants.) Look at www.anguillaguide.com for tips on activities.

christine79

Thanks, I'll look into a car when it gets closer to May.

Sounds like there'll be a lot to see there! And eat, of course.

mahobaygirl

Has anyone eaten at Blanchard's? I just finished the book "A Trip to the Beach", about the Blanchards and their move to paradise to open a restaurant. A very good read, especially for those ever thinking of locating!

beachgirl86

We ate at Blanchard's in June...I read the book before our trip. The food was outstanding, as was the service, but it was OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive. We always eat at nice restaurants on vacation, but this was by far the most expensive in all our trips. We had 2 salads, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts, and the bill was $187. (No alcohol.) But, again, the food was very good.

christine79

I doubt we will eat there. $200 for a two-person dinner is STEEP.

How is the fishing in Anguilla?

I'm so excited. We loved Turks and Caicos so much, and people on here seem to believe if you love the one island, you'll love the other.

beachgirl86

christine79: I don't know about the fishing in Anguilla, but I'm glad to hear you loved Turks and Caicos! We are going there in April for the same reason you are going to Anguilla...we loved Anguilla so much that we decided to try Turks!

christine79

You won't be disappointed, beachgirl. It's such a great atmosphere and the locals are so friendly. My favorite activity was horseback riding on the beach.

waring

Cannot recommend Koal Keel highly enough as a restaurant, however be aware that it closes at 9.00, and I mean they turn of the lights at 9.00.

Penndale

Koal Keel is a wonderful restaurant. Be assured they will not rush you---and
I am certain when they are busy they will
not put the lights out. We dined there twice this past April, left way past 9!