Public Servant Lifestyle

The U.K. Dependent Territory of Anguilla is the most northerly of the Caribbean Leeward Islands, with an atmosphere that's so laid back it's almost reclining!

Visitors will notice that Anguilla is small - about sixty square miles, including the smaller islands - and has a population of around nine thousand. The islanders are friendly and easygoing and Anguilla has some of the finest beaches in the Caribbean, wrapped in a turquoise sea.

Island Harbour

Although this island is not particularly touristy, if culture and local people are your interest then a visit to Island Harbour is a must. This is the island's premier working fishing village and is littered with that many different coloured fishing boats that line the beaches.

Just off Island Harbour, in the centre of the bay, is the tiny private island of Scilly Cay. With an open air restaurant and bar, it provides a lively yet relaxed atmosphere.

Sandy Ground

Located about two miles west of The Valley (the main town) is Sandy Ground. This picturesque white-sand beach is lined with restaurants, diving shops and some small guesthouses.

The salt pond backing onto Sandy Ground is a very good spot to see some of the world's most exotic wading birds. Sandy Island is a very small islet lying about one mile off Sandy Ground, which is ideal for snorkelling as its shallow reefs teem with tropical fish, sea fans and corals.

Scrub Island

Scrub Island is a 2.5 mile long island which is just off the north-eastern tip of the mainland. The inhabitants of this island are mainly goats and - although the area is good for snorkelling - there are no tourist facilities provided so you really must cater for yourself.

Shoal Bay East

Shoal Bay East (sometimes called Shoal Bay) is the hotspot on the island for beach lovers, and is located on the north-east of the island. The clear blue waters and the fine white sands are everything you would expect and more from the Caribbean.

Swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing are the main ways that time is passed on this part of the island and one of the main attractions of this spot is its lack of commercial development – just a couple of hotels and restaurants.

For the adventurous, the Fountain is a huge underground cave located nearby. As a point of interest, the site is thought to have once been an important place of pilgrimage, but now it's tourists that flock there.

The Valley

The Valley is the island's capital and only real town. It is the geographic, commercial and political centre of Anguilla. As a town it is a small but highly-vibrant place, which appears to comprise of only small groups of shops.

Wallblake House, one of the oldest structures on the island; and the interior of the adjacent church, which has a unique design incorporating a decorative stone front, open-air sides and a ceiling shaped like the hull of a ship are two of the most attractive of the island's man-made sights.

The Anguilla National Trust Museum, which hosts exhibitions on Anguilla's history and natural environment, is also worth considering for a visit if you fancy a cultural outing.

More information available in Exotic Islands