Finding Balance on a Perfect Beach

By Nicola Chilton

Not so long ago I had a moment when life felt pretty much perfect. It was in the middle of the pandemic, so there were plenty of reasons for that not to be so. But for one moment, while floating off Anguilla’s Shoal Bay East in waters so clear that I could see the slow movement of every grain of sand on the seabed, it felt as if things couldn’t get any better.

I’ve been to many beautiful beaches around the world, from palm-fringed Maldivian shores to honey-hued Cycladic coasts and volcanic black-sand beaches in Bali. None pull me in like the beaches of Anguilla. They are intoxicating in their perfection, sweeps of soft sand that are never crowded, that shelve gently into warm waters so dazzling that they are still imprinted on my retinas, months after returning home.

At only 16 miles long and three miles wide, Anguilla can be seen in a single day by rental car or Moke (a locally popular mode of transportation that lives somewhere between a golf cart and a dune buggy). But this island in the eastern Caribbean is a place to experience slowly, where you needn’t feel guilty about spending another hour on your sunbed, or drinking another Carib beer, or emptying your brain of all thoughts while gazing at the little fluffy clouds passing by on the horizon.

Few places are better suited to such activities than the four beaches featured here (among 33 official beaches on Anguilla). Spend a bit of time at these spots, however, and you’ll soon be tempted to branch out and experience the culture, cuisine, outdoor activities, and other enticements Anguilla has on offer. You’ll also come to realize why Anguilla’s beaches are considered among the world’s best—and why so many travelers come back to the island time and time again.

Shoal Bay East

Most regular visitors to Anguilla have their favorite beach and staunchly defend it. The long stretch of talcum powdery sand and eye-popping turquoise water at Shoal Bay East is mine, and I’ve spent many hours here doing absolutely nothing.

When it’s time for lunch, the deck at Madeariman (madeariman.restaurant) is the spot to refuel with local lobster pizza and a glass of wine or two. A little farther along the beach, Eulandy at Ola’s (@olasanguilla) makes the best margaritas on the island and good mahi mahi tacos to pair them with. Keep walking and you’ll reach Gwen’s Reggae Grill, a cheerful yellow and green beach shack where you can lounge in a hammock and sip a cold drink while Gwen tends the barbecue.

Wander along to the Zemi Beach House hotel (zemibeach.com) for exceptional treatments in a spa made out of a 300-year-old wooden house shipped over from Thailand in the 1980s. The hotel is also home to the Rhum Room, where “rumellier” Princess guides guests through an exploration of the Caribbean’s favorite tipple. Sip one of 100 small-batch, single-estate rums, or opt for a cocktail made with local ingredients like sorrel tea, sea grapes and mauby syrup made from tree bark, all inspired by the zemi, the deities of the indigenous Taino people who once inhabited Anguilla.

Those who want to get out and explore the surrounding seas should track down local legend Nature Boy (natureboyboatcharters.com). Born and raised in Island Harbour, a five-minute drive from Shoal Bay East, he has been taking visitors on fishing charters and pleasure cruises for years, always knowing where the best catch is to be found and full of tales of the island. Come sunset, join a nighttime paddle in a transparent kayak (anguillakayak.com) around Island Harbour Bay. LED lights illuminate the water below, and it’s possible to spot turtles, lobsters and silvery Ballyhoo fish.

Sandy Ground

The narrow strip of Sandy Ground beach is sandwiched between salt ponds, once a major source of income for the island, and a crescent-shaped bay filled with small boats. It’s also homebase for one of Anguilla’s loveliest experiences, a day spent onboard Tradition (tradition-sailing.com), a 45-year-old wooden sloop. Tales of Tradition’s seafaring and smuggling history set the scene for a gentle cruise along the coast or out to one of Anguilla’s even tinier offshore islands.

Back on shore, settle into one of Sandy Ground’s many beach bars. At the south end of the bay, Roy’s (roysbaysidegrill.com), started in 1982 as a fish-and-chip stand by a Yorkshireman, is a reliably good spot for a bite. The unassuming Criss’s Conch Shack, a short walk north up the beach, is the place to try crispy fried cracked conch, an island favorite, before stopping into Elvis’ (elvisbeachbar.com), where the bar is built into the hull of an old Anguillian racing boat. If Elvis’s rum punch pumps you up for more fun, head over to Lit Lounge, Anguilla’s main late-night spot for loud music, dancing and surprisingly good noodles.

Meads Bay

This glorious stretch of sand between the Four Seasons (fourseasons.com) and Malliouhana (aubergeresorts.com) resorts is the ideal place to recover from a night at Lit Lounge. Competing with Shoal Bay East for the affections of regular Anguilla visitors, the waters here can be so calm that it’s like floating in a giant swimming pool. Take a perch at Malliouhana’s Bar Soleil for clifftop views over the sea and an excellent Wagyu burger. Back down on the beach, Malliouhana’s former executive chef Alain Laurent turns out some of the best food on the island at Jacala. Local snapper meunière, Provençal calamari risotto and steak tartare prepped tableside are served in a breezy villa on the beach, fronted by red umbrellas and sunbeds where diners head for a postprandial snooze.

Over at Savi Beach (savibeach.com), the hottest new spot on the island, Italian and Japanese dishes are served alongside craft cocktails on a stylish white wooden deck that sees lounging by day and dancing by night.

Rendezvous Bay

There are two main reasons to head to Rendezvous Bay—to go to SunShine Shack, a place that has perfected the recipe of what a beach bar should be, and Bankie

Banx’s Dune Preserve. At the former, owner Garvey splits his time between grilling his legendary pork ribs and stopping to hug new arrivals. Everything about this place feels just right, from the line of sunbeds on the water’s edge to the chilled reggae soundtrack and the views of St. Martin on the horizon. At the Dune Preserve—a jumble of driftwood, old boats and wooden planks assembled to form one of the island’s most popular spots—local musician Bankie Banx strums his guitar and sings to appreciative crowds as warm breezes play in the palms overhead.

Rendezvous Bay is also home to Aurora Anguilla (auroraanguilla.com), a luxury resort that spans more than 300 acres of spectacular beachfront. The seven restaurants here are supplied with fresh fruits and vegetables grown at an onsite organic farm, and the resort’s Greg Norman–designed golf course—the only 18-hole course on Anguilla—is one of the top layouts in the Caribbean.

Aurora Anguilla also recently introduced its own fleet of private planes. The resort can fly you into Anguilla directly from New York or Florida, ensuring that your perfect moment in the sand is close at hand.