Anguilla sits in first class and has a first-class price tag.
There are certainly more affordable ways to enjoy the sun
and the sea, but for those desiring impeccable service and
an exclusive atmosphere, this island is one of the premier
vacation spots in the Caribbean.
There are no restrictions about fawning over the island's
immaculate white-sand beaches. There are 45 to choose from,
and many offer excellent snorkeling around coral reefs. Other
water sports are in abundance: scuba diving, boating and windsurfing.
When visitors have had their fill of beach and ocean, there's
a wide choice of fine restaurants to round out the evening.
Although a number of day-trippers go there from St. Martin/St.
Maarten (which lies only 4 mi/7 km to the south), Anguilla
remains relatively uncrowded compared with other islands in
the area. Those who have sampled its relaxed and refined atmosphere
seem to like what they've found: They tend to adopt the island
as if it were their own private hideaway, returning year after
year.
The island was inhabited by Native Americans as early as
1500 BC and it was later the home of Arawak Indians as well
as the Carib Indians who drove out the Arawak. Anguilla (pronounced
an-GWEE-la) got its name from either a French word (anguille)
or a Spanish word (anguilla), both meaning eel-an homage to
the island's long, narrow shape. It was the British who settled
the island (beginning in 1650). They managed to hold on to
it despite several invasions in the 1600s and 1700s.
In 1967, the English attempted to join Anguilla with the
neighboring islands of St. Kitts and Nevis to form a State
in Association with the United Kingdom. Anguillians violently
resisted the plan, however, fearing they would be overwhelmed
by St. Kitts. After a two-year standoff, they were able to
arrange a separate relationship with Great Britain. Today,
Anguilla is a British Dependent Territory, ruled by an Executive
Council, an elected House of Assembly and a governor who is
appointed by the Crown.
Economically, the island has not seen as much tourism development
as its neighbors, St. Martin/St. Maarten and St. Barthelemy
(St. Barts). Anguilla has had a financial services industry
for several years, but the British and Anguillian governments
have recently launched aggressive programs to establish the
island as a reputable and well-regulated center for offshore
banking. These measures are designed to help attract new revenues
and diversify the economy, which is heavily geared toward
tourism.
Anguilla is a barren, dry and practically treeless island
that has no hills to speak of (the highest point is 213 ft/65
m above sea level). It is also relatively small: 16 mi/25
km by 4 mi/6 km.
You can see the major sights of Anguilla in 24 hours or so.
But if your intent is to get away from it all and do nothing,
well, it takes some time to do nothing properly: We recommend
five days. Given the small size of the island, a structured
schedule isn't necessary. During the five days, visitors will
get a chance to see all the sights, meet a few residents and
discover some of the subtle charms of the island. Bear in
mind that there's not a lot of nightlife except for the live
music found most evenings at deluxe hotels and some local
establishments. The barefoot beach bars can be lively places,
however, especially on the weekends.
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