The Facts About Anguilla

Location & Description
Anguilla is situated in the British West Indies, around 150 miles east of Puerto Rico and nine miles north of St Martin. It is the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean. The name Anguilla means eel, which is a good description of a long, thin island measuring 16 miles by three miles.

The island has a flat landscape and, since rainfall levels are low, vegetation is mainly small trees and bush. Its beaches are considered to be among the best in the Caribbean and its exclusive resorts and tranquility attract the most discerning holidaymakers.

Six nearby islands belong to Anguilla: Scrub Island, Sombrero, Dog Island, Sandy Island, Prickly Pear and Anguilliate.

The Valley is the capital of Anguilla, home to around 600 of the island’s residents and centre of commerce and government.

History In A Nutshell
Inhabited from around 2,000BC by an Arawak-speaking Amerindian people who originated from South America, Anguilla was first known as Malliouhana, the sea serpent. The British colonised Anguilla in 1650, but the stay was short lived as, in 1656, Amerindians from a neighbouring island wiped out their settlement. For around 150 years, the British and French fought each other for control of the island, causing huge disruption to its people and its economy.

In 1825, the British maneuvered Anguilla into a union with St Kitts-Nevis. This resulted in great resentment among the Anguillans, who were not dealt a fair hand under the new administration. Tensions built up over the following 145 years, during which time the Anguillans battled for direct administration from Britain. In 1967, the situation came to a head when the islanders forcefully
expelled the police authorities from the island effectively bringing to an end the formal relationship with the three islands. It took until 19 December 1980 before Anguilla finally became a British Dependent Territory.

Getting There
Currently, there are no direct international flights to Anguilla.  However, American Airlines offers several daily flights from the major U.S. gateways into Puerto Rico with connecting service on American Eagle into Anguilla; Continental Airlines provides service from Newark into St. Maarten & Antigua; US Airways, Delta and American also provide service into St. Maarten and a short 20 minute ferry ride will take you from St. Martin into Anguilla. Air Jamaica offers service into Antigua with connecting service on Caribbean Star into Anguilla.

A ferry service also operates from Marigot Bay on St Martin to Blowing Point in Anguilla, a trip which takes approximately 20 minutes.

Entry Requirements
A valid passport and onward or return ticket are required for entry in to Anguilla.
A departure tax of US $20 is charged at the airport and US$3 at the ferry port.

Language
English is the mother tongue.

Currency
The Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$) is the official currency, although US dollars are also accepted. Anguilla is a tax-free island and there are no foreign exchange restrictions.

Population
Approximately 12,300.

Electricity
110 volts AC.

Climate
The island experiences average temperatures of around 80°F, with the Trade Winds providing a constant warm breeze. With no high mountains to block the sun’s rays and, in the absence of the type of vegetation which attracts rain clouds, Anguilla is a sun-worshipper’s paradise. The average rainfall measures 35 inches per year, much of it arriving in short cloud bursts.

Accommodation
Predominantly associated with its world-class hotels and luxury resorts, Anguilla also offers accommodation in guest houses, self-catering apartments, seaside villas and cottages to suit a variety of different tastes and budgets. Families, couples and groups are all welcome.

Cuisine
Caribbean flavours have been combined with those from Europe and the Americas to create a wide range of dishes. Seafood features heavily on Anguillan menus, with local crayfish and whole lobster or grilled Snapper, Swordfish and Mahi Mahi prepared with blackened garlic or mustard seed sauce among the specialties. Restaurants are plentiful on the island and there is something to suit every palate.

Getting Around
There are more than sixty miles of roads on Anguilla, the majority of them with a sealed surface. Car, bike, jeep and taxi hire are available. Driving is on the left and the speed limit is 30mph.

The Environment
The Anguilla National Trust was established in 1993 to protect the island’s natural environment and to preserve its archaeological, historical and cultural resources. Among its current on-going projects is the rehabilitation of the island’s sand dunes, together with a number of conservation programmes designed to ensure the protection of Sea Turtles and Iguanas. There are six marine parks within Anguillan waters.

Beaches
Anguilla is renowned for its unspoiled, tranquil, white-sand beaches - arguably among the best in the world. There are 33 beaches on this small island, which measures just 35 square miles. They range from Shoal Bay East with its one-mile stretch of sand, watersports facilities and restaurants, to the secluded Captain’s Bay which is accessed along a dirt track.

Activities
Diving and snorkelling - Anguilla is also known as the ‘Wreck Diving Capital of the Caribbean’ since, in addition to the Spanish galleon the El Buen Consejo, there are nine shipwrecks in its surrounding waters, which were sunk on purpose specifically to be enjoyed by scuba divers. The wrecks are home to a wide variety of corals and marine life including angelfish, barracudas, margates, sharks, snappers and turtles. The island also features a double reef system, rich in both soft and hard corals such as the giant brain, bouquets of gorgonians which reach 15 to 20 feet and sea fans in a spectacular array of colours. The lack of strong currents makes Anguilla an ideal location in which to learn to scuba dive or to snorkel the reefs.

Sport fishing - Whole and half-day trips are operated by charter companies to catch fish such as wahoo, dorado, kingfish, sailfish, marlin, barracuda and grouper.

Cruising - Luxury catamarans and power boats tour around the small islands off the coast of Anguilla and across to neighbouring St Martin and St Barthelemy.

Water sports - Sailing is one of the most popular pastimes on Anguilla. In addition to yachts, windsurfers and kayaks are available for hire and water skiing can also be arranged.
Walking - There are numerous tracks around the island from the rocky coast line of Windward Point in the north to the ‘rain forest’ trail at Katouche and the award-winning nature trail at Cap Juluca.

Ornithology - Anguilla boasts more than 100 species of bird life. Its salt ponds attract many varieties from Herons to Sandpipers.

Other activities which can be enjoyed on the island include tennis, horse riding, cave treks, art gallery hopping and shopping on neighbouring St Martin.

Sightseeing
Places of interest include: Natural attractions include:

  • The Old Fort at Sandy Hill
  • Copper Hole (large blow hole)
  • Heritage Collection
  • Pitch Apple Hole (prehistoric cave)
  • Wallblake House Plantation
  • Katouche Valley (natural mini rainforest)
  • The Olde Valley
  • The Pump House & Salt Factory at
    Sandy Ground
  • The Dolphin Lagoon at Meads Bay
  • Sydney’s Antique Museum in George Hill

Weddings
A special license is required in order to get married on Anguilla. This takes at least 48 hours to process and costs US $284 (unless couples have been on the island for fifteen days before their wedding, when the cost would be US $40). The couple must provide proof of identity and, if divorced, must have the original decree. If either partner is widowed, a death certificate must be provided for the deceased.

Special Events
Among the major events on the Anguillan calendar are:

  • Anguilla Cultural Festival (February) - events include live music, sponsored by the National Trust;
  • The Moonsplash Music Festival at Rendezvous Bay (March) - a showcase of Caribbean and international talent under the first full moon of March;
  • Anguilla Day (May 30) - commemorating the Anguillan Revolution;
  • Summer Festival (August) - music, dancing, competitions, fairs and street parades ;
    Boat races are held throughout the year - boat racing is the national sport!
  • Festival Del Mar - (May) yacht regatta, fish tournaments, beachside fish fry everything to celebrate the sea
  • Tranquility Jazz Festival - a three day homage to Jazz at historic Sandy Ground

Further information is available by visiting the official website of the Anguilla Tourist Board: www.anguilla-vacation.com