With 33 blissful beaches and “winter season” daytime temperatures averaging 28°C, rarely dipping below 22°C even at night, the Caribbean island of Anguilla provides the perfect winter sun escape.
Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory, offers adventures on land and by sea, some of the very best beaches in the world, exceptional culinary experiences, the warmest of welcomes and plenty to do beyond lounging in the sun.
Visitors can hike the island with local guides and experts, set off in a colourful Moke vehicle to explore every pathway, horseback ride along powder-soft beaches, head out on an all-terrain quad bike, try a variety of watersports including light-up sea kayaking, or take to the tropical waters on a boat trip. A day spent at the offshore cays, such as Prickly Pear or Sandy Island, will never be forgotten. These cays offer a party atmosphere, freshly grilled seafood and cocktails with attitude!
Anguilla is famous for its excellent food scene and encourages visitors to dine around the island. With more than 100 unique places to discover, travellers can easily find a diverse array of quality cuisine, from incredible roadside barbecues to independent family eateries, toes-in-the-sand beach bars serving the freshest local catches, innovative restaurants, fine-dining establishments, and appearances from visiting celebrity chefs. Foodies will be in their element.
By night, visitors can party to the sounds of singers, bands and DJs or listen to Caribbean music and the soothing sounds of the shore at laid-back beach bars. The cocktail scene in Anguilla is as hot as the weather, with bars at Sandy Ground, Anguilla’s nightlife hotspot, serving tropical drinks while palms sway overhead. Shoal Bay East is another place for good times, with great bars & restaurants, including Gwenn’s Reggae Bar & Grill, Madeariman and Uncle Ernie’s, where locals and holidaymakers mingle.
Anguilla offers a wealth of festivals, events and celebrations virtually all year long:
This November, Anguilla’s beloved and iconic “Grande Dame” resort, Malliouhana, celebrates its 40th birthday and will put on an unforgettable three-day extravaganza featuring celebrity chefs and renowned musicians, including a performance by Natasha Bedingfield.
Visitors in March can time their stay with the ‘Moonsplash’, one of the premier music festivals in the Eastern Caribbean. For more than 25 years, famed Anguillian musician Bankie Banx has traditionally hosted this amazing reggae music event in March/April as the full moon rises over his Dune Preserve on Rendezvous Bay.
Every Easter, Anguilla honours all things from the sea at ‘Festival Del Mar’, a two-day celebration in the picturesque fishing village of Island Harbour. Deep sea fishing competitions, swimming races, crab races, and traditional cooking and culinary competitions are all “on the menu” at this colourful event, along with live music and boat racing.
Even getting to Anguilla can be a thrilling experience, with short inter-island flights from Antigua offering passengers picture-perfect island views and a journey into the clouds. An alternative route from the neighbouring island of St Maarten sees travellers arrive in style on a short boat journey with a local beer or rum punch in hand as Anguilla comes beautifully into view.
British holidaymakers who want a fix of winter sun in Anguilla can choose from a range of outstanding hotel booking packages with leading UK tour operators, including:
A stay at the beachfront Carimar Beach Club offers excellent value for money. It is located beside the white sands of standout Meads Bay. Guests here can enjoy a laidback Caribbean experience beside a gently sloping beach that falls into shimmering, turquoise waters. There are 24 one—or two-bedroom, self-catering suites positioned either on the beach or just a few steps away.
How:
For seven nights, you can enjoy an epic getaway at Carimar Beach Club with Tropic Breeze from £2,749pp, departing 13 January 2025. The price includes return flights with British Airways from London Gatwick to Antigua in economy class and Trans Anguilla flights from Antigua to Anguilla, as well as transfers. It is based on two people sharing a one-bedroom beach-view apartment on a room-only basis.
Zemi Beach House lays across six acres of prime beachfront expanse in the heart of Shoal Bay East. The boutique resort has 65 stylish rooms and suites, all offering super comfortable beds and spa-style bathrooms. Guests can relax around one of the three swimming pools, get active on the tennis courts, gym or beach, and dine at various high-end restaurants.
A treatment in the outstanding Zemi Thai House Spa can’t be missed. Visitors will be wowed by the 300-year-old Thai house that was deconstructed and moved to Anguilla yet kept its profound authenticity.
How:
Turquoise Holidays offers seven nights at the luxury resort Zemi Beach House, departing in January or February 2025, from £5,799pp. The price includes flights, transfers, and room-only accommodation.
In 1984, Malliouhana put Anguilla on the map, defining “island glamour” with unparalleled elegance and sophistication. Anguilla’s iconic and beloved “Grande Dame” turns 40 in 2024, with several events planned to honour the resort’s remarkable legacy. Malliouhana continues to set the standard for modern-day luxury atop a bluff that rolls down to pristine white sands and the azure-blue sea.
From a cascading infinity pool to restaurants serving vibrant island cuisine, spacious beachfront accommodations, an award-winning spa, and a beach bar that epitomises toes-in-the-sand relaxation, the resort exudes the magic of Anguilla.
How:
Turquoise Holidays offers seven nights at the grande dame resort of Anguilla, Malliouhana, from £5,199 per person, departing in January or February 2025. The price includes flights, transfers, and room-only accommodation.
Or, Caribtours has seven nights at the grande dame resort of Anguilla, Malliouhana, departing 19 Jan 2025, from £5,435 per person, based on two people sharing a Garden View Deluxe King on a room-only basis. The price includes return flights from London Gatwick with British Airway via Antigua, connecting with Tradewinds to Anguilla, and a US$250 Resort Credit per room.
Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel, is the ultimate island hideaway. From the pristine sands of the famed platinum beach to the inviting, chic interiors of the rooms and restaurants, every part of this luxury Anguilla hotel is designed to enchant. Every step brings a new discovery, from the infinity edge pool to the wide variety of sporting facilities, top-of-the-range gym, incredible new Cap Juluca Spa by Guerlain, and some of the very best restaurants in Anguilla.
How:
Caribtours offers seven nights at the luxury Cap Juluca, a Belmond Hotel, departing 19 Jan 2025, from £7,845 per person, based on two people sharing a Deluxe Beachfront Room with breakfast. The price includes return flights from London Gatwick with British Airway via Antigua, connecting with Tradewinds to Anguilla.
Getting to Anguilla
Anguilla (AXA) is accessible from the UK via British Airways or Virgin Atlantic on services to Antigua, followed by a short inter-island flight transfer to Anguilla. An alternative route is with KLM/Air France via Amsterdam/Paris to St Maarten (SXM), followed by a short boat transfer or flight. American Airlines also operates a service from Miami International Airport (MIA) into Anguilla, with connections from/to the UK available.
For information on Anguilla, please visit the official website: www.ivisitanguilla.com.
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