Things to do in The Valley

Best time to visit The Valley

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• December to April

  High season: best weather, everything open, highest prices; book ahead.

• May and June

  Shoulder; good weather, lower rates.

• July and August

  Hotter; Summer Festival brings the island alive.

• September and October

  Peak hurricane season; many restaurants close. Avoid without flexible plans.

• November

  Reopening; good value.

What's on

• Anguilla Summer Festival late July to early August

  Boat racing, music, and fetes island-wide.

Best things to do in The Valley

• Wallblake House

  $

  Anguilla's oldest plantation house (1787) with island-history exhibitions.

• Crocus Bay

  Free

  Sheltered bay with calm water and the launch point for Little Bay boats.

• Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club

  $$$

  The island's championship golf course; back nine runs along the sea.

• Zemi Thai House Spa

  $$$

  Spa set in an antique Thai house; book treatments days ahead in season.

• Sandy Ground

  Free

  The working waterfront strip: beach bars, salt pond, and the island's late nights.

• Meads Bay

  Free

  Long calm west-end beach with the island's famous restaurant row.

• Little Bay

  $$

  Boat-access-only cove with cliffs to jump from and caves to swim into.

• Scrub Island

  $$

  Private island off the eastern point with an empty beach and good snorkelling.

Best restaurants in The Valley

• Veya

  $$$

  The island's fine-dining room: Caribbean-Asian cooking in a converted house.

• Mirabelle's

  $$

  Rooftop sushi, tapas, and cocktails with live music near town.

• E's Oven

  $$

  Chef Vernon Hughes' Caribbean fine dining; grilled snapper and house rum punch.

• Good Korma

  $$

  The town's Indian restaurant on the main strip; a solid non-seafood night.

• da'Vida

  $$$

  Beach club restaurant on the calm bay: ceviche, grilled fish, cocktails.

• Straw Hat

  $$$

  West-end beach restaurant; lunch with a view, dinner under lights.

• Blanchards

  $$$$

  The island's classic special-occasion restaurant; book well ahead in season.

• Picante

  $$

  Mexican restaurant on the strip; dinner before the bars.

Best bars in The Valley

• Elvis' Beach Bar

  $$

  The island's famous beach bar: Mexican-tinged menu, games on the big screen.

• Johnno's

  $$

  Beach bar with live music and barbecue nights; the Sandy Ground institution.

Outdoor things to do in The Valley

• Prickly Pear Cays

  $$$

  Uninhabited cays with turtles and rays; the classic full-day sail.

• Dog Island

  $$$

  Uninhabited island with strong diving and snorkelling; pick a calm day.

• Sandy Island

  $$

  Tiny sandbar for a half-day of shallow swimming and rum punch.

Best hotels in The Valley

• CeBlue Luxury Villas

  $$$$

  Villa resort on the Crocus Bay bluffs with clubhouse, spa, and concierge.

• ÀNI Anguilla

  $$$$

  Private all-inclusive villa resort; one booking takes the whole property.

• Zemi Beach House, LXR Hotels & Resorts

  $$$$

  Luxury beachfront with the Thai House spa and four restaurants.

• The Manoah Boutique Hotel

  $$$

  25-room boutique hotel on the beach; polished and intimate.

• Shoal Bay Villas

  $$

  Apartment-style villas; the practical family pick.

• Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla

  $$$$

  The west-end luxury pick on Barnes Bay.

• Frangipani Beach Resort

  $$$

  Boutique beachfront on Meads Bay; quieter than the Four Seasons scene.

Is The Valley expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club: a few days ahead
• Zemi Thai House Spa: a few days ahead
• Little Bay: a few days ahead
• Scrub Island: a few days ahead
• Prickly Pear Cays: a few days ahead
• Dog Island: a few days ahead
• Sandy Island: a few days ahead
• Veya: a few days ahead

• Veya and Blanchards: book dinner days ahead in high season
• Zemi Thai House Spa: reserve treatments a few days ahead in winter
• Prickly Pear charters: book a day or two ahead in high season

Is The Valley safe?

• One of the safest islands in the Caribbean; lock the rental car, do not leave valuables visible, take taxis after late nights in Sandy Ground. Emergency: 911.

The Valley travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Seasonal restaurants still appear in searches; confirm hours before driving over
• 'Sunset view' tables at west-end restaurants go first; say so when booking
• The Valley's lunch spots close early afternoon; plan dinner venues separately

Getting around The Valley: public transport and more

• You need a car; The Valley is central but nothing is walkable, driving is on the left
• Taxis unmetered; agree fares first (The Valley to Shoal Bay ~$20, to West End ~$30)
• Blowing Point ferry to St. Maarten is 20 minutes
• Parking is easy everywhere except Sandy Ground on party nights

Who The Valley suits

More in Anguilla

Every Anguilla guide