For our 2024 annual January trip with the Ducks, we were searching for a place with fantastic service and a great view of the sunset. We landed on Anguilla, a British territory that is 16 miles long and 3 miles wide, just past the British Virgin Islands. It did not disappoint!!! We flew into St. Maarten (half French, half Dutch) and then took a boat over to Anguilla. Then we took a car over to the Four Seasons Resort on the north side of the island (about a 10-min ride). We enjoyed lots of time on the beach, relaxing and drinking fruity drinks, and had a fun day out on the ocean. Make sure to add Sandy Island to your list! Anguilla is known as Rainbow City, and it certainly lived up to its name. Lots of little showers on some days, but then we always had a rainbow afterward. We loved our time together and with our friends in this paradise!
Photos from Sydney Ellen who was holding down the fort
Meanwhile, BYYEEEE! Off we go!
From the St. Maarten airport, we took a boat over to Anguilla. The water was SO choppy that I was relieved it was dark and I couldn't see the waves.
But we got to watch a beautiful sunset
Checking into the Four Seasons with some rum punch
Deluxe Ocean View Studio Room- just the right size, overlooking the ocean and Meads Bay, and had a plunge pool on the balcony!
Weary travelers ready for dinner and drinks
Dinner at SALT at the Four Seasons where we watched turtles and 'silver fish' swimming/ churning in the water below
Good morning, Anguilla!
Breakfast with a view
First Miami Vice
Diet Coke and guacamole on the beach- I'm a happy girl!
John saw a landscaper cut down a coconut and asked him if he could have it- and here it is!
This is the view from just in front of our hotel building. We are on the second floor, and the Ducks are on the first right there at the loungers.
View of the sunset from the Sunset Lounge
We walked down Meads Bay to dinner at Blanchard's
View of the garden outside Blanchard's. They have a nice dinner restaurant and also a beach shack next door that is open for lunch and dinner.
Ready for a day on the water
We took a boat out of Sandy Ground Harbor. The island is made out of limestone, and you can see the layers here. And we could see a goat or two out on the ledges!
Loved this natural arch
Swiming at Cap Juluca on the south side of the island- much calmer water than our side (that day) but very windy
Sandy Island was so neat- tiny tiny island with a restaurant and bar (and bathrooms that couldn't flush)
Delicious food
We didn't see a single shell on our beach, but this island had a ton of pretty shells.
Our crewmate found this sea urchin in those rocks along the beach!
You could see both sides of the island- so cool
We did some snorkeling right off of Sandy Island, and the crew dove down and found all these pretty sand dollars and sand 'biscuits' for us.
There was a potty on board, although it was teeny tiny. Just Anne's size lol!
Little Bay was an amazing spot. Cacti grew all over this rock face, and how neat are all those holes??
When the boys saw a rope up the side of the rock for jumping off, they literally were like, 'hold my beer,' and were off the side of the boat before we could blink.
We stopped here for a fruity drink on a beach (and it had a beautiful, functioning toilet)
See the brown bird flying at the waterline?
Back to Little Bay to explore the beach
The wall was covered in these stacks of rocks
Sky on fire
Our view from our building looking up the hill. The water is to the right, the spa is at the top of the hill on the right. The main lobby and sunset pool is straight through this area and over the hill.
Turned around the snapped our building's pic. Meads Bay is directly behind this building.
From the top of the hill near the spa, looking back at our building
John took this pic from the SALT area, looking back at the middle pool. Meads Bay is just past this.
From the spa's waiting area (although the spa will be relocating to a larger building but not on the water at some point)
I couldn't pass up this pool after my massage
Standing in the pool I noticed something move on the rocks below
Once I saw them, they were everywhere!!
Dinner at Mango, beachside on Barnes Bay, just off the resort to the west side. Too rocky to walk on the beach there, could technically walk through the hotel property there but would have to go through the yard of a unit that was currently being used, so we took a short cab ride.
Walked down to Blanchard's Beach Shack for lunch one day. And the lemonade vodka punch, of course!
This bowl was to die for!
And chickens like pidgeons
See the "brown boobies"?
Dinner at Sharky's on our last night, a 6-min taxi ride from our hotel (inland). We learned the next day, that the chef had worked at Blanchard's for years, decided to retire, and then was talked into cooking again by the locals. He started out just cooking out of his kitchen and serving a few tables on his porch, and now it's grown to a whole patio off his porch! He still lives out of the house!
Do we have to leave???
Leaving Blowing Ferry Terminal headed back to St. Maarten to catch our flight
I was impressed where the luggage went
Watch out for these two!
