I’ve been all over the Caribbean, and not a single island has disappointed. Each manages to be unique and incredible in their own way.

But in terms of beaches- which is the centerpiece of any Caribbean vacation- Anguilla is at, or at the very least near, the top of the list.

Anguilla doesn’t have the European charm of St. Martin or the mountainous terrain of islands like St. Lucia, but what it does have is beach after beach of the most perfect sand and calm, clear, bright turquoise waters.

The island possesses 33 beaches, while only being 16 miles long- giving it more beaches per square mile than anywhere else in the Caribbean.

And while Anguilla is well known for its beaches at this point, it remains inexplicably empty of tourists compared to popular islands like St. Martin and St. Thomas.

In this post, I’ll be going through the 13 best beaches in Anguilla, which includes some of the most beautiful beaches you’ll find anywhere in the world.

How the Best Beaches Were Scored

Any post ranking beaches will naturally be subjective. And as we all have different preferences, I think it’s a good idea to let you guys know what the criteria are for my rankings.

I’ve scored each beach based on three criteria (the three S’s): scenery, swimming/water quality, and seclusion/crowds. Scenery accounted for 50% of the total score, with the other two accounting for 25%.

Notice that I didn’t include criteria like ‘amenties’ or ‘accessibility’. This is because my view of the perfect beach is simple: beautiful, and quiet.

Hopefully we’re on the same page!

Map of the Best Beaches in Anguilla

Note: The map is color-coded, with the gold being Tier 1 beaches, silver Tier 2, and brown Tier 3.

Tier 3: Worth a Visit

Forgot to mention- scores for each category will be out of five stars, for the three S’s- scenery, swimming, & seclusion.

13. Sandy Ground

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐

12. Shoal Bay West

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

While Shoal Bay West is also nice, it is NOT to be confused with Shoal Bay (East).

Located on the often windier southern side, Shoal Bay West has a bit of a wild feel.

It’s a long, curved bay with an interestingly designed resort that you can see below. I have a feeling it’s not open, or at least not year round- when I went in April, there was no one in sight.

The reason Shoal Bay West is low on the rankings is in large part due to the wind which makes the water choppy and pushes seaweed onto the shores. But in times that are less windy, the beach would likely compete with some others that are higher up the list.

Note: While we’re on the topic of the windy southern side, I highly recommend you download the app Windfinder. It’s free and shows you wind speed and direction on a map of everywhere in the world!

11. Crocus Bay

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Note: Crocus Bay is the gateway to an area of cliffs and coves to the east of the beach. One of these is Little Bay, which I’ll be covering it in this post. You should plan to head to both beaches on the same trip.

10. Savannah Bay

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one is definitely polarizing.

Savannah Bay is isolated. It’s a long stretch of beach that’s left completely to nature.

Other than a small restaurant on the far left side, it’s just beach. And that’s saying something, as Savannah Bay is the longest beach on the island.

A lot of what I say here will be speculative, as I visited the bay for just about enough time to get out of the car and take a quick look- there was lots of dissent from my family who was with me and wanted something more ‘family friendly’.

Fair enough. The beach was certainly wild and, being on the southern end, quite windy with rough waters.

However- from a quick glance, I could see that the far right end of the beach appears to be protected, with calmer, clear waters. If you’re looking for a truly isolated spot that may just be a gem, I urge you to try it. If you do, please let me know and send pictures that I can add!

Keep in mind that the beach is somewhat difficult to access due to choppy dirt roads, but if you have a decent car and driving skills (4×4 ideal but not mandatory) you should be fine.

Tier 2: Outstanding but a Step Behind

9. Rendezvous Bay

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐

Rendezvous Bay is consistently at or near the top of many beach rankings in Anguilla.

And fair enough. Rendezvous Bay is one of the longest beaches on the island and the sand and sea are pretty picture perfect. It’s a great beach for a long stroll or swim.

I say that upfront to point out that the beach is incredible, before I start to nitpick. The reality is that every beach from here on out is pretty epic.

My main critique of Rendezvous is that it is located on the aforementioned windy southern end of the island. But I’ve been twice, and one of the two times it was perfectly calm. The other time is pictured below, and it was still pretty calm.

Again, check Windfinder.

My other critique is that it can get a little busy, by Anguilla standards. That being said, it’s massive, and you usually won’t have a problem finding a large area all to yourself- provided you walk a little.

8. Little Bay

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Now on to one of the more unique spots on the island.

Little Bay is located in an area of coast east of Crocus Bay that is marked by cliffs and coves instead of long and wide beaches.

Little Bay is the biggest cove in the area and the only one (kind of) accessible by land. There are many other coves, though, but you would need a boat (more on that later).

There used to be a rope that you could use to shimmy down the cliffs to the beach, but no longer. When I went, we took a short hike out to this rocky outcrop and jumped into the water from there, then swam to the beach.

Being harder to access, Little Bay doesn’t ever get crowded and it has a nice, secluded feel.

Little Bay also has some of the best snorkeling on the island, so bring your gear! Here’s a snorkeling tour to Little Bay by boat as well, which also makes your access to the beach easier, and provides gear for you. You’ll also be able to see some of the other coves that are only accessible by boat.

Note: There are lots of spots that are reachable only by boat, and I’ll let you know how to go about getting a boat if you’re interested at the bottom of this post.

7. Blolly Ham Bay

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This beach is for the hardcore explorers.

There aren’t too many ‘secret spots’ on Anguilla, but Blolly Ham Bay is certainly one of them. I’m confident that it’s been visited by less than 1% of travelers to the island.

I discovered it by going on Google Maps and directing the GPS to the farthest point on the west side of the island. The road gradually became undrivable for my car, so I parked on the side and ran the rest of the way.

Blolly Ham Bay is wild. It’s completely exposed to the elements, as it’s literally on the western tip of Anguilla.

There’s a small sandy beach with a view of a small island offshore (Anguillita), but the real draw are the cliffs and caves that you can walk along to the right of the beach.

Blolly Ham Bay takes the seven spot on this list and misses out on Tier 1 simply because it’s hard to swim and not the best for families.

That being said, if the criteria for this ranking was for scenery and adventurousness, Blolly Ham would easily take the top spot.

There’s no one who sets foot there, you can hike and jump off the cliffs, explore the caves, and take in an incredible sunset.

Just be careful by the cliffs, and always check the depth of the water and stability of the rock at your jumping point if you’re going to jump.

Note: Blolly Ham Bay (& a couple others on this list) are pinned on Offpath, my interactive map app showing off-the-beaten-path spots all over the world. Take a look at the map below to see what made it from Anguilla, and download the app for your next trip!

Tier 1: The Best of the Best

Tier 1 encompasses almost half of the beaches on our list.

I had a lot of trouble ranking the remainder of these beaches. The truth is that each and every one of them has a claim for the best beach in Anguilla, and you should visit all of them!

6. Turtle Cove

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Turtle Cove is the next closest thing to a ‘secret beach’ on this list, after Blolly Ham Bay.

It doesn’t appear on Apple or Google Maps- you just have to know that it’s there. It’s actually part of the Malliouhana Resort, and that’s likely why it’s been kept quiet. But no longer.

Turtle Cove is a small beach with a high level of beauty that you will likely have all to yourself.

To access it, you have to walk through the Malliouhana Resort. Just continue on their walking paths as far east as you can, and you’ll eventually hit it. You can also ask the staff, who will happily assist you.

I recommend pairing a visit to Turtle Cove with Meads Bay, which sits on the other side of the resort. You might be hearing a bit more about Meads Bay soon as well. Hint hint.

5. Shoal Bay

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐

Shoal Bay has routinely been named one of the best beaches in the entire world, let alone one of the best beaches in Anguilla. And it’s really easy to see why.

If we’re talking strictly sea and sand- which is, at its core, what a beach is- Shoal Bay is unbeatable.

It’s got the calmest, brightest blue waters you’ll find on the island, and the most perfect sand. Walking along it, it almost didn’t feel real at times.

The only reason Shoal Bay isn’t higher on this list is because it doesn’t have the same private, secluded feel that the rest of the beaches on this list have.

Being the most popular beach on the island has its cons. But you’d be a fool not to visit Shoal Bay at least once.

4. Maundays Bay (Cap Juluca)

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another slice of perfection.

Maundays Bay is best known for being home to the Cap Juluca Resort, the most beautiful and exclusive resort on the island.

Usually I’m not a fan of resorts on a beach, but the Cap Juluca Resort on Maundays Bay is so tastefully designed that it somehow adds to the scenery.

It’s on the south side of the island, but is counterintuitively one of the calmest beaches on the island, due to it being curved and naturally protected.

It’s a fine spot at any time of day, and great for sunset even though it doesn’t face west. Consider eating at Cip’s, an expensive but excellent restaurant on the edge of the water.

Oh- and do me a favor and let me know if my sandcastle is still standing. Thanks.

3. Long Bay Beach

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I discovered Long Bay Beach on my last day, but I wish I’d have found it earlier. It’s certainly one of the island’s hidden gems, earning it a pin on Offpath.

Long Bay Beach is stunning, completely empty, relatively lengthy (though not enough for them to call it Long Bay in my opinion, but I digress), and exceptionally scenic.

On one side of the beach, you’ll see a few houses sticking up- one thing I don’t love about the beach- but the other side has cliffs jutting out into the water- gorgeous.

The only two knocks on this beach I can think of are that I’ve seen pictures of it with a lot of seaweed (though I didn’t see too much) and that the walking path is a little brambly and has a bit of garbage thrown around.

Long Bay Beach can be confused with the beach directly to the left of it, so I’m attaching a map with the exact directions below. Make sure to read the note beneath it as well.

Note: The map above shows directions to Long Bay Beach from the main road. Park at the “B” marker, and then walk down the rocky road to the right. Then take the first left that you see, which will lead you to the beach. Apple Maps shows exact walking directions.

2. Barnes Bay

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming/Water Quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Crowds/Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Coming in second is Barnes Bay.

It’s a bit of a spoiler for number one, but 4 of the 6 beaches in Tier 1 are located in the same general area- the northwest of the island. I note this to tell you that you can knock a bunch of these out in a day. Only if you’re short on time, since there’s no need to rush.

Barnes Bay is a cross between the long, perfect sandy Shoal/Rendezvous style bays and the more wild beaches on this list. It’s long and sandy, but has picturesque rock formations here and there that add to the character.

Facing northwest, it’s pretty much perfect for sunset. Go to the left side and take pictures by the sandbar.

Mango’s restaurant is about midway down the beach- food is pretty good, I would recommend.

1. Nim’s Nook (Meads Bay)

Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swimming: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Drumroll, please.

Coming in first place is Nim’s Nook, on the far right of Meads Bay!

Let’s start off by saying that Meads Bay in general is a Tier 1 beach. Long and sandy, with incredible waters, it’s pretty much on par with Shoal Bay. In 2024, it was given the honor of 3rd Best Beach in the World.

But it’s Nim’s Nook specifically that gets the trophy. Tucked into the right side of Meads Bay and nestled between two rocky outcrops, it’s the best of Meads but with a hidden feel.

Like Turtle Cove, Nim’s Nook is located at the base of the Malliouhana Resort. So as I alluded to above, definitely check both out- it’s only a 5-10 minute walk (and through the Malliouhana Resort, which is stunning).

There’s a small cave at the end of Nim’s Nook, a great spot to hang out and take photos.

Oh, and Meads Bay is also home to one of the best restaurants on the island- Blanchard’s. They also have a beach shack that’s great for lunch.

Tips for Visiting Anguilla’s Beaches

Consider Hiring a Boat

While there are more than enough pristine beaches to explore by car, there are also tons of spots that are only accessible by boat.

You can try and find a way to rent a boat privately, but I’m honestly not sure how difficult this is on Anguilla. Whatever the case, it’s much easier to prepay for a tour- provided it’s in your budget.

There’s a boat tour that I highly recommend if you’re a large group. It‘ll take you to multiple small islands off the coast of Anguilla that each have beaches worthy of Tier 1- particularly the island of Prickly Pear.

It’s for up to 12 people and includes snorkeling, which will be far better than anything you can find on Anguilla itself (this is one of Anguilla’s drawbacks).

You can check it out with the link below.

Rent a 4×4 Car (Not Necessary But Helpful)

I didn’t have a 4×4. But it certainly would have made my life easier.

A few beaches on this list- such as Blolly Ham and Savannah Bay- require a decent amount of off-road driving to reach.

Sometimes the roads are maneuverable in a normal car, and sometimes they aren’t. For Blolly Ham, I mentioned earlier that I had to park at a point and finish the road on foot. It wasn’t the end of the world, but a 4×4 would’ve been able to go no problem.

Chances are high that you’re reading this post after having already arrived, and you likely have a car. But for those of you that are still in the trip planning phase, you can look for one here. Booking.com usually has some good options, including Jeeps.

Explore On Your Own

I’m sure there are plenty more gems out there that I’ve missed.

While I combed the west side pretty extensively, there are plenty of areas- particularly east of the airport- that I didn’t explore nearly as much.

As far as the west side goes, I saw nothing about Blolly Ham, Turtle Cove, Nim’s Nook, or Long Bay Beach online when I did my pre-trip research. Which goes to show how many other spots must be hiding out there.

All my discoveries were from walking around, looking at satellite maps in search of bright blue water, and driving down random roads. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But I find it kind of fun.

Final Thoughts

There you have it- the ultimate list of the best beaches in Anguilla.

There’s not much to do on Anguilla other than beach hop. But we’re not complaining, because what more do you need?

Spend your days trying to get to as many of the beaches on this list as you can, particularly those in Tiers 1 & 2. Then you can let me know if you agree with my rankings in the comments below!