Anguilla Travel Guide 2026: What to Know
Anguilla runs on the East Caribbean dollar, pegged at a steady EC$2.70 to the US dollar, though nearly every price you’ll actually see is already quoted in USD. There’s no big airport of its own for most travelers: you land at Princess Juliana (SXM) on Sint Maarten, then finish the trip by ferry or small plane. This is a British Overseas Territory, not part of St Martin or Sint Maarten despite sitting right next to it, and it’s built on purpose to stay quiet, no cruise ships, no casinos, no high-rises, just 33 beaches and a serious food scene. It’s genuinely upscale, not a budget island, so plan the money side accordingly.
Anguilla essentials
| Days needed | 2-3 days covers the beaches and one offshore cay comfortably; 5-7 works if you add a St Martin day trip and slow way down, not because there’s more ground to cover |
| Best months | December-April is the dry season and the busiest, priciest stretch; hurricane season runs officially June 1-November 30, with August-October the riskiest window |
| Daily budget | roughly US$150-250 a day mid-range (hotel plus beach-bar meals); US$400+ at the Meads Bay fine-dining and resort tier, this is not a cheap island |
| Booking note | the ferry from St Martin needs no advance reservation, but a rental car needs a temporary Anguilla driving permit, roughly US$25 for three months, confirm the fee with your rental company |
Lock in your first night before anything else, ideally on the beach you actually want to wake up on. Compare rates on Booking.com once your ferry or flight time is set, Meads Bay and Shoal Bay East fill up fastest in the December-April window. This guide covers getting in, getting around and staying safe, our 2-day through 7-day itineraries lay out what to actually do once you land.
Getting to Anguilla: SXM plus a ferry, or a direct flight to AXA
Most visitors fly into Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on Sint Maarten, then finish the trip to Anguilla by ferry or small plane, since Anguilla has no major long-haul air service of its own. The public ferry runs Blowing Point to Marigot on the French side of St Martin, roughly eight departures a day each direction and about 20-25 minutes crossing time, no advance booking needed. Getting from SXM to the Marigot ferry pier takes a separate taxi, since the airport sits on the Dutch side and the ferry leaves from the French side, budget extra time for that transfer.
If you’d rather skip the connection, a small plane to Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA) gets you into Anguilla directly. American Airlines flies nonstop from Miami on Embraer regional jets, historically about twice a week, though that frequency has reportedly grown, check the current schedule at aa.com before you build a trip around it. Newer seasonal options, Tradewind Aviation, Anguilla Air Holidays and BermudAir among them, have added routes from spots like San Juan, Boston and Newark, treat all of these as check-current-schedule rather than settled, since several only launched or expanded recently.
Money: the EC dollar, pegged to the US dollar
The official currency is the East Caribbean dollar (EC$/XCD), pegged at US$1 = EC$2.70 since 1976, a fixed rate, not the euro and not something that floats. US dollars are accepted everywhere and most tourist-facing menus and rates are already quoted in USD, so the math rarely gets complicated, cards work fine at hotels and restaurants, and small change usually comes back in EC dollars. Don’t mistake the ease of paying in USD for Anguilla being cheap, it isn’t, the whole island runs on a quiet, no-high-rise, no-casino luxury identity, and prices reflect that.
Getting around: left-hand driving and a temporary permit
Driving is on the left, the British-territory convention, worth remembering since you likely just came through right-hand-drive St Martin or Sint Maarten. A valid home license isn’t enough on its own, you’ll also need a temporary Anguilla driving permit, bought through the rental company, roughly US$25 for three months or US$15 for a short three-day permit, confirm the current fee when you book. The island is genuinely tiny, about 45 minutes end to end by car, so plenty of visitors skip renting altogether and use taxis instead, which run on a published fixed-rate fare guide rather than a meter.
Is Anguilla part of St Martin?
No. Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory, entirely separate from St Martin and Sint Maarten, the French and Dutch island just south of it. The mix-up is understandable since almost every visitor transits through Sint Maarten’s airport to get here, but the two are different countries with different governments and a different feel, Anguilla deliberately quieter and without St Martin’s casinos or cruise crowds. Check current entry details at ivisitanguilla.com or gov.ai before you fly.
When to go: dry season, hurricane season and the festival calendar
December through April is the dry season and Anguilla’s peak window, best weather, busiest resorts, highest rates. May through November is quieter and cheaper but overlaps hurricane season, which officially runs June 1 to November 30, with August through October carrying the highest statistical risk, travel insurance and flexible booking are worth the small extra cost if you’re traveling then. Hurricane Irma hit hard in September 2017 and did roughly $320 million in damage, but recovery has been complete for years, several resorts actually rebuilt to a higher standard than before, treat it as history, not a live concern. On the calendar, watch for the Anguilla Regatta (traditional sailing, generally spring), the Dune Preserve’s Moonsplash festival (reggae, generally March) and the Summer Festival’s boat-racing finale in August, confirm exact 2026 dates closer to your trip since festival calendars shift year to year.
Is Anguilla safe to visit in 2026?
Mostly yes, and for the ordinary beach-and-restaurant trip most visitors take, it stays that way. The UK FCDO’s most recent update does flag a real 2025 spike in serious gang-related crime involving guns and robbery, alongside the standard advice to avoid isolated areas after dark and keep valuables out of sight, worth an actual read before you go, not just a boilerplate scare line. Violent crime targeting tourists specifically remains rare. The more everyday risks are simpler, strong sun, rip currents at the windier north-coast beaches, and boat or dive-operator standards that vary. Check the current advisory at gov.uk before you fly, and use normal ocean sense at the beach.
What’s worth booking ahead
Most of Anguilla runs on a walk-up, pay-when-you-get-there basis, but a few things are worth arranging first:
- A boat trip to Sandy Island or Prickly Pear. Both are short crossings from Sandy Ground with beach bars, snorkeling and no fixed schedule of their own, browse Anguilla boat and snorkel tours on GetYourGuide to lock in a spot in peak season.
- A St Martin or Sint Maarten day trip. A genuine change of pace from Anguilla’s quiet beaches, shopping, casinos and a livelier restaurant scene are all a short ferry ride away, check day-trip options on Viator if you want the logistics handled.
- Your rental car and driving permit. Sort both before you land if a full island loop is the plan, availability tightens hard in the December-April peak.
Where to stay in Anguilla
Meads Bay carries the heaviest concentration of upscale resorts and Anguilla’s best-known restaurant row, Sandy Ground puts you closer to the ferry and the casual dining and nightlife scene, and Rendezvous Bay or Shoal Bay East both work well if a quiet, classic beach is the priority. Browse Meads Bay listings on Booking.com before you commit to a base, rates swing hard between the December-April peak and the quieter months.
FAQ: Anguilla travel guide
How many days do I need in Anguilla?
Two to three days genuinely covers the headline beaches and one offshore cay, this island rewards slowing down more than it rewards a packed schedule. Five to seven days works too, but the extra time buys pace and a St Martin day trip, not a longer list of sights the island simply doesn’t have. Our 2-day through 7-day itineraries build out exactly what fits at each length.
Is Anguilla expensive?
Yes, by design. There are no cruise docks, no casinos and no high-rise hotels here, a deliberate policy that keeps the island low-density and upscale rather than budget or high-volume. Free beach access everywhere and casual beach-bar meals are the real cost-savers, fine dining and the resort tier at Meads Bay sit well above the wider Caribbean average.
Do I need a car in Anguilla?
Not necessarily. The whole island is about a 45-minute drive end to end, so a fixed-rate taxi covers most trips just fine without the hassle of a temporary driving permit. Rent a car specifically if independent beach-hopping or a full island loop at your own pace matters to you, otherwise taxis are the simpler call.
Bookmark aa.com and gov.ai’s ferry schedule before you land, and confirm your rental car’s driving-permit fee when you book, those are the two facts on this island most likely to have shifted since you last checked.