Anguilla: A Visit to a Private Caribbean Paradise

Many People who have traveled to the Caribbean and who plan on making regular trips to the islands get into a rut by just returning to the same places time and time again. It's a mistake because some of the islands are fantastic destinations just waiting to be discovered. Anguilla is one of those places. But go in the summer "off" season to get the best prices. It can be out of sight in the high winter season.

If you haven't even heard of Anguilla, there's a good reason why. It's one of the less traveled to islands because they don't really need the fancy shops, or chain fast foods or even a huge number of fancy restaurants. What Anguilla has is privacy, very low crime, extremely friendly and open people, and some of the most beautiful beaches in the entire region. Anguilla is perfect for people who want to swim, surf, do any sort of salt-water activity. It's here.

Anguilla is a small island that has been discovered by many movie stars and famous people who either own property on the island or come here for privacy and to relax. The island itself is not rich but there is very little poverty here. The people are hard-working and very conservative in their lifestyle. The major hotels and the fancy inns are very pricey, but it's because of the high taxes and duties on the tourists. You see, Anguilla has no income tax. Every other tax supports the country. But there is a little secret to this island. People do rent out their villas and what you will pay for a stay in one of these beautiful places can be as low as a tenth of what the fine hotels charge and there will be a lot more space as well. One of the villas that was rented by a visitor's family cost $250 per night off-season, but this is for a two-bedroom accommodation. Two couples traveling together could swing this very economically and keep each other company as well. This web site has some fascinating links and information as well, including information about local grocery stores, cheap places to eat, how to save money on your trip and much more: http://www.anguilla-beaches.com/anguilla-villas.html

Renting a villa has another advantage as well. Eating out can get rather expensive but if people shop at groceries and cookout at home they'll not only have fresh food, but will save a pretty penny on it. The container boat arrives on Wednesdays, so if shopping is done on Thursday or early Friday, one can be assured of getting the freshest foods and there will be plenty in the groceries.Then they also have fresh Caribbean vegetables and fish at the main outdoor markets.

It's very important to buy the very best map you can get your hands on, because many of Anguilla's roads are not paved. They're roads, just rough ones. A Toyota Corolla can get around quite well. There's a main paved road that goes around the Island with a branch toward the center. But exploring Anguilla is one of the most interesting things to do here, and to do that you'll definitely need a good map. Get one at the Anguilla Land and Survey Office. Don't worry about exploring off the beaten path in Anguilla, because there's such low crime and the people are so friendly. There is no animosity against "Gringos," either, like there may be in some Caribbean Islands. So explore, book a trip and enjoy an island adventure that really is watery paradise.