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Anguilla by Coast: A Villa Map.

Anguilla runs 26 kilometres east to west and 5 kilometres at the widest point. It carries 33 named beaches and a villa map that splits five ways. Weekly rates run $8,000 to $95,000. Here is which bay suits which week, and which listings we would pass on.

By Morten Andersen · Reviewed by Fredrik Filipsson · Updated 2026-05-18

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Island length26 km east to west

Named beaches33

Rate range$8,000 to $95,000 / wk

Last updated2026-05

Anguilla is the rare Caribbean island where the villa decision is not whether the beach is good (they all are) but which beach matches the trip. The island has held a low-rise development policy for decades, with no building exceeding the tallest palm on the parcel, and the result is the most coherent villa-first stock in the northern Leewards. The trade-off is no large resort cluster, no built shopping strip, and a working population (roughly 15,800 according to the 2021 census) that runs the trip on its own time.

Most luxury bookings transit Princess Juliana International (SXM) on St Martin, not the small Clayton J Lloyd (AXA) on Anguilla. The 25-minute ferry from Marigot to Blowing Point handles the crossing, with the private charter operators (notably Funtime and Calypso Charters) running on a fixed schedule and on demand. The door-to-door from a US east-coast flight is 5 to 7 hours. From the UK it is 9 to 12 hours via Antigua or St Lucia.

The villa map splits five ways: the western tip (the Cap Juluca and Maundays Bay zone), the south coast (Rendezvous, Cove, Blowing Point), the north-west (Meads Bay, Barnes Bay, Long Bay), the north-east (Shoal Bay East, Island Harbour), and the inland bluffs above. The rate bands differ. The rhythm differs. The right answer depends on the trip.

Section I · The Western Tip

The western tip: Maundays and Cove.

The western tip of Anguilla holds two of the most protected beaches on the island, Maundays Bay and Cove Bay, both calm and shallow.

No. I

Maundays Bay (Cap Juluca zone).

Cap Juluca, now operated by Belmond, sits on Maundays Bay as the social anchor of the western tip. The resort runs roughly 108 rooms across the 1.6-kilometre bay, with villa stock as part of the inventory and a thin pool of stand-alone villas on the adjacent parcels.

Rate band: $22,000 to $58,000 a week peak for a four- to seven-bedroom direct-beach villa. Cap Juluca resort villas run separately.

Trip shape it suits: the family with young children. Maundays Bay is consistently calm, the slope is gentle, and the resort amenities (kitchens, spa) sit on the beach edge.

What we would change: the Cap Juluca beach attendant section can crowd between 11am and 3pm. Book the villa with a private cabana setup.

No. II

Cove Bay.

Cove Bay is the 1.2-kilometre arc immediately east of Maundays, with the lowest-density villa stock on the south side. Stock here is mostly five- and six-bedroom modern builds with infinity pools and direct beach. The Aurora Anguilla golf course (formerly the CuisinArt Golf) backs the bay.

Rate band: $18,000 to $42,000 a week peak.

Trip shape it suits: the six-bedroom group that wants Maundays-grade calm with one less degree of resort proximity.

Section II · The South Coast

The south coast: Rendezvous and Blowing Point.

The south coast faces St Martin across the channel and holds the ferry terminus at Blowing Point. The named beach here is Rendezvous Bay.

No. III

Rendezvous Bay.

Rendezvous Bay is the 2.6-kilometre long beach running east from the Aurora Anguilla resort to the Blowing Point edge. The Aurora Anguilla itself operates as the largest resort on the island, with significant residential stock. Stand-alone villas here are mid-band, four- to six-bedroom, often with the channel-facing view of St Martin’s mountains.

Rate band: $15,000 to $38,000 a week peak.

Trip shape it suits: the family that values resort amenity access (Aurora’s 18-hole course, the spa, the multiple kitchens) inside the villa week.

What we would change: Rendezvous gets the south-coast wind, which is moderate but constant. The sun loungers will be moved by lunch on most days.

No. IV

Blowing Point and the eastern south coast.

The eastern half of the south coast holds the ferry terminus and a thinner villa stock, mostly three- to five-bedroom houses with sea views over the channel rather than direct beach. The Forty Knots and the Mango House clusters sit here.

Rate band: $9,000 to $22,000 a week peak.

What we would pass on: Blowing Point listings marketed as “ferry-side” without specifying the noise window. The ferry runs from 7am to 7pm with foot-passenger and freight loading audible from the closer parcels.

Section III · The North-West

The north-west: Meads, Barnes, Long Bay.

The north-west coast holds the densest villa stock on the island, across three contiguous bays separated by short headlands.

No. V

Meads Bay.

Meads Bay is the 1.5-kilometre fine-sand beach on the north-west coast, with the Malliouhana (now operated by Auberge Resorts) and the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla at the eastern end. The walkable restaurant cluster (Blanchards, Straw Hat, Veya, ) sits along the beach road. Villa stock here is the trophy of Anguilla, with direct-beach four- to eight-bedroom houses.

Rate band: $25,000 to $95,000 a week peak. The trophy seven- and eight-bedrooms (Le Bleu, Kishti, Indigo, ) run the top of the band.

Trip shape it suits: the multi-generational group that wants restaurants on foot, the named resort amenities within walking distance, and the strongest single villa stock in the eastern Caribbean.

What we would change: the Meads beach road can carry construction traffic in May and June (the off-season build window). Confirm the road status before booking those months.

No. VI

Barnes Bay.

Barnes Bay sits immediately west of Meads, separated by a short rocky headland. The villa stock here is the quieter sibling: mid-band to high-band, five- to seven-bedroom, with direct beach and parcels of 0.4 to 1 hectare.

Rate band: $18,000 to $58,000 a week peak.

Trip shape it suits: the six- or seven-bedroom group that wants the Meads quality without the Meads walking traffic.

No. VII

Long Bay.

Long Bay sits west of Barnes, smaller and more residential, with a 600-metre crescent beach and a mid-band villa stock.

Rate band: $14,000 to $32,000 a week peak.

What we would pass on: Long Bay villas marketed as “next to Meads” with a 2-kilometre drive in the small print. The Meads-Barnes-Long Bay chain is a walking distance only if you count the road.

Section IV · The North-East

The north-east: Shoal Bay and Island Harbour.

The north-east holds Shoal Bay East, often counted in the top three Caribbean beaches, and the working village of Island Harbour.

No. VIII

Shoal Bay East.

Shoal Bay East is the 3.2-kilometre fine-sand beach on the north-east coast, with the lowest-density resort development on the island and a thin villa stock concentrated at the eastern end. The named restaurants (Madeariman, Gwen’s Reggae Grill, Uncle Ernie’s) run along the beach.

Rate band: $12,000 to $32,000 a week peak.

Trip shape it suits: the smaller party (four to six bedrooms) that wants the best beach without the Meads social cadence.

What we would change: the eastern fetch days can carry moderate surf to Shoal Bay East. Check the swell forecast before booking the December-to-March window.

No. IX

Island Harbour.

Island Harbour is the working fishing village at the north-east tip, with the boat to Scilly Cay (Eudoxie’s lobster shack, the long-standing day-trip lunch) running from the harbour. Villa stock here is the smallest on the island, mostly three- and four-bedroom local-owner properties.

Rate band: $6,000 to $14,000 a week peak.

Section V · The Decision Matrix

Which coast is right for you.

If the trip wants	Coast	Anchor
Calmest water, family with young children	West tip	Maundays Bay
Restaurants on foot, Meads-grade beach, multi-gen group	North-west	Meads Bay
Resort amenity, golf, channel view	South	Rendezvous Bay
Top-three Caribbean beach, no social scene	North-east	Shoal Bay East
Smallest budget, working village, day-boat lunch	North-east	Island Harbour

Section VI · What We Would Pass On

The Anguilla listings we would not book.

Three Anguilla-specific patterns. First, the inland-bluff villa marketed as “Meads Bay area.” The bluffs above the Meads beach road have strong views but a 5-to-12-minute drive to the sand, and most do not have direct beach access. Confirm the parcel line. Second, the Shoal Bay East listing marketed as “walk-to-restaurants” from the western end of the bay. The western end is a 25-minute walk on soft sand to the restaurant cluster; not the right call if children are central. Third, the Rendezvous Bay listing that buries the Aurora Anguilla golf-course proximity. The course is well-managed but the cart traffic is audible from the closer parcels between 7am and 5pm.

A note on the September-October hurricane window. Anguilla took a direct hit from Hurricane Irma (Category 5, September 2017), with the western parcels at Cap Juluca and the Meads-Barnes-Long Bay chain absorbing the worst of it. The build standard has been raised across the new construction since, but any 2026 peak-season booking should carry Watch-triggered refund language.

FAQ

Five questions buyers ask.

How do you reach Anguilla?

Direct flights to AXA (limited service), or to SXM on St Martin plus the 25-minute ferry from Marigot to Blowing Point.

What is the high-rise rule?

No building exceeds the tallest palm on the parcel. The effect is low-density, villa-first development across the island.

Which coast has the best beaches?

All the named luxury beaches score in the top 10 percent of the Caribbean. The decision is between the long fine-sand strips (Meads, Shoal Bay East) and the calmer protected coves (Maundays, Cove).

Which is the best beach for swimming with children?

Maundays Bay and Cove Bay. Both are protected, with calm water and gentle slope.

Are there resort-affiliated villa rentals?

Yes. Cap Juluca, the Four Seasons Anguilla, and the Aurora Anguilla all operate villa stock with resort amenity access.

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