WayneDunlap
Google
We stayed at Shoal Bay Villas on Anguilla’s Shoal Bay East beach… and So Glad we did! Anguilla is a destination that people come back year over year. Many time repeat visitors told us they have stayed at several places and we found the best. The beach at Shoal Bay East is incredible, the pool is nice but you will probably spend most your time in the warm turquoise ocean, and good beach restaurants are a short walk away. See above for Shoal Bay East beach description and restaurants recommendations on the beach or a drive away.||Shoal Bay Villa loans snorkel gear and in a closet by the pool they have beach toys for the kids and ocean flotations. Pretty nice snorkeling is just out to the right on the far side of the close reef.||Shoal Bay Villas offers a variety of accommodations at different price levels - all air conditioned with covered balconies or patios and full kitchens equipped with a full-sized refrigerator, microwave, stove, blender, and coffee maker. We chose a one-bedroom villa closest to the ocean view. The view to the ocean was amazing and wonderful for sitting with a cocktail, having breakfast, or enjoying wonderful sunsets. The staff is very helpful with restaurant reservations and other suggestions to make your visit to Anguilla special. Get this: you are assigned your own private beach lounges with shade so no need to get up early and reserve a spot.||We decided to stay on what many return visitors we spoke to consider Anguilla’s most beautiful beach - Shoal Bay East voted one of the 'Top 10 beaches in the Caribbean' by USA Today. It definitely lives up to its reputation with a relaxed vibe and breathtaking warm crystal-clear turquoise ocean water, powder-like white sand beach with palm trees, and nice laid-back beach restaurants/bars on the beach. ||At sunset a whole other beauty appears sparking a discussion about which of the many good restaurants to have dinner. Wonderful!… Anguilla is what we aspire for in a Caribbean adventure!||Like most beaches in Anguilla, it is easy to find a quiet spot on Shoal Bay East beach. The beach has very gentle waves making it great for swimming and relaxing to the sound of gentle waves. It also has some of the best snorkeling on Anguilla along the nearby reefs on the east end of the beach accessed with a short swim from the shore. Shoal Bay East is a Caribbean paradise. ||Shoal Bay East Beach Restaurants: Very good Anguilla beachfront restaurants are located within a few minutes walking distance. Do not miss Madeariman open for lunch and dinner - wonderful location, food, and service. For lunch Ola’s Bar and Grill, Tropical Sunset, and Elodias are nice. For a truly Caribbean vibe join the fun and dancing with a painkiller rum drink and live reggae music on Sunday evenings at Gwen’s Reggae Bar and Grill. Located at the west end of Shoal Bay East beach, the upscale Zemi Beach House offers a wonderful breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was great to treat ourselves to their fantastic (and pricey) breakfast buffet. Dinner at Zemi Beach House’s 20 Knots laid back luxury beach restaurant was exceptional, well priced, and the lighting and music made it special (try the Caribbean mild curry and seafood dishes).||More good dinner options are located a short drive away from Shoal Bay East at Anguilla’s Island Harbour such as Ben’s Pit Stop for French food, Artisan for Italian, and you must treat yourself to the wonderful grilled lobster with your feet in the sand at Falcon’s Nest - amazing!||Anguilla is a relatively small Caribbean island but mighty in its offerings - stunning uncrowded soft sand beaches with breathtaking warm turquoise ocean water and gentle waves, great culinary scene with a variety of upscale restaurants as well as laid-back beach restaurants/bars, upscale accommodations with feet-in-the-sand laid-back luxury, low visitor numbers making it uncrowded, and English spoken everywhere. Also, what makes Anguilla exceptional is the genuinely friendly people who make you feel at home with wonderful hospitality. We have been fortunate to have visited 23 Caribbean islands and now consider Anguilla our favorite.