Tagged: anguilla, bbbaxa, beach, beach bar, caribbean, frangipani, meads bay, straw hat
If there’s one thing I’ve realized while working on my Anguilla itinerary, its that we’re simply going to run out of time to visit everything I want to see. My initial plan was to document every beach bar on the island, covering Sandy Ground, Rendezvous Bay and Shoal Bay East during my initial two night stay and then the rest of the beaches when I came back a few days later from St. Martin. That plan was shelved quicker than I could suck down a vodka tonic (which is pretty quick by the way) as I realized there would be a few things slowing me down: a most likely fussy and tired three year old being dragged along by her equally fussy and tired mother, the alcohol I was consuming at each of the beach bars and the beauty of the beaches themselves. After all, the last thing you want to do is concentrate so much on documenting everything that you forget to actually stop and appreciate the moment. After all, this is a vacation and as much as I would love to visit, research and document every beach bar on Anguilla,it’s just not going to happen. Besides, I hear the taxis are damn expensive and unless someone wants to sponsor a tour (hint, hint), my research could end up making a dent in my bank account that would affect my ability to purchase presents for Christmas. When it comes to buying Christmas presents or paying for taxis to drag me around Anguilla in search of the next beach bar, my wife will gladly tell you that Christmas will win out every single time.
Sandy Ground will be well documented because that’s where we’re staying. I chose the location for the simple fact that it offers the most beach bars per square mile on the island. It’s the center of Anguilla’s night life and it will be covered in all its glory from every single angle I can think of. Next on the list is Rendezvous Bay for two reasons – Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve is a must and the Sunshine Shack might just become my favorite beach bar. This is where the prioritizing commences. At this point, with limited time and funds, I have to make a decision. With seemingly only Saturday morning left to explore the island before we head over to St. Martin (assuming we don’t come back on Tuesday), which beach do I head to? As much as I want to check out Gwen’s in person, it’s not even close for me. Meads Bay wins out because of one couple – The Blanchards. Reading their book, A Trip to the Beach, hooked me on the dream that I could actually move to the Caribbean and make this whole beach bar thing happen. The chance to actually meet them, although slim, is too great to pass up and combined with views like this one from the Frangipani’s Straw Hat, makes Meads Bay the clear winner in my book.
Straw Hat, Frangipani Beach Resort, Meads Bay, Anguilla. Credit zemibeach.com
If you could visit only one beach on Anguilla, which one would it be and why? Let me know in the comments and help spread the love for this beautiful island!
Photo credit www.zemibeach.com
