Island Harbour

Island Harbour is Anguilla's most authentic and culturally alive beach - the hub of the island's fishing community on the eastern coast, where colorful boats bob in a protected cove, fishermen tend their gear on the sand, and children jump from the pier into the clear water below. It is the place where Anguilla's maritime life is most visible and most genuine, and it is also the gateway to Scilly Cay - one of the Caribbean's most beloved dining destinations and a must-visit on any Anguilla itinerary.

The village and its beach are defined by fishing. Island Harbour has been home to generation upon generation of Anguillian fishing families, and the working harbor character is present throughout the day: boats returning with the morning catch, nets being repaired, fishermen and buyers conducting the business of the sea. The beach is a beautiful stretch of white sand with calm, clear water, lightly developed and rarely crowded, offering a refreshingly authentic alternative to the resort-dominated west end.

Scilly Cay is the main event. This tiny coral cay - just 200 square metres - sits just offshore from the pier, and a free-to-flag boat ferry (you wave from the pier, they come to you) runs across for $5 round-trip per person. The two-minute ride delivers you to an open-air restaurant run by the Wallace family that has been operating for over 35 years and is now one of the most celebrated lunch spots in the Caribbean. The menu is simple and perfect: grilled lobster, crayfish, chicken, and the sides that come with them. The rum punch is legendary. Scilly Cay is open Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday from 11am to 5pm, with live reggae music on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons. The surrounding water is excellent for snorkeling, with grass beds and reef hosting rays, turtles, colorful fish, and lobsters.

The mainland has its own dining scene worth exploring. Hibernia Restaurant and Art Gallery - one of Anguilla's oldest and most celebrated restaurants - is located near Island Harbour and serves an innovative fusion menu in a beautiful garden setting. Falcon Nest Bar & Grill brings fresh seafood with open sea views. Artisan Pizza Napoletana has developed a loyal following for its wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas. Pelican Bar, next to the wharf, is a classic local hangout - open daily until the crowd goes home, closed Thursdays.

Island Harbour is also the home of the annual Festival del Mar, held over Easter weekend - Anguilla's largest celebration of its seafaring heritage, with a seafood festival, culinary and swimming competitions, fishing tournaments, boat races, and live music that turns the harbor into the most vibrant gathering point on the island.

The Arawak Beach Club, a small boutique hotel at the western end of the bay, is particularly popular with kitesurfers and windsurfers who come for the consistent trade winds and open eastern exposure.