Limestone Bay

Limestone Bay is one of Anguilla's most naturally compelling snorkeling locations - a rugged, rocky beach on the island's north coast that most visitors never find. It sits between Katouche Bay to the west and Blackgarden Bay to the east, accessible by dirt road from North Hill or via the coastal track from Long Bay, and it is almost always completely empty. The setting is wild and exposed: rocky limestone formations line the shore, the open Atlantic faces the beach head-on, and conditions here are more variable than at Anguilla's sheltered western bays.

When conditions are calm, Limestone Bay reveals an extraordinary underwater landscape. The reef here is described as a beautiful garden of Gorgonians - the soft corals that thrive on Anguilla's more wave-exposed northern coast: sea fans, sea feather plumes, and sea rods in dense formations. The fish life is rich and includes species less commonly seen at calmer sites, including the brilliantly electric Blue Chromis and the impressive Spotted Eagle Ray. Knowledgeable snorkelers regard Limestone Bay as one of the most rewarding and least-visited reef sites on the island.

The critical caveat - and it is an important one - is access. Limestone Bay is exposed to the Atlantic and when the swell is running, waves crash directly onto the shore and into the entry points. Attempting to enter the water on such days is not recommended. The beach rewards patience and a weather check: on calm days in settled conditions, it opens up as a genuinely exceptional spot; on active days, it is better appreciated as a scenic and rugged coastal stop rather than a swimming destination.

The beach itself is compact and rocky with some sandy sections, backed by the scrub and coastal vegetation typical of Anguilla's northeastern coast. A handful of villas are tucked into the area but the beach feels completely undeveloped. There are no facilities of any kind - no food, no restrooms, no shade structures. Everything must be brought in.