Savannah Bay

Savannah Bay - also known as Junks Hole - is one of Anguilla's most beloved and least-visited beaches, a long, crescent-shaped stretch of sand on the island's far eastern coast that most visitors never find. It does not have the pure white powder of the west-end beaches and it does not have a resort or beach club. What it has instead is something harder to replicate: genuine remoteness, a character that feels completely unchanged from decade to decade, and Palm Grove - the one and only establishment on the bay.

Palm Grove, universally known as Nat's Place, is the kind of beach bar that travel writers fantasize about. Founded and run by Nat Richardson, it is a simple open-air shack right at the edge of the sand, serving BBQ crayfish, lobster, rum punch, and cold drinks. If the windows are open, they are serving. Nat rents umbrellas to those who need shade on the otherwise sun-exposed beach. He has been here for decades and keeps the Junks Hole end of the beach clear of the Atlantic debris that occasionally washes in - giving the cove its name. Go to Palm Grove for lunch around noon and plan to stay a few hours. It is one of Anguilla's most authentic and most satisfying beach experiences.

The beach itself is two distinct moods in one 0.7-mile stretch. The eastern end - the Junks Hole cove near Palm Grove - is calm, shallow, and sandy. You can swim out a surprisingly long way and still stand, and the snorkeling around the signature offshore rock (a popular pelican perch) is excellent, with rays in the sandy areas and interesting reef life among the rocks further out. The western end of the beach, by contrast, is more exposed and the wave action tends to be stronger. Walking the full length of the beach from east to west gives you both experiences: the quiet cove, the open Atlantic horizon, and a wide undeveloped stretch that looks exactly as it did before tourism arrived.

The road to Savannah Bay is unpaved but well-signed once you follow the signs for Palm Grove from the main eastern road. Standard cars manage it fine in dry conditions. The whole area is free of resorts, hotels, and development other than Nat's Place and Breezy Windsong Villas nearby.

Located in East End Village, Anguilla, Savannah Bay is a strong choice for travelers looking for Snorkeling, Family, Food Nearby, and Quiet. Its current beach profile highlights rough.