Barnes Bay, Anguilla: The Small Beach Between the Famous Ones
A short curve of sand on the north-west coast, with a blowhole along the rocks.
Why Go
Barnes Bay is a compact beach on Anguilla's north-western shore, sitting between Meads Bay and the resorts of the far west end. It is smaller than either neighbour and much less written about, which is most of its appeal: the same pale sand and clear water, a fraction of the people, and a rocky shoreline at one end where the sea forces up through a blowhole when the swell is running. It is a stop rather than a day, and it works best combined with the beaches either side of it.
The Experience
The bay is a short crescent backed by low cliffs and scrub, with a resort at one end and very little at the other. The water is clear and calm most days, deepening quickly enough that it is a better swimming beach than a paddling one, and the rocks at the edges hold enough fish to be worth a mask. Because the beach is small it can feel busy when a handful of people are on it and empty ten minutes later, which is a different rhythm from the long open sweeps at Rendezvous or Shoal Bay. The blowhole along the rocks works only when there is swell, which on this north-facing coast means the winter months more often than the summer. Beaches like this are the reason Anguilla rewards a car and a week rather than a long weekend. The island has more than thirty of them and the famous four absorb nearly all the visitors, so the remainder — small, unnamed on most maps, and reached down a track between two houses — are effectively private for the afternoon.
What to Try
Swim, snorkel around the rocks at either end, and walk the shoreline to Marissa's Blowhole, which performs when the sea is up and does nothing at all when it is flat — worth checking the conditions before making a special trip. Blolly Ham Bay along the coast is the next cove and quieter still. Beyond that, this beach has no restaurants or facilities of its own, so pair it with Meads Bay a few minutes east, where the island's best-known kitchens are, or with West End Village to the west. The practical use of Barnes Bay is as the swim between two meals, or as the beach you go to when the better-known ones are busier than you want. It also makes a natural stop on the drive between Meads Bay and the west end, which is a route most visitors take several times in a week without ever pulling over. Fifteen minutes here breaks up that drive and usually delivers a stretch of sand with nobody else standing on it.
Insider Tip
Check the swell before coming for the blowhole. It is the one feature here that people specifically drive to see, and it is entirely dependent on the sea state — on a flat calm day there is nothing to look at. The same swell that makes it work also makes the swimming livelier, so the two things you might come for are, awkwardly, in opposition. On a calm day treat it as a quiet swim; on a rough one, as a short walk to watch the water.
The Practical Stuff
Barnes Bay is about fifteen minutes from Blowing Point ferry, fifteen from The Valley and fifteen to twenty from Clayton J. Lloyd International, on the north-west coast between Meads Bay and West End. You need a car; there is no public transport on Anguilla worth planning around. Parking is informal at the access points and limited, since the beach is small. There are no facilities on the sand apart from what the resort provides its guests, so bring water and shade. The beach is public to the high-water mark like every other on the island. Driving is on the LEFT and a temporary local permit is required. Hurricane season runs roughly June to November.
Common Questions
Is Barnes Bay worth visiting?
As a quiet swim between the better-known beaches, yes. It is small, clear and usually near-empty, with a blowhole along the rocks — but it has no facilities and is a stop rather than a full day.
When does the blowhole work?
Only when there is swell running, which on this north-facing coast means the winter months more often than the summer. On a flat calm day there is nothing to see.
Is Barnes Bay good for swimming?
Yes on calm days — the water is clear and deepens fairly quickly, which makes it a swimming rather than a paddling beach. When the swell is up it gets livelier.
Are there facilities at Barnes Bay?
None beyond what the resort provides its own guests. Bring water and shade, and eat at Meads Bay a few minutes east or in West End Village to the west.
How far is Barnes Bay from Meads Bay?
A few minutes along the north-west coast. The two pair naturally — the restaurants are at Meads Bay and the quiet is here.
Where do you park?
Informally at the access points, and space is limited because the beach itself is small. Arriving early or later in the afternoon avoids the pinch.
Pair It With
- Marissa’s Blowhole — The rocks at the end of the beach, on a day with swell.
- Blolly Ham Bay — The next cove west, quieter again.
- Barnes Bay, Anguilla Guide — The swim itself, between two busier beaches.
