Blowing Point, Anguilla: Where the Ferry Lands
The island's front door, twenty minutes from St Martin — and better food than a terminal deserves.
Why Go
Blowing Point is where almost everyone arrives on Anguilla. The ferry from Marigot and the boats from Sint Maarten's airport come in here, which means this small settlement on the south coast is the island's front door and, for most visitors, the first and last twenty minutes of the trip. It is a working terminal rather than a destination, but the village around it has a run of genuinely good, genuinely cheap places to eat, and knowing that turns a wait for a boat into something better than a wait.
The Experience
The terminal itself is small and open-sided, with immigration, a taxi rank and a car park, and the crossing to St Martin visible from the dock on a clear day. Around it the settlement is ordinary Anguillian — low houses, a church, a couple of shops, boats pulled up on the shore. There is sand either side of the jetty and a proper beach a short way along at Christian's Cove, but nobody comes to Blowing Point for the beach when Rendezvous Bay is ten minutes west. What the area has, and what visitors miss while queueing, is the food: several of the island's better-value kitchens are within a few minutes of the terminal, serving the people who work here rather than the people passing through. The other thing worth understanding at the terminal is how much the arrival shapes the trip: Anguilla has no international airport of consequence, so nearly everyone comes through here from another country's airport, and the crossing is the reason the island has stayed as quiet as it has. A twenty-five-minute boat is a small barrier, but it is enough of one.
What to Try
Eat before you board. Fish Shack and Grill and Coconos Restaurant are the two worth walking to, with Shake Shack and Nick's Pizza as the quicker options — all of them a fraction of what the resort restaurants charge and none of them more than a few minutes from the dock. Grands Vins de France is the wine shop, which is a surprising thing to find beside a ferry terminal and a useful one if you are heading to a villa. Funtime Boat Charters runs from here for day trips and private crossings. K&H Souvenirs, Little Anguilla and the Anguilla Sunshine Shop cover the last-minute purchases, and the Anguilla Tennis Academy is behind the village. Three Dolphins and Christian's Cove are the swimming spots nearby if you have hours rather than minutes. Jamal Gumbs Photography and the island's wedding photographers are based around here too, which tells you how many arrivals are for exactly that. If your flight out of Sint Maarten is in the afternoon, the practical move is to check out early, spend the morning at Rendezvous Bay ten minutes west, and eat here before the crossing rather than at the airport.
Insider Tip
Build in more time than the schedule suggests, in both directions. The ferry runs frequently but immigration on both sides can be slow, the crossing is weather-dependent, and the private boats to Sint Maarten's airport are faster but need booking. If you have an hour to fill, walk five minutes to one of the local kitchens rather than waiting in the terminal — it is the cheapest good meal you will eat on Anguilla and it is right there.
The Practical Stuff
Blowing Point is about ten minutes from The Valley, fifteen from Clayton J. Lloyd International and ten to fifteen from most of the west-end beaches. The public ferry crosses to Marigot on the French side of St Martin in around twenty-five minutes; private boats run to Sint Maarten's airport dock more quickly and are the usual choice for anyone with a flight. Both are weather-dependent. There is a departure tax, immigration on both sides, and a taxi rank at the terminal with fares set by zone. Driving on Anguilla is on the LEFT and a temporary local permit is required. Hurricane season runs roughly June to November, and crossings are the first thing suspended.
Common Questions
How do you get to Anguilla from St Martin?
By public ferry from Marigot to Blowing Point in about twenty-five minutes, or by private boat to Sint Maarten's airport dock, which is faster and usual for anyone connecting to a flight. Both are weather-dependent.
How long does the ferry take?
Around twenty-five minutes on the water, but allow considerably more — immigration on both sides can be slow and there is a departure tax to pay before boarding.
Is there anything to do at Blowing Point?
It is a terminal and a village rather than a destination, but several of Anguilla's best-value kitchens are within a few minutes' walk, and there is swimming at Christian's Cove nearby.
Where do you eat near the ferry?
Fish Shack and Grill and Coconos are the two worth the short walk, with Shake Shack and Nick's Pizza for something quicker. All cost a fraction of resort prices.
How far is Blowing Point from the beaches?
Ten to fifteen minutes to the west-end beaches like Rendezvous Bay, Meads Bay and Shoal Bay, and about ten minutes to The Valley. Taxis wait at the terminal with fares set by zone.
Do you need to book the crossing?
The public ferry runs frequently enough not to require it, but private boats to the Sint Maarten airport dock do need arranging in advance, particularly for early flights.
Pair It With
- Fish Shack and Grill Guide — The cheapest good meal on the island, minutes from the dock.
- Funtime Boat Charters — Private crossings and day trips from the same water.
- Christian’s Cove — A swim while you wait for a boat.
