Shoal Bay, Anguilla: Two Miles of White Sand and a Reef

Why Go

Shoal Bay East is the beach that put Anguilla on lists, and unusually for a beach with that reputation it has stayed largely undeveloped: two miles of very fine white sand, water that goes turquoise then deep blue, a reef close enough to snorkel from the shore at the eastern end, and a handful of low-slung bars and shacks selling barbecue and rum punch. There is no strip, no high-rise and no nightlife. Spend the day, eat on the sand, and go somewhere else in the evening — Anguilla expects you to.

The Experience

The bay curves for a long way and the crowd, such as it is, concentrates at the upper end where the bars are; walk ten minutes in either direction and you can have a stretch to yourself even in high season. The sand is genuinely fine and the water shallow a long way out, which makes it easy swimming and dull surfing. At the far eastern end the reef comes close in and the snorkelling is good enough that people come for it specifically. The bars are wooden, open-sided and unhurried, and Sundays are the day they come alive with live music and a proper crowd. Behind the beach there is very little — a road, some low buildings, scrub — which is precisely the point and the thing that most distinguishes Anguilla from its neighbours. St Martin is visible on a clear day from the higher ground nearby, twenty minutes away by ferry and a completely different proposition, and the contrast is the fastest way to understand what Anguilla decided not to become.

What to Try

Eat on the sand. Uncle Ernie's is the long-standing barbecue shack and the one people mean when they talk about this beach; Gwen's Reggae Bar and Grill is the other institution and Sunday is its day. Elodia's beach bar, Tropical Sunset Restaurant and Bar, Ben Restaurant and Hank's fill out the row, and Olas tacos is the newer alternative. Snorkel at the eastern end, where the reef comes closest to shore, and around Ryan's Reef; Nature Explorers Anguilla runs the guided version and covers the island's ecology properly. Alak Art Gallery and Blue Rey Lyn Boutique are the shopping, which on this beach means two shops. Lower Shoal Bay and Upper Shoal Bay are the two ends of the same sand and worth walking between rather than driving.

Insider Tip

Bring your own snorkel and walk east. The reef at that end of the bay is close enough to swim to from the sand, it is the best free thing on the beach, and most visitors never leave the section with the bars in it. Sunday is the day to come if you want the beach at its liveliest, and a weekday morning is the day to come if you want it empty — both are the correct answer to different questions.

The Practical Stuff

Shoal Bay is about fifteen minutes from The Valley and twenty from Clayton J. Lloyd International, on the north coast. You need a car; there is no useful public transport on Anguilla and the beach is a drive from anywhere you would stay. Parking is free and informal along the road behind the sand. All Anguillan beaches are public to the high-water mark, and there is no charge to be here, though loungers from the bars are paid for. The bars keep daytime hours and most of the beach is closed by early evening — plan dinner at Sandy Ground or Meads Bay instead. Driving is on the LEFT and a temporary local permit is required. Anguilla is in the hurricane belt, roughly June to November, and several beach businesses close for part of that window.

Common Questions

Is Shoal Bay the best beach in Anguilla?

It is the most famous, and regularly appears near the top of world beach rankings — two miles of fine white sand with a reef at the eastern end. Meads Bay and Rendezvous Bay are its serious rivals and are quieter.

Is there an entry fee for Shoal Bay?

No. All Anguillan beaches are public to the high-water mark and there is no charge to be on the sand. Loungers and umbrellas from the beach bars are paid for separately.

Can you snorkel at Shoal Bay?

Yes, and it is the best free thing here. The reef comes close to shore at the eastern end, so bring your own mask and walk down — most visitors stay near the bars and never see it.

Where do you eat at Shoal Bay?

On the sand. Uncle Ernie's and Gwen's Reggae Bar and Grill are the two institutions, with Elodia's, Tropical Sunset, Ben and Hank's alongside. All are daytime places; the beach closes early.

How far is Shoal Bay from the airport?

About twenty minutes from Clayton J. Lloyd International and fifteen from The Valley, on the north coast. You need a car — Anguilla has no useful public transport.

Is there nightlife at Shoal Bay?

None. The bars close in the early evening and Anguilla's nights happen at Sandy Ground, about twenty minutes west, where the music and the late bars are.

Pair It With

Uncle Ernie's Guide — Lunch on the sand, and the beach's own institution.
Ryan’s Reef — The snorkelling most visitors walk straight past.
Gwen's Reggae Bar and Grill — Sunday, when the beach is at its best.