The Valley, Anguilla: The Capital You Drive Through

Why Go

The Valley is Anguilla's capital and it is a crossroads rather than a town. There is no harbour front, no shopping street and no old quarter; there are government offices, banks, a church, a couple of good places to eat and the airport. That is not a criticism, it is the shape of the island — Anguilla is flat, dry and thirty-odd beaches long, and everything that draws people here is on its edges. Come through The Valley for an errand, a meal or the trail down to Katouche Bay, then go back to the sand.

The Experience

The centre is a handful of low buildings around a junction, busy on weekday mornings with people doing business and quiet by mid-afternoon. St. Gerard's Roman Catholic Church is the one building most visitors stop for, its stone front pierced with an open lattice that lets the trade wind straight through — a sensible piece of design that also happens to be striking. Wallblake House, the eighteenth-century plantation house, sits alongside it. The land around is scrub and low walls, and a few minutes north the ground drops to Crocus Bay, which is where The Valley meets the sea. Nothing here stays open late; Anguilla's evenings happen at the beach bars on the west end and at Sandy Ground, and the island's famous late-night music scene is a coastal affair, not a capital one. Understand that and The Valley stops disappointing you, because it was never trying to be the thing you came for.

What to Try

Eat at Tasty's, which has been the reliable answer in this part of the island for years, and at Da'Vida down at Crocus Bay, where the Da'Vida Beach Club puts you on the sand at the end of the road. Anthea's Bakery and Pastry Delights is the morning stop, Good Korma on The Strip and Bamboo Bar & Grill are the informal ones, and Vincy and Dames cover the local plate. Katouche Tours runs from the parking area at the head of the Katouche Bay trail, which is the island's proper walk — through dry forest and down to a bay you cannot reach by car. The Anguilla National Trust is the place to start if you want to understand the island's ecology and its Amerindian sites rather than just its beaches. Tackle Box Sports Centre covers the sporting end, and Snob Kulture Boutique and Second Chances Thrift Shop are the shopping, such as it is.

Insider Tip

Do not plan a day in The Valley — plan a stop. Bank, buy what you need, eat at Tasty's, look at St. Gerard's and walk the Katouche trail if you want a morning out of the sun, then head back to the coast. The one thing worth timing is the trail: go early, because there is little shade on the approach and the island gets hot by ten.

The Practical Stuff

Clayton J. Lloyd International is on the edge of The Valley, a few minutes from the centre, and takes regional flights; most visitors arrive instead by ferry or private boat from St Martin into Blowing Point, about ten minutes south, connecting from the much larger airport at Sint Maarten. Driving is on the LEFT and a temporary local permit is required. You need a car on Anguilla — the island is long and low with beaches strung all along both coasts, and there is no public transport worth planning around. Parking in The Valley is easy and free. Shops and offices keep weekday business hours, close early on Saturdays and shut on Sundays, and there is nothing to do here after dark. Anguilla is in the hurricane belt, roughly June to November, and many restaurants and hotels close for part of that window.

Common Questions

Is The Valley worth visiting?

As a stop rather than a day. St. Gerard's church, Wallblake House, a meal and the Katouche trail are the reasons to be here; Anguilla's appeal is its beaches, and they are all a few minutes away.

Should you stay in The Valley?

Almost nobody does. Meads Bay, Shoal Bay, Rendezvous Bay and Sandy Ground put you on the water, which is the entire point of the island, and none is more than fifteen minutes from the capital.

How do you get to Anguilla?

Most visitors take the ferry or a private boat from St Martin to Blowing Point, about ten minutes south of The Valley, connecting through Sint Maarten's international airport. Clayton J. Lloyd International beside the capital takes regional flights.

Do you need a car in Anguilla?

Yes. The island is long and flat with beaches strung along both coasts and no public transport to speak of. Driving is on the left and a temporary local permit is required.

What is there to do in The Valley in the evening?

Nothing much — the capital closes with the working day. Anguilla's evenings are at the beach bars on the west end and at Sandy Ground, where the island's music scene has always been.

Is Anguilla expensive?

The hotels and the best-known restaurants are, considerably. Eating in and around The Valley at places like Tasty's and the local kitchens is where the island becomes affordable, and it is a short drive from anywhere you would stay.

Pair It With

Tasty's Restaurant Guide — The meal that makes the drive into town worthwhile.
Katouche Tours (Private Parking Lot and Trail Entrance) — The trail down to a bay with no road to it.
Da'Vida Beach Club Guide — Crocus Bay, minutes from the capital.