Exploring Anguilla’s 35 square miles of award-winning beaches and restaurants
When people ask what I did when I went to Anguilla, I’m honest: I tell them I ate and relaxed on the beach.
If that sounds too much like a typical Caribbean vacation, or even a weekend in South Florida, I have to clarify: I’ve never been to a place where I dined as well as Anguilla, nor have I been to a place with such beautiful beaches. I stayed at the CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, where food is the heart of the resort. It houses four restaurants and the first hydroponic farm in the Caribbean. The herbs and veggies grown on property, from fragrant basil and parsley to plump tomatoes and peppers, bring flavor to nearly every dish at the resort’s restaurants.
Among the culinary highlights of my stay was a dish I had at Le Bistro at Santorini, a white-tablecloth Mediterranean restaurant that also happens to be the only AAA Four Diamond restaurant on the island. Here I tried a shepherd’s pie that I swear I will never forget. Prepared with decadent truffle mashed potatoes, it was the kind of dish that you can’t stop eating no matter how full you are – no matter how much you want to save room for dessert. I had endless shepherd’s pies last summer during a trip to the dish’s birthplace, the United Kingdom, but never tried a pie that compared to this one.
The quality of dining at the resort is apparent even in the details, like side dishes and condiments. I still salivate when I think of the cream parmesan spread that another CuisinArt restaurant, Italia, substitutes for butter with its breadsticks. In addition to great cuisine, Italia has a stunning view, with the option to dine al fresco on its balcony overlooking CuisinArt’s golf course. The $50 million Greg Norman-designed golf course is the only golf course on the island of Anguilla, and its vast green hills are set against views of the Caribbean Sea and the mountains of St. Maarten.
The golf course is not the only spot on the island with spectacular views. The island also has several award-winning beaches, including Shoal Bay, one of the Travel Channel’s top 10 Caribbean beaches. My CuisinArt suite – one of 97 at the intimate resort – was perched right on the Rendezvous Bay beach. This beach boasts the softest white sand and water that is a mix of mint greens and deep turquoise blues. The water was so clear I could see the tropical fish as they scurried around my feet.
As day melted into night, the view from my balcony turned to watercolor sunsets, and at night I could see every bright, twinkling star in the sky. I found a peace on the island that just doesn’t exist in my everyday life. Even driving is an entirely different experience on the island, which has only six stoplights. (I drive through almost twice that on just my 5-mile drive to work in the morning).
When people ask me about Anguilla, I tell them the truth – weeks later, I still catch myself scrolling through the Instagrams I took on the island, thinking to myself: I wish I were there.
Anguilla: Editor’s Picks
An excursion to Sandy Island – As seen on a romantic date on “The Bachelor,” this tiny, sandy cay can be reached by boat. The center of the island is its restaurant, which many say has the best lobster and rum punch in the Caribbean.
Drinks at The Dune Preserve – A beach bar known for its Duneshine (a strong ginger rum drink), live music and eclectic atmosphere.
Treatments at Venus Spa at CuisinArt – It has an incredibly extensive menu, with all the usual massages, body treatments and facials, plus healing waters, sea escapes, fitness classes and more.
A stay in a CuisinArt villa – The six villas offer the ultimate in privacy and luxury, offering several
bedrooms and private pools.
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