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Wherever
you're staying on Anguilla, it's worth making the journey out to Shoal Bay
East on the island's northeastern coast, where you'll find one of the finest
beaches in the Eastern Caribbean, backed by coconut palms and sea grape. The
pristine white sand shelves gently down to the turquoise waters and, though it's
often busy, you can always find your own patch of beach and water. Snorkeling
gear, lounge chairs and towels can be rented from outlets around the Shoal
Bay Villas resort where you'll also find a series of laid-back bars and
cafés.
At
the west end of Shoal Bay, a dirt track leads to The Fountain - a
cave that is the island's most important archeological site, where many
Amerindian petroglyphs were found in 1979. The petroglyphs include rare
depictions of deities - including a 2000-year-old carving of Jocahu,
their supreme God - and the site may well have been a religious or
ceremonial centre and even a place for pilgrimage from other islands.
Sadly, although the government has long had plans to develop the area as
a national park, the Fountain remains closed in order to preserve the
petroglyphs.
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Further east,
Island Harbour
is home to much of Anguilla's fishing fleet, along with a touch of
tourist development. While it's not especially pretty, it's one of the
most engaging parts of the island with its brightly painted boats and
fishermen laying out their catch for sale. It's also worth making the
trip to the harbour to catch a boat out to tiny Scilly Cay ,
where you can have an excellent lunch at the restaurant and swim and
snorkel in the clear waters.
At
the extreme east end of the island, the appealingly named
Scrub Island
is also only accessible by boat (don't try to swim it as the currents
will drag you off to St Martin). Home to a colony of goats, a garden of
frangipani trees and an abandoned hotel and airstrip, it offers a couple
of good snorkelling patches but no food or drink so bring your own.
Boats make the trip when needed for around US$60 round-trip; ask at one
of the bars in Island Harbour for details.
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Caribbean
information
Anguilla
travel guide
Anguilla
Brief history
Getting
there
Consulates, tax
Getting around
Phone, post, mail
Info and maps
Money
and costs
Restaurants and
nightlife
Best of Anguilla
Holidays and festivals
Water sports
excursions
Exploring Anguilla
East of the Valey
The Valley
West of the Valley
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Anguilla
