Anegada

Travel Guide Caribbean British Virgin Islands Anegada

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Introduction

Anegada is the northernmost island of the British Virgin Islands and because of the price and time it takes to get there, also less crowded. It has some of the finest beaches, snorkelling and diving of the islands.

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Geography

It lies approximately 24 kilometres north of Virgin Gorda. Anegada is the only inhabited British Virgin Island formed from coral and limestone,rather than being of volcanic origin. While the other islands are mountainous, Anegada is flat and low. Its highest point is only about 8.5 metres above sea level, earning it its name, which is the Spanish term for the flooded land, "tierra anegada".

At about 38 square kilometres, Anegada is the second largest of the British Virgin Islands, but it is also the most sparsely populated of the main islands, with a population as at the 2010 Census of 285. Most of the population on Anegada live in the only village, The Settlement.

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Cities

  • The Settlement

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Sights and Activities

Probably one of the least developed parts of the British Virgin Islands, at least two-thirds of Anegada's shoreline is pristine beach and the turquoise waters offer fantastic snorkeling and swimming. Loblolly Bay and beach is one of the best pieces of sand anywhere in the world and there are several beach bars to have a drink and just enjoy some of the most relaxing places in the Caribbean without the huge cruiseship crowds.

The western side of Anegada consists mostly of a large salt pond sporting flocks of flamingoes. There are kilometres of beaches to enjoy. It is easy to spend a day on the beach without seeing another living soul.

You can inquire about fishing day trips with Lil Bit Taz or at Neptune's Treasure.

There is a small museum at the Pomato Point Restaurant which has relics from centuries past that have washed ashore.

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Weather

Anegada has a very pleasant and tropical climate with generally warm and humid weather. The seabreeze makes things relatively mild though and water is never far away. Temperatures generally average around 30 °C during the day yearround and 23 °C at night. December to May is the dry season, where July to October is the rainy season, but this generally means some showers at the end of the day instead of days of rain on end. Hurricanes are possible though from August to October.

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Getting There

In order to get to Anegada, you will have to fly to either San Juan, Puerto Rico or Saint Thomas, and then to Beef Island Airport on Tortola. From there you can take the ferry to Anegada which runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at specific times, normally morning and afternoon, or you can take a chartered flight to Anegada via a number of airlines.

The flight is extremely short (10 minutes) and a popular option is to use one of the local air charter companies for a private flight: either Island Birds or Fly BVI. There is also a scheduled air service on VI Airlink, although service is fairly ad hoc in that they only fly if they have passengers booked, and booking in advance and confirming the day before are advisable.

The ferry service only operates three times a week. Round trip price is currently $55 for an adult (or $50 if you book in a group of five or more), $45 for a senior, and $35 for a child.

People with their own yachts and boats also often sail to the island, but careful attention is necessary as the island is surrounded on all sides by reefs. Anegada, being a low coral atoll some miles away from the main island chain, is not actually visible from your likely starting point, Virgin Gorda (although the reverse is not true - you can see Virgin Gorda, Tortola, and Jost Van Dyke just fine once you're there.) Because of the reefs, the distance, and the low profile, simple line of sight navigation is not possible, making a boat trip to Anegada more of an adventure than sailing to the other BVIs. There is far less boat traffic, and for that matter far fewer people total, than on the other large islands.

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Getting Around

Jeeps and trucks are available for rent on the island. If staying at the Anegada Reef Hotel or one of the villas on the island, you can inquire about having a rental car available for you at the airport. A taxi across the island, say between a remote beach and the Settlement, can be arranged at most restaurants or hotels.

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Eat

  • Big Bamboo
  • Cow Wreck Beach Bar
  • Neptune's Treasure
  • Pomato Point
  • Potter's by the Sea

If you are staying in a villa with a fully equipped kitchen, you can go down to the docks and ask around for fresh conch, fish and lobster that you can cook yourself. Groceries on the island are sparse. You can head down to Faulkner's Country Store for a few staples. Most visitors contact a grocery on Tortola before arriving for provisioning. Riteway in Tortola will deliver your grocery order to the government dock via the ferry which arrives Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The government dock is right by Potter's by the Sea and not difficult to find. Everyone seems to go down to meet the ferry when it comes in and the locals will help direct you there.

You can also stop by Dotsy's Bakery in The Settlement for breakfast and lunch.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from Henny's garden, behind an ordinary residence near the Settlement. (Just ask a local where Henny's is.)

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Drink

Be sure to try a Painkiller or a Bushwacker.

Lil Bit Snack Bar , Setting Point (3 minutes from ferry dock), ☎ +1-2844959932.

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Sleep

  • Anegada Beach Club
  • Anegada Reef Hotel

Or check out some of the islands cottages and villas such as Lavenda Breeze, Bonefish Villa, and Anegada Beach Cottages.

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Accommodation in Anegada

We have a comprehensive list of accommodation in Anegada searchable right here on Travellerspoint.

Anegada Travel Helpers

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This is version 5. Last edited at 8:17 on Aug 24, 18 by Utrecht. 7 articles link to this page.

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