The cays are boat-only and the water is impossibly clear — here is how an Anguilla yacht day actually works.
Anguilla's coastline is a study in turquoise: 33 beaches on the main island and seven offshore cays. By private yacht, the day writes itself — a morning crossing from Saint Martin, a long swim at a sand cay, lobster lunch at a beach restaurant, a snorkel over the reef, and a golden run home.
The essential boat stops are Sandy Island (a sandbar with a restaurant and a reef-protected lagoon), the Prickly Pear Cays (twin islets with Anguilla's most celebrated snorkeling), Little Bay (a cliff-ringed natural pool), and Scilly Cay in Island Harbour (a tiny islet built around a lobster grill). Mainland highlights for coastal cruising include Shoal Bay, Meads Bay, Rendezvous Bay, Maundays Bay, Crocus Bay and the boating village of Sandy Ground.
Tell us which cays and beaches appeal, and we will shape a realistic, weather-aware itinerary and quotation.
The most practical are Sandy Island, Prickly Pear, Little Bay and Crocus Bay, with Shoal Bay, Meads Bay, Rendezvous Bay, Maundays Bay and Sandy Ground as coastal cruise or conditional swim stops. Every landing depends on the day's conditions and local rules.
Almost — Sandy Island is a tiny cay of white sand off Sandy Ground, home to a single restaurant-bar, lounge chairs and hammocks, with snorkeling off the beach. It has been rebuilt after hurricanes more than once and remains one of Anguilla's most beloved boat excursions.
Snorkel over reefs known for grouper, snapper, barracuda and occasional nurse sharks; walk the pearly beach on the eastern cay; and lunch at one of the small open-air restaurants. The channel between the cays and the landing area demand careful seamanship — your captain decides on the day.
In settled weather Little Bay is a calm, clear, cliff-sheltered cove that suits confident swimmers and supervised children well. It is boat-access only; there is no beach infrastructure, so the yacht's platform and shade matter. Your captain confirms suitability on the day.
Scilly Cay, in Island Harbour, is a tiny islet with a celebrated open-air restaurant known for grilled lobster and rum punch. It operates lunch hours and can be busy on live-music days; reservations are made directly with the venue.
Sandy Ground is Anguilla's main boating village on Road Bay — a curved beach backed by beach bars and restaurants, and the traditional departure point for trips to Sandy Island and Prickly Pear. It is a lively, useful stop on an Anguilla day.
Both are glorious beaches on the north and west coasts. They can feature as coastal cruise highlights and, in settled conditions, swim stops; landings are evaluated on the day based on swell and any local restrictions.
Yes — Prickly Pear, Little Bay, Sandy Island and Anguillita are noted snorkeling spots, and Blue Devil carries snorkeling kit. Visibility and comfort vary with wind, swell and season, and we never promise specific marine-life sightings.
Anguilla protects its reefs through marine parks and mooring systems around several cays and bays. Captains use designated moorings where provided and never anchor on coral.
Dog Island is an uninhabited seabird sanctuary northwest of Anguilla where rough seas frequently make landing difficult or impossible. We mention it only where current navigation and access information support a visit, and it is not a routine charter stop.
