Anegada travel guide

Unique among this group of islands because of its coral and limestone formation, the highest point is only 28 ft above sea level. There are still a few large iguanas, which are indigenous to the island. The Anegada rock iguana is part of a national parks’ trust breeding programme after numbers declined to only 100, largely because juveniles fell prey to wild cats. Contact Rondel Smith, the national parks trust warden on Anegada (also a taxi driver), who can take you to see their burrows in the wild and the hatchlings in pens outside the Administration Building in the Settlement. Young adult rock iguanas will be released into the wild when they are big enough, but there are about 50 youngsters in captivity. Flamingos also used to be numerous on the island but were decimated by hunters. Twenty flamingos were released in 1992 in the ponds and four wild ones joined them two years later. In 1995 they bred five chicks, something of a record with flamingos reintroduced into the wild and now there are over 40 birds. They are best seen from the little bridge over The Creek on the road from the Anegada Reef Hotel to the airport turn-off. Hawksbill and green turtles nest all along the north shore; the Government has drawn up a conservation policy and the waters around the island are protected. The waters abound with fish and lobster, and the extensive reefs are popular with snorkellers and scuba divers who also explore wrecks of ships which foundered in years past. Some were said to hold treasure, but to date only a few doubloons have been discovered. Anegada has excellent fishing and is one of the top bone-fishing spots in the world. From the wharf on the south shore, all the way round to the west end, across the entire north shore (about 11 miles) is perfect, uninterrupted, white sandy beach. Any fences on the beach are to keep out cattle, not people. Loblolly Bay is popular with day trippers, partly because it has a beach bar at either end The Big Bamboo at the west end is busier and more accessible than Flash of Beauty at the east end, the only places where there is shade, partly because of the reef just offshore where snorkellers can explore caverns and ledges and see coral, nurse sharks, rays, turtles, barracuda and shoals of colourful fish. The beach is generally deserted. Bring water and sun screen.

The Settlement is a collection of wooden homes and some newer houses, a smart new government building, a few bars, little shops, a bakery, jeep hire and church....read more