By Jim Farber
It's Thursday evening on the Caribbean island of Anguilla and the 11 members of the Mayoumba Folkloric Theatre have gathered to perform their weekly show at the open-air dining room of the Anacaona Hotel. Adorned in colorful native costumes and accompaniment by a small (not always in tune) combo, they sway in unison, clapping their hands as they sing a song made famous by Harry Belafonte: "Oh island in the sun/willed to me by my father's hand/all my days I will sing in praise/of your forest, waters,/your shining sands."
There is something wonderfully sincere about the performance, probably because none of the singers and musicians is a professional. By day they are teachers and housewives, one's a postman, another is an insurance salesman. Every Thursday they come together at the hotel to explain through song and dance the history of the place where they live. Some of the songs are serious, rooted in the days of slavery. Others are decidedly playful with distinctly amorous overtones. And it doesn't take long before the audience, which is made up almost equally of tourists and locals, find themselves drawn into the festivities. This is the spirit of Anguilla.
The island is a mere 16 miles in length and a little over three miles across at its widest point. It supports a local population of 16,557 who are, by choice, aligned with England as a British overseas territory. As a result, cars drive on the left, which can be a challenge if you choose to explore the island on your own.
Served by boat from Saint Martin and by small planes to the local airport, the heart of Anguilla is its commercial, educational and government center called "The Valley." Located roughly at the center of the island, it is a bustling place with all types of shops and an array of food trucks catering to locals and students offering island favorites like ox tail and conch stew.
The archeological record suggests that the original inhabitants of Anguilla (the Spanish word for eel) arrived on the island from South America as early as 1300 B.C. But it was in 1650, when the nations of Europe were dividing up the islands of the Caribbean like so many dishes at an endless buffet, that Anguilla was claimed and settled by the British.
But unlike so many other islands in the region whose economies became based on slavery, Anguilla, with its rocky soil and lack of water, ultimately proved unsuitable for plantation crops such as sugar and cotton. The historic Wallblake House, originally built in the Georgian style in 1787, along with its slave quarters, stands as a reminder of that grim era in Caribbean history.
Ironically, the fact that Anguilla was ultimately deemed unworthy for agricultural exploitation proved a blessing in disguise. It allowed those who managed to stay on the island an opportunity to acquire land. And that ownership has traditionally been passed down from one generation to the next. As a result, development on Anguilla took far longer than on many Caribbean islands. This was particularly true when it came to the development of Anguilla's greatest natural resource — its 33 pearlescent beaches.
The first major beach hotel to appear on Anguilla, the Malliouhana, did not open until the 1980s. It closed in 2011, and then in 2014, after a multimillion-dollar restoration, it reopened as a glamorous Auberge Resort. The Malliouhana, along with the equally luxurious Viceroy and the boutique-style Anacaona and Frangipani, are all located on Meads Bay, a 1.5-mile-long crescent beach of ivory-white sand and turquoise water. Because Anguilla maintains strict height restrictions on buildings, these resorts tend to nestle into the landscape rather than stand out as a high-rise eyesores.
Today Anguilla is a beach-lover's paradise. Shoal Bay, Little Bay, Meads Bay, Crocus Bay, Rendezvous Bay and Sandy Ground are recognized as some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
And then there is Sandy Island, a tiny speck of white coral sand, lapping waves and swaying palms. Accessible only by boat, it is a favorite day excursion from the Sandy Ground jetty. Once you arrive there is nothing to do except swim, curl up in a hammock, sip the delicious rum punch and savor fresh-caught lobsters cooked over an open grill. If I had to make a castaway's choice, this would be it.
While the beaches of Anguilla are irresistible, it's the people who make the island truly special. From the moment you arrive the atmosphere is welcoming without any of the sense that your presence on the island as a tourist is resented. It is also exceedingly safe. You can walk the beaches by moonlight without fear.
No matter where you go on Anguilla you find yourself surrounded by the music of the Caribbean. It is an ever-present part of the lifestyle, whether you're hanging out at one of the island's signature beach bars, such as the Pumphouse or Elvis', savoring a beachside lunch at Smokey's or da Vida, or attending the island's premier musical event — the Moonsplash reggae festival that takes place over a weekend in March. This year the festival celebrated its 25th anniversary under the leadership of its iconoclastic founder, local rock legend Bankie Banx.
A decidedly intimate gathering compared to most other festivals, Moonsplash takes place at a surfside enclave known as the Dune Preserve. It consists of a performing stage surrounded by a conglomeration of slapdash beach shacks. Long into the night Moonsplash rocks to the sounds of the finest reggae bands in the Caribbean. It is quite possibly the best musical beach party in the world.
Anguilla's relative isolation has a direct impact on the cost of living and for the tourist trade that has become such an important part of the local economy. According to Delroy Lake, the general manager of the Anacaona Hotel, 95 percent of the food items and supplies that sustain the local population and visiting tourists must be imported.
"It is crucial," he said emphatically, "that Anguilla develops a sustainable growth program. We do not want to see the island overdeveloped."
Whether you stay in a spectacular luxury resort like the Viceroy (where the cost of a standard room begins at $800 a night) or a more modest boutique hotel like the Anacaona (for $300), it's clear that Anguilla is not a bargain destination. But if a visit is within your budget, what the island has to offer is truly memorable.
"Your first time in Anguilla?" a gentleman at the bar of da Vida asked me as he sipped his mint-green frozen mojito. I told him it was. "Well," he said, smiling. "I can tell you this is the best island in the Caribbean. It's all downhill from here."
WHEN YOU GO
The Anguilla Tourist Board is the best source for general information: www.ivisitanguilla,com.
All-inclusive packages: www.anguilla.tripadvisor.com
Anguilla Travel Guide: www.worldtravelguide.net/anguilla
Anguilla Vacation and Travel Guide: www.anguillavacation.com
Jim Farber is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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