Anguilla

It’s the beaches that put this scrubby flat island crisscrossed with sandy roads and dotted with salt ponds on the map with travelers. Thirty-three in all, ranging from soft white shimmering powder to beads of pink silk, each at the top of any beach ranking. Shoal Bay, the longest stretch on the island’s 12 miles of beaches is speckled with eateries and beach bars and gets the most hits. And it’s these signature beach bars, roadside barbeques, and boat building that are all part of Anguilla’s charm.

Boat racing and boat building are woven into the island’s heritage, and the national sport on this island is boat racing.  Anguilla holds onto the authenticity of the Caribbean by carefully regulating the amount and type of tourism to maintain local customs, culture, and land usage. You won’t find high-rise mega-resorts, casinos, large cruise ships, or even noisy jet skis.  You’ll find a paradox of sorts where the well-healed share the road with goats, chickens, and the occasional tortoise, and no one seems to pay much attention.  Home to some of the Caribbean’s toniest resorts, gastronomic eateries, and magnificent beaches, Anguilla is one of the most stable and prosperous countries that delivers high-end but low-key elegance.