Little Bay
Best for. Confident swimmers and snorkellers who want the island's best little snorkel cove, dramatic cliffs, nesting pelicans and total seclusion, and who will work to reach it.
Best spot. A morning snorkel in the clear sheltered water, drifting along the rocky sides among shoals of silver jacks with the pelicans diving overhead.
Know this. There is no road, no facilities and no lifeguard. You arrive by boat or a steep cliff rope, so this is not a casual or a family beach day.
Little Bay is the wild heart of Anguilla in miniature, a tiny pocket of sand at the foot of dramatic north coast cliffs, reached only by water or a steep rope. It is small, sheltered and almost always empty, a protected cove where the clear water and the rocky sides make for the best snorkelling on an island that is otherwise about long open swimming beaches. For a traveller who measures a place by its solitude and its wildlife, this is the standout corner of the coast, and the effort to reach it is the whole point.
The honest read is that Little Bay asks something of you. There is no road to the sand, so you arrive by a short boat or kayak from neighbouring Crocus Bay, or you climb down a knotted rope fixed to the cliff face, which is steep and genuinely not for everyone. There are no facilities at all, no bar, no shade beyond the cliff and no lifeguards, so you bring everything you need and carry everything out. That is not a drawback to fix but the very reason the cove stays pristine, and it means this is a beach for confident swimmers and snorkellers rather than a casual or a family day.
Come for the water and the wildlife. Slip in with a mask and drift along the rocky edges, where shoals of silver jacks swirl in their thousands and turtles and rays pass through the clear, calm water, while overhead the cliffs hold a nesting colony of brown pelicans that fold and dive into the bay to feed. As a naturalist I rate this among the most alive places on the island. Watch quietly, keep your distance from the birds, touch no rock or reef, and take nothing but the memory. When you want easy white sand and facilities instead, Shoal Bay East and Rendezvous Bay are the gentle, dependable choice.
Clubs near this beach
Little Bay is a wild cove with nothing on the sand, so the nearest food and the boats that reach it are at neighbouring Crocus Bay and around the coast at Sandy Ground.
A wild bring your own cove
Little Bay has no bar, no daybeds and no facilities of any kind, which is exactly what keeps it pristine. Bring your own water, snorkel and shade, plan your boat or rope access in advance, and you have one of the most private swims on the island. There is no club to book on the sand, so this is a wild day rather than a serviced one. For food and a base, neighbouring Crocus Bay is the closest landing.
Boat access from Crocus Bay and Sandy Ground
The easiest way in is a short boat or kayak from neighbouring Crocus Bay, and some snorkel trips out of the harbour at Sandy Ground include the cove. These are the practical routes to a beach with no road, and they let you skip the cliff rope. Operators, times and whether a given trip stops at Little Bay are arranged locally and are to be confirmed, and we are glad to point you to a current option when you enquire.
The north coast, by boat
Little Bay sits on the north coast of Anguilla, just along from Crocus Bay, which is roughly ten to fifteen minutes by car from the airport. From there the cove is reached by water, a short boat or kayak across, with some operators running drop offs and snorkel trips that include it. The alternative is a steep knotted rope down the cliff for the agile and sure footed, which is not for everyone. There is no road to the sand, and that is the point.
Because there is nothing here, come fully prepared with water, sun cover, a snorkel and anything you want to eat, and plan your way back out before you settle in. The smart plan is a calm morning by boat for the clearest snorkelling, leaving the cove to itself by early afternoon. Watch the water and your group as there are no lifeguards, treat the calm conditions as typical rather than guaranteed, keep clear of the nesting pelicans, and carry every scrap of litter out so this rare wild cove stays exactly as it is.
Photo: Dingeman steijn via GoogleNot ready to book?
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Common questions about Little Bay
How do you get to Little Bay in Anguilla?
Most people arrive by water, taking a short boat or kayak from neighbouring Crocus Bay, and some operators run drop offs. The agile can also climb down a knotted rope fixed to the cliff face, which is steep and not for everyone. There is no road to the sand, which is exactly why the cove stays so quiet. Confirm boat options locally and treat conditions as typical rather than guaranteed.
Is Little Bay good for snorkelling?
It is among the best on the island. Little Bay is a protected cove with clear, calm, sheltered water and rocky sides that gather marine life, from shoals of silver jacks swirling around the rocks to turtles and rays. The sheltered aspect keeps the water still on most days. Bring your own mask, touch nothing, and keep a respectful distance from the wildlife in what is a sensitive marine spot.
Are there facilities at Little Bay?
None at all. Little Bay is a tiny wild cove with no bar, no shade beyond the cliff, no lifeguards and no road, so you must bring everything you need and take everything out. That total lack of facilities is the price of its seclusion and the reason it stays pristine. Pack water, sun cover and a snorkel, plan your exit by boat or rope, and leave no trace behind you.
Is Little Bay suitable for families and young children?
It is better suited to confident swimmers and snorkellers than to young children, because the only ways in are a boat or a steep cliff rope and there are no facilities or lifeguards. Families with small children will have an easier day at Shoal Bay East or Rendezvous Bay. If you do bring older children who snorkel well, arrive by boat, watch the water, and keep everyone close.
What wildlife can you see at Little Bay?
The dramatic cliffs that ring the cove are a nesting site for brown pelicans, which dive into the bay to feed, and the protected water below holds shoals of silver jacks, the occasional turtle and rays. It is one of the most alive corners of the island's coast. Watch quietly from the water, keep your distance from the nesting birds, and take nothing from this sensitive marine spot.
