Anguilla anybody??
 

so the Anguilla I know is all beaches and golf courses but I really need some serious info on living there now!

anybody have any idea on the following:

1) Private international primary schools
2) Private international secondary school
3) decent supermarkets
4) restaurants, cafe's, bakeries etc etc
5) is there a cinema
6) best international flight connection to US and UK
7) shops - clothes shops, kids stuff, pharmacies etc etc
8) ease and price of buying a car
9) best places to live, good areas.

would much appreciate any info. thanks

Re: Anguilla anybody??
 

Anguilla is not for everyone. It is different from what most foreigners are used to. Those who wish to minimise the effects of those differences seem to have the greatest difficulty adjusting to life here, and the more one tries to do that, the more expensive it becomes to live here.

If "maintaining certain standards" are important to you, I would not encourage you to make this decision based on the objective criteria you've listed. Your children are depending on you to get it right.

Re: Anguilla anybody??
 

There are two private schools, the Teacher Gloria Omolulu Institute, which I recommend highly, and which has a website somewhere, and the Central Christian School or something like that.

Albert's and Proctor's are very nice supermarkets. Ashley's and Best Buy are quite decent. The last is located out toward Sandy Hill, the others are in The Valley.

There are an enormous number of restaurants, barbecue stands and bakeries.

There's no cinema. A wide selection of DVDs are available for rent at Video Dynasty in The Valley.

Most of the non-touroid stuff, banks, library, government, etc. are in The Valley.

Good airline connections can be made at the airport in St. Maarten. There are land and sea connections between here and there.

Basic merchandise is available here. The two new malls in Water Swamp have improved the selection quite a lot. Things are improving, but Anguilla is not a shopper's paradise. I buy nearly everything except food online in the US. The Anguilla Postal Service operates an excellent package forwarding service from Miami. Ocean freight is about US$6 per cubic foot.

There are a variety of people selling used cars. Their integrity is similarly variable. Unless you know a lot about cars, I'd suggest you hire someone who does as your agent, to make a recommendation. Two honest men who you might be able to get to do that for you, and who know a lot, are "Drakes," the mechanic in Stony Ground, and Elroy Payne, the welder in Rey Hill.

If you have a valid drivers license from anywhere else, you can easily get a license here. Otherwise, it can take months. International licenses are not valid here.

Rapid development has caused an extreme housing shortage here. Nice houses in areas without barking dogs and barnyard noises all night are going for US$2000 to $3000 a month. Anguilla is a big island for its population. I live at a very remote beach where seeing a tourist is very rare. So although the island is a tourist destination and there are fine hotels and restaurants, all that is pretty much concentrated in the west.

It's paradise. It's not utopia.

Re: Anguilla anybody??
 

I'll try to answer some of your questions. I have lived as an ex-pat in Anguilla for the past two years.

1. There are 2 primary private schools. Omolulu and Central Christian. IMHO, the primary public schools in each village, are just as good, if not better (and free).

2. There are no secondary private schools although plans are being made to extend both private primary.

3. Groceries: There are quite a few and they all seem to get different "stuff" Best Buy on the Long Road is a personal favorite. Also, Albert Lakes in the Valley. More important is the day you shop as the boats come in on certain days (Tuesday is a good day to shop).

4. More restaurants per capita than NYC I believe. You can eat cheap or expensive. Fine dining and beach BBQ.

5. No cinema yet but one is planned for the new Tomac Plaza. Fingers crossed.

6. Antigua seems to be the most common connection form the UK.

7. There is a new pharmacy (again in the Tomac) that is French and is well-stocked. Clothes are expensive. Best to have visitors bring them from the UK or US. Or have them shipped via the internet to the PO shopping network. We just don't buy a lot of anything-live pretty simply. Kids play at the beach a lot with sand and shells as toys.

8. Cars can be had here-we have bought new and imported form Japan and also a used vehicle that we found on island. Prices cost about 20% more due to shipping and duty. Keith Carty in South Hill is a great mechanic and guy that would help you decide.

9. Subjective. Costs are crazy for housing. 3-4,000 for 3 bedrooms. Simple 2 bedroom house maybe 1000. We bought and glad we could.



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