Blue Waters Beach Apartments: Barefoot Self-Catering on Shoal Bay West
Nine beachfront apartments on one of Anguilla's quietest white-sand crescents
Why Go
Some Anguilla stays put a lobby, a lift and a pool deck between you and the sea. Blue Waters puts a patio. Step off your terrace and you're standing on Shoal Bay West's powder-soft sand, with the hills of St. Martin floating on the horizon and almost nobody else in sight.
The Experience
Blue Waters is a small, family-run collection of nine deluxe beachfront apartments ΓÇö seven one-bedrooms and two two-bedrooms ΓÇö strung directly along Shoal Bay West in Anguilla's West End. Each unit is fully equipped for self-catering, with a kitchen, cable TV, high-speed Wi-Fi and maid service six days a week, and every apartment opens onto a patio at sand level or a balcony over the beach. The rhythm here is unhurried: morning coffee watching pelicans dive, long swims in calm turquoise water, shell-collecting walks toward Cove Castles' sculptural white villas, and sunsets that regularly stop conversation. It's the antithesis of resort bustle ΓÇö a place for travelers who want the beach itself, not a program of activities, to be the main event.
What to Try
Snorkel straight off the beach in the morning when the water is glassiest, then walk the full sweep of Shoal Bay West collecting shells. Book a two-bedroom apartment if you're traveling as a family or two couples ΓÇö they're rare on this beach and offer serious value for beachfront space. And at least once, skip cooking and stroll a few minutes along the sand to Trattoria Tramonto for Italian food with your toes practically in the water.
Insider Tip
Shoal Bay West is often confused with the famous (and far busier) Shoal Bay East on the other side of the island ΓÇö the mix-up works in your favor, because day-trippers rarely find their way here. Stock up on groceries in The Valley or the West End on your way from the ferry or airport, since there's no shop within walking distance, and having a rental car makes island dinners and beach-hopping to Maundays Bay and Rendezvous Bay easy.
The Practical Stuff
Located on Shoal Bay West, West End Village, Anguilla (P.O. Box 2640). Nine self-catering apartments with kitchens, Wi-Fi, cable TV and six-day maid service. Contact +1 264-584-6292 or bluewatersanguilla.com for rates and availability. Roughly 10ΓÇô15 minutes by car from Blowing Point ferry terminal and the airport; a rental car is strongly recommended. Best weather DecemberΓÇôApril; some island businesses slow down in late summer and autumn.
Pair It With
- Trattoria Tramonto — Beachside Italian restaurant a short barefoot walk along Shoal Bay West ΓÇö the natural dinner-and-sunset pairing when you don't feel like cooking.
- Maundays Bay — One of Anguilla's most beautiful beaches is a five-minute drive away, ideal for a swim-and-lunch outing at the Cap Juluca end of the West End.
- Blowing Point Ferry Terminal — Gateway for an easy day trip to St. Martin, whose silhouette you'll be admiring from your patio every evening.