Anguilla Private Boat Transfer: Routes, Times and Docks

Why go by boat at all

Anguilla has the kind of beaches that show up on lists. Shoal Bay East is on every "best in the Caribbean" round-up ever published. Sandy Ground is a working fishing village wrapped around a half-mile crescent. Scilly Cay sits two hundred yards offshore from Island Harbour and runs as a single open-air restaurant on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, lobster, rum punch, live music, you reserve in advance. Meads Bay is the long flat one, home to Malliouhana and Frangipani.

None of this is reachable without crossing water. Anguilla has one small airport with limited inbound flights, mostly inter-island commuters. For guests already in St Barth or St Martin, the only practical way over is a boat, either the public ferry from Marigot if you're already on St Martin, or a private speedboat from wherever you are.

From St Martin: thirty minutes

The St Martin-to-Anguilla run is short. About 30 minutes from a Cole Bay dock to Blowing Point on Anguilla's south coast, where the official passenger ferry terminal sits. The route runs along the north coast of Sint Maarten, crosses the narrow channel, and lands you at customs.

The public ferry covers the same route every 30 to 45 minutes during the day, takes about 30 minutes, and runs $20 to $30 per person each way. The private boat doesn't save much time on this leg specifically, what it does is give you flexibility on departure, luggage handling, and the option to skip Blowing Point entirely and anchor in Sandy Ground for the day.

From St Barth: about an hour direct

The St Barth-to-Anguilla crossing is the longer of the two routes. A private speedboat covers it in 65 to 75 minutes direct, west out of Gustavia, around the south of Sint Maarten, then north across to Anguilla. There's no public ferry on this route at all. If you're going from St Barth to Anguilla and back in a day, private boat is the only way to do it without overnighting somewhere along the way.

Some groups break the journey with a stop in St Martin, lunch in Marigot, an hour at a Simpson Bay beach, then continue north to Anguilla. The three-island day works because each leg is short.

Where to dock in Anguilla

Blowing Point, the official entry dock

Blowing Point is Anguilla's main passenger ferry terminal on the south coast. Customs and immigration for arriving travelers happens here. Most private boat transfers clear in at Blowing Point and then move guests to their final destination by car or back to the boat. If you're staying at a resort with its own dock (Cap Juluca, Four Seasons, etc.), the resort can arrange car transfer from Blowing Point.

Sandy Ground, lunch and beach

Sandy Ground is the most popular non-resort destination. The bay has a sandy bottom and shallow water close to shore, easy to anchor or pull up to a small dock. Several beach restaurants sit right on the sand, Roy's, Elvis' Beach Bar, Veya. A 30-second tender ride from boat to beach. After clearing in at Blowing Point, the boat can move to Sandy Ground for the day.

Scilly Cay

Scilly Cay is a private cay just off Island Harbour, about 5 minutes by tender from the Anguilla coast. It runs as a single open-air restaurant on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Lobster, rum punch, live music. Reservations required. Boats anchor offshore and tender guests in.

Shoal Bay East

The sand at Shoal Bay East is the postcard. The bay is exposed to the north and protected by a reef, so anchoring is fine in normal trade-wind conditions but bumpy in north swell. Some private operators do drop-and-return: drop you on the beach, return at an agreed time. Beach restaurants serve lunch.

Meads Bay

Long, flat, easy. Home to Malliouhana, Frangipani, Carimar Beach Club. The boat can anchor offshore and tender you in. Less of a "scene" than Shoal Bay or Sandy Ground, it's where you go for a quiet beach day.

What a same-day Anguilla trip from St Barth looks like

A typical day starts with a 9 AM villa pickup and a transfer to Gustavia harbor. Push off around 9:30, land at Blowing Point a little before 11. Customs takes 10 to 15 minutes most of the time, then the boat shifts to Sandy Ground or Meads Bay where you spend the next four or five hours, lunch on the sand, a swim, more lunch. Back on the boat by 4 or 4:30, departure crossing in late afternoon, tying up in Gustavia around 6:30. Roughly two and a half hours total on the water, six on Anguilla. It's one of those days guests bring up for years afterwards.

Customs and the small print

Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory with its own immigration. American passports get 30 days on arrival. Clear-in at Blowing Point usually takes 10 to 15 minutes, the captain handles the boat paperwork while you walk through the immigration booth. There's a small departure tax around $20 per person on the way out. If you're transiting Anguilla and continuing to another island the same day, mention it at immigration so they don't stamp you in for the full 30.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a ferry to Anguilla from St Barth?

No direct public ferry. Public ferries run only between St Martin and Anguilla. To go from St Barth to Anguilla without a private boat, you'd transit through Marigot, not impossible but slow and inconvenient.

How much does a private boat to Anguilla cost?

Priced per boat, not per person. Round trip from St Martin is shorter and lower-cost than from St Barth. Send us your group size and dates for a quote.

Can I clear into Anguilla and back to St Barth in one day?

Yes. Day trips with one customs entry and one customs exit are routine. Bring passports for everyone in the group.

What's the best beach in Anguilla by boat?

Sandy Ground for ease (good anchorage, restaurants on the sand). Shoal Bay East for the postcard sand. Scilly Cay for the lunch experience.

Can I combine St Martin and Anguilla in one day from St Barth?

Yes. Three-island days work because each crossing is short. Morning in Anguilla, lunch in St Martin, sunset back in St Barth is a real day we run regularly.