Things to see and do in Anguilla

Explore scores of award-winning underwater parks that attract schools of fish by diving in one of the seven marine parks that Anguilla offers: Prickly Pear, a beautiful canyon characterised by ledges and caverns, where nurse sharks can be seen; Little Bay, a calm, sheltered site suitable for training and night dives; Shoal Bay Harbour Reef System; Stoney Bay; Dog Island; Seal Island Reef System and Sandy Island. A number of wrecks were deliberately sunk around Anguilla in order to encourage marine life. These are now covered in coral and make excellent dive sites.

A simple but very nicely presented museum with displays of Anguilla’s geology, early Arawak past and British colonial history, right up to the Anguillian revolution and separation from St Kitts and Nevis. The story is told in artefacts such as model boats, shoes made from tyres and local household items such as brooms and irons.

Follow the guided map tour of Anguilla's 15 galleries and studios for a bit of culture, and consider buying your own watercolour painting for a permanent reminder of your holiday. For those who wish to dabble in aesthetics of the self, take a trip to one of Anguilla's (attractively priced) spas and be pampered.

Several of the major hotels in Anguilla have spas in dedicated buildings, offering an excellent range of treatments, some with products derived from the region. They permit outside visitors. Try Malliouhana Hotel (with a his and hers room), Cusinart, the Viceroy hotel and Cap Juluca.

Peer into Anguilla's many grotto-like rock areas and hidden coves, which are dotted all around the island's 30-odd beaches - one to definitely not miss out on is the historic landmark The Fountain, a huge underground cave with a constant supply of fresh water at Shoal Bay. Visits can be arranged via the Anguilla National Trust.

Pop into the impressive Wallblake House, a restored plantation house whose foundations date back to 1787, complete with outside kitchens, stables and workers’ quarters intact.