Fast Facts

Banks -- Banks with ATMs are open Monday to Thursday 8am to 3pm, Friday 8am to 5pm. Several banks, including Scotiabank, the Valley, Fairplay Commercial Complex (tel. 264/497-3333), and First Caribbean, the Valley (tel. 264/497-2301), have ATMs that are usually accessible after hours.

Currency -- The Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$) is the official currency of Anguilla, although U.S. dollars are the actual "coin of the realm." The exchange rate is permanently fixed at about EC$2.70 to each $1 (EC$1=37¢). Rates in this chapter are quoted in U.S. dollars unless indicated otherwise. That said, it's a good idea to have some EC$ for use in smaller shops and restaurants that do much of their business in EC$.

Documents -- All visitors must have an onward or return ticket. U.S., British, and Canadian citizens must have a valid passport.

Electricity -- The electricity is 110-volt AC (60 cycles), so no transformers or adapters are necessary to use U.S. appliances.

Hospitals -- For medical services, consult the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Stoney Ground (tel. 264/497-2551). Many of the larger hotels have a physician on call.

Language -- English.

Liquor Laws -- Beer, wine, and liquor are sold 7 days a week during regular business hours. It's legal to have an open container on the beach.

Pharmacies -- The Health Authority at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Stoney Ground (tel. 264/497-2551) is open weekdays 8am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to noon. The Paramount Pharmacy has branches at Water Swamp (tel. 264/497-2366) and South Hill (tel. 264/498-2366).

Police -- You can reach the police at their headquarters in the Valley (tel. 264/497-2333) or the substation at Sandy Ground (tel. 264/497-2354). In an emergency, dial tel. 911.

Post Office -- The main post office is on Wallblake Road, the Valley (tel. 264/497-5453 or 264/497-2528). Collectors consider Anguilla's stamps valuable, and the post office also operates a philatelic bureau and shop with T-shirts and cards showing commemorative stamps, open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4:45pm. Airmail postcards and letters cost EC$1.50 (55¢) to the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom. As of January 2009, Anguilla will have its first postal code: AI-2640. So if you're sending a letter to Anguilla from another country, you'll place the new postal code after "Anguilla" and before "British West Indies" (or "BWI").

Safety -- Anguilla is one of the safest destinations in the Caribbean, but you should still take standard precautions. Although crime is rare here, secure your valuables; never leave them in a parked car or unguarded on the beach.

Taxes -- The government collects a 10% tax on rooms. Effective January 2008, all visitors traveling through the seaports are required to pay an embarkation tax of $20 per adult, and $10 for children 12-18 (children under 12 free).

Telephone -- Telephone, cable, and Telex services are offered by Cable & Wireless Ltd., Wallblake Road, the Valley (tel. 264/497-3100), open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm. To call the United States from Anguilla, dial 1, the area code, and the seven-digit number. Digicel (tel. 264/498-3444), with its main office by the Public Library in the Valley, usually has better rates for renting or buying a cell phone than Cable and Wireless.

Time -- Anguilla is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round, which means it's usually 1 hour ahead of the U.S. East Coast -- except when the U.S. is on daylight saving time, when the clocks are the same.

Weather -- The hottest months in Anguilla are July to October; the coolest, December to February. The mean monthly temperature is about 80°F (27°C). Rain is most heavy in the winter, but few days are without sunshine.