By Rental Car
To explore the island in any depth, I highly recommend you rent a car, though be prepared for some badly paved roads. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are a real bonus for exploring the island's unpaved and pitted back roads, but not necessary elsewhere. Car rental agencies on the island can issue the mandatory Anguillan driver's license, which is valid for 3 months. You can also get a license at police headquarters in the island's administrative center, the Valley, and at ports of entry. You'll need to present a valid driver's license from your home country and pay a one-time fee of $20.
Remember: Drive on the left side of the road!
Most visitors take a taxi from the airport to their hotel and arrange, at no extra charge, for a rental agency to deliver a car there the following day. All rental companies offer small discounts for rentals of 7 days or more. Car hire is not cheap on Anguilla, and begins at about $40 a day, plus insurance and taxes, which can be steep.
Avis, which is represented by Apex in the Valley (tel. 800/331-1212 in the U.S. and Canada, or 264/497-2642; www.avis.com; avisaxa@anguillanet.com), offers regular cars and some four-wheel-drive vehicles as does Hertz's representative, Triple K Car Rental, Airport Road (tel. 800/654-3131 in the U.S. and Canada, or 264/497-2934; www.hertz.com; hertzatriplek@anguillanet.com). Local firms include Connor's Car Rental, c/o Maurice Connor, South Hill (tel. 264/497-6433), Island Car Rentals, Airport Road (tel. 264/497-2723; islandcar@anguillanet.com), and Carib Rent A Car (tel. 264/498-6020; caribcarrental@anguillanet.com).
Note: It's worth pricing a car rental with one of the larger agencies and then checking with your hotel to see what price they can get for you. Many hotels and inns on Anguilla rent all their customers' cars from one or more small local agencies. Your car may not be as new and shiny as some of the other rentals available, but your savings may be considerable.
By Taxi
Taxi fares are posted at Walblake Airport, at the Blowing Point ferry, and in most taxis. Taxis can be pricey, for numerous reasons -- so don't take it out on your driver if you think your fare is, well, unfair.. And if you find a taxi driver you like, ask for his card and cellphone number for future rides. You can also get a cab through the Airport Taxi Stand at tel. 264/497-5054 or Blowing Point Ferry Taxi Stand at tel. 264/497-6089. A $4 surcharge goes into effect between 6pm and 6am.
I highly recommend Accelyn Connor (tel. 264/497-0515 or 264/235-8931; premiertaxiandtour@hotmail.com). I also highly recommend the taxi service of Malcolm Hodge (tel. 264/235-7384 or 264/235-7381), a gentleman and a stickler for good service (I once saw him ream out the GM of a big resort for dawdling and possibly keeping a guest from making her ferry on time).
Taxi drivers also make great tour guides.
Taxi Zones: Decoding Anguilla Taxi Fares -- If you feel taxi fares are expensive on Anguilla (and if you do, you aren't alone), consider this: Not only does each driver has to pay costly insurance to insure you, the passenger, but gas is astronomically expensive, at press time nearly $5 a gallon, and most drivers have vans -- which can cost $75 to fill up. Plus, Anguilla taxis don't have meters, so if a customer is dragging his feet, drivers are not compensated for the wait. But the main reason a taxi ride costs what it does is that the government has parceled the island into 10 strictly delineated taxi zones, with a set fee schedule based on travel within and out of each zone. So, for example, Zone 1 covers the West End, where many of the top resorts and restaurants are located. Within that zone, a taxi ride will cost $10 (plus an additional $4 after 6pm). But from Zone 1 to Zone 2 -- another busy resort area 5 minutes away -- the fare jumps to $14 (plus $4 after 6pm).
Tipping is at the discretion of the customer. You can check out the latest rate schedules by going to the Anguilla Hotel & Tourism Association website (www.ahta.ai/Taxi_Service.html).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
