Little Bay

Little Bay hides its pocket of sand behind guarding limestone cliffs - Anguilla's smallest celebrated cove, boat-dropped from Crocus Bay in minutes or reached by the famous rope-assisted scramble down the cliff gully for those who enjoy earning their swim. The reward either way: sheltered turquoise over rock and sand where snorkelling turns up turtles, squid and the reef's small theatre, pelicans dive-bombing the shoals, and shade pockets under the cliff for the interval acts. The cove's size is the charm and the caveat - a few parties fill it, which the boatmen's schedule usually spaces kindly.

What you actually see

• The cliff ring - limestone walls cupping the turquoise.
• The snorkel theatre - turtles and squid in the shelter.
• The rope descent - the scrambler's badge of arrival.
• The pelican shows - dive-bombing raids on the shoals.

When to go

December to May for settled seas; mornings bring the calmest snorkel water and emptiest sand. Swell days cancel the cove's shelter - boatmen advise honestly.

Honest expectations

The rope route is a genuine scramble - grippy shoes and sound judgement, or take the boat both ways; there are no facilities whatsoever. Agree return pickups clearly.

Nearby

Crocus Bay's calm, The Valley and the north-coast viewpoints.