Sunshine Shack

Bankie Banx himself might pick up a guitar and start playing at any moment, a driftwood compound on Rendezvous Bay where the music comes first and the rum punch is basically along for the ride.

Elvis built this entire Sandy Ground institution through sheer force of personality, no gimmicks, just strong rum punch and decades of irrepressible Anguillian warmth.

The first (and likely only) beach bar on Maundays Bay – one of the Caribbean’s most photographed stretches of sand – opened in 2019 as part of the Belmond Cap Juluca resort. A converted vintage Citroen food truck marks the spot, backed by a small thatched bar and a scatter of egg-shaped loungers. Non-guests are welcome, prices are resort-premium, and the view back along the bay to Cap Juluca’s white buildings is genuinely stunning. AXA – Anguilla’s self-proclaimed first local beer – is on the menu. Creative small plates round out an elevated but still relaxed resort-bar experience.

Gwen’s has survived beach erosion, a fire, and Hurricane Irma, relocating and rebuilding each time with a little more concrete and zero drop in spirit. Owner Gwen Webster’s resilience alone earns the place a spot on the island, and Shoal Bay East genuinely wouldn’t be the same without it. Expect a slow pace by design: pick your own spot among picnic tables, deck chairs, or hammocks, and don’t expect hovering service. Gwen’s rum punch has a real reputation, made with better rums than most beach bars bother with. Sunday afternoons bring the local Anguillan Scratch Band for a proper beach dance party. A genuine Anguilla institution.