Anguilla Ferry & other activities

We are heading down in 3 weeks with our 14 year old daughter. Usually we let sand gravity take hold, but this trip we will have to keep her entertained. We thought a day trip to Anguilla would be fun, but she gets sea sick. Is the ferry very rough? Any other suggestions for fun things to try?

We've taken the ferry many times to AXA, both from the Marigot and from the Dutch side since its inception there and have never experienced it as being rough but that's not to say it couldn't happen. Wrist bands or Bomine taken shortly before the trip might help.

I personally love everything about AXA but I'm wondering if your fourteen year old might not be of a different opinion, remembering how disenchanted my girls were the first time we took them over at about that age. Their reaction back then was basically 'a beach is a beach is a beach......why do we have to leave these SXM beaches to go to more beaches?' ...... and the site-seeing tour didn't offer much to change their opinions.

This is purely my opinion, but there's a lot more to do on SXM than in AXA without having to pay the additional ferry and immigration fees and run the risk of your daughter getting sick besides? A day trip to Anguilla is NOT an inexpensive day for a family, for sure. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

A 14 year old might enjoy the fire ball by BBB, forget which nights right off hand. Maybe also the fort in Marigot and of course watching the planes.

With regard to entertaining a fourteen year old daughter, most of the activities I can think of are water based entailing boats so the seasick thing is always there.

I'm not sure if she'd enjoy the zip lines but most kids do as well as an early morning trip to the Butterfly Farm, and then there's shopping at the Marketplace in Marigot or in P'berg. Airplane watching in the afternoons at SSB&G usually appeals to kids of all ages but please don't let her hang off the fence there. And then there's the vast variety of beaches, so many of them with their individual entertainments - we always found Orient to have the most between the trampolines, restaurants, jet skis and parasailing. Unfortunately, I'm not very up to date so not sure if those options still exist there.

If you want to take her to another island, you might consider Pinel over AXA.

I guess I have to agree with Pat. Our 16 yr old was not as excited about visiting Anguilla as she had been 5 yrs ago at 11yrs. On St Maarten we took our group on a dune buggy tour of the island with Happy Hour Charters (located near the cruise terminal). She didn't think she would like it but DID!! For the most part she was happy just hanging out at the pool, and swimming in the ocean on St. Maarten. She also enjoyed the shopping in Philipsburg.

As far as the boat trip to Anguilla, the roughness depends not the sea. Going over this trip was very rough, coming back smooth! We have done both GB Express and the public ferries and it really is just a matter of the seas at the time. I think going to Anguilla is an amazing experience. So many different things to see that aren't touristy! Driving on the opposite side of the road, snorkeling, the people.

For sea sickness we have used Bonine. This trip we used an oil called Motion Eaze. It gets dabbed behind your ear. Found it on Amazon after a crew member on the Celine recommended it. Worked great!

Good luck and have a great trip!!

Thanks for your responses. We will be staying on Orient, so I'm sure she will be entertained there. She hasn't been to the island in many years, so she is just excited to return and go back to her favorite restaurant, Le Cottage. She's a seasoned traveler, and is looking forward to getting another stamp in her passport, and a new magnet for her collection if we go to Anguilla. What is the "fire ball by BBB"? The dune buggy tour sounds like something we would all like to do. I appreciate all of the suggestions on activities and the motion sickness remedies.

The fireball is a really big metal ball with all kinds of cut out designs in it. They litterally start a big fire in it and it glows with all of the designs, etc. Just looked it up and they do it on Fridays and Sundays.

BBB is Buccaneer Beach Bar in Simpson Bay. Here is a link to the fireball:
Fire Ball scroll down the page to see some photos.

There is also a cool horseback riding tour that we thought was pretty nice. I think it was at Lucky Stables. At the end of the tour you ride the horse right through the water at the beach, she might enjoy that as well.

I second the horseback riding idea. Friends surprised us last trip by overlapping a few days and talked me into going horseback riding one morning. Normally I just let sand gravity set in. I do not remember the name of the stables but it was on the road to Le Galion Beach. We rode through a nature preserve and then onto the beach. Those that wanted to took the saddles off the horses, took off our shorts/pants leaving only our bathing suits on (which we wore underneath) and took the horses for a real swim in the ocean. No riding experience necessary and it was great fun. Our small group of 6 people ranged in ages from 10 to 60 and everyone had a great time. I've been coming to SXM for 30 years and it was one of my best experiences.

That would be Bayside Stables. Near the Butterfly Farm, correct?

Is Bayside still open? Earlier this month it looked empty.

Yes, I just looked it up. It is Bayside. They were open in April when I was there.

Trip Advisor has reviews as recent as a few days ago so Bayside is open for business. They had told us back in April when we were there that they sustained a lot of structural damage to their facilities during Gonzalo last year and are slowly rebuilding. The horses are extremely well cared for despite the lack of infrastructure. Truly a great experience.

My teens and pre-teens love Anguilla and can't wait to return every year.

just saw this from stmartinisland.org sandy ground village celebration day

Augsut 15th, a family day on which Sandy Ground Village comes to life again with several sports and cultural events.
Traditional games, musical entertainment, tastings of local dishes.
Persons to contact : Sandy Ground Neighbourhood Council and the Sandy Ground On The Move Association presided by Georges Richardson. Ph. / Fax : 0590 29 60 11.