eSIM for Anguilla

eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in Anguilla

Visitors to Anguilla usually choose between three options. None is right for everyone, so it helps to know the trade-offs before you go.

How much data to plan for

On a beach holiday, data use is usually lighter than on a city break, but it adds up when you share photos and make video calls home. As a rough guide:

• Maps: a few megabytes per hour; useful for finding beaches, restaurants and villa addresses.
• Messaging: light, and commonly used to arrange taxis, boat trips and restaurant bookings.
• Photos and short videos: moderate to heavy, depending on how much you share.
• Video calls: typically several hundred megabytes per hour.
• Streaming: heavy, often a gigabyte or more per hour in high definition.

Before you go

You need an internet connection to install an eSIM, so set it up at home on Wi-Fi. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.

Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel. Label the line "Travel", keep your home SIM as default for calls and texts, and set the Spidot line for mobile data when you arrive.

• Install the eSIM a day or two before you travel.
• Keep the QR code email somewhere easy to find.
• Download an offline map of Anguilla; it is small, so the download is quick.
• Save your villa or hotel address and your host's contact details offline.
• Turn off data roaming on your home SIM before you land, so it cannot use data by accident.

Arriving in Anguilla

Anguilla has a small airport, Clayton J. Lloyd International, near The Valley, served by regional and some direct flights. Many visitors instead fly into the larger airport on neighbouring St Martin and cross to Anguilla by ferry or private boat. Public ferries run between Marigot on the French side of St Martin and Blowing Point on Anguilla, and private charter boats run from near the St Martin airport.

When you arrive, choose the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. Our data roaming guide shows where to find this setting. If the connection does not appear after a minute or two, switch flight mode on and off once.

Coverage around the island

Anguilla is flat and compact, so mobile coverage is generally less affected by terrain than on mountainous Caribbean islands. Around The Valley, the main roads and the popular beach areas, mobile data usually works as you would expect. In Anguilla, the Spidot eSIM connects to Flow.

There can still be weaker spots, for example at the island's eastern and western tips, on secluded beaches and inside buildings with thick walls. Offshore, on boat trips to the cays, signal may come and go depending on how far you are from the main island.

• Beaches: popular beaches like Shoal Bay East and Meads Bay are usually covered, but signal can vary at quieter ends of the bays.
• Offshore cays: Sandy Island, Prickly Pear and other cays are close to the coast, so you may have some signal, but do not rely on it.
• On the water: during snorkelling or sailing trips, keep your phone in a waterproof pouch and expect gaps.

Getting around with data

Anguilla has no large public bus network, so visitors usually get around by taxi or rental car. Taxis are typically arranged by phone or through your hotel, and many drivers are happy to give you a number to message for the return trip.

Driving is on the left. Roads are generally quiet, but some are narrow, and goats sometimes wander onto them. A navigation app helps you find beaches and restaurants down side roads; download the map offline before setting off so you are not caught out by a weak signal.

Sharing data with a hotspot

Villas and small hotels usually have Wi-Fi, but it may not reach the beach, the terrace or the pool. Your phone's personal hotspot can connect a tablet or laptop for a work call or a quick download. It shares the line selected for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line.

Laptops and streaming use a lot of data. Pause automatic updates and cloud backups on connected devices, and keep an eye on your balance.

Using public Wi-Fi safely

Restaurants, beach bars and hotels often offer Wi-Fi. It is handy, but open networks can be insecure.

• Use your eSIM data for banking, payments and logins.
• Ask staff for the exact network name before connecting.
• Turn off automatic joining of open networks.
• Update your phone and apps before you travel.

Practical tips for Anguilla

A few details that help on the island:

• Currency: the Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD) is the local currency, and US dollars are widely accepted. Cards are commonly accepted at hotels and many restaurants, but carry some cash for small beach bars and taxis.
• Taxi fares: confirm the fare before setting off.
• Restaurant bookings: popular restaurants can fill up in high season. Messaging or booking ahead is common.
• Sun and water: phones overheat in direct sun on the beach. Keep yours in the shade and in a waterproof pouch on boats.
• Hurricane season: the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November. Having data helps you follow weather updates and messages from your accommodation or airline.
• Island festivals: Anguilla's summer festival and boat racing are big local events; expect busier roads and venues.

Anguilla on a multi-island trip

Anguilla is often combined with St Martin, St Barts and other islands in the northern Leewards, and some travellers continue to St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda or the British Virgin Islands.

For island-hopping trips, install one eSIM per destination before you leave home. Most eSIM phones can store several, and you switch mobile data to the right line when you arrive. Because Caribbean islands can be very close together, check the network name after each crossing to make sure you are using the line you expect.