Island Harbour brings together harbour character, cultural heritage and an annual festival. Colourful boats are anchored in the sheltered bay; Big Spring is home to more than 100 petroglyphs. Added to these are Festival del Mar over Easter weekend and Hibernia Restaurant, which combines local seafood with Asian influences. When searching for hotels, these themes offer different points of reference: the bay and Scilly Cay, the history of Big Spring, the festival or the cuisine.
Harbour, Bay and Scilly Cay
The fishing pier at Island Harbour extends towards Scilly Cay; from the pier, a dinghy takes people to the island. The colourful boats anchored offshore capture the character of the sheltered harbour, while the dinghy connection offers a possible island visit. If you would like to include Scilly Cay in your trip, check the current boat arrangements locally. This puts the character of the bay and the connection to the island alongside each other as distinct aspects of trip planning.
Big Spring: Petroglyphs and History
The rock outcrops at Big Spring contain more than 100 petroglyphs dating from 600 to 1200 AD. Petroglyphs are images carved into rock; this time span places them within a long historical context. Big Spring is one of two known petroglyph sites on Anguilla; the other is Fountain Cavern. This comparison places the site in two ways: Big Spring is in Island Harbour, while Fountain Cavern broadens the picture to include Anguilla’s second known site. Big Spring is also one of Anguilla’s protected areas and was a place where Anguilla’s Amerindians held celebrations. Archaeological evidence, protected-area status and historical use are distinct aspects of the same place and give Big Spring several cultural points of reference.
Festival del Mar over Easter Weekend
Island Harbour hosts the annual Festival del Mar over Easter weekend. The programme includes a seafood festival, culinary competitions, swimming and fishing tournaments, music and boat races. The festival thus combines culinary events with competitions and music, offering a different reason to travel than exploring the history of Big Spring. If you are travelling for the festival, check the dates and programme for the relevant edition: future dates and programme details may vary.
Culinary Connection: Hibernia Restaurant
Hibernia Restaurant in Island Harbour offers fine dining, local seafood and Asian influences. The restaurant has been associated with Island Harbour since 1987. Unlike the festival, the focus here is on restaurant dining rather than a programme concentrated over Easter weekend. If you are planning a visit, confirm current opening arrangements and offerings in advance.
Choose Your Travel Dates and Focus
The festival is a specific event over Easter weekend; Big Spring offers a historical focus. These are two different criteria for your travel decision: should the festival dates determine when you go, or are cultural heritage and harbour character the themes that make you choose Island Harbour?
Discover more destinations: West End Village, East End Village, Sandy Ground, The Valley, Shoal Bay Village, Blowing Point Village, South Hill Village, Long Bay Village
For the broader travel overview: Anguilla.
