Where is Anguilla?

“Bustling” would not be the adjective anyone would use to describe Anguilla, which is 20 minutes by boat and a world away culturally from the tourist dives on St. Martin. Anguilla is, after all, a British territory whose capital is known as The Valley, which suggests less a center of commerce than a resting place. Temenos – a Greek term for sanctuary – neatly supports the broader theme.

“Anguilla represents a great sense of place in the Caribbean,” said Gary Thulander, general manager of Cap Juluca and a veteran of other elite Caribbean and U.S. resorts. “It’s very simple, unspoiled.”

Caribbean hideaways don’t come much more remote than Cap Juluca. Guests, about 75 percent of whom are Americans, commonly fly to St. Martin, then take the six-mile ferry ride to Anguilla, followed by a short cab ride to Cap Juluca. (Princess Juliana International Airport is located on the Dutch-controlled side, and Cap Juluca’s ferry service is within walking distance of the airport; the northern half of the island is French-controlled territory.) Sixty percent of Cap Juluca’s guests are repeat customers.

The temperate climate doesn’t hurt. Average temperatures range from 78 degrees in December to 84 in July. Rates at Cap Juluca start as low as $248 per night, but more typically range from $500 in the summer to $1,000 or more in the winter. The resort’s golf packages include a $100 per night premium.