Unusually for a Caribbean island, Anguilla boasts an exciting array of gourmet, gastronomic dining experiences (by chefs from the excellent hotel dining rooms that have set up independent restaurants) as well Mexican and Italian and of course the informal fare of the beach bars. While most ingredients are imported, local fish, lobster, Anguillian crayfish and some local crops are used.
The Anguillan culture is a mixture of British and African influences. This area of the Leeward is devoid of much rainfall, consequently, the island is arid and devoid of much forestation. The Anguillans focus their attention toward the sea, and therefore there is a great deal of interest in boat racing. There are a great number of unfinished homes there, as there are several Anguillans living abroad, who build their homes and furnish them base on spending capital earned overseas.
The official language of Anguilla is English although many of the people speak with a strong West Indian inflection that may take a little getting used to for people from the US or the UK. The island has been home to the British for so long that very little of the traditional Amerindian culture remains. The language, clearly, takes its roots from the British who came here 400 years ago.
The currency of Anguilla is the East Caribbean dollar (sign: $; code: XCD). The East Caribbean Dollar was introduced in 1965 and is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $ or, alternatively, EC$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. The EC$ is subdivided into 100 cents. It has been pegged to the United States dollar at US$1 = EC$2. 7 since 1976.
