Beaches at the ready!

Hitting the books hard at Saint James School of Medicine means we often forget what a glorious part of the world we get to study in. The Anguilla Tourism Board reports our 33 stunning white sand beaches are at the ready for the 2011 - 2012 tourism season, noting that the beaches are “as beautiful and inviting as they always have been, some now sporting even more powder-soft white sand as a result of the constructive wave action this past summer”. Tourism is a significant part of Anguilla’s economy. The Tourism Board notes that Anguilla continues to be regarded as a destination of choice among visitors from around the world, offering what many perceive as ‘the Caribbean vacation experience the way it used to be’: no manicured roadsides, no cookie-cutter buildings, no white picket fences, just authentic island living. The Tourist Board believes that Anguilla’s appeal as a destination continues to derive from four key ingredients. First its stunning collection of beaches – their pristine, powder-white sand, crystalline, azure-blue waters, caressed by balmy trade-winds that ensure a consistent water temperature of 75 degrees. The island’s natural beauty is enhanced by a range of accommodation, from award-winning five-star resorts and luxurious villas, each with their own individual architectural style and beauty, to more affordable guesthouses and inns and complemented by award-winning restaurants offering eclectic dining experiences in settings that range from elegant chic to casual beachside bistros and roadside Barbecues. The fourth and crucial ingredient of Anguilla’s appeal is its 15,000 people, who create the warm welcome that keeps people coming back to this Caribbean gem. So with so many miles of white sand to choose from, you should be able to find a small quiet spot under a shady palm tree to sit and study for your USMLE, even in peak tourist season. And when you do, you can pat yourself on the back for choosing to study medicine in the Caribbean.