Anguilla: The Best Island in the Caribbean a.k.a. Malliouhana

Before it was Anguilla, the island was known as Malliouhana, a name given by the island’s earliest inhabitants, the Arawak people. Long before Christopher Columbus set eyes on the Caribbean, this small but striking island in the eastern Caribbean Sea was home to Arawakan-speaking communities, who named it Malliouhana, believed to mean "arrow-shaped sea serpent," likely inspired by the island’s long, slender shape.

When Columbus sailed by in 1493, he renamed the island Anguilla—Spanish for “eel”—because of that same thin, winding shape. This name stuck, though the original Arawak name still lives on in the island’s cultural memory and is increasingly being reclaimed by locals and historians who want to honor its Indigenous roots.

Anguilla is the northernmost of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying about 12 miles north of Saint Martin and 60 miles northwest of Saint Kitts. It’s a British Overseas Territory with The Valley as its main town and administrative center.

Flat, dry, and fringed with white sandy beaches, Anguilla is renowned as a laid-back paradise for travelers, a peaceful, beach-lined destination with a rich history. Its modern name may recall an eel, but its ancient name, Malliouhana, carries the legacy of a people who once thrived there, long before European ships ever arrived.

Fun Fact for Learners:
Try locating Anguilla on a map and tracing its outline; it really does look like an eel! Then, explore more about the Arawak culture and how Indigenous names continue to shape the way we view the world today.