Crystal-clear, turquoise, tranquil waters, a soft, sandy beach, a Caribbean sun, all best surveyed from atop a paddleboard. It’s true — you can find great places for the increasingly popular water sport across the Caribbean, but some Caribbean destinations are just that much better for it. Here are our favourite spots for SUP in the region.
Turks and Caicos Islands
TCI’s turquoise seas are a haven for paddle boarders, and with Big Blue Unlimited you can even do SUP tours through the “back country” of the archipelago.
Anguilla
Anguilla’s waters are a special kind of blue, and the calm seas off Maundays Bay are perfect for SUP.
Bonaire
You may think of Bonaire for snorkeling and diving (and you’d be right), but the island’s Sorobon Beach on Lac Bay is great for a multitude of water sports including paddle boarding.
St Martin
The French side the island is particularly good for SUP, including Pine Island and Orient Bay. For the latter try Bubble Shop for SUP rentals.
Aruba
With beautiful beaches typically come great SUP, and that’s true on Aruba’s west coast, a solid spot for paddling. For a great experience, go with Stand Up Paddle Aruba.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is unique in having great paddle boarding options right in the city of San Juan — more specifically, Condado, where you can paddle board right in the famous Condado lagoon. (Try Velauno Paddleboarding).
Antigua
You can find great paddleboarding in Antigua, but we like Dickenson Bay for calm, comfortable SUP.
Bahamas
Water doesn’t get any clearer or calmer than around the 700 islands of the Bahamas; for great SUP, try the spectacular seas off Great Exuma.
Jamaica
For paddle boarding in Jamaica, we like Negril and its famous Seven Mile Beach.
Guadeloupe
The Guadeloupe Islands have a number of excellent SUP spots, including Gosier and Saint-Francois (for Saint Francois, try SUP Guadeloupe).
Curacao
This Dutch Caribbean island is growing in popularity as a water sport destination, and deservedly so. That includes some great SUP spots, including a number of mangrove SUP tours. Try SUP Curacao for tours and rentals.