Orient Beach, St Martin
This is the Caribbean’s equivalent of Ibiza. Here there is beach bar after beach bar, party after party, all on a wide white-sand beach. (Nevermind that the latter portion of the resort is au naturel.) There’s just an overarching party atmosphere.
Seven Mile Beach, Negril, Jamaica
The original sexy beach. This was a bohemian escape in the 60s, and has transformed into a relaxed but energetic stretch of sand filled with lively beach bars. It’s also home to some lovely boutique hotels like Idle Awhile.
White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
It’s famous because of its award-winning Soggy Dollar Bar, but this beach a kind of magnetic quality — it’s the reason so many charter sailors and explorers come here all year round — from all over the Virgin Islands and the world. And yes, you can stay here — at the Soggy Dollar’s adjacent Sandcastle Hotel.
Juanillo Beach, Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
Tucked in a corner of Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic, Playa Juanillo is an almost miraculously white-sand beach with a hip, trendy clientele all drawn to the Juanillo beach bar. And it’s just steps from the Sanctuary Cap Cana.
Cancun, Mexico
A world-class party spot. This is known all of the world for a reason, with big hotels, bigger nightclubs and a 24-7 vacation environment. It’s the Caribbean’s beach that never sleeps, with an endless stream of hotels (with favorites like the JW Marriott and the Hard Rock).
The Cove, Atlantis, Paradise Island
The Cove is one of the region’s most romantic and energetic hotels. Its pool and beach area are an endless party, and the beach is basically a lounge with sand.
St Jean Beach, St Barth
For years, St Barth has defined cool, hip and sexy in the Caribbean, and this is in many ways the epicentre, highlighted by the presence of the famous Nikki Beach lounge and club. There’s a reason so many celebrities get their tans on this sand at places like the Tom Beach Hotel (above).
Hadicurari Beach, Aruba
Also known as Fisherman’s Huts, this isn’t Aruba’s most famous beach, but it’s the original hangout beach on the island just past the Aruba Marriott. It was sexy before there were big hotels, and it remains so today. Aruba’s beaches are seductive for their remarkably calm quality, and this one of the top spots.
Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
Picturesque in every way. It’s hard to make a list of any kind of beach in the Caribbean and not put Grace Bay on the list. The water is almost impossibly blue, the shape of the beach is marvelous and you’ve got some high-end, romantic luxury resorts along the whole stretch from the Sands to the Regent Palms to the Grace Bay Club, among others.
Isla Verde, Puerto Rico
One of Puerto Rico’s places to see and be seen, this is as close as a Puerto Rican beach comes to Brazil, and it’s also home to some terrific hotels, most notably the Ritz-Carlton, San Juan.
Long Bay, Saint Martin
This is an exclusive beach. It’s a great beach to take a long walk and stare out at Anguilla across the sea. There’s just something intoxicating about the shape and topography of the beach, and it’s only compounded by the presence of one of the Caribbean’s greatest resorts, Belmond La Samanna, just beside you.
Maundays Bay, Anguilla
Anguilla has a surplus of stunning beaches, and Maundays is particularly striking with its curved shape and talcum-white sand. It’s also home to the ultra-luxury Cap Juluca resort.
Les Salines, Martinique
One of the most popular beaches in Martinique, Salines is set on the beach-heavy southern portion of the island. It’s a great spot to spend a lazy afternoon and sample some of the local Creole street food.