The sound of the surf, the smell of the salt air; the feeling when your toes hit powder-soft sand.
Beaches are more than just places, more than scenery; they’re their own states of mind, their own dimensions.
And we could all use a beach right now. And even when we’re not traveling, the Caribbean’s transcendent beaches provide that fantasy, that yearning; they provide aspiration and, most of all, a reminder of what we all, eventually, will come back to.
For now, you can dream about these beaches from across the region, from Aruba to St Croix to the far reaches of The Bahamas.
What’s your favorite beach in the Caribbean? Let us know yours (and explain why) with an email to news@caribjournal.com and we’ll start featuring your favorite beach memories. If you have a photo, send it along!
Sandy Point, St Croix St Croix is a diverse, wonderful destination, and its beaches are as varied as its topography. But no stretch of sand is more spectacular than Sandy Point, the seemingly endless white sand just outside of Frederiksted on the island’s western coast. Imagine you’re the only people you can see, listening to the lapping of the waves and sipping on some Cruzan rum.
Darkwood Beach, Antigua There’s a special energy at this beach, and a funny way the light seems to change the color of the sand all day long. Couple that with mesmerizing views of nearby Montserrat and you have a remarkable beach.
Eagle Beach, Aruba There’s no wider or more beautiful beach in Aruba than Eagle, perhaps best known as the home of the celebrated Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort. The sand is almost blindingly white here, and its sheer vastness makes you feel as if you’re on your own island.
The Baths, Virgin Gorda One of the wonders of the Caribbean, this natural collection of granite boulders is a sight to see, but the almost mystical quality of these massive rocks is matched by the breathtakingly clear water.
Frenchman’s Cove, Jamaica Home to the eponymous resort, this gem of a beach was a jet-set favorite when the property opened in 1962, and it’s still an intoxicatingly gorgeous place, set at the edge of the rainforest in sought-after Port Antonio, Jamaica.
Grand Anse Beach, Grenada The crown jewel of Grenada’s enviable collection of beaches, Grand Anse stretches for two miles, with perfect sand and sweeping views of the island’s southwestern coast. We’re particularly fond of the far end of the beach near the Mount Cinnamon hotel.
White Bay, Exuma Bahamas beaches are an entire world unto themselves, but it’s secret sandbars like White Bay southwest of Great Exuma that really get into our daydreams. And when you come here, we can pretty much guarantee you won’t see anyone for miles. Imagine a picnic on an empty sandbar, just you and the Kalik and some conch salad.
Long Bay, Turks and Caicos We love Grace Bay, but the exotic character of Long Bay is stuck in our minds, making us dream about the horses running around in the shallow water and the magnificent way the water shimmers in the moonlight.
Long Bay, Anguilla Two Long Bays in one list! A bit of a well-kept secret, this isn’t the most famous beach on an island known for its marvelous beaches, but it’s one of the best, tucked away around the corner from the renowned Meads Bay.
Cockleshell Bay, St Kitts Cold Carib beer (or Stag, if you prefer); the hum of soca; the periodic hum of a jetski (we even miss those right now). There’s nothing like a beach-bar filled beach, where you can spend the hours liming and escaping from the world.