A parade of cafes at the edge of the sand; tiny bars and art galleries; a soundtrack of clacking plates and mopeds and afternoon laughter, silent and loud in all the right ways.
Across the wider Caribbean one can find some of the most charming beach towns in the hemisphere; they’re not quite cities, they’re a bit more than villages.
They’re energetic and teeming with personality. But most crucially, they’re right on the beach.
Here are our favorite beach towns worth making a trip to in 2022.
Grand Case, Saint Martin Simply put, it’s the Grande Dame of Caribbean beach towns. This tiny beachfront village just so happens to be home to the highest density of fine-dining restaurants of any place in the Caribbean, with an almost impossibly wonderful collection of eateries, all perched right above a terrific stretch of sand looking out at Anguilla. Even better? It’s home to one of the Caribbean’s most legendary hotels, the outstanding Grand Case Beach Club.
Negril, Jamaica You feel it the moment you cross the “border” on the main highway into Negril; it’s different here. There’s just something about Seven Mile Beach; about its countless family-run boutique hotels and guest houses; about its bold and lovable personality; and about those magical, ethereal cliffs.
Deshaies, Guadeloupe You may recognize it as the island of Saint Marie on the hit BBC show “Death in Paradise.” But this French Caribbean gem is a truly extraordinary place, with a vibrant gastronomic destination on the beach and a rainforest right across the road (home to the world-class Tendacayou eco hotel). Make sure you have an afternoon ti’ punch at L’Amer and then dinner at La Savane, the main strip’s culinary leader.
Le Diamant, Martinique Hidden away at the southern end of Martinique, Le Diamant is the next big thing in Martinique; first, there’s the epic beach looking out at the island’s famous “Diamond Rock;” then there’s the growing culinary scene; next, the island’s best collection of sea-view villas; and an inarticulable feeling of French Caribbean cool.
Bathsheba, Barbados There’s an otherworldly quality here on the eastern coast of Barbados, home to rum shops and fishing boats and some of the best surfing in all of the Caribbean. Maybe it’s the Atlantic breeze, or the beachfront coral boulders, but Bathsheba is another dimension entirely in Barbados; and you feel it the moment you arrive. (And especially when you check in and travel back in time at the town’s venerable Atlantis hotel).
Frederiksted, St Croix In many ways, the entry of the Fred boutique hotel to St Croix’s west-coast town injected a wave of new energy to this historic town; but Frederiksted has quietly been re-energizing for years; now, you can find everything from hip coffee shops to beachfront taco bars, all set amid the beautiful Frederiksted Historic District.
Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, The Bahamas There’s just a thin sliver of beach in Dunmore Town; but on tiny Harbour Island, you have one of the world’s best beaches a quick golf cart ride away, too. Dunmore Town, centered around the ferry dock, is a lively, always bustling, endlessly charming place, from its historic cottages to its impossibly fresh conch to its pair of terrific boutique hotels: The Landing and the Rock House.
Cruz Bay, St John The port of entry to St John is a colorful, lively, quirky town with a surprisingly lovely little beach to boot. Whether you’re downing painkillers at the Beach Bar, taking a gastronomic journey at The Terrace or spending an afternoon in its shops, Cruz Bay has something for everyone, all in a tiny, lovable, beachfront package.
Puerto Morelos, Mexico Still something of a secret, this fishing village about half an hour from Cancun is quickly turning into a full-fledged hotspot, with travelers drawn to its artisan crafts, ultra-fresh fish tacos and carefree, breezy vibe; while it’s short on hotels in town, just a few minutes out of town is the superb Grand Residences Riviera Cancun.
Cabarete, Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic’s capital of cool is the ultimate Caribbean surf town (with an emphasis on kite surfing), a longtime hotspot that’s become a full-fledged cosmopolitan destination filled with bars, shops, cafes and some of the best nightlife anywhere the Caribbean.