They’re tucked away in tiny corners of the Caribbean, set off far in the middle of the sea, hidden beneath cliffs.
They’re those rarefied beaches that are a bit harder to reach, the ones you can’t fly to, the ones you can’t drive to or walk to.
They’re the remote stretches of sand that keep our hearts beating a bit faster on cold winter evenings.
These are some of the more remote beaches in the Caribbean, where the journey is tougher but the reward that much sweeter.
They’re beaches you can only reach by boat. And here are 20 of our favorites in the Caribbean.
Protestant Cay, St Croix It’s not exactly hidden, this lovely little cay off the coast of Christiansted in St Croix. It’s right there, staring at you as you traverse the historic town’s boardwalk. And there’s regular boat service running all day long, a blissful 30 second trip. But there’s just something magical about this beach, about the sparkle of the turquoise and the feeling that you’re someplace else entirely.
Stocking Island, The Bahamas It’s just across the harbor from George Town in Exuma, and in an archipelago blessed with some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, this is right at the top. Most famous for the legendary Chat ’n Chill beach bar, Stocking Island is rimmed with a remarkable bounty of almost blindingly white sand and brilliant aquamarine water. There’s regular ferry service, too.
Pinel Island, St Martin A minute ferry ride from the Cul de Sac neighborhood of the French side of St Martin, this exotic beach is notable for two things: some spectacular sandy beauty, and two world-class beach bars: Karibuni and Yellow Beach, both specializing in endless, unforgettable afternoons.
Ilet du Gosier, Guadeloupe Pay a local fisherman to ferry you across from the “mainland” in Grand Terre and you’l find this little slice of Robinson Crusoe-style castaway fantasy, with waving palms, calm surf and even a rustic little beach bar to boot.
Tahiti Beach, Abaco, The Bahamas It’s near the southern corner of Elbow Cay in the Abaco chain of The Bahamas, a tucked-away oasis that’s a well-kept secret among boaters and beach lovers somewhere between a cay and a sand bar.
Marigot Bay Beach, Saint Lucia There are a number of ferry operators heading to this little slice of an island from all sides, a palm-filled speck of sand that’s the crown jewel of Marigot Bay, long one of the most beautiful bays in all of the Caribbean.
Sandy Island, Anguilla When you have the kind of beaches you find in Anguilla, it takes a lot to get a traveler to leave the mainland. But Sandy Island is worth it, a fantasy of white sand, lobsters and rum punch.
Prickly Pear, British Virgin Islands This tiny sliver of sand is smack dab in the middle of the North Sound of Virgin Gorda. It’s a legendary stop for boaters to the area, and home to a rebuilt version of the iconic SandBox bar.
White Bay, Exuma White Bay isn’t really a place. It’s a state of mind. Here, deliciously remote off the southwestern corner of Great Exuma, is an almost impossibly wide sandbar, a place where the blue of the water merges with the blue of the sky and you forget everything you know about reality. Just make sure you bring a few Kaliks with you.
Green Island, Antigua A popular spot for day trips and snorkelers, Green Island is a miniature island in the southeastern corner of Antigua, near the Nonsuch Bay Resort.
Buck Island, US Virgin Islands It’s one of the most stunning places in the American Caribbean. It’s usually less than an hour to sail from St Croix to Buck, where you can explore the island’s underwater trail or spend your day on this breathtaking white-sand coastline.
Sandy Spit, British Virgin Islands Another remarkable spot in the BVI, Sandy Spit is a tiny uninhabited islet closest to Jost Van Dyke, comprised entirely of beach and palms. It’s one of the Caribbean’s ultimate dinghy destinations.
No Name Beach, Klein Bonaire There’s not much on Klein Bonaire, the pristine island off the coast of Bonaire that was, interestingly enough, once owned by Harry Belafonte. But there is some magnificent sand, concentrated on No Name Beach, a world-class snorkeling site and stunning coastline.
Catalina Island, Dominican Republic You might recognize it from assorted spirits and beer company ads, because it’s just beautiful enough to not even seem real. There are six square miles of beach here, a short trip from several points in the DR (including the fabulous Casa de Campo resort).
The Sandbar, Cape Eleuthera, The Bahamas The Cape Eleuthera campus spans nearly 5,000 acres at the very southwestern tip of Eleuthera. But the party piece is this, a tiny sandbar a 15 second boat ride from the main resort, so perfect, so simple that they just call it The Sandbar.
Ilet Oscar, Martinique There’s actually a little boutique hotel and a tiny restaurant on this little island just off the coast of Le Francois in Martinique with an intoxicating stretch of beach and a prime perch for exploring the nearby Baths of Josephine.
Tintamarre, St Martin If you’ve already explored the wonders of Pinel Island and want something even more remote, head just beyond it to Tintamarre, a less-than-1-square-mile islet that’s home to sparkling beaches and abundant wildlife.