The Best Caribbean Beaches: The Ultimate List

When I think of a vacation, my mind instantly drifts to soft, powdery white beaches, bathtub-warm waters with gentle waves, tropical drinks and hot sunshine perfect for tanning. My ultimate choice for indulging is in the Caribbean, with its spectacular beaches, many of the best in the world. As a sun worshipper and beach junkie, I have visited hundreds of beaches around the world and am excited to present my favorites for 2017. Despite the recent damage from Hurricanes Maria and Irma, many of the beaches included in this list are already coming back to life to their former glory.

Enjoy my Best Beaches of the Caribbean, and also the images, many were selected from Instagram users worldwide. I wanted personal memories from travelers rather than professional travel brochure images, and I appreciate them sharing their vacations with the world. You can experience the ultimate in luxury at many of these locations, but the simplicity of the sand, the vistas and sun are what I am attracted to.

Anguilla

Maundays Bay, Anguilla

One of my favorite resorts is the Cap Juluca, and it overlooks this stunning beach with privacy and enough prestige to welcome five-star guests and celebrities. The beach is also dotted with private bars and butler service. This is bliss.

Antigua

Darkwood Beach, Antigua

What's great about Darkwood Beach is that there's not a single building on it. It feels like an escape from reality. It's undeveloped but still easily accessible.

Aruba

Eagle Beach, Aruba

I have visited this beach for over 15 years, and while it can often be crowded with a mix of New Jersey and Venezuelans, the sand and water keep me coming back for more. This is a special place that has become the ultimate getaway for so many people. Come as yourself and never be judged.

Bahamas

Stocking Island, Exumas, Bahamas

A small, long, narrow island off the port of Georgetown, Great Exuma Island, Bahamas. The island also features beaches and several resorts so not entirely private.

Kamalame Cay. Andros, Bahamas

Tennis superstar Serena Williams chose this spectacular location for her honeymoon. This family-run island features one of the most spectacular beaches in the Bahamas. Completely secluded for privacy, this is one of the best retreats in the world. The Kamalame Cay Resort also features villas and bungalows along the stunning barrier reef.

Barbados

Crane Beach, Barbados

This is the most famous beach in Barbados and is surrounded by cliffs and lots of soft sand.

Barbuda

17-Mile Beach, Barbuda

Unexplored and unspoiled Barbuda is an amazing retreat, and this special beach is the ultimate escape.

Belize

Hopkins Village Beach

Enjoy the feeling of seclusion on your own patch of perfect beach, while being close to all the happenings of the local village. Take a kayak out to see the sun set over Victoria's Peak, one of the highest mountains in Belize

British Virgin Islands

White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

I have visited this beach as a cruise ship passenger on multiple occasions, and there is nothing better than drinking from the Soggy Dollar Bar and relaxing with friends on this charming island paradise.

Sandy Spit, British Virgin Islands

You can only visit by small boat or kayak, but this small stretch of sand is worth the effort.

Loblolly Bay, Anegada, British Virgin Islands

Quiet, private and spectacular sands make this secluded beach worth the visit.

Prickly Pear, British Virgin Islands

Love this beach with its simple beach bar and casual vibe. A place to fall asleep for hours over a tropical drink in the sand.

Cayman Islands

Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

The beach measures only 5.5 miles, but its gorgeous clear waters and coral sands have made it one of the top picks by magazines every year

Costa Rica

Cahuita Beach

Tucked along the sprawling southern Caribbean Coast, the beautiful black-sand beaches of Cahuita are some of the most relaxing and exotic in Limon.

Cuba

Guardalavaca Beach

The beach at Guardalavaca is about 2 miles of white sand with turquoise colored water. Guardalavaca is known for its sporting activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, tennis, windsurfing, volleyball, catamaran sailing, and kayaking.

Dominica

Wavine Cyrique Beach

The reward at the end of this hike down a steep cliff to the beach below is a large waterfall crashing on the beach. One of the most memorable beach experiences ever.

Dominican Republic

Playa Rincon

This spectacular secluded beach is one of the most beautiful in the Dominican Republic and has won many travel awards. The white sand beach stretches about five miles and remains very secluded, far away from any resorts or hotels. Best way to arrive is by ATV to this paradise.

Grenada

Grand Anse Beach, Grenada

Amazing beach with stunning waters and warm sands. One of the best beaches that will have you looking no further.

Guadeloupe

Ilet du Gosier, Guadeloupe

This small islet is a short boat ride from the mainland. This is the type of location where you would imagine a castaway living on its tropical shores.

Guatemala

Playa Blanca

A nice stretch of white sand beach lined with palm trees along the peaceful Caribbean Sea, make this one of the area's nicest beaches.

Haiti

Abaka Bay Beach, Ile a Vache, Haiti

Spectacular sand on an island that has had so much tragedy. It is an amazing retreat of calm and peaceful repose on its stunning shore.

Honduras

West End Beach Guanaja

Aside from the popular West Bay Beach on Roatan, this beach lies tucked away in an isolated corner of Guanaja, a largely undeveloped island. Little tourist traffic makes this the perfect escape for travelers looking for a private tropical paradise, Its coconut trees, and electric blue water, stands as the island's crown jewel.

Jamaica

Frenchman’s Cove, Jamaica

This small white-sand beach is set by the jungle with a river that runs through it down to the surf.

Martinique

Anse Ceron

One of the most popular beaches in all of Martinique. The slowly arching sand offers plenty of room for sunbathers to spread out while the gentle shoreline waters are perfect for swimming.

Nevis

Pinneys Beach, Nevis

One of the most talked about beaches of the two islands. The smooth saffron-colored sands of the beach often grace the glossy pages of travel publications, and to most travelers, the beach lives up to its hype although rustic.

Nicaragua

Little Corn Island

One of the best kept secrets in the Caribbean, so much so that most Nicaraguans don’t know anything about it. Truly an oasis of tranquility, and a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of the mainland.

Puerto Rico

Palomino Island, Puerto Rico

A private offshore isle that’s surrounded by powdered sands and palm trees.

Riviera Maya

Tulum Beach

I have visited many times and always keep coming back for more. Beautiful people, the rich and famous and bohemian bliss along its sandy shore ringed by jungle.

St. Barth

Gouverneur, St Barth

It's a drive to get there, but the reward is a feeling of remoteness and privacy. Celebrities and billionaires often dot this sandy beach to get away from it all. I have had many bottles of champagne reclining on its warm shore.

Saint Kitts

Cockleshell Bay Beach

Cockleshell Bay is a secluded stretch of powder-white sand. Over two miles long, it offers a stunning view of neighboring Nevis island.

Saint Lucia

Anse Chastenet

The beach is flanked by the stunning Jade Mountain Resort which makes public access here difficult. You can get a water taxi to drop you at this beach. If you want to experience the best of both worlds, a sense of seclusion, and the option for activity, you will love it. I even convinced Jade Mountain to start beachside massages, and they have become very popular.

Saint Martin

Baie Longue (Long Bay Beach), St Martin

One of Saint Martin’s quietest beaches, with only the gentle lapping of the waves to disturb you. The bar at La Samanna's restaurant is the perfect place to view the sunset that is simply the best. Its turquoise seas, white sands, and resident pelicans place this beach in a dreamlike setting.

Saint Vincent-and-the-Grenadines

Canouan

The three-square-mile beach was little more than a rustic village of 739 islanders with barely a bed for rent. But with a half-dozen picture-perfect beaches, it couldn’t escape notice for long, and a group of investors bought the northern two-thirds of the island, opening what is now a posh resort area.

Trinidad-and-Tobago

Maracas Beach, Trinidad

Grab a bake and shark (fish sandwich) from one of the many beachside restaurants, then savor it on the sands of this northern strand about an hour from Port of Spain.

Turks and Caicos

Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands

The area offers clear blue waters, white sand beaches and a wide variety of luxury hotel and villa rentals. Some of the best-rated hotels in the world are located on Grace Bay.

Venezuela

Los Roques

1,500 miles of almost completely untouched coral reef that’s perfect for diving and sailing, and one of the most tranquil and beautiful beaches on Earth

U.S. Virgin Islands

Lindquist Beach, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Lindquist is a stretch of bright, white sand and luminous blue water. Developers have been anxious to build on this prime site for years, but so far it has been left untouched, a secluded gem loved by locals.