Islands & Beaches in the Caribbean

Arid, breezy and reliably sunny, Aruba sits outside the hurricane belt with the dazzling white sand of Eagle and Palm beaches lining its western coast. Fringing reefs, shipwreck dives and a rugged windward shore of cacti and rock arches round out one of the Caribbean’s most dependable beach islands.

The easternmost Caribbean island pairs calm, palm-lined Platinum Coast beaches on the west with wild Atlantic surf at Bathsheba on the east. British-flavoured Barbados adds rum distilleries, Bridgetown’s Georgian streets and some of the region’s warmest hospitality to its coral-sand shores.

Jamaica’s laid-back western tip is famous for Seven Mile Beach, a long ribbon of soft sand and clear shallows backed by reggae bars and low-slung resorts. West End’s limestone cliffs, Rick’s Cafe cliff-diving and legendary sunsets make Negril the island’s bohemian beach capital.

The gateway to Turks and Caicos, Provo fronts Grace Bay, routinely ranked among the world’s finest beaches for its blindingly white sand and calm, protected turquoise water. A barrier reef offshore delivers superb snorkelling and diving just steps from the shore.

A 176-square-mile no-take marine reserve threading through the Exuma chain, this park protects a maze of uninhabited cays, sandbars and coral gardens in the Bahamas’ clearest water. Sailors and snorkellers come for iguana-covered islets, blue holes and the famous swimming pigs nearby.

St Lucia wraps rainforest, sulphur springs and luxury resorts around the twin volcanic spires of the Pitons. Beaches range from the golden crescent of Reduit to black-sand coves beneath the peaks near Soufriere, making it the most dramatically scenic beach island in the eastern Caribbean.

The Dominican Republic’s resort powerhouse strings dozens of all-inclusives along 50 kilometres of coconut-palm beach on the island’s easternmost point. Bavaro and Cabeza de Toro offer warm, calm Caribbean water, while nearby Cap Cana adds marinas and championship golf.

St Thomas, St John and St Croix combine US convenience with Caribbean beauty. St John’s Trunk Bay and Magens Bay on St Thomas rank among the region’s most photographed strands, backed by the protected forests of Virgin Islands National Park and superb sailing waters.

The largest of the British Virgin Islands and the hub of the world’s premier bareboat sailing grounds. Cane Garden Bay’s sweeping beach anchors the island, while day-sails reach the boulder-strewn Baths of Virgin Gorda and the beach bars of Jost Van Dyke across calm channels.

Antigua famously claims a beach for every day of the year, 365 in all, from the pink sand of half-hidden coves to the yacht-filled harbours of English Harbour. Reliable trade winds, calm leeward bays and Nelson’s Dockyard heritage make it a sailing and beach favourite.

The Spice Island balances the two-mile sweep of Grand Anse Beach with rainforest waterfalls, nutmeg plantations, hot-spring pools and the world’s first underwater sculpture park. Grenada stays notably greener, quieter and more authentically Caribbean than its more developed and heavily built-up northern neighbours.

Dutch Curacao pairs the pastel waterfront of UNESCO-listed Willemstad with dozens of small, cliff-framed coves along its leeward coast. Outside the hurricane belt and blessed with exceptional visibility, its shore-accessible reefs make it a diving and snorkelling standout.

Low-lying, upscale and blessed with 33 beaches, Anguilla is the Caribbean’s connoisseur’s island. Shoal Bay East’s brilliant white sand and Rendezvous Bay’s long calm arc draw discerning travellers to some of the softest, whitest sand and clearest water in the region.

Chic St Barts fuses French style with Caribbean sand, its rocky coastline hiding 14 beaches from the surf of Anse de Grande Saline to the harbour glamour of Gustavia. Boutiques, gourmet dining and superyachts make it the region’s most fashionable island.

A diver’s paradise ringed by a protected marine park, flat, arid Bonaire lets snorkellers and divers wade straight off the shore onto healthy reefs. Pink salt flats, flamingo lagoons and consistent trade winds for windsurfing complete a laid-back, nature-first beach island.

The largest Cayman Island is fronted by Seven Mile Beach, a flawless coral-sand strand lining the calm western shore. Crystal-clear water, the Bloody Bay Wall and the famous shallows of Stingray City make it a premier beach-and-dive destination in the western Caribbean.