We asked some travel bloggers what are the most beautiful places in the Caribbean. Below their answers!
Most beautiful places in the Caribbean
Independent islands
Jamaica
When looking for the most beautiful places in the Caribbean, Jamaica has to be somewhere near the top of your list of places to visit. Whether it be a trip to Dunn River Falls, a tour around Bob Marley’s house, or sampling some of the finest Jamaican street food you can get your hand on, you won’t be disappointed. The Jamaican people are very respectful and are welcoming of new tourists, hence why people travel back to there year after year to visit the island’s beautiful beaches. Aside from relaxing on the white sands overlooking the turquoise blue waters, though, you can also find historic tours to do places like Port Royal or even go snorkeling to get the opportunity to meet the infamous pufferfish. The options are endless in this Caribbean paradise getaway, so what are you waiting for? Visit the island of Jamaica for a unique Caribbean island experience like no other.
Cuba
Cuba is a once in a lifetime experience. It is the perfect place if you want to enjoy the beautiful beaches but also amazing history! We spent one week in Havana, the incredible capital of the island. It was like going back in time, and make it one of the most beautiful places in the Caribbeans. Best nightlife also!
Antigua by Andrew and Emily from A long dusty road
“In a part of the world where white sand beaches and perfect blue waters come as standard, it takes something a little extra to stand out amongst the crowd.”
The island of Antigua, paired with the smaller neighbouring island of Barbuda, offers up a beach for every day of the year – and is therefore the ideal holiday destination in the Caribbean for those who like feeling powdery sand between their toes.
At 108 square miles in size, and just 13 miles across, Antigua can be driven around more than a few times in a single day. That means renting your own wheels to explore the 365 bays and beaches, in order to discover your own private slice of paradise beyond the resorts, is a joyous way to do it.
For us, the long stretch of Darkwood Beach was the most accessible and best set-up place for visitors looking for a beautiful beach to chill out on for the whole day, without an attachment to a resort crowd. An absolute must do in Antigua.
Image by neufal54 from Pixabay
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic was the centre of history during the colonial period. It makes it an incredible place to understand the history of the Caribbeans. Santo Domingo being the center of it all. But the Dominican Republic is also the greatest place for nature and incredible beaches. Do you know that it is also possible to observe whales?! An island that has it all.
Dominica
Dominica is a very special island in the Caribbeans has it has a mountain range making it very green with forests, rivers, and waterfalls. It is the perfect island for active travelers who will be thrilled by the many hiking trails. The underwater world is also fascinating in Dominica, you can of course go snorkeling and diving but also do a whale watching tour! You can see Whales all year round thanks to the huge trench that lies off its coast. Finally the Caribbeans won’t be the Caribbeans without beaches and Dominica has some beautiful beaches to relax on too!!
Most beautiful places in the Caribbean – USA
St John, USVI by Aaron from The Dharma travels
St John is the smallest of the three US Virgin Islands and is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. The island dedicated 60% of its land to national park (including marine and terrestrial) in the 1950’s which means that most of the island is undeveloped. It also means that the marine life has had a chance to thrive over the years, developing some unique and stunning, underwater attractions.
The St John beaches come in all varieties. From small, white sand, secluded bays to long stretches of sun kissed pebbles. You can always find your own spot, which makes it a perfect getaway for those who love nature and a little peace and quiet. The beach highlights include:
- Maho Bay – sea turtles graze in shallow water and are comfortable with people snorkelling around them, so you can get a real close encounter (be sure not to touch them as it can have significant stress and health effects)
- Cinnamon Bay – here you can swim off shore and snorkel around a little, rocky island. If you’re lucky, at sunset you might see dear walking along the beach!
Most beautiful Europeans islands in the Caribbeans
Martinique by Anna meanders
Being able to enjoy French food and whilst relaxing on powdery white, palm-fringed Caribbean beaches is what makes Martinique so special.
The island’s rugged coastline and lack of resorts makes it an ideal location for exploring off the beaten track, and it’s the perfect place for a road trip through meandering lush jungle roads, secret waterfalls & plenty of plantation stopovers for sampling the local rhum agricole made from local sugarcane juice.
The Martiniquais will welcome you with open arms & joyful smiles, while providing a great opportunity to practice your French. The culture is a unique blend of French and Caribbean, and thanks to it being an overseas territory of France it has a really strong European influence to the culture, food and architecture.
But, let’s face it – the beaches are one of the main reasons anyone visits the Caribbean! And Martinique does not disappoint. Les Trois-Îlets provides sheltered sandy bays for swimming an easy ferry trip from Fort-de-france, and the magnificent shores of Sainte Anne in the south provide the famous sunsets Martinique is known for. The best beach of them all is Le Anse noir with its alluring black sand, an abundance of shady coconut palms to nap under and a colony of sea turtles to swim with in the crystal clear waters.
Guadeloupe by Elisa from Travel France bucket list
Guadeloupe, French Antilles, is a group of French Islands located in the Caribbean Sea. Guadeloupe is well known for its pristine beaches, lush vegetation, ti-punch, and warm welcome and it’s a great destination for a road trip with family or friends or a more relaxing honeymoon.
Guadeloupe, has the shape of a butterfly, with two main areas separated by the river Salée. Hilly Grande-Terre Island has long beaches and sugarcane fields while the Basse Terre is home to the Parc National de la Guadeloupe with includes the volcano La Grande Soufrière, and wonderful waterfalls. Smaller islands worth exploring on a day trip include Marie-Galante and La Désirade.
The best beaches in Guadeloupe are mostly located in Basse Terre. Don’t miss Plage de la Perle, Plage Malendure, or Grande-Anse Beach. Plage Anse Petite Riviere, on La Desirade Island, is also a postcard-perfect island.
The best time to visit Guadeloupe is during the dry season which corresponds to winter in Europe. The island is also well known for its colorful carnival, which happens in February and attracts many visitors. If you decide to visit Guadeloupe during the carnival be sure to book everything well in advance.
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island that belongs to the Netherlands. It capital, Willemstad remembers this with it’s small old town city center full of colorful pastel or bright colored houses in colonial architecture style. Curaçao is also famous for it’s special blue making it famous for diving and snorkeling. It also has great beaches like Klein Knip and Playa Pertomari. For the most beautiful beach head over to little Curaçao, only accessible by boat though!
Aruba by Jee from Life of Y
The happy island of Aruba that belongs also the the Netherlands is much more than your typical, idyllic Caribbean paradise.
Aruba is blessed with beautiful white sand beaches with crystal clear water and great year-round weather.
Palm Beach is the obvious choice when it comes to beaches, hotels and nightlife. While Palm Beach is a great vacation spot, head out of this stretch to discover some of the attractions that make this island really special.
If you’re looking for the Instagram-famous flamingos then visit Renaissance Island. However, you’ll need to either stay at the resort or be lucky enough to purchase a day pass to the island.
Eagle Beach is a popular two mile long stretch of soft sand, so there’s plenty of space to share that clear turquoise water! If you want to avoid the crowds then head to quieter, but still beautiful, Baby Beach.
The more adventurous can visit the rugged, desert-like terrain of Arikok National Park, which covers almost twenty percent of Aruba. A particular highlight is the spectacular Natural Pool which can only be reached by 4×4 or quad bike/ATV!
If you visit between January and February you’ll be treated to a spectacular show of dance and color during the Aruba Carnival!
Cayman Islands by Coni from Experiencing the Globe
There are many amazing things to do in the Cayman Islands, making them one of the best Caribbean destinations.
In every “best beaches around the world” list you’ll find Seven Mile Beach. With crystalline turquoise waters, this sandy beach is the perfect place to swim and relax, with many beach bars around to have a cold drink after an afternoon of sunbathing.
There’s also nature all around, with iguanas and chameleons waking free, even in the cities. For more incredible wildlife encounters, you can visit Stingray City. It’s a sandbar some 30-minute ride away from the coast, where stingrays swim free, and come around to be playful around the humans that want to get close. It’s a once in a lifetime experience!
Back on land, you can also visit a rum factory (don’t miss the rum cakes!), and send a postcard from Hell, where the devil himself will ask you “how the hell are you?”. Beyond the touristy photo op, the place is super interesting, with a unique black limestone formation.
Turks and Caicos by Michele from A Taste for Travel
Situated north of the Dominican Republic and east of Cuba, the Turks and Caicos is an archipelago of 100 beautiful islands and tiny cays adjacent to the north Caribbean. Unlike Caribbean islands affected by waves of seaweed during Sargasso Seaweed Season, Turks and Caicos boasts several beaches with remarkably calm, turquoise blue waters year-round. This is especially true on the most populated island of Providenciales, home to the famous Grace Bay Beach a long stretch of sparkling white sand with pink and peach hues. This perfect beach is ideal for swimming, watching the spectacular sunsets or relaxing beachside with tropical cocktail in hand. Other possibilities include going horseback riding on a windswept beach, encountering a vast array of wildlife on Iguana Island or kayaking through protected mangroves. And the stunning beauty of this island paradise even extends below the waterline. The Turks and Caicos also happens to be home to the world’s third largest barrier reef and teems with more than 300 species of fish and 60 species of coral. It’s a natural playground for underwater explorers.
Caye Caulker in Belize by Joanna from World in my pocket
Caye Caulker is one of the most beautiful and chilled islands from Belize. It is known as being a place with great water activities, especially snorkelling and diving in the nearby coral reef, but also for its delicious food (especially lobster) and the slow pace of life. The motto of the island is “go slow” and taken in consideration that there are no cars on the island, this is a perfect place to choose if you are looking for a relaxing Caribbean holiday.
Caye Caulker has a few beaches, the most famous ones being at the split and at Koko King. The split is a very animated area, with a bar that serves cocktails and cold local beers which you can enjoy in or out of the water. The split it actually a natural gap created by a hurricane, in 1961. Koko King is another fantastic place to enjoy the beach, on the other side of the split. The boats to Koko King are free of charge as long as you have a drink or eat something there – which is easy to do as it’s the only place on the beach. Koko King also provides sun loungers and floaties free of charge.
Snorkelling in Caye Caulker is fantastic, with so many different tours to choose from. You can see turtles, sting rays, manta rays, reef sharks, Moray eels, and countless other different species of fish which live in the corals.
Most beautiful places in the Caribbeans – America mainland
Because the Caribbeans are not only islands, it’s geography extend further to the North American mainland, Gulf of Mexico and Central America!
Nicaragua by Roshni from The Wanderlust Within
Famous for its epic surf spots, explosive volcanoes, and colourful colonial cities, Nicaragua is one of the best places to relax and enjoy island life. There are several unique activities to do in Nicaragua, including kayaking or stand up paddle boarding around the small islands surrounding Granada. If you’re lucky you’ll see turtles, monkeys and plenty of birdlife. If you’re looking for an adrenaline kick, try volcano boarding down Cerro Negro, an active volcano near the city of Leon, it’s the only place in the world this activity exists. However if you are more interested in sun, sea and sand, there are plenty of beautiful beaches in Nicaragua, including the most popular ones near San Juan del Sur, where learning to surf is a must, and the tropical Corn Islands. Found off the coast of Nicaragua, these hidden gems are perfect for snorkeling, scuba diving and enjoying the fresh lobster on offer.
Tulum
Tulum is definitely one of the most popular places in the Caribbeans and in Mexico. At first mostly visited by American tourist it is now the whole world that is heading to Tulum for the beautiful beaches and incredible party atmosphere!
Roatan
Roatán is a perfect Caribbean island with warm, crystal clear water and palm tree lined, powder white beaches located about 65 kilometres off the north coast of Honduras. It is the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja. Surrounded by the second largest coral reef in the world, the Meso American reef, scuba diving around Roatán is fantastic. The large coral reef forms steep canyons covered with huge sea fans and sponges teeming with life; turtles, eagle rays, tarpon, jacks, barracuda and a huge variety of marine animals. Roatan has some great wreck diving with big ships scuttled in areas with good visibility and rich in marine life. The island has plenty of perfect white beaches that are great for swimming such as Half Moon Bay Beach and the long beautiful West Bay Beach which is often rated as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Snorkeling is great here in warm crystal clear water with many fish and even turtles and stingrays with some luck. The island is covered in a lush tropical jungle with exciting activities such as hiking and ziplining. The chilled out vibe in West End is great for shopping, having a drink or eating traditional Honduran baleadas; a flour tortilla, filled with mashed fried red beans, thick cream and crumbled cheese.
