Sun, sand and the best secret beaches in the Caribbean
Feb 08, 2019
Photo: Doctor”s Cave Beach in Jamaica is reputed to have healing water, Credit: Jamaica Tourist Board
By: Melanie Reffes
Source: USA Today
If you thought all beaches were created equal, think again. Sure, some travelers prefer the party scene but for the bonafide beach aficionado, it”s that quieter nook that is worth seeking out. What the smaller out-of-the way beaches lack in amenities, they more than make up with countless miles of buttery sand, seclusion and serenity. Plant your sun lounger by the water”s edge and check out our list of the top 10 secret beaches in the Caribbean, and try not to let the cat out of the bag.
Jamaica
Photo: Doctor”s Cave, part of the Montego Bay Marine Park, allows visitors easy access to a boatload of water sports while a spirited underwater awaits the snorkelers in the crowd.
Away from the busy beaches on the resort-lined northwest coast, Doctor”s Cave on the Hip Strip in the heart of Montego Bay is the beach less-traveled. Dating back to 1906 when Dr. Alexander James McCatty opened one of Jamaica”s first bathing clubs, the water was reputed to have healing powers when a British doctor in the 1920s noticed his many ailments disappeared after a soak in the sea. Today, the bath-warm water with year-round temperatures between 78 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit is still the perfect prescription for relaxation and the favorite sandy stretch for locals and savvy tourists who know a good beach when they find one. There are plenty of restaurants and bars on the strip, although a picnic on the sand is the recommended choice on a sunny afternoon. The beach, part of the Montego Bay Marine Park, allows visitors easy access to a boatload of water sports while a spirited underwater awaits the snorkelers in the crowd. visitjamaica.com
St. Maarten
Photo: Mullet Bay in St. Maarten is a word-of-mouth beach without a lot of guidebook hype. Credit:
On the Dutch side of the dual-nation island, Mullet Bay is a word-of-mouth beach without a lot of guidebook hype. A pretty palette of teal blue and talc white, the long sandy ribbon on the southwest coast is dotted with palms and sea grape trees. It”s the go-to for surfers and swimmers who covet beaches without a lot of tourists. No frills apart from polite vendors hawking sun loungers, cold beer and rum punch, the beach is easy to find off Rhine Road near the island”s only golf course. On weekdays, there’s plenty of prime real estate on the sand while the weekend vibe is livelier with locals playing volleyball on the sand, party catamarans skirting the shoreline, and fishermen on the jetty 50 yards from shore ready to land the big one. vacationstmaarten.com
Anguilla
Photo: It may be hard to find, but Anguilla”s Little Bay Beach is a sandy secret worth discovering. Credit:
You have two choices: scale a cliff or hop a boat from Crocus Bay. Yes, it may be hard to find, but Little Bay Beach is a sandy secret worth discovering. Tucked away with ridiculous views of just about everything, the unspoiled spit that is bookended by cliffs is one of those coveted unsullied spots on the sand. Surrounded by layered limestone, it’s a blink-and-you-miss-it beach that is the island’s least crowded. Keep your eyes open and your camera charged as graceful pelicans fly from the beach to the sea and back. ivisitanguilla.com
Curacao
Photo: Playa Kenepa, on the west side of Curacao, is really two beaches rolled into one.
A bonus for beach-hoppers, Playa Kenepa on the west side of the island is really two beaches rolled into one. The bigger beach, known as Grote Knip, is carpeted in white sand while the smaller, more intimate beach called Klein Knip is favored for the snorkeling hot spots close to the coastline. With only one road to both, these bucket-list beaches are never crowded, apart from locals who make a beeline for the soft sand on weekends. Halfway between the two beaches is an under-the-radar cliffside lookout point that is privacy-seeking perfection. curacao.com
British Virgin Islands
Photo: Twenty miles from Tortola, the nearly deserted beach at Lo’Blolly Bay has a 50-foot walkout to the ocean.
On the northwest coast of Anegada, or the “Drowned Land” as the Spanish named it, Lo’Blolly Bay is a blinding white beach guarded by Horseshoe Reef that, at 18 miles long, is the Eastern Caribbean”s third-largest continuous coral reef. Twenty miles from Tortola, the nearly deserted beach with a 50-foot walkout to the ocean is one of several along the coastline. With only a few hundred lucky souls who call the second-largest of the British Virgins home, it never gets busy. A bonanza for bone fishermen and nirvana for scuba divers, the east end of the beach is home to springs bubbling from coral beds and gigantic piles of conch shells that were once pirates” treasures. For foodies, beach bars worth checking out include Big Bamboo, Cow Wreck and Wonky Dog and if you plan ahead, the surplus of lobsters inspires the annual Lobster Festival this year from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1. bvitourism.com
Turks and Caicos Islands
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Stretching for 3 miles along the southeast coast of Providenciales, Long Bay Beach is a world away and a short drive from the more popular Grace Bay Beach. A good bet for families, the water is so clear and shallow, you can easily walk (or ride a horse) hundreds of feet beyond the shoreline. The grounded wreck of a freighter that was destroyed during Hurricane Francis in 2004 is visible from the beach and a guaranteed conversation starter. Courtesy of the easterly trade winds, the beach is big with kiteboarders and stand-up paddleboarders and well worth a return visit at night when the moonscape reflected on the still water is mystical. turksandcaicostourism.com
St. Lucia
Photo: A placid alternative to Reduit Beach across the bay, two petite strips of golden sand are just inside the entrance to the 40-acre national park on the northwest coast.
Despite its name, Pigeon Island is connected to the mainland and there”s nary a pigeon in sight – although a variety called the common wood pigeon once lived there, hence the island”s name. A placid alternative to Reduit Beach across the bay, two petite strips of golden sand are just inside the entrance to the 40-acre national park on the northwest coast. With a big thumbs-up from swimmers and sunbathers, the beach is also popular with carb-cravers who rave about the West Indian rotis and icy cold Piton beer at Jambe de Bois, a rustic waterfront café. Also, the St. Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival, the island’s biggest outdoor music festival, rocks Pigeon Island this year on Mother”s Day, May 12. stlucia.org
Cayman Islands
Photo: Accessible by car or scooter, Point of Sand is home to at least a dozen varieties of brightly colored reef fish just below the water’s surface.
It”s no surprise that the best-kept beach secret is on the smallest of the three Cayman Islands. Little Cayman is where you”ll find Point of Sand, the prettiest sandy perch this side of a postcard. On the southeast coast, the water is ankle-deep for the first 15 feet and gradually drops off, making the beach primo for snorkeling, swimming and staying cool in the water on a sunny afternoon. Accessible by car or scooter, the petite beach is home to at least a dozen varieties of brightly colored reef fish just below the water’s surface. visitcaymanislands.com
Antigua
Photo: One of 365 beaches on the island, the peaceful sliver located within the national park is framed by green hills and tucked away in an out-of-the-way cove on the south coast. Credit: RendevousBay.com
If you have a hankering for a tight-lipped beach rendezvous, give the aptly named Rendezvous Bay Beach a try. One of 365 beaches on the island, the peaceful sliver located within the national park is framed by green hills and tucked away in an out-of-the-way cove on the south coast. It may be tricky to find but with your eye on the prize, the 30-minute trek along a footpath from Fig Tree Hill, English Harbour or Carlisle Bay, or a ride on a small boat from English Harbour, is well worth the effort for the crystal-clear bay water and cinematic sunsets. Not far from the beach, Fig Tree Studio in the heart of the rainforest sells an intriguing collection of Caribbean art. visitantiguabarbuda.com
Aruba
Photo: The water at Baby Beach is so shallow that young swimmers can wade out quite a distance and still touch the bottom with their feet as the grown-ups relax on a comfy beach bed or under a tiki hut-like palapa.
Less than an hour from the resorts and dive shops that line Palm Beach, Baby Beach near the funky town of San Nicolas is a delightful half-moon in an unruffled sheltered lagoon. In Seroe Colorado on the southeast tip of the island, the beach that is more like a giant kiddie pool invites with water so shallow young swimmers can wade out quite a distance and still touch the bottom with their feet as the grown-ups relax on a comfy beach bed or under a tiki hut-like palapa. Uncrowded above the waves, down under bustles with a kaleidoscope of barracuda, parrot fish and squid that hang out towards the inlet. Cheap and cheerful, Big Mama Grill is island-famous for juicy slabs of sticky ribs served right on the beach. And on a clear day, Venezuela can be spotted in the distance. arubatourism.com
