Escape to the Caribbean

Here’s some fuel for your winter-time wanderlust with some of our favourite beaches and waterfronts across the Caribbean Islands.

Even if you’re a regular to the region, some of its most secluded beaches might still be a secret! That’s why we’ve embarked on a mission to research every beach and islet from Anguilla to Tobago.

Planning a trip to the Caribbean or just want to escape the reality of the winter weather for a few minutes? Here’s some of our favourite beaches for inspiration:

Little Bay Beach, Anguilla

To reach this extremely remote half-moon shaped cove, you’ll need to hire a boat or climb down 66 feet on the fishnet ladder carefully tied to the bluff’s top. With 80 yards of sand, walled in by high cliffs – it’s super tranquil and perfect for sunbathing and snorkelling in the azure waters. A scene straight out of a postcard.

Curtain Bluff, Antigua

The wide, golden beach is fringed with palms and mangrove wetlands on one side, and crystalline water clear enough to see your feet on the other side.

Johnson’s Point (Crab Hill), Antigua

A chain of secluded coves with white soft-sand beaches in south-west Antigua is excellent for views over Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch an amazing sunset. There’s a hotspot for snorkelling too, with Pigeon Point near Falmouth Harbour nearby.

Dos Playa, Aruba

Probably the best beach in Aruba for surfing! Fronting a jagged, limestone coast that’s awash in salty surf, it’s a sandy stretch with rolling dunes. The waves are much too wild for swimming, but you can watch the wind surfers from the safety of the shore.

Anegada, British Virgin Islands

More than 300 ships have crashed into the reefs surrounding this tiny islet. The part visible to the eye is only 15 miles around. On the north’s end, Loblolly Bay, the reef is so close to crescent-shaped shore that waves lap white foam. Walk out 90 feet into the warm water and see straight to the bottom.

Provo Island, Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos

Grace Bay’s 12 mile stretch of sand is white and fine, the water is clear, turquoise and calm and protected by a barrier reef making it ideal for swimming, or why not give parasailing a go? Sounds like heaven, right?!

St. John, Trunk Bay, US Virgin Islands

Find your very own piece of paradise at what’s considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world… and it’s safe to see why! Backed by palms, with sparkling white sand, it’s an incredible spot for swimming, snorkelling and diving… you just can’t beat it.

Culebra Island, Playa Flamenco, Puerto Rico

If you want sun, sea and tranquillity, you should head to the little-known Culebra, located halfway between Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands. As a nature reserve, this wide sandy beach is known for its shallow turquoise waters and swimming areas. It’s perfect territory for snorkelling, diving and bird watching, with one of the Caribbean’s biggest turtle nesting sites.

La Sagesse, Grenada

A true tropical hideaway. A nature reserve at the end of a mile long, rocky road, this half-mile of sand curves along a cliff dense with coconut palms. With a rustic seaside restaurant and booksellers’ stalls set up under the almond trees too.

Harbour Island, Pink Sand Beach, Bahamas

Probably the most Instagrammable beach of them all, this pink sand beach on an islet of the Eleuthera Island, is one of a kind and often voted as one of the best in the world. Three miles of sand tinted pink due to flecks of red plankton, mixed with fine, sugar white coral sand.

Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia

For some of the island’s best water snorkelling, you’ll have to get a water taxi or walk for an hour along a dirt track from Soufrière – worth the journey though, that’s for sure.

Carriacou, Grenada

This is a must-see beach, a perfect image of white sand with an incredible view of Union Island across the water. Hop in a water taxi with a day’s worth of supplies (there aren’t any facilities, so perfect if you want some peace and quiet).

Placencia, Belize

This is the perfect beach if you don’t just want to sunbathe and take in the views, there’s plenty of adventuring to be done! A laid-back seaside town with a massive 16 miles of pristine sandy beach in South East Belize. With water sports, fishing, bird watching, manatee watching and jungle excursions too. Or go more extreme, and give the Cayes a go for world-class diving and snorkelling.

Manzanilla Beach, Trinidad

If you want wildlife, then this is your place… roaming water buffalo, herons and egrets parade the 17-mile strip of sand, surrounded by coconut and mangrove trees.

Long Bay Beach, Jamaica

At the northern end of Negril Beach is the tranquil Bloody Bay Beach, perfect for escaping the crowds.

Le Diamant (Diamond Beach), Martinique

We reckon this six-mile long beach is the best in Martinique, with phenomenal views of Diamond Rock Island offshore, often said to be one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful diving spots. Rarely crowded, and always incredible.

Jost Van Dykes Island, White Bay, British Virgin Islands

One of the world’s top ten beaches, this beautiful spot is affectionately known as “The Barefoot Island”. Photogenic and unspoilt, you’ll find a long and white sand beach, which is popular with boaters and protected by massive reefs. While there, you HAVE to try the infamous rum Painkiller cocktail at Soggy Dollar Bar!

Where would you most love to visit in the Caribbean? Or perhaps you're a regular to these spots?