A World Beach Day Celebration: My Favorite Caribbean Beaches

In celebration of today being World Beach Day and the start of World Beach Month, I thought it would be fun to take a moment to celebrate our beautiful beaches. Whether we visit them for fun, relaxation or creating new memories, I’m sure we all have a few beaches that hold a special place in our heart.

My husband Josh and I are big beach people and the majority of our vacations are to beach towns or coastal cities. Josh and I met fourteen and a half years ago and we developed a love for the Caribbean after our very first trip to Aruba together. Since that trip, we have traveled to the Caribbean every winter. These beach trips give us something to look forward to during the freezing cold New England winters, and we’ve been very fortunate to travel to many different islands over the years including Saint John, Saint Thomas, Saint Maarten, Anguilla, Turks & Caicos, Barbados, Grand Cayman, Aruba and the Dominican Republic. Of course we have our favorite islands that we’ve returned to over and over, however that’s a post for another day. 🙂   

Like many of you, I love everything about Caribbean beaches. The turquoise waters, white sand, and warm sunshine always seems to melt away any stress that I bring with me. The Caribbean holds many great memories for us. So in honor of World Beach Day and World Beach Month, I’m highlighting my top five favorite Caribbean beaches. Hopefully by winter or early spring we can start safely traveling again and that some of you can also add these beaches to your favorites list!

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My Top Five Favorite Caribbean Beaches

1. Leeward Beach, Turks & Caicos

While Grace Bay Beach is hands down the most popular beach on the island, Leeward Beach has my heart. It shares the same coastline as Grace Bay Beach, but Leeward Beach is much quieter. Less people, no hotels and no tour boats coming in and out. The sand is powdery white and the perfect spot if you’re seeking total relaxation.  

2. Taylor Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos

This lesser-known beach isn’t the easiest to find so as a result, Taylor Bay Beach doesn’t ever get too crowded. Similar to Leeward Beach, the water is a gorgeous shade of light blue, it’s crystal clear and the ocean floor contains nothing but soft, powdery sand. You can literally walk 1/2 a mile out from the shore and the water would never get higher than your waist. I absolutely love spending an afternoon here just floating on my back in the water. Pure bliss.

3. Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

Next on my list is Seven Mile Beach. This beach has incredibly clear and calm water, with excellent snorkeling. We’ve snorkeled on every island that we’ve been to and the on-shore snorkeling at Seven Mile Beach is one of the best that we’ve encountered. It’s a perfect walking beach too. I love getting an afternoon cocktail and sipping on it as we walk the shoreline for several miles.

4. Orient Bay Beach, Saint Maarten

Orient Bay Beach has a designated nude section but we like to sit on the other end of the beach with the others that prefer swimsuits over birthday suits. Maybe someday I’ll work up the courage haha! 🙂 Orient Bay Beach is a very fun, action-packed spot with lots of little beach bars, restaurants, jet skis, and parasailing rentals. This beach also has some great waves that are a lot of fun to play in!  

5. Trunk Bay Beach, St. John USVI

While Josh is an expert snorkeler, I’m definitely more of a beginner. People often feed the fish in the Caribbean – as a result they can be a little too friendly. I much prefer viewing sea life from a distance. 🙂 However, I enjoyed snorkeling at Trunk Bay Beach more than any other spot because of their underwater snorkeling trail. This beach is one of the most popular on the island, but the crystal blue waters are an incredible sight. Plus they have a snack shack and facilities, which you won’t find at all beaches.   

Most importantly, in addition to celebrating our beaches, World Beach Day and World Beach Month are also about joining the global effort to protect them. World Beach Day was created in 2010 to bring awareness to the problems that many beaches face. These problems include pollution, erosion, over-development, urban run-off, and contaminated sands. All of these harm the wildlife and ruin the enjoyment of these beaches for everyone.

I recently came across this “Island Beach Crusader” post from Ankie Nieuwenhoven. She’s a writer for one of my new favorite blogs, Women Who Live on Rocks. Ankie manages Ocean’s condos on Great Bay Beach in Saint Maarten and it’s horrifying what she picks up on a daily basis in an effort to keep the beach in front of her properties clean. However, that’s just one beach among at least three dozen in Saint Maarten – and among thousands across the world! Imagine what our beaches would look like without more Ankie’s in the world? It’s incredibly important that we all do our part in keeping them clean. 

Here’s a couple of simple and immediate ways you can participate in World Beach Day, and World Beach Month, which runs through the end of September.

1. Head to your nearest beach, and pick up any trash that you come upon. Then while you’re there, enjoy yourself –  play in the surf, go shell hunting or relax in the sun!
   
2. If you don’t live by the coast or you feel more comfortable staying home due to the pandemic, consider making even a small tax-deductible donation to the Ocean Conservancy or the Surfrider Foundation. Both organizations work hard to protect the ocean and keep our beaches clean. Pretty important stuff if you ask me!

So from me to you, happy World Beach Day and month! I would also love to know – what are your favorite beaches, and why? I’m always looking for new amazing beaches to visit!

Finally, if you’re interested in exploring some other great beaches, take a look at my post that highlights my time at Coronado Beach and Torrey Pines State Reserve in California. The views at both beaches are stunning!

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