5 Beautiful Beaches in the Caribbean

Nothing captures the culture of the Caribbean’s idyllic islands quite like their must-see beaches. Here is a fresh list of five picture-perfect beaches you must visit on your next island getaway.

• 1. Doctor’s Cave Beach

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Jamaica’s waterfalls are wonderful, but the beaches are beyond beautiful. Doctor’s Cave Beach is a local favorite, conveniently located less than 10 minutes away from Montego Bay Airport (MBJ). This is the beach that put Montego Bay on the map as a resort town years ago. It’s the ideal place for a one-of-a-kind Jamaican vacation filled with fresh air along five miles of sugary sands and tranquil, turquoise waters. This popular beach is located in the middle of MoBay’s “Hip Strip,” Gloucester Avenue, and bordered by the city’s best hotels and restaurants. Adults can experience calm under the tropical palms for $6 per day (or $3 per day for children).

• 2. Magens Bay

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The warm Caribbean waters and calming waves captivate the 65 acres that make up Magens Bay in St. Thomas. Magens Bay is nestled in a deep cove dotted with lush landscape and picture-perfect panoramic views. This is the island’s most popular beach, located along the northern coast and around 30 minutes away from Cyril E. King Airport (STT). St. Thomas happens to have the most popular cruise port in the Caribbean, so it’s safe to assume there is always something to do. This little 32-mile-long island is the perfect place for water activities like paddle boarding and kayaking, and even the little ones can swim and splash in its shallow waters for some fun in the sun. Visitors 12 years and older can experience a day on the bay for $5 per day; children under 12 are free.

• 3. Bávaro Beach

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Punta Cana is a popular place for the leisure lover’s ultimate getaway and its world-famous Bávaro Beach is only 22 minutes away from the Punta Cana Airport (PUJ). This beautiful beach ranks among the longest, most continuous beaches in the Caribbean and most of the 30-mile stretch of sun-kissed shores is walkable. Plus, this is the place that practically invented “Sunday fun day,” since Sundays are dubbed family beach days for Dominicans. This area is the most developed section of the Punta Cana resort area, so leisure lovers will feel lost in paradise here where beachfront resorts, restaurants and gift shops line the beach. Water and beach activities are available for the adventurists with options like parasailing, speedboating or catamaran sailing.

• 4. Maho Beach

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St. Martin or St. Maarten is where European culture blends so easily with Caribbean lifestyle. Maho Bay is one of the most-photographed beaches in the Caribbean and is only a two-minute car ride away from the island’s Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). This southwestern beach is warm and welcoming and beckons to a variety of visitors. And for most aviation fanatics and thrill-seekers it’s a magical, must-see bucket list-experience because of its proximity to the airport and windsurfing excursions. Plus, you can stand on the sugary sands and feel the jets from approaching planes – for free! So snapping pictures and splurging at the Sunset Beach Bar is a must.

• 5. Flamingo Beach

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Aruba is home to happy vibes, pristine beaches and a pretty, private island known for its famous pink flamingos. Renaissance Island is a 40-acre true tropical paradise that makes a perfect getaway for your getaway – especially on the sands of Flamingo Beach. This private beach has a mangrove where flamingos live and so much more for a fee of around $125 per adult and $62.50 per children ages 5-12; children 4 and under are as free as the flamingos. These prices include a day pass to visit the beach and one lunch and one cocktail at Papagayo Bar & Grill or Mangrove Beach Bar. Whether you’re relaxing at Spa Cove, watching wild flamingos run free, playing a game of beach ball or simply having some fun in the sun, this beach is where you want to be.