Travelers are always chasing the idea of the hidden gem. The beach no one has quite caught up to yet. The stretch of sand that still feels discovered rather than managed. In the Caribbean, that search usually isn’t about luxury or novelty. It’s about beaches that justify the trip on their own terms: water that stays clear all day, sand that feels right underfoot, and enough room to sit without feeling organized.
Some of these places have stayed under the radar simply because they sit outside the usual travel patterns. Smaller islands reached by short hops or ferries. Others are destinations people think they understand already, but not as beach places. Their reputations point elsewhere, toward towns, culture, or history, while the coastline does the real work quietly. In each case, the result is the same: beaches that remain lightly trafficked, carefully intact, and far better than their reputations suggest. Here are 10 of our off-the-beaten-path favorites, including one good place to stay in every spot.
A beach chair at the Rollezz Villas Beach Resort on Cat Island.Cat Island, The Bahamas
Tucked away in the Out Islands of The Bahamas, Cat Island stretches long and lightly settled, with beaches that repeat without interruption. Old Bight runs wide and pale, its shallow water staying calm far from shore. Greenwood narrows slightly, quieter, with pink sand and great kitesurfing. Fernandez Bay curves cleanly, with deeper blue water arriving quickly as you wade out. There’s very little competing for attention along the coast, and this is the sort of island where you may not see another person on the beach for the entire day. Where to stay? We love Rollezz Villas, which is right on the sand, family run and authentic.
Loblolly Beach on the Caribbean island of Anegada.Anegada, British Virgin Islands
The land of lobsters and beach bars, Anegada is a ferry away from Tortola, surrounded by world-class beaches. Loblolly Bay spreads out with powdery white sand and long shallows protected by reef. Cow Wreck Beach runs broader and breezier, with uninterrupted sightlines across the water. The island’s flatness keeps the focus horizontal, always pulling your attention back to the shoreline. A great beach stay is the Loblolly Beach Cottages, which sit directly on the sand, informal and well spaced, built for travelers who plan to spend most of their time outside, moving between water and shade.
White Island is right off the coast of Carriacou in Grenada.Carriacou, Grenada
One of the sister islands of Grenada, this is as charming and beautiful as place as you’ll ever find in the Caribbean, with some truly spectacular beaches, both along the coast and just offshore. Paradise Beach offers a long, easy shoreline with consistent swimming conditions. Anse La Roche has a legendary beach bar. Even in the capital, there’s a lovely stretch of beach right downtown. The Mermaid Hotel overlooks the water from a raised position, keeping the beach in view without crowding it. The setting works best for travelers who want options without complication.
South Caicos.South Caicos, Turks and Caicos
South Caicos carries a quieter version of the Turks and Caicos coastline. East Bay Beach stretches long and open, with pale sand and water that shifts steadily from turquoise to deep blue. Long Beach feels even more removed, with steady trade winds and wide, empty sections of shore. Development stays sparse, allowing dunes and shoreline to remain intact. The most notable addition? The new Marriott-portfolio Salterra, which occupies a prime position along the coast, with a wellness focus.
Grand Anse d’Arlet in Martinique.Martinique
Martinique’s beaches often get overshadowed by its towns, its rhum and its cuisine, but the coastline delivers range and quality. There is a beach for every kind of desire, from Les Salines runs wide and bright, backed by palms and steady surf. Anse Dufour and Anse Noire sit close together, small coves with clear water, one pale, one dark with volcanic sand. The chain of Les Anses d’Arlet are a world-class stretch of white-sand beaches, one after another. While most of Martinique’s best hotels are inland, there is the recently-revamped Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek as a good, all-inclusive option.
Cas Abao.Curaçao
You may know it for the colors of Willemstad, for its cosmopolitan cool. But Curaçao has.a compelling beach story, with superb stretches of sand all over the coastline, from party beaches like Mambo to pristine stretches like Cas Abao. The island’s dry terrain sharpens the color contrast, making the water stand out even more clearly. Where to stay? Avila Beach Hotel is set along a protected stretch near Willemstad, offering direct beach access while serving as a base for exploring the island’s broader coastline.
St Croix is filled with great beaches.St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
St. Croix benefits from size, allowing its beaches to keep distinct identities, and they’re equally stunning, from Sandy Point protected and expansive, to the wilder waves of Cane Bay to charming sands like Shoys Beach, which opens quietly behind residential streets. The island’s premier beach resort is The Buccaneer, set on a large beachfront property, giving guests access to multiple stretches of sand without the feeling of crowding any single one.
A beach in Vieques, Puerto Rico.Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques delivers one of the deepest benches of beaches anywhere in the Caribbean. Dozens of them, spread around the island, shifting constantly in size, color, and exposure. Between beaches, wild horses move freely across the island, often crossing the road or standing at the edge of the sand, part of the everyday landscape rather than an attraction. There are no large beachfront resorts to organize the experience — making the whole place feel rugged and untouched. There is one option: the Blue Horizon Boutique Resort, which gives you ocean views and easy access while preserving the quiet that defines the island’s beaches.
Pain de Sucre on Terre de Haut in Guadeloupe.Terre-de-Haut, Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe
Terre-de-Haut is compact, but its beaches leave a clear impression. Pompierre Beach forms a near-perfect curve, protected and calm, with shallow water that stays clear. Crawen Beach opens toward deeper blue, quieter and less trafficked. The island’s small size means the beach is never far, but never overwhelmed. And then there’s Pain de Sucre, the Caribbean’s mini version of Sugarloaf, worth the trip all on its own. We’ve always loved the Lobleu Hotel is right in the middle of town, which a lovely white-sand beach rimmed by fishing boats and a timeless kind of vibe.
Bequia in the Grenadines.Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Bequia is a vibe all its own. Bequia works because it keeps things personal. The island attracts travelers who come back year after year, drawn less by novelty than by consistency. The shoreline stays accessible, the water stays clear, and the pace never tips toward spectacle. You see the same boats anchored offshore, the same paths down to the sand, the same easy transitions between beach, town, and water. Princess Margaret Beach and Lower Bay both remain open and walkable, with sand that holds its shape and swimming that stays reliable. Bequia Beach Hotel is right on the shoreline, low and contained, giving guests immediate access without pulling attention away from the island itself. It’s the kind of place people fall in love with the moment they step off the ferry, because the reasons reveal themselves once you’re there.
