--- title: "Beaches of North America, the 10 best Caribbean beaches | Wimup" description: "The ten best beaches in North America and the Caribbean, from Grace Bay to Roatán, ranked by the sand, the water and how each copes with its crowds." url: https://wimup.com/beaches-north-america type: Themed list updated: 2026-10-30 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Beaches of North America and the Caribbean, ten worth the flight. By Wimup desk · 10 picks · ≈ 4 min read Ten beaches from the Turks and Caicos to the Bay Islands of Honduras, ranked by the sand and water, with the way in and the months to go for each. We ranked these ten by the beach itself: the sand and the water, the setting around them, and how well each holds up to the people who come. Central America and the Caribbean count as North America here, as they do on our continent page. ## Beaches of North America and the Caribbean, ten worth the flight. ### 1. Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos Providenciales · Turks and Caicos Fine white sand on the north shore of Providenciales, with water kept calm by the barrier reef offshore. The bay lies inside Princess Alexandra National Park, public paths run between the resorts, and the snorkelling at Bight Reef starts from the sand at its western end. - **Best for:** Calm water - **Access:** Road - **Go in:** Dec–Apr ### 2. Eagle Beach, Aruba West coast · Aruba Aruba's widest beach: soft white sand, calm water and the island's much-photographed fofoti trees, a short drive north of Oranjestad. The island sits south of the main hurricane belt, and from spring the dunes are roped off for nesting sea turtles. - **Best for:** Wide sand - **Access:** Road - **Go in:** Year-round ### 3. Trunk Bay, US Virgin Islands Virgin Islands National Park · US Virgin Islands A white-sand bay on St John with a small cay offshore and an underwater snorkel trail, marked by plaques on the seabed, around it. It is the one beach in the national park that charges a day-use fee; arrive early, before the day-trip boats from St Thomas. - **Best for:** Snorkelling - **Access:** Ferry and road - **Go in:** Dec–Apr ### 4. Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands Grand Cayman · Cayman Islands A long, unbroken run of soft sand on Grand Cayman's west coast, a little shorter than its name and open to the public along its whole length. The sea is calm and clear, and Cemetery Beach at the north end has a reef close enough to swim out to. - **Best for:** Long walks - **Access:** Road - **Go in:** Dec–Apr ### 5. Flamenco Beach, Puerto Rico Culebra · Puerto Rico A horseshoe of white sand on Culebra, an island off Puerto Rico's east coast reached by ferry from Ceiba. The curve of the bay keeps the water calm, and old tanks left from the US Navy's target practice sit, painted over, at its western end. - **Best for:** Calm bay - **Access:** Ferry - **Go in:** Dec–Apr ### 6. Pink Sands Beach, Bahamas Harbour Island · Bahamas About three miles of sand on Harbour Island's Atlantic shore, tinted pink by the crushed shells of foraminifera, tiny organisms of the reef. The colour shows best in the wet sand at the water's edge; the island is a short water taxi from North Eleuthera. - **Best for:** Pink sand - **Access:** Water taxi - **Go in:** Dec–Apr Links: [Bahamas guide](https://wimup.com/country/bahamas.md) ### 7. Playa Paraíso, Mexico Riviera Maya · Mexico Pale sand and palms just south of the Maya ruins of Tulum, the one beach here with an ancient city on the cliff next door. The beach itself is free to reach; sargassum seaweed can wash in from spring to late summer, so check conditions before you plan around it. - **Best for:** Ruins - **Access:** Road - **Go in:** Dec–Mar Links: [Mexico guide](https://wimup.com/country/mexico.md) ### 8. Grand Anse, Grenada St. George's · Grenada Two miles of white sand on a calm bay south of St. George's, shaded by palms, almond and sea grape trees. It is the island's own beach as much as a resort strand, with vendors on the sand and a short taxi ride from town. - **Best for:** Town beach - **Access:** Road - **Go in:** Jan–May Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/st-georges-grenada.md) ### 9. West Bay, Honduras Roatán · Honduras Soft sand on the western tip of Roatán, with the Mesoamerican reef close enough to snorkel from the beach, nearest at the southern end. Cruise-day excursions fill it by late morning, so come early or stay the night. - **Best for:** Reef - **Access:** Road - **Go in:** Feb–Jun Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/roatan.md) ### 10. Half Moon Bay, Antigua Southeast coast · Antigua and Barbuda A crescent of white sand inside a national park on Antigua's southeast coast, with Atlantic surf in the middle and calmer water at its edges. Few people make the drive, about 40 minutes from St. John's, and there is a bar by the car park. - **Best for:** Quiet - **Access:** Road - **Go in:** Dec–Apr Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/st-johns-antigua.md) ## FAQs ### What is the best beach in the Caribbean? On the beach itself, our pick is Grace Bay on Providenciales: fine white sand and water kept calm by a reef, inside a national park. Eagle Beach on Aruba comes next, with more room and a drier climate. ### When is the best time for a Caribbean beach trip? December to April is the dry season across most of the region. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, so travel then means cheaper rooms and a watch on the forecast. Aruba lies south of the main storm track. ### What is sargassum, and which of these beaches does it reach? Sargassum is a floating brown seaweed that has washed onto Caribbean and Mexican shores in large amounts in recent years, mostly from spring to late summer. The Riviera Maya, including Playa Paraíso, is among the coasts most often hit. ### Which of these beaches suit children? Grace Bay, Eagle Beach and Seven Mile Beach have calm, shallow water and easy access by road. Half Moon Bay has surf in its middle stretch, and Flamenco and Trunk Bay need a ferry crossing first. ### Which beaches here can I reach from a Wimup city guide? Three: Grand Anse from St. George's in Grenada, West Bay from the Roatán guide, and Half Moon Bay from St. John's in Antigua. Each pick links to its guide or country page. ## Sources - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.