Half Moon Cay (Little San Salvador Island), Bahamas
The first beach on our list is Half Moon Cay also known as Little San Salvador Island. It is one of hundreds of islands in The Bahamas. Half Moon Cay is a private island owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, which means the only way to get to the island is on a Carnival Cruise Ship. Not to fear though, there are many options via Carnival Cruise Line from 3-day cruises out of Miami to the 7-day cruise out of
Baltimore that we chose.
There are excursions such as horseback riding and kayaking that you can do during your day on Half Moon Cay, however, my suggestion is just to enjoy the beautiful beach. This 2-mile long beach will blow
you away with its crystal clear waters and powder white sand. The water temperature ranges from mid-70s to mid-80s depending on the time of year which makes for a great day of swimming all year round. At the end of the day you’ll be taking your picture with the “I wish I could stay here forever” sign.
Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
Our next beach, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman is an award-winning beach for many reasons. Not to fear though, you don’t need to embark on a cruise ship to get to this beach. 7 Mile Beach is open to the public and has easy access to many hotels, restaurants, and activities. Not only is this beach beautiful with its soft sands and turquoise waters, but it has a little secret under the surface.
In 2002 the Grand Cayman Marriot Beach Resort and the Reef Ball ™ Foundation paired up to install 200 Reef Balls ™ under the water that would act as an underwater break wall and help preserve this outstanding beach. Not only has this helped to protect the beach against Category 5 Hurricane Ivan in 2005 but it’s also created a great location for snorkeling by attracting marine life. It’s a perfect location for beginner snorkelers as it’s located in more shallow waters just off the beach. It is a great beach to relax on, snorkel on and walk the beach to explore the nearby shops.
Sunscape Beach – Willemstad, Curacao
The next beach on our list is in Willemstad, Curacao. This trip happened to be unique as we were there while the island was shut down due to COVID-19, this meant we literally could not leave our resort. Luckily the beach at the resort was another beauty. We stayed at the Sunscape Curacao Resort and Spa
where they have a unique beach on our list. This beach is actually man-made and part of the reason it made the list.
Curacao is surrounded by some of the best coral reefs in the Caribbean and contributes to the hint of pink in the sand at the waterline of the beach. This beach is also surrounded by a manmade jetty that
allows the beach to be the most calm and relaxing spot on the resort. The resort, like many, has a dive shop where you can rent snorkeling gear to check out the rocks surrounding the beach.
Baby Beach, Aruba
The final stop on our Top Beaches in the Caribbean is Baby Beach, Aruba. Aruba is already a popular attraction as it’s the island with the most sunny days in the Caribbean, what more could you ask for on vacation? Baby Beach is located in the southern part of Aruba and is named for its child friendly atmosphere.
This calm lagoon offers shallow clear blue water with the ocean in the distance. Though the water and sand are picturesque, there are two drawbacks that put this beach at the bottom of the list. One is the industrial Oil Refinery seen from the beach, if you turn your chair, you won’t even know it’s there. The
second drawback is the wild dogs on the beach which weren’t a bother to us but may deter some visitors.
So to recap, here are our picks for the top 4 beaches in the Caribbean:
- Half Moon Cay (Little San Salvador Island), Bahamas
- Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
- Sunscape Beach – Willemstad, Curacao
- Baby Beach, Aruba