Words by Eddie STATS Houghton, DJ Gravy, Anicee Gaddis, Nicolette Gibson and Martei Korley.
Yes, Spring Break is almost here, when a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of fruity drinks with umbrellas in them and girls gone wild. But even if you are not a raging fratbull on a lose-your-virginity quest from a bad ’80s movie, it is time to think about the beach. If you’re anything like us, you are kicking yourself for not make a carnival mission about now and making resolutions that next year you are going to blame it on Rio. Or Port of Spain. Or someplace. And in the same breath you are probably thinking you can’t wait a whole year and it is time to get the fuck outta Dodge. We are here to help. We’ve put in a lot of time on beaches over the years and have developed the picky taste of true connoisseurs (ok, addicts). Our favorite sandtraps may be a little further off the beaten path than Frommer’s or the NY Times. But they’re worth the hike. Here are our picks, with no particular regard to order:
10. Treasure Beach, South Coast, Jamaica.
Jamaica is full of beautiful beaches but this hidden gem on the balmy South Coast might just take the crabcake. We recommend the Pelican Bar (pictured above).
9. Isla Margarita, Venezuela.
Rated as one of the best beach towns in the world, this island between Venezuela and Trinidad actually has several world-class beaches to choose from. Playa Puerto Cruz and Playa El Agua are the most popular with tourists but Playa El Yaque is the best spot for windsurfing and La Galera may be the most stunning visually.
8. Wilderness Beach, Puerto Rico.
Near Aguadilla and even closer to Isabella, you have to drive through a golf course to get to this lush spot (feel free to pick some mangoes as you go) and then up a beautiful dirt road under the shelter of tall trees. When you get to the shore, there will be about 20 cars parked (mostly SUVs & station wagons) and about 20-something surfers in the water riding a gorgeous pipeline. This beach is on the hush-hush–strictly for the adventurous.
7. Bikini Beach, St. Maarten.
Free-spirited, great music, lots of pretty flesh on display.
6. Playa Flamenco, Culebra, Puerto Rico.
Known as Ultima Virgen–the last virgin–Culebra is really the very last link in the Virgin Islands chain but administratively speaking is part of Puerto Rico. Playa Flamenco is the most beautiful on an island of beautiful beaches and is generally rated as #1 or 2 in the world. Sorry, Thailand.
5. Trunk Bay, St. John.
Perfect clean water, check. Hardly anyone there, check. Haffi take some crazy twisted steep hills that require radical gear shifting and expert driving, check.
4. Ambergis Caye, Belize.
You have to helicopter in. Speaking from personal experience, Caye Caulker and Jaguar Reef are both pretty damn nice also.
3. Cabo San Juan (Tayrona National Park), Colombia.
A perfectly hidden cove surrounded by virgin jungle, Cabo San Juan is not the typical resort beach with perfectly calm water. The bowl-like shape of the sheltered inlet makes it less of a natural swimming pool and more like a natural wave pool or sauna, making it difficult to stand or swim but perfect to just rock hypnotically back and forth. Its biggest liability as a tourist destination is actually its greatest asset; as part of the Tayrona National Park it is completely undeveloped and is not even accessible by car. It’s about an hour’s hike from the eco-habs and cabanas in the interior of the park, which are accessible only on horseback over muddy jungle-mountain paths from the reception area. Which is accessible only by jeep from the entrance of the park. Which is accessible only by local bus. Or you could swim there and just hang your hammock on the gazebo, situated on the point which juts out into the Caribbean.
2. Pigeon Point, Tobago.
When we vacation, we go to Trinidad for carnival. This is where the people who live in Trinidad go to vacation. Nuff said.
1. Playa Cabarete, North Coast, Dominican Republic.
The North Coast of the Dominican Republic is one of the best kept secrets in the Caribbean. The pristine waters and winds host choice conditions for basically all extreme watersports. Playa Cabarete is a top destination for one of the hottest new trends–kitesurfing/boarding–as well as windsurfing, stand-up paddle and–most of all–plain old surfing. Part of the attraction is the proximity to nearby Encuentro Beach and Kite Beach, which boast perfect conditions for surfing and kiting, respectively.
Honorebel mentions: Any beach named “Seven Mile Beach” is a pretty safe bet.
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