IS all the Caribbean equally beautiful??

[6fan]

Just got back from the Dream to the eastern Caribbean and was impressed. St Martin, Bahamas and St Thomas had such beautiful beaches. Are all the beaches that pretty. Home form a cruise time to start planning fior the next one.

[gone_cruisin]

You couldn't have picked a better cruise. The islands in the southern caribbean have the best beaches!

[firefly333]

Much of it is much better. I think the Bahamas is ugly and brown islands. flat and ugly. I moved to Florida from hawaii and was used to beutiful green mountains.

 

Iv now been back to Freeport and Nassau and think they are still ugly. sorry.

 

West End in Roatan .. I could go there for a week. The views are gorgeous, and it has almost jungly and not flat and brown and ugly, more like Hawaii.

 

See if this works. Roatan, not west end, but beautiful.

 

[gone_cruisin]

I agree with firefly - I am not a fan of the Bahamas. St. Maarten and St. Thomas are two of my absolute favorite places so far!

[goofytoo]

I agree with the others. The Bahamas is not what I would call beautiful. Same with Grand Cayman. They are too flat for me. I like hills.

[Tapi]

You couldn't have picked a better cruise. The islands in the southern caribbean have the best beaches!

 

Just a technicallity, but the Bahamas are not the Southern Caribbean (they are not even part of THE Caribbean).

 

With that said, the answer to the OP's question is: no.

 

Although these islands are all grouped together under the "Caribbean" banner, they are very different, specially when you head to the deep Southern Caribbean. Different topography, sand color, cultures, infrastructure, etc. One moment you can be on a white sand beach on a relatively flat island, and then the next day you can be on a black sand beach on a mountainous volcanic island.

 

One island can have amazing, huge beach resorts, while other are sleepy islands with small boutique hotels or bed & breakfasts.

 

Also, the cultural difference are very interesting. For example Barbados has a British flair, Curacao & Aruba are Dutch, St. Maarten is half Dutch and half French, and San Juan has a definite Spanish influence (although today it's a U.S. Commonwealth).

 

-0-

 

 

On the Western side of the Caribbean, you'll find the overly popular destinations (like Cozumel, and Grand Cayman). These, (along with the ports in the Bahamas), feel completely overrun with tourists (several cruise ships calling each port on a single day), too Americanized (think of McDonald's, Starbucks, etc) and overpriced.

[Traveler353]

The Bahamas has some very beautiful beaches and islands. Fortunately the cruise ships don't go anywhere near them. Cruise ships have ruined some of the most beautiful places in the world, not to mention what it does to the local people.

[Ykgorbie]

I agree with the others. The Bahamas is not what I would call beautiful. Same with Grand Cayman. They are too flat for me. I like hills.

 

I couldn't agree more - I love the "hilly" islands with dark green, lush foliage....LOVE Tortola, Jamaica....

[krehberg]

Anyway...didn't the OP ask about Caribbean islands? The Bahamas aren't in the Caribbean.

 

Love Sint Maarten/St. Martin as well as West End on Roatan, but St. Lucia is also hard to beat..and heck even Barbados has nice beaches, though I really didn't enjoy it there.

[Tapi]

Cruise ships have ruined some of the most beautiful places in the world, not to mention what it does to the local people.

 

Considering that the #1 source of income for many of these islanders is the Tourism industry, I'm going to say that cruise ships have given these people jobs, food to put on their tables, and a better future...

 

It would be intersting to see what would happen to some of these islands if cruise ships stopped coming altogether. It would be devastating to their local economy, unemployment would skyrocket, businesses would be shut down, and many wouldn't be able to support their own families...

[cb at sea]

Aruba is a desert island....not "lush" at all...very flat and the only "tropical" plants are those that folks plant....very little rainfall. However, you don't have to worry about those daily "showers" like you do on many mountainous islands! The water is aqua and clear!

[*Mach*]

Just got back from the Dream to the eastern Caribbean and was impressed. St Martin, Bahamas and St Thomas had such beautiful beaches. Are all the beaches that pretty. Home form a cruise time to start planning fior the next one.

 

 

Nope... some islands in the Caribbean don't have sand beach and actually bring sand in to create attractive beaches.... Cozumel, for one...

 

Not all islands are beautiful. Some are a tad on the mountainous side and some flat as a pancake.

 

Diversity! I love it!

 

 

 

:D

[plyman69]

I have to agree that the Bahamas are absolutely nasty in comparison to the rest of the Caribbean. I have been all over the islands and in my mind some of the best beaches are those that the cruise ships dont go to that often like St Kitts and St Barts etc etc etc... but The southern caribbean in my mind has the best beachs especially curacao and aruba. Coz, Belize, Jamaica in my mind are some of the worst. St Thomas, St Martin, St John's has some of the best beaches in the Eastern Caribbean

 

According to the Travel Channel - the top 10 beaches are

10. Shoal Bay, Anguilla

9. Eagle Beach, Aruba

8. Trunk Bay, St John's

7. Crane Beach, Barbados

6. Palomino Island, Puerto Rico

5. Philipsburg, St Maarten

4. Nassau, Bahamas

3. The Baths - Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

2. Harrismith Beach and cove in Barbados

1. Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda's ( I don't consider this to be a Caribbean Island)

 

Personally I am surprised that Maghans bay St Thomas- is not on here

[gone_cruisin]

Just a technicallity, but the Bahamas are not the Southern Caribbean (they are not even part of THE Caribbean).

 

 

I was referring to St. Maarten and St. Thomas as the Southern Caribbean.

I don't even acknowledge the Bahamas anymore.

[Kerryman50]

HALF MOON CAY!!!Bahamas, absolutely one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever visited, we were there 2 weeks ago today.:) I know it's NOT considered the caribbean but we loved our time there. We are looking forward to going to Megan's Bay in St. Thomas next May.

[plyman69]

I was referring to St. Maarten and St. Thomas as the Southern Caribbean.

I don't even acknowledge the Bahamas anymore.

 

To Clarify... St Maarten and St Thomas are considered the eastern Caribbean...

Southern Caribbean are the islands closest to South America... I am not sure how far up the western side of the Caribbean sea is counsidered southern but I would say barbados and Grendada and St Lucia

[gone_cruisin]

To Clarify... St Maarten and St Thomas are considered the eastern Caribbean...

Southern Caribbean are the islands closest to South America... I am not sure how far up the western side of the Caribbean sea is counsidered southern but I would say barbados and Grendada and St Lucia

 

So then when you sail the Victory and it stops in St. Thomas and S. Maarten why is not call it an Eastern/Southern Caribbean cruise?

 

You're being too technical - lighten up!

[SMSACE6]

I have never seen an ugly Caribbean island or country, including the Bahamas! Yes there are some I like more than others, and some of my favorites are flat ones. But honestly I really like them all, eastern, western and southern.:)

[misstopgun]

Sometimes it isn't just the beach that makes the place wonderful. I don't consider Costa Maya to be a beautiful beach or even one good for swimming but it's still my favorite stop for the people we know there that remember us each time we come and the excellant massage i get everytime I am there. Exteneded pampering!

[6fan]

I was just thinking about my next cruise and was looking for info. I was just trying to find out if the beaches are as beautiful as the ones I had seen. Bahamas may not be in the Caribbean but they were on the cruise that carnival sold as a Caribbean. Shallow guy here not really interested in culture on infrastructure on a cruise port day. Just get me where I want to go and get me back to the ship for my next meal.:D

[SMSACE6]

Sometimes it isn't just the beach that makes the place wonderful. I don't consider Costa Maya to be a beautiful beach or even one good for swimming but it's still my favorite stop for the people we know there that remember us each time we come and the excellant massage i get everytime I am there. Exteneded pampering!

 

Exactly, this is why Costa Maya and Cozumel are among my favorites.:)

[deeolasingh]

I think all the islands of the Caribbean are beautiful... I have been eastern,western and souther and have not found a beach that I didnt think was beautiful and if there is a beach to be visited at a port of call I will be there... Im a total beach bum....

[leaderdogmom]

Best beaches I've been to so far are St. Martin, Barbados, and Antigua. West End in Roatan was gorgeous too, great snorkeling ( except for my bad jellyfish experience). I'm looking forward to Aruba and Curacao next March, can't wait to see how the beaches there compare.

[SMSACE6]

6fan, as far as beaches go, I can only speak from personal experience. I have been on some beautiful beaches in the Bahamas. My next favorite is Barbados. I have seen some beautiful beaches on the island of St John, USVI and St Maarten. Also a very beautiful island is St Lucia, but there are not many beaches there. The ones I visited were lovely though. Also 7 mile beach Grand Cayman. Just my experiences.:)

[2PinaColadas]

I was just thinking about my next cruise and was looking for info. I was just trying to find out if the beaches are as beautiful as the ones I had seen. Bahamas may not be in the Caribbean but they were on the cruise that carnival sold as a Caribbean. Shallow guy here not really interested in culture on infrastructure on a cruise port day. Just get me where I want to go and get me back to the ship for my next meal.:D

 

You sound like a beach person. We are too. Many of the Caribbean islands have pretty beaches. St. Thomas and St. Martin are prettier than most. Barbados beaches are beautiful too. The only beaches in Caribbean I was truly disappointed in was St Kitts (but they were having a drought at the time, so that probably played a part) and Ocho Rios. I agree with HostMach-- the diversity of the islands is what makes them great. And I agree with the poster who said Half Moon Cay is gorgeous.