Southern Caribbean beaches

[jerryb48]

We are going on an eleven day cruise to the southern Caribbean. We will be visiting Oranjestad, Aruba; Kralendijk, Bonaire; St. George, Grenada; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St.Lucia and St. Johns, Antigua.We plan on doing a couple of beaches and were wondering which Islands and beaches are the best to do? Looking for some near where the ship docks, not rocky, place to rent chairs and having bathrooms and snack bar of some type. We are not planning on booking anything through the cruise line. Just hopping in a cab.

Thank you in advance for your input.

[runawaysoul]

I've been to Aruba and St. John. St. John remains my favorite beach of all time. I didn't use the cruise line for St. John either. I went to St. John by the way of St. Thomas via ferry. The taxi took us to a beach that I wish I remembered the name of... Not a soul was there, and the sands were as white as sugar. It's pretty amazing!

[Clarea]

We are going on an eleven day cruise to the southern Caribbean. We will be visiting Oranjestad, Aruba; Kralendijk, Bonaire; St. George, Grenada; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St.Lucia and St. Johns, Antigua.We plan on doing a couple of beaches and were wondering which Islands and beaches are the best to do? Looking for some near where the ship docks, not rocky, place to rent chairs and having bathrooms and snack bar of some type. We are not planning on booking anything through the cruise line. Just hopping in a cab.

Thank you in advance for your input.

Boatyard Beach in Barbados is walkable, but we usually take a taxi.

 

We like Palm Beach on Aruba, $2 bus ride, one-way.

 

Aquarium Beach in Curacao, another taxi ride.

 

Another good place to check is the Ports of Call forums:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=587

[Tagsalong]

Aruba: Bus no.10 to Palm Beach. Bus station directly across street from pier. Da Palm Pier has over water restaurant and bar.

 

Grenda (the spice island): Take water taxi to Grand Anse Beach. Walk up beach to just pass spice market and find small building (name??) where Carib beer is just $2 and food is cooked fresh when ordered.

 

Antigua: Taxi or local bus west to Jolly or Ffrye’s Bay or Darkwood Beach. Darkwood is our favorite. Ffrye's has the monkeys, but they are all teathered. Bus station is out to main street, turn right, walk past farmers' market (right at fork in road) and enter gated area with many bus vans. There is always an expediter there to get you on the right bus. About 20 minute ride.

 

St Johns: Taxi to Trunk Bay. Several bars and restaurants.

 

Bonaire: No good beaches IMHO.

 

St Lucia: Taxi to Reduit Beach.

 

Barbados: We go to Browns Beach by way of local bus. A short swim out to where the Catamarans drop anchor will allow you to swim with the turtles. Clean change rooms and showers. A short walk to restaurants and bars on the beach.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Tagsalong

[DragonOfTheSeas]

If you ever snorkel, Bonaire is the place. We used Woodwind and did 2 drift snorkels off their catamaran. They are an excellent outfit.

 

But, you can DIY to Klein Bonaire and snorkel on your own. [FYI--there are no facilities there]

Edited February 22, 2016 by DragonOfTheSeas

[Tagsalong]

 

Aquarium Beach in Curacao, another taxi ride.

 

We also like Aquarium and Mombo Beach in Curacao, but it is a long boat ride to Curacao from Aruba or Bonaire. I'd wait for another cruise that actually stops there.;)

[Keith1010]

I also would recommend Boatyard Beach in Barbados. We like to walk over there.

 

Keith

[Clarea]

If you ever snorkel, Bonaire is the place. We used Woodwind and did 2 drift snorkels off their catamaran. They are an excellent outfit....

Agree 100%, just did Woodwind this past January and they are better than ever.

[searoses]

St Johns is the city where the ship docks in antigua....st john is one of the us virgin Islands where you take a ferry from St thomas to get there....we are happily there right now.....I see the 2 mistaken quite frequently on cc.....

[jerryb48]

Sea Horse you are correct. We are goin to St. Johns, Antigua. We are not going to St. Thomas on this cruise nor are we going to Curacao. I guess the others that have replied to this misread my post.

[cruiseapril]

Aruba- we also like Palm Beach. We took a taxi there- have not tried the bus.

 

Bonaire- great for snorkeling, not beaches. Or a tour of the island is interesting.

 

Barbados- we went to Carlisle Bay beach to Harbour Lights, which is similar to the Boatyard, on the same beautiful beach.

 

Have a great cruise.

[klepton]

Some good answers here, here would be my recommendations for each island:

 

Aruba - Palm beach - take the local bus, super easy

Bonaire - Lac Bay - not a big beach at all, and some seaweed that's roped off you have to navigate around to get out to the deeper section. Decent beach though with facilities. Best reason to go here is to try out windsurfing.

Grenada - Grand Anse Beach, short water taxi ride

St. Lucia - It's more expensive, but I'd recommend going to Jalousie beach. Find a tour guide that can take you by boat each way for maximum beach time.

Barbados - Boatyard - lots of activities (water floats, rope swing, etc). Good for a day of fun activities.

 

Agree that the best snorkeling will be in Bonaire from a boat, and definitely agree that Woodwind Tours are the way to go! Jalousie beach in St. Lucia will also have good snorkeling.