Relaxing places in Caribbean

Accra Beach / Rockley Beach is a long popular beach flanked by a car park, facilities, and hotels. There are plenty of sunbeds under parasols, which seem equal popular with locals and tourists alike. There are some rocks at both ends of the beach, but snorkeling should be best at the south end. You can take a stroll along the waterfront to the next beach further north, and the next one too.

On Barbados it’s hard to tell when one beach starts and the other ends. Brandons Beach and Brighton Beach are two of those which blend together. Brandens is the closest beach to the cruise ship harbour in Bridgetown, meaning you might need to share it when a cruise ship is at port. Else, it’s can be very deserted.

There are so many beaches on Barbados, all public. Strangely, they are not that different. All have the finest white sand and aquamarine blue waters. So it's more of a choice whether you prefer secludedness or a crowd. If you want to be a true local, head to the Hot Pot at the north end of Brighton Beach. A natural pool with particularly warm water as the cooling water from the nearby power plant flows out here – but be careful, there can be a strong current.

Mullins Beach is a slim slice of sand right next to the road. It has a lot of "fun in sun" at offer (jet ski, inflatable playground, etc.) which the keen vendors will keep remind you of. There are so many sunbeds squeezed in, that there is not much space around. This will appeal to beach-goers who don’t mind a crowd, or maybe even prefer one.

St. Lawrence Gap is small chilled tourist zone with resorts, a strip with restaurants and bars, and of course some gorgeous beaches. But just one lane inland it gets very local with wooden residential houses in pastel colours and rastas resting under shady trees. It’s also here you find some of Barbados few budget guest houses.

Klein Bonaire ('Little Bonaire' in Dutch) is yet another example of Bonaire's commitment to preserving nature and keeping development as minimally invasive as possible. This little island one kilometre west of the main island is home to the best beach in all of Bonaire (sand beaches are extremely rare here) and, up until 1999, was privately owned but still undeveloped. When the owners presented plans for developing the island into a huge resort with hotels, yacht clubs, malls, theatres and whatnot, the Bonairians stood up and said "No!". The ecological disaster was forever prevented when the island was bought back by the government. Today, the only structure on the island is a small open shelter on the beach (with one rubbish bin). Great diving sites are all around the island while drift snorkelling (sea turtles included most of the time) can be done along the main beach, which is also a favourite among kitesurfers. Water taxis run from Kralendijk to the beach and back several times a day.

This long stretch of white sand is a worthy contender for being the best beach on the south coast, but it is not as drop-dead gorgeous as some of the northern ones. You can choose to lick up the sun at the resort sprawled section where sunbeds and parasols are on offer, or you can wander off to the deserted eastern part if you want a bit of solitude and Robinson Crusoe vibe. The trip from Trinidad through the village of La Boca to Ancón can easily be done by bicycle and it is a pretty journey, particularly the part along the coast.

Playas del Este is the most accessible stretch of beach from Havana. Some locals, and tourists alike, will probably claim that the holiday ghettos of Varadero and Cayo Coco have the best beaches, but Playas del Este isn't any less gorgeous with its white sand and swaying palms. The few resorts that are here are old and ugly, but there are plenty of beach shacks serving food and drinks. The crowd is mostly locals and day trippers from Havana giving the beach scene an "authentic" feel that is lost at the tourist enclaves further east.

Wotten Waven is a small village, which has become the spa town of Dominica. It's lovely settled in the mountains above Roseau not far from the star attractions of Trafalgar Falls, Titou Gorge, and the trail start for Boiling Lake. There are at least a handful of spas in Wotten Waven, some are open air while others have private cabins. Check the temperature of the pools before choosing which spa to use.

Below the viewing platform for Trafagar Falls runs a creek of steaming hot spring water. There are several natural pools, where you can dip in and enjoy a hot spa in the most perfect jungle setting you can imagine.
These hot springs are also mentioned under the Trafalgar Falls, but since they are so darn perfect, they get their own entry.