They’re party beaches. They’re cool beaches. They’re sexy beaches. 

Some beaches just have that certain extra level of hip, whether it’s the nightlife, the food, the lounging or the crowd. It all adds up to make a stretch of sand an “in” destination.

The Caribbean’s hippest beaches have the energy, the people and the positioning, and they’re scattered across the region, from the Bahamas to the southern Caribbean, from St Martin to Aruba.

Here are our picks for the hippest beaches right now in the Caribbean.

Le Carbet, Martinique Home to the island’s destination beach bar, this village near Saint Pierre has become the hippest place on the island, with a growing portfolio of beach shacks and gourmet beach bars, and an anything-goes, toes in the sand vibe that makes it oh so hard to leave. It’s the new destination beach in the Caribbean.

Nikki Beach in St Jean.

St Jean, St Barth It doesn’t get any hipper than St Barth, and St Jean remains the crown jewel of the island’s beaches, the place to see and be seen, the place for rose afternoons and never-ending lunches, whether you’re at Pearl Beach or Nikki Beach. 

The Papagayo hotel in Curacao on Jan Thiel Beach.

Jan Thiel Beach, Curaçao This beautiful stretch on the southern shore of Curacao is an energetic hive of activity, with a host of tucked-away corners, all offering different kinds of beach experiences, from the pool-like atmosphere at Papagayo to a thriving beach bar scene. 

Harbour Island is best known for its spectacular Pink Sand Beach.

Pink Sand Beach, Harbour Island The Bahamas’ capital of cool, this tiny, chic hotspot off the coast of North Eleuthera has a party piece: the spectacular Pink Sand Beach, dotted with ultra-luxe hotels and a crowd that’s so chic it’s practically the Hamptons of the Caribbean. 

Pinel Island.

Pinel Island, St Martin It’s Ibiza meets the French Caribbean at this relaunched beach destination off the coast of Cul-de-Sac on the French side of St Martin. There are two beach bars on this tiny cay, Yellow Beach and the wonderful Karibuni, all offering fresh seafood, perfect cocktails and all-day beach lounging. 

Cabarete, Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic’s capital of cool is a bustling, active destination, made cool by the waves of kitesurfers who have long come here for the perfect conditions. There are beach bars, great nightlife and a truly cosmopolitan crowd. 

Bathsheba, Barbados whether you want to surf or just eat spectacular flying fish with a Banks, Bathsheba is the island’s capital of authentic, laid back cool, with a warm, friendly community of people who appreciate the mystical beauty of this place. 

Mambo Beach, Curaçao It’s a real feat, this beach, with everything from its own pool to a Starbucks. What it all means is this beach is a full-service destination, an always-hopping, always-energetic place that’s the perfect way to spend a day in Curacao. 

Boca Grandi, Aruba Far off the island’s beaten path, this wide, exclusive, magnificently beautiful beach is popular with the surfing crowd, with one terrific beach bar, Tortuga, and the kind of undiscovered vibe that makes a place effortlessly cool.

Isla Verde Beach, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico’s tourism sector has made an admirable comeback – and when it comes to great beaches in San Juan, Isla Verde remains the king. It’s a Rio-meets-the-Caribbean ambience, with a vibrant community of beach goers and a resort feel no matter where you’re sitting. 

The post From St Martin to Aruba, the Caribbean’s Hippest Beaches appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

There’s a major new private island on the market in the Caribbean: Little Pipe Cay in The Bahamas, and it just might be the ultimate private island in the region.

Set in the heart of the Exuma chain of The Bahamas, the island includes a spectacular main estate, along with everything from 24-hour security to a swimming pool to its very own “sea barn” with water sports equipment. (There are a total of nine bedrooms and nine bathrooms).

That’s along with several hundred feet of dock frontage to accommodate both small and large boats, along with several locations for mooring super yachts around the island.

Little Pipe Cay is about 70 miles away from Nassau, and can also be accessed via sea plane.

And in one of the most beautiful, exclusive archipelagos in the world, it’s got a serious price tag: $85 million, listed with global real estate brokerage Knight Frank and the company’s International Super Prime Agent, Edward de Mallet Morgan.

Inside the main house.

“This is possibly the most exciting property asset I have ever brought to market. Little Pipe Cay is a true once in a lifetime opportunity, an incredible private island that has provided a stunning backdrop to James Bond and Pirates of the Caribbean films,” de Mallet Morgan said on his Web site.

Unlike most islands on the market in the region, Little Pipe Cay already has infrastructure on its 38 acres, with paths for golf carts, several houses and cottages across the property and several private beaches – the closest thing you’ll ever find to a turn-key private island.

It’s also a short ride from nearby Staniel Cay, which has regular air service as well.

“Little Pipe Cay is the crown jewel of the Exumas and for me, one of top private islands in the Bahamas, if not in all the Caribbean,” de Mallet Morgan wrote. “In a world where people are seeking solace, or a refuge, or simply a safe and secure place for family time and where you are master of your own destiny, what could be more perfect.”

For more, visit Little Pipe Cay.

The post Exuma Private Island Hits the Market for $85 Million appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

Long one of the Caribbean’s havens for foodies, the luxe CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa is making a comeback in Anguilla.

The 91-suite, seven-villa resort, which shuttered in the wake of last year’s Hurricane Irma, is planning to officially reopen on Nov. 1, according to a spokesperson for the resort.

A rendering of the redesigned lobby at the CuisinArt.

The Rendezvous Bay property will reopen “fully restored,” with “fresh design updates, transformed interiors, expanded golf and spa programming, and new dining venues,” according to a statement.

“It is with great pride that we announce the triumphant return of CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa,” Stephane Zaharia, President & Managing Director of CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa,  told Caribbean Journal. “Hurricane Irma presented a humbling experience, but one that also allowed us to reassess and make changes to ready the resort for its next chapter. Guests new and returning will enjoy a fresh coastal chic design, as well as heightened amenities across the resort, from enhanced Golf and Spa to new dining venues and sustainability efforts. We look forward to welcoming guests back to Anguilla this November as we carry the CuisinArt legacy into the next generation.”  

The interiors will reopen completely redesigned, with a new entrance, new lounging areas and new loungers and private cabanas.

The resort’s original lobby bar will be reborn as “Kazbar,” a Moroccan-style space, while the property is also adding a new 5,000-square-foot meeting space.

Changes to the rooms include a new “chic coastal aesthetic,” with wood-style flooring, handmade headboards and floor-to-ceiling windows, while the resort’s penthouses and villas are also getting a new look designed and furnished by Roche-Bobois.

All rooms will include Frette linens, Nespresso machines and other amenities.

And yes, the resort’s signature culinary offering will improve, too, with a new eatery called Mosaic, a pan-Mediterranean menu at Santorini and a Caribbean-focused offering at the becah bar.

The Greg Norman-designed course is already open.

The CuisinArt is also relaunching its 27,000-square-foot Spa by CuisinArt, with a new spa menu, new specialty treatments, an updated fitness center and a range of fitness classes from kickboxing to aqua conditioning.

CuisinArt’s modern-contemporary sister hotel in Anguilla, The Reef by CuisinArt, reopened earlier this year.

When it relaunches, the CuisinArt will be the island’s first signature resort to reopen. Belmond Cap Juluca, which had just begun a transformation project before it closed following Irma, is planning to relaunch just a few weeks later, with a Nov. 17 reopening date. https://www.caribjournal.com/2018/03/21/anguillas-belmond-cap-juluca-begins-taking-reservations/

— CJ

The post Anguilla’s CuisinArt Is Making a Comeback appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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