The beaches in Jamaica are almost unbelievably beautiful. When honeymooning in the island nation, you’ll want to spend as much time as you can on these postcard-perfect beaches that have served as paradise for couples the world over.
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Doctor’s Cave Beach
Doctor's Cave Beach, Montego Bay, St. James Parish, Jamaica
The most famous beach on the island, Doctor’s Cave Beach in Montego Bay is everything you would imagine. Shallow, turquoise waters, powdery-white sand, multicolored umbrellas, dreadlocked locals and pale tourists baking under the hot sun. It’s the main beach for many of the large resorts, so it’s a little overrun, but you go there for the same reason you go to South Beach in Miami: to be part of the action. People watching is a tradition, locals are friendly, and don’t worry, there are hundreds of people who will be checking out your beach bod. It’s not the most intimate beach, but it’s easily the most fun. Keep walking to neighboring Cornwall Beach if you’re looking for thinner crowds. It’s just as nice but not as action packed.
shallow, turquoise waters | a bit overrun | more fun than intimate
Treasure Beach
Treasure Beach, Jamaica
Treasure Beach, on the South Coast, is hugged by various thatched roof beach shacks and buildings. It’s a fishing village off the beaten path, with dark sand and zero tourists. You’ll have to take a bumpy back road to get here, but the thrill of it is worth it. Adventurous couples with selfie-sticks come here to ruin their friend’s Instagram feeds with envy-inducing posts and, of course, to escape the crowds. The crashing waves makes Treasure Beach super romantic, and you’ll be thankful there aren’t any beach vendors trying to sell you a beef patty. There are some charming guesthouses here too, if you want to throw down your bags and shack up for a few nights.
South Coast | fishing village | off the beaten path
Seven Mile Beach
Seven Mile Beach, Negril, Jamaica
Seven Mile Beach is, you guessed it, a beach that goes on for seven miles. That’s one mile less than Doctor Cave’s, but you can bet you’ll see less of a crowd than at Doctor’s Cave. Located in Negril, it’s (literally) a hotbed for sunbathers, since there’s very little shade here, you have plenty of room to stretch, and there are some designated nude areas allowed if you’re looking to avoid tan lines. Plenty of touristy restaurants line the beach, so you won’t go hungry, barefoot vendors walk around selling snacks and “other stuff” and there’s live reggae seemingly everywhere.
not too crowded | sunbathing | touristy restaurants
Bamboo Beach
Bamboo Beach, Ocho Rios P.O., Jamaica
Speaking of reggae, you’ll get an earful at Bamboo Beach. Local musicians hit this beach to play all day long, giving beachgoers a soundtrack as they while away their time here. Bamboo Beach (formerly Reggae Beach) is the closest thing to heaven on earth (pristine, glimmery waters, golden stretch of sand) you might ever see, so cruise ships are naturally fond of it, too. While passengers do congregate for BBQs and cocktails, you’ll hardly notice them (they’re generally herded to specific areas). This is the type of beach you want to bottle up and bring back home.
reggae all day | pristine waters | golden sand
Boston Bay Beach
Boston Beach, Port Antonio, Jamaica
White sand. Clear waters. Perfect cove. Boston Bay Beach is absolutely nothing like anything you’d find in Massachusetts and we mean that in the best possible way. There’s some pretty awesome jerk-port stands if you need your protein fix (Boston Bay actually gave birth to the jerk food style, and you can find all sorts of it here), and even some killer fresh fruit smoothies. Boston Beach is also known as a great surf spot, sporting the island’s best and biggest waves. Take some lessons from random surf shacks but also take a dip in the water, because it’s why you came here in the first place.
perfect cove | jerk-port stands | surf lessons
