Our Experts Pick the Best Beaches in Jamaica
We’re hoping to give you a little glimpse into some of the best beaches in Jamaica for everyone, from sun-lovers to adventure-seekers. You’ll find that each coast has its own character, from world-famous stretches of white sand to hidden seaside coves.
Negril’s Seven Mile Beach, which is a lovely 7-mile curve of bright white sand and turquoise water, is consistently rated among Jamaica’s top beaches. Meanwhile, the south coast’s Treasure Beach is a quiet string of coves well-known for its relaxed fishing-village vibe.
This guide highlights six of Jamaica’s most spectacular beaches, with details on what to do there and a resort recommendation to make your stay unforgettable.
Seven Mile Beach: Negril’s world-famous shore
Negril’s Seven Mile Beach is a broad arc of powder-white sand on the western tip of Jamaica and is sought after for its sunny days, breathtaking sunsets and shady palm trees. The clear, shallow Caribbean waters are perfect for swimming, snorkelling and everything in between.
Seven Mile’s gentle waves invite watersports like paddleboarding and jet-skiing, and just a short boat ride away, you’ll reach Booby Cay, a tiny islet that’s also a local snorkelling spot.
At dusk, the beach starts to come alive, lined with colourful beach bars and restaurants with reggae music and fire dancers. Adventure seekers often head out to Rick’s Café on the nearby cliffs to watch or join cliff divers at sunset.
Stay right on Seven Mile Beach at the award-winning Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa. This all-inclusive, adults-only resort has over a dozen restaurants and six bars, plus suites with private patios overlooking the ocean.
Seven Mile’s reputation is well-earned as a beach lover’s paradise, and many call it a tropical haven, famous for its exquisite sands, teal waters and endless sunshine.
Doctor’s Cave Beach: Montego Bay’s Jamaican beach
In Montego Bay (St. James), Doctor’s Cave Beach is one of Jamaica’s most iconic and easily accessible beaches. There’s a legend around the country that says its crystal-clear waters have healing properties, but whether or not that’s true, you’ll have to find out for yourself. Travellers from across the globe love it for its fine white sand and incredibly calm, sapphire-blue waters.
The bay is protected by an offshore reef, creating water that’s almost always calm, which is ideal for families and snorkellers. Doctor’s Cave also has a thriving coral reef right at the edge of the swimming area, home to colourful tropical fish and occasional stingrays, making snorkelling a go-to activity.
Doctor’s Cave Beach has lifeguards, restrooms, showers and chair/umbrella rentals available on-site. There’s a small entrance fee to help maintain the facilities.
You’ll also find a beach bar and restaurant for fresh drinks and eats. The beach is on Montego Bay’s famous “Hip Strip”, so it’s just a few steps from local shops, lounges and casual restaurants. Many visitors like to stroll along the nearby Gloucester Avenue to grab a meal or souvenir after swimming. Scuba diving and glass-bottom boat tours are also popular in the area.
For an all-inclusive Montego Bay stay, consider Sandals Montego Bay. This beachfront resort offers 12 restaurants, 6 bars and unlimited water sports, along with suites that have garden or ocean views.
Doctor’s Cave is quite literally famous for its water. Many describe its waves as calm, safe and perfect for water sports. Montego Bay’s Doctor’s Cave Beach gives you straightforward fun with a sandy shoreline, crystal-clear water, plenty of amenities and a lively resort area just behind it.
Frenchman’s Cove: One of the best beaches in Jamaica
On Jamaica’s luscious eastern coast, Frenchman’s Cove is often called a hidden treasure. It’s a small cove where a freshwater stream meets the Caribbean Sea, fringed by palm trees and grassy hills. The sands here have a golden tinge to them, and the water is a clear sapphire. You can book a daily pass and relax on the soft sand where the river and sea meet.
Frenchman’s Cove charges a modest entry fee to help maintain the property. Once you’ve paid the entrance fee, you can enjoy the freshwater river (with natural showers and a rope swing), swim in the bay or sunbathe on daybeds and soak it all in.
There’s a beach bar and grill on site that serves snacks and tropical drinks, and restrooms and changing rooms are around the corner. Bird-watching and nature walking are some of the most popular activities in the area, as the cove is surrounded by flourishing vegetation.
To top it all off, Frenchman’s Cove has been voted one of the best beaches in Jamaica in magazines like Forbes and The Culture Trip.
For nearby luxury, consider Sandals Royal Plantation, an all-suite, adults-only resort located about an hour’s drive west of Port Antonio. It offers butler service and fine dining. Frenchman’s Cove’s unique charm is summed up on its official site as picture-perfect with soft, golden sands and sapphire water, shaded by a canopy of emerald trees. You’ll often describe losing track of time there under the palms. It’s a special spot for a lazy, relaxing day at the beach.
Ocho Rios Bay Beach (Turtle Beach): Family-friendly fun
Just east of the town of Ocho Rios, Ocho Rios Bay Beach, which is also called Turtle Beach, is a public, sheltered sand beach for everyone to enjoy, and possibly the best beach in Jamaica. It sits between 2 major resorts, Moon Palace and Sunset Jamaica Grande, and has a beautiful shoreline with coarse, white sand. The waves tend to be very calm, so it’s excellent for swimming and beginner snorkelling.
The seagrass beds offshore mean you often see small marine life in the shallows. Ocho Rios Bay also has all the basics, including restrooms, snack shacks and changing facilities, and it’s large enough to host events like beach weddings or parties. The bay provides snorkel and diving opportunities (the water is clear and calm). Glass-bottom boat rides are available, as are kayaks and jet skis for rent. Just inland, you can walk to Ocho Rios town for dining or head south to Mystic Mountain or Dunn’s River Falls for adventure tours. Local vendors operate snack bars on the beach itself, and there are shaded picnic areas.
A family-friendly choice is Beaches Ocho Rios, just a few kilometres north of Ocho Rios Bay Beach. Beaches Ocho Rios is an all-inclusive resort with multiple pools, waterslides and direct access to its own beach, and it would make a great base for exploring the Ocho Rios area beaches.
The Jamaica Environmental Agency says that Ocho Rios Bay Beach has coarse white sand and rich vegetation behind the beach, and encourages beachgoers to enjoy the calm water, snorkel the nearby coral or simply relax.
Turtle Beach is a relaxed and well-equipped public beach that’s great for families and snorkellers who want gentle waves and all the amenities.
Treasure Beach: Secluded South Coast escape
On Jamaica’s quieter south coast, you’ll find a series of five coves, Frenchman’s Bay, Billy’s Bay, Calabash Bay, Great Bay and Little Bay, that are collectively referred to as Treasure Beach. The sand is a distinctive pinkish coral colour, sometimes streaked with black volcanic grit.
What Treasure Beach lacks in crowds, it makes up for in scenery and local culture. You’ll find fishing villages instead of high-rise hotels, and a friendly, laid-back pace of life all around the coves. Treasure Beach itself doesn’t have any big resorts, but you can meander through the small towns for things like fresh-caught seafood or local jerk. The area is ideal for horseback riding, casual fishing trips and beachcombing.
Floyd’s Pelican Bar is one of the most famous local attractions, a rustic open-air bar built on stilts out in the ocean that’s only reachable by boat. Another is YS Falls and the nearby Black River Safari, both a short drive inland. Closer to the coast, you’ll find glass-clear coves like Calabash Bay tucked into hills, inviting you to swim.
Beaches Negril offers you a true all-inclusive family experience on Jamaica’s north coast (a few hours away). It’s on Negril’s Seven Mile Beach, but you can easily organise day trips to Treasure Beach if you’re looking for a change of pace or hunting for the best beaches in Jamaica.
Treasure Beach is a tranquil escape and a true tropical gem on the south coast, with a charm that lies in being off the beaten path and authentically Jamaican, with golden sands lapped by warm water.
Boston Bay Beach: Surf and jerk food
On Jamaica’s northeast coast, you’ll find Boston Bay Beach, famous for its consistent surf breaks and the nearby jerk pork shacks. The beach is relatively small, around 150 metres, and backed by a rocky bluff. Swimmers can find areas safe for wading, but Boston Bay is best known among surfers for its rolling waves and crashing breaks. After working up an appetite, you can grab lunch somewhere like the rustic Boston Jerk Centre, just a few minutes’ walk from the sand.
There are beach chairs, gazebos and public restrooms all along Boston Bay (the beach authority provides them). The onsite restaurant serves fresh seafood and jerk cuisine, but you can also walk a bit inland to world-famous jerk stands. Boston Bay is set up for surfing and windsurfing, with boards and instructors available, while the tide pools on the reef are great for snorkelling at low tide.
For day trippers, nearby attractions include the Blue Lagoon and highland parks.
Although accommodation near Boston Bay can be hard to find, staying somewhere like Sunset at the Palms in Negril will have you in the heart of a tourist town, where you can organise day trips to all the best beaches in Jamaica.
Boston Bay Beach is a mix of nature and culture and is most well-known for its surfing and jerk restaurants. So, you can catch a wave off Boston Bay, then walk five minutes to eat some of Jamaica’s best jerk chicken or pork while watching the sunset.
Which is the best beach in Jamaica?
There might not be such a thing, but a couple of them come close. Whether you’re lounging on soft white sand or catching waves in the surf, Jamaica’s best beaches offer up some of the most unforgettable experiences, from the classic paradise vibe of Seven Mile Beach to the old-Jamaica charm of Treasure Beach.
Whatever your style, you’ll find it on Jamaica’s shores. Blue Bay Travel helps make it easy to plan, with holiday packages and resorts to suit every beach and budget.
Ready to discover Jamaica’s best beaches? Check out Blue Bay Travel’s Jamaica holidays page for deals and more inspiration.
FAQ
Which beach in Jamaica has the clearest water?
Many Jamaican beaches have remarkably clear water, but Montego Bay’s Doctor’s Cave Beach is famous for its crystal-clear, calm turquoise sea.
Are there white sand beaches in Jamaica?
Yes. Many of the Jamaican beaches have bright white or golden sand. For example, Negril’s Seven Mile Beach is renowned for its long stretch of pure white sand, and Doctor’s Cave Beach in Montego Bay also boasts 8 km of pure white sand.
Why is Seven Mile Beach in Jamaica famous?
Jamaica’s Seven Mile Beach is famous for being massive and gorgeous. It’s a gentle, nearly flat sandbar reaching across for about 3 km, backed by palms and clear Caribbean water. Its wide range of beach bars, water sports and lively atmosphere also make it a must-see.
Are the beaches good in Montego Bay?
Some of the best in the world. Montego Bay’s marine park protects its coastal waters, so you’ll find clear water and even coral reefs near many beaches. Whether you want bustling resort sands or quieter bays, the Montego Bay area has good beaches for all tastes.
