1. Rosalie Beach, Dominica
Between late March and October on this mountainous island in the lower Caribbean, locals gather on the striking black-sand beach to see hawksbill, leatherback, and green sea turtles crawl ashore to nest.

2. Stocking Island, Exuma, The Bahamas
Pull up a stool at the Chat ’N’ Chill beach bar, owned by local Kenneth (KB) Bowe, order a Kalik beer and a conch burger, and gaze out at one of the most beckoning stretches of white sand in the Bahamas, just a few hundred miles from the Florida Keys.

3. Castara Beach, Tobago
Every evening, the local community and travelers come together to help fishermen pull in the nets on this quiet beach on the northern coast of Tobago, backed by one of the oldest protected rainforests in the Western Hemisphere.

4. Little Knip Beach, Curaçao
On weekends, join the Curaçaoan families who barbecue on this small, powdery beach off the Venezuelan coast, with calm turquoise waters for swimming and shady palapas for afternoon naps.

5. Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla
A long sweep of soft sand makes this one of the best beaches for walking in the entire Caribbean, never mind Anguilla, which is east of the Virgin Islands. Stroll down to the Dune Preserve, a restaurant owned by Anguillan reggae star Bankie Banx, to hear live music.

6. Caye Caulker, Belize
Snorkel with the sharks and stingrays near the island’s palm-shaded beach in this small Central American nation. At the nearby Sunset View disco, you might learn the punta, the fast-moving dance of the local Garifuna people.

7. Piñones Beach, Puerto Rico
Snack shacks selling crispy, meat-filled empanadillas and pasteles lure locals to this golden slice of sand just outside of San Juan.

8. Bathway Beach, Grenada
Protected by a barrier reef, this undeveloped beach in Levera National Park, in the northeast corner of the lower Caribbean country, is where Grenadans go to swim. Scarlet ibis roost in the park’s mangroves nearby.

9. Accra Beach, Barbados
Rent a boogie board and follow the islanders riding the gentle waves onto Accra Beach’s tender shore, located on the southern coast of this eastern Caribbean nation.

10. Little Corn Island, Nicaragua
You won’t find any big resorts on Little Corn, about 45 miles off the east coast of Nicaragua. Just a coral-sand beach, warm waters, coconut palms, and comedors (small eateries) serving large platters of fresh lobster.