The best beaches? It's written in the sands

1 Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

1 Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Grace Bay is one of the Caribbean's most glorious beaches: its immaculate white sands sweep down the coast of Providenciales for 12, powder-fine miles, sloping gently into clear, azure water. This is the key to the Turks and Caicos Islands - beautiful and limitless horizons to seaward. The island itself, known as Provo, is basically flat scrubland, apart from an inland golf course, and not particularly interesting. To make the most of this place, you've got to be a water baby - you can go whale-watching from January to March; take a speedboat for a desert island picnic where you'll have a little sandy bay all to yourselves for the day; go kayaking, windsurfing or sailing; or dip down below the surface for snorkelling or diving on the reefs of the Princess Alexandra Marine Park just off shore. And, with all that firm sand on your doorstep, a lot of beach-walking is on offer as well.

Three children's clubs and no fewer than 10 restaurants and nine bars come as part of the package at the Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort and Spa, which costs from £1,499 per person, fully inclusive, for one week in May or June through Virgin Holidays (0870-990 4215; www.virgin.com/holidays). Other operators include Caribworld (08700 766733; www.caribworld.co.uk),\ Hayes & Jarvis (0870-898 9890; www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk), Kuoni (01306 742222; www.kuoni.co.uk).

2 Reduit Beach, St Lucia

St Lucia is a gorgeous little island, a green gem at the heart of the Windwards, with rainforests, volcanic hot springs, exuberant flora and birdlife. The south of the island is best for rainforest hikes, diving and windsurfing; the north has the better beaches. Of these, Reduit Beach is the finest, a lovely beach with plenty of watersports available and the bars and nightlife of Rodney Bay within strolling distance of the hotels. Both the Papillon and its neighbour, the St Lucian, are lively hotels with the emphasis on family activities and, since they're under the same ownership, you can make use of the facilities at either. Prices start at around £845 per person during May for a standard room at the Papillon, based on two sharing, with flights, transfers, all meals and local brand drinks, through CaribWorld (as above). The St Lucian costs from around £721 on the same basis. Other operators: Thomson (0870-160 4529; www.thomson.co.uk), Virgin (as above), Hayes & Jarvis (as above).

3 Negril, Jamaica

Negril really needs no introduction - its seven miles of wicked indulgence, of rum, rastas and reggae, is world famous. The non-stop party atmosphere is what makes Negril so much fun. But it can all become a bit too much, especially if all you really wanted was a quiet swim. Smart travellers know that the key to having a good time is to visit Negril, 90 minutes by road from the airport, but stay on the cliffs, which run from the end of the beach at Negril village all the way round to the lighthouse. It's there that the chic boutique hotels are found, with steps leading down secret access points to the sea, where you can swim undisturbed in the warm blue water. Prime among these is Island Outpost's fabulous property The Caves (www.islandoutpost.com/Caves/) which costs $445 (£234) per suite per night, and the equally funky, but much more affordable, Rock House Hotel (www.rockhousehotel.com) which costs $100 (£53) for a standard double room per night, even in high season. Another budget option is Xtabi (www.xtabi-negril.com), which charges from $50 (£26) for a standard room in low season to $194 (£102) for a seafront cottage in high season, for either one or two persons. Flights to Montego Bay start at around £500 return, including taxes, through Trailfinders (0845-058 7000; www.trailfinders.com).

4 Batteaux Bay, Tobago

Batteaux Bay is on the quiet side of Tobago, hidden down a little winding road near Speyside, at the east end of the island. It's at the opposite extreme from all the big commercial hotels and frenetic activity around Pigeon Point, Tobago's most photographed beach. Whereas Pigeon Point, which charges an entrance fee, is all fast-food outlets, jet skis, and mass snorkelling excursions, Batteaux Bay is a haven of tranquillity, with sea grapes bending graciously over the gently lapping waves on the shore. There's only one hotel on the beach, the Blue Waters Inn, which has 38 comfortable, modern rooms facing the sea. This is a great wildlife location, whether you're looking up in the trees or underneath the waves: two kilometres off-shore is Little Tobago Island, a nature reserve which has nesting colonies of frigate birds, boobies and tropicbirds. Under water are thriving coral reefs teeming with marine life, fed by rich currents flowing out from the Orinoco river in Venezuela. One week at the Blue Waters Inn costs from £741 per person in June or July, room only, including flights and transfers, through CaribWorld (as above). Other operators: Harlequin Worldwide (01708 850330; www.harlequindiving.com).

5 Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, The Bahamas

It's the crushed red shells of one-celled animals called Forams that give this beach its amazing pink sand. Powdery and soft, it slopes into the most wonderful turquoise water, which just invites you to throw yourself in. The three-mile long beach, which is on the Atlantic side of Harbour Island, has quite a few chi-chi hotels tucked behind it, all of them pretty pricey - as you might imagine, given the setting. One of the best is Pink Sands, owned by music tycoon Chris Blackwell's Island Outpost chain. With this kind of pedigree, celebrities love it: the day I visited, a fashion shoot was taking place on the beach itself and a well-known rock star was lounging languidly at the beachside bar. The décor is wonderful, as is the price - from £1,968 in low season to £2,336 in high season for seven nights per person, including flights and an overnight stay in Nassau, ferry or flight transfers, six nights' accommodation, breakfast and dinner daily. Contact Discover the Bahamas (01737 218800; www.discover-the-world.co.uk). Other operators: Caribtours (020-7751 0660; www.caribtours.co.uk), Caribbean Expressions (020-7433 2610; www.expressionsholidays.co.uk).

6 Maria La Gorda, Cuba

This long, palm-fringed beach is way down on the south-west tip of Cuba and has some really excellent diving on its doorstep. The diving in Cuba is gaining recognition as being among the best in the Caribbean for several reasons. For a start, Fidel Castro was once a keen skin-diver and decided early in his presidency to create marine nature reserves, which have been flourishing ever since. The American embargo has also deterred tourists for the past 30 years, and kept human impact to a minimum. Now that Cuba has entered the mainstream (Virgin launches twice-weekly flights from Gatwick in July), it is set to cash in on this fabulous natural heritage. From the beach at Maria La Gorda, you can reach more than 30 nearby dive sites in an area that has recently been declared a Unesco reserve; these are quite challenging sites, best appreciated by experienced divers. One week at the simple resort of Maria La Gorda costs from £899 per person including flights, one night in Havana, transfers and six nights' full board during May or June, through Regaldive (0870-2201 777; www.regaldive.co.uk). You can also extend your stay in Havana if you wish to see more of this fascinating city.

7 Maunday's Bay, Anguilla

This superb beach is probably better known by the name of the hotel that sits on it, Cap Juluca. The four kilometres of sands stretch along the south-west coast of Anguilla, an island not known for its taxing activities - local T-shirts bear the slogan "Life's a beach, then you dine". Yes, Anguilla is home to some of the Caribbean's most luxurious hotels with restaurant facilities to match. Cap Juluca is one of these, a striking Moorish fantasy of white domes and arched courtyards. All rooms have a large, sea-facing balcony where your breakfast is served, as well as a private sun terrace, and it has three gourmet restaurants. The resort also features a range of holistic services, spa and massage treatments, yoga classes and other therapies. One week costs from £1,519 per person in June, including flights, transfers, room and breakfast, through Virgin Holidays. Other operators: Erna Low (020-7594 0290; www.bodyandsoulholidays.com), Caribtours (as above), Roxton Bailey Robinson (01488 689700; www.rbrww.com), Caribbean Expressions (as above).

8 Cabarete, Dominican Republic

The tourism economy of the Dominican Republic is dominated by all-inclusive hotels, with dozens of these huge complexes hogging the beaches around the country's extensive coastline. But independent travellers predominate at a few locations, one of which is the excellent beach at Cabarete, 25km from the international airport at Puerta Plata, on the north coast. Not only is it a fabulous beach, it's also one of the Caribbean's top windsurfing spots, which is why it attracts a young, cosmopolitan crowd from across Europe. The town is a lively mix of bars, cafés, small shops, b&bs, restaurants and colourful houses.

Cabarete is unusual for a windsurfing beach in that sailing conditions are suitable for all abilities, so whatever your level of expertise (or of anyone else you're travelling with), you can be sure of having a good time. There are plenty of well-equipped windsurf centres and also several kitesurf schools. In addition, Cabarete is home to Iguana Mama (www.iguanamama.com), which offers a wide range of adventure tours, such as mountain biking, hiking and canyoning in the interior of the country. This is a great place to get active. Windsurf specialist Sportif (01273 844919; www.sportif-uk.com) offers one week at the basic Caribic Surf hotel in Cabarete from £591 per person in April, including flights and transfers.

9 Grand Anse, Grenada

Grenada took the worst bashing of all the Caribbean islands in Hurricane Ivan last September, with property damage in excess of £500m and 20 per cent of the population left homeless. More than 2,000 people were laid off in the tourist industry which Grenada now desperately needs to revive by attracting visitors again. The island's most beautiful beach, the two-mile long Grand Anse, simply lost a few trees. Most of the hotels along it are rebuilding and some will not be open for another year, but on plenty of other gorgeous beaches the hotels are already open again, in most cases with improved facilities. Just Grenada (01373 814214; www.justgrenada.co.uk) has several "Welcome back" offers, including one week at the famous Calabash Hotel - home of Gary Rhodes' restaurant - on Prickly Bay, for £1,095 per person, including flights, transfers and bed and breakfast. One week at the self-catering Lance aux Epines Cottages, on the same beach, costs from £755 for one week, or £1,055 for two weeks, per person, based on two sharing, including flights, transfers, watersports and a housekeeper. Both offers are valid until 15 April. Other operators: Kuoni (as above).

10 South Coast, Barbados

Barbados might be best known for the flashy resorts along its Platinum Coast but there are other, hidden sides to the island. The south coast, unlike the surf spots facing the Atlantic, is an entirely different scene. There you'll find beaches such as Maxwell's, Silver Sands, Mango Bay and Rockley Beach, with plenty of sociable bars, small shops and cosy restaurants, which could be a million miles from the black-tie formality of the posh hotels "up west". Thomson offers a wide selection of hotels on this coast. For value for money, consider St Lawrence Beach Apartment Hotel, which costs from £479 per person for one week's self-catering in April, including flights and transfers, based on three sharing. More expensive is the all-inclusive Mango Bay, which costs from £1,245 per person in March or April, for one week, including flights, transfers, room and full board. Other operators: CaribWorld Virgin, and Kuoni (all as above).

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