In Search of the Perfect Beach

I’ve been around – when it comes to beaches, that is. In two years at CT+L I’ve surveyed my fair share of sands, from the brown-sugar grains of St. Lucia’s Anse Chastanet to the powdery stretch at Les Salines in St. Barts and Grenada’s tranquil Pink Gin beach.

But my favorite turns out to have been right under my nose. I lived in Jamaica for several years and spent many weekends on the beach in Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. But it wasn’t until last year, when photo editor Zach Stovall and I hit the road to report and shoot our Beach Lover’s Guide to Jamaica, that I discovered Port Antonio’s Frenchman’s Cove.

It would be hard to find a more physically perfect beach: a small but wide white-sand crescent set on lush acreage that’s lapped by calm, bathwater-warm sea. A river runs through the 48-acre property down to the surf and when the sun is at its peak, cooling off in its chilly, knee-deep waters is the ultimate refreshment. You pay $5 to get in, and the beach is rarely crowded. There are no water sports concessions or souvenir stalls, no loud music, and discreet signs advise that “horseplay” and “topless bathing etc” will not be tolerated. At lunchtime you place your order with waiters dressed in crisp black and white uniforms who set up a table spread with white linens next to your chaise and you dine right there on the sand.

If you ask me, a day at Frenchman’s is the very definition of bliss. I love that the vibe is relaxed and low-key but that you can sense a certain sophistication, too. It’s been a local favorite for years, and with improvements of the main road into Porty almost complete, it won’t be long before the rest of the world discovers this secluded gem.

So what about you? Where are your favorite places to spread a beach towel and what makes them so special?

In Search of the Perfect Beach