Holidays by the Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean is more varied than its familiar image of palms and pale sand. Some stays revolve around a resort beach; others include small island towns, reefs and boat trips. Mexico's Caribbean coast combines seaside accommodation with excursions into the Yucatán, while the islands bring different landscapes, food and local traditions.
Choosing a beach and a season
Cancun offers an established resort base, while Aruba's Flamingo Beach represents a private-island setting where access arrangements matter. The best Caribbean beaches for your trip depend on whether you want easy swimming, snorkelling or a quieter base.
Many travellers look to the Caribbean for winter sun. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November, although local conditions vary considerably. Warm water alone does not settle the choice of month. Sargassum can also reach some shores at varying times, so check recent local beach information as well as seasonal weather when choosing accommodation.
Geography at a glance
Caribbean Sea
- Location
- Central America, South America, Caribbean
- Part of
- Atlantic Ocean
- Area
- ≈ 2,754,000 km²
- Max. depth
- ≈ 7,690 m
Locator map. Measurements are approximate and depend on the area’s definition. Fact source · Map: Natural Earth
Sea temperature by month (°C)
In October, the warmest sea is at Ocho Rios (30.2 °C) and the coolest at Ely's Harbor (26.2 °C).
| Beach | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancún | 26.6 | 26.5 | 26.8 | 27.2 | 28.1 | 28.8 | 29.3 | 29.6 | 29.5 | 29.3 | 28.4 | 27.4 |
| Cayo de Agua | 27.2 | 26.6 | 26.6 | 26.9 | 27.6 | 27.8 | 27.9 | 28.6 | 29.4 | 29.6 | 28.9 | 27.9 |
| Cayo Largo | 26.8 | 26.7 | 27.1 | 27.5 | 28.9 | 29.5 | 30.1 | 30.6 | 30.6 | 29.9 | 28.7 | 27.7 |
| Cayo Levantado | 26.6 | 26.2 | 26.3 | 26.5 | 27.4 | 28.0 | 28.4 | 28.9 | 29.3 | 29.3 | 28.4 | 27.4 |
| Crane Beach | 27.4 | 26.9 | 27.0 | 27.4 | 27.9 | 28.2 | 28.4 | 29.2 | 29.8 | 29.5 | 28.8 | 28.0 |
| Dickenson Bay | 27.0 | 26.5 | 26.7 | 26.9 | 27.9 | 28.4 | 28.6 | 29.1 | 29.6 | 29.4 | 28.7 | 27.8 |
| Ely's Harbor | 20.8 | 20.1 | 19.9 | 20.5 | 22.2 | 24.9 | 27.5 | 28.6 | 27.8 | 26.2 | 24.0 | 22.1 |
| Flamenco Beach | 27.0 | 26.6 | 26.7 | 27.0 | 27.9 | 28.6 | 28.8 | 29.2 | 29.7 | 29.7 | 28.8 | 27.9 |
| Flamingo Beach | 27.0 | 26.3 | 26.5 | 26.7 | 27.5 | 27.5 | 27.6 | 28.3 | 29.1 | 29.5 | 28.8 | 27.8 |
| Freeman's Bay | 26.9 | 26.5 | 26.6 | 26.9 | 27.9 | 28.3 | 28.5 | 29.1 | 29.6 | 29.3 | 28.6 | 27.8 |
| Grace Bay | 26.1 | 25.7 | 26.2 | 26.6 | 27.9 | 28.8 | 29.1 | 29.5 | 30.1 | 29.7 | 28.2 | 27.0 |
| Gustavia | 26.9 | 26.5 | 26.5 | 26.8 | 27.8 | 28.4 | 28.6 | 29.1 | 29.7 | 29.5 | 28.7 | 27.8 |
| Maho Beach | 26.9 | 26.4 | 26.5 | 26.9 | 27.8 | 28.4 | 28.7 | 29.1 | 29.7 | 29.5 | 28.7 | 27.7 |
| Meads Bay | 26.9 | 26.5 | 26.6 | 26.9 | 27.8 | 28.5 | 28.7 | 29.2 | 29.7 | 29.6 | 28.8 | 27.8 |
| Ocho Rios | 27.7 | 27.2 | 27.5 | 27.8 | 28.6 | 29.1 | 29.5 | 30.0 | 30.4 | 30.2 | 29.3 | 28.4 |
| Paradise Island | 24.4 | 24.4 | 24.9 | 25.6 | 27.3 | 28.8 | 29.9 | 30.3 | 30.2 | 28.8 | 26.9 | 25.4 |
| Pigeon Point | 27.3 | 26.9 | 27.0 | 27.4 | 27.9 | 28.1 | 28.5 | 29.4 | 29.8 | 29.5 | 28.7 | 27.9 |
| Playa Bávaro | 27.0 | 26.6 | 26.6 | 27.0 | 27.7 | 28.4 | 28.7 | 29.1 | 29.4 | 29.5 | 28.7 | 27.8 |
| Playa del Carmen | 27.1 | 27.0 | 27.2 | 27.6 | 28.4 | 29.0 | 29.3 | 29.7 | 29.7 | 29.6 | 28.8 | 27.9 |
| Seven Mile Beach | 27.4 | 27.2 | 27.4 | 27.8 | 28.8 | 29.2 | 29.6 | 30.2 | 30.3 | 30.1 | 29.1 | 28.3 |
| Soufrière | 27.3 | 26.9 | 27.0 | 27.4 | 27.9 | 28.2 | 28.5 | 29.2 | 29.8 | 29.5 | 28.8 | 28.0 |
| The Baths | 26.9 | 26.4 | 26.5 | 26.9 | 27.8 | 28.5 | 28.7 | 29.2 | 29.7 | 29.6 | 28.7 | 27.7 |
| Trunk Bay | 26.9 | 26.5 | 26.6 | 27.0 | 27.9 | 28.6 | 28.7 | 29.2 | 29.7 | 29.6 | 28.8 | 27.8 |
| Varadero | 25.8 | 25.7 | 26.1 | 26.6 | 28.0 | 29.0 | 29.7 | 30.1 | 30.0 | 29.0 | 27.7 | 26.7 |
Average sea temperature in each month, 2021–2025 (Copernicus ERA5), at each beach. Not a forecast.
Caribbean Sea – Sea temperature today
Current estimates for the selected beaches, not an average for the whole sea. Sea: NASA MUR with an hourly adjustment; air: Apple Weather. The update time refers to this page, not a measurement taken in the water.
Last updated: