15 Best Beaches in March

The best beaches in March range from the exotic shores of Southeast Asia to the iconic sand of Bondi Beach in Australia.

Travelers looking for a closer-to-home beach fix will find some of the world’s best velvety shores in the Caribbean. This tropical swathe of islands is best visited in March, when the region experiences the least rainfall.

Nature-loving travelers might turn to the Galapagos for encounters with giant tortoises and black-tipped reef sharks. If it’s romance you have in mind, the Bahamas’ Honeymoon Harbor should hit the spot. So pack your towel, snorkel, and bathing suit for one of these best beaches to visit in March.

The Baths at Virgin Gorda, BVI

If impossibly soft sand and tropical water is your idea of heaven, you’ll adore The Baths, one of the best beaches to visit in March, on the southwest tip of Virgin Gorda.

The Baths is unique for its giant granite boulders that formed from lava flow around 70 million years ago, creating cavernous grottos that filled with water along the shoreline.

In March, the island’s ocean swells are calm, making it a perfect time to indulge in a tranquil swim. Steps and rope rails lead beach adventurers through thin gaps between the boulders, some of which are as large as 40 feet, toward Devil’s Bay for more pillow-like sand and clear water.

After splashing on the shore, head to Top of the Baths, a restaurant and bar above the beach, and order the boat-fresh lobster, served warm, still in its shell.

Read: Best Things to Do in the British Virgin Islands

Grand Case Beach, St. Maarten

This crescent beach, one of the best beaches in March, is located in a sleepy fishing village on the northwest coast of St. Maarten, the island shared between France and the Netherlands. With a spectacular backdrop of St. Maarten’s green-covered mountains, Grand Case Beach is one of the Caribbean’s showpiece shores.

Wander barefoot from one end of the beach to the other, stopping to gaze at the hazy outline of Anguilla on the turquoise horizon. Grand Case Beach is one of the best beaches in St. Maarten for swimming, and there are plenty of beach bars and cafés dotting the shore.

Restaurants here tend to specialize in French and Caribbean fare. There’s Blue Martini for seductive cocktails and a divine confit duck dish and the beachside Quai 58, famed for its triggerfish, with an indulgent porcini risotto on the menu.

Isla Verde Beach, Puerto Rico

A short distance from downtown San Juan, Isla Verde is a crowd-pleasing golden stretch on Puerto Rico’s north coast. Isla Verde is split into three sections—Alambique, Pine Grove, and Carolina—flanked by rows of palm and pine trees, and upmarket condos and hotels.

There are jet skis and sun loungers to rent, and a surf school founded by former pro-surfer William Sue-A-Quan that offers one-hour lessons.

Once you’ve inhaled plenty of salty sea air and basked in the springtime sunshine, head for drinks and a bite to eat by the beach. Carolina’s Ocean Lab Brewing Co. is a beachfront tap room that also serves bowls of tasty calamari, buttermilk fried chicken, and surf and turf tacos.

Read: Best Beaches in Puerto Rico

Eagle Beach, Aruba

One of the best beaches to visit in March is Eagle Beach in Aruba. This turtle-nesting shore has soft sand that’s gently caressed by warm waves, just a short distance from Oranjestad, the island’s capital.

Eagle Beach is the widest beach in Aruba, offering ample space for bathers to relax, swim, and build castles in the sand. Facilities are excellent, too, with watersports, umbrellas, and beach chairs to rent.

Walk north along the shoreline to admire Eagle Beach’s two fofoti trees that lean toward the cerulean sea. After, enjoy laid-back vibes at one of the many beach bars and order a liberally-poured Aruba Ariba, a Caribbean cocktail laced with rum and vodka.

Honeymoon Harbor Beach, Bimini, Bahamas

Among the best beaches to visit in March is the remote Honeymoon Harbor Beach on Gun Cay, a deserted island reachable via boat from nearby Bimini.

Whether you’re on a romantic getaway or family vacation, Honeymoon Harbor is an idyllic beach with almost neon turquoise water. Stroll the shoreline, scattered with washup driftwood and prepare to come face-to-face with some of the Bahamas’ most curious creatures, the local stingrays.

The stingrays glide in the shallow water waiting to be fed, along with sharks and other tropical fish, making it one of the best places to snorkel in the Bahamas. Pack the essentials for a trip to Honeymoon Harbor Beach, including drinks, snacks, sunglasses, and a towel.

Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

A favorite among Sydney surfers and sun-worshippers, Bondi Beach is one of the best beaches in March as it’s less crowded than during the summer months (December to February) and temperatures are still warm.

Enjoy some of Sydney’s outstanding coffee at Speedos Cafe (the waffles are outrageously good, too) before walking the length of this half-moon shore, which takes roughly 15 minutes.

Watch surfers hit the waves and soak up Bondi’s warm, early fall breeze before setting off south on the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk. This 3.7-mile route hugs Sydney’s rugged coastline, taking in more of Australia’s best beaches, Bronte and Coogee.

Another option is to begin the coastal yomp in Coogee and walk to Bondi Beach. During summer in Australia, the temperature is often too warm to enjoy the walk. In March, it’s perfect.

Enjoy an intake of Vitamin D on Bondi, before visiting Bondi Icebergs, a swimming club with a café and bar, and an outdoor saltwater pool that’s pummeled by Pacific waves. If you’re a seafood lover, splash out on the Icebergs Seafood Platter; it’s worth it for the Moreton Bay bugs (slipper lobsters) alone.

Te Amo Beach, Bonaire

Bonaire, one of the Caribbean’s most coveted islands, is also home to one of its best beaches. Te Amo is located just a short drive from the capital, Kralendijk, next to the airport.

Sink your feet into Te Amo’s pristine white sand and lie back to watch the aircraft land and take off. One of the best things to do in Bonaire is go snorkeling off Te Amo Beach. There’s a coral reef teeming with tropical fish, including trunkfish, sergeant majors, parrotfish, and rays.

There are few facilities on this beach, so pack everything you might need for a relaxing day on the sand. Look out for the red double-decker bus turned into a food shack that serves tasty street food, such as loaded fries and tacos.

Read: Best Beaches in Bonaire

Playa Mia Grand Beach Resort, Cozumel

Playa Mia Grand Beach on the west coast of Cozumel has it all, including chalk-white sand, dazzling aquamarine water, and fantastic facilities.

The beauty of this tropical beach park is you can choose exactly how you spend your time, from racing on jet skis to snorkeling in search of tropical fish in the coral reef, to lounging on a sunbed beneath a palm tree.

Aside from being one of Cozumel’s best beaches, families love the waterpark, including the pirate-themed Buccaneer’s Bay and two exhilarating 200-foot coiling water slides.

There’s also a floating adventure circuit, inflatable kayaks, and a recreated underwater Mayan temple. Bring your own or rent snorkel gear to witness the resort’s eye-popping lost civilization. After, head to the swim-up bar to sip on an ice-cold beer or refreshing cocktail.

Chaweng Beach, Ko Samui, Thailand

Unfurling on the vibrant east coast of Ko Samui in the Gulf of Thailand, Chaweng is a powder-soft beach with tall coconut palms arching over the sand.

Chaweng is one of the best beaches to visit in March since this is when the area receives less rainfall, with springtime spelling dry, warm, and sunny days.

Take a long beach walk and find a spot to unwind. Amenities are plentiful, including places to indulge in a Thai massage or a cold beverage, with beach vendors selling inflatables and renting watersports equipment.

Bartolomé Island Beach, Galapagos

To say Bartolomé Island is far flung is no hyperbole. This speck of an islet is within touching distance of the larger Santiago Island, part of the Galapagos archipelago off Ecuador.

Bartolomé Island Beach, aptly known as Golden Beach for its glowing tinge, is one for nature lovers, with sea turtles, sharks, Galapagos hawks, and Galapagos penguins among the wildlife.

This Galapagos beach is known for Pinnacle Rock, a serrated basalt rock formation formed from magma that once flowed from an underwater volcano. Arrive by boat to swim and snorkel in the clear water, keeping a close look out for the quirky-looking red-lipped batfish below the surface.

This is a beach you’ll want to capture on camera. Follow the wooden boardwalk and stairs to Bartolomé Panoramic Viewpoint for extraordinary views of Pinnacle Rock, Sullivan Bay, and the neighboring islands of Santiago, Daphne Major, and Minor.

Stick to the trails to admire the shape-shifting volcanic formations, tuff cones, and endemic tequila plants on the route.

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

This unending blond beach on culture-rich Bali lies on the island’s southwest coast. Kuta is a lively spot where patrons can enjoy traditional Balinese massages, swimming, and parasailing.

Bathrooms and showers are available, as well as beach chairs and umbrellas to rent. Surf schools take advantage of Kuta’s often wild waves, with lessons for all abilities, or board rental for those who don’t require guidance.

Pick up some Balinese food from beach hawkers, or wander onto Pantai Kuta, where souvenir stalls, food shacks, cafés, bars, and restaurants line this bustling Bali strip.

Pearl Island, Nassau, Bahamas

Pearl Island might be a short ferry ride from Nassau, but it’s a world away from the capital’s lively waterfront. Travelers arriving on this tropical strip are met with sand as soft as confectioner’s sugar and swaying palms.

Winter and spring have some of the best weather in the Bahamas, making Pearl Island one of the best beaches in March. A traditional Bahamian lunch, beach chairs, kayaks, and a snorkel tour are included on a day-trip to Pearl Island, along with a return ferry ride from Nassau.

When you arrive, let yourself be lured into the sparkling water for a swim. You could join a snorkel tour with a local guide in search of reef-dwelling lionfish, trumpet fish, parrot fish, moray eels, and Bahamas shrimp. On shore, you might spot a nonchalant curly tailed lizard as you walk to the island’s lighthouse or spend time relaxing on the beach.

Read: Best Beaches in & Around Nassau, The Bahamas

Cerro Brujo, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos

This faraway shore on San Cristobal Island is as captivating today as it was when Charles Darwin visited in 1835.

The black volcanic rock formations on Cerro Brujo are in stark contrast to the bright-white sand and shimmering turquoise water. Look for Kicker Rock—an eroded volcanic cone—on the horizon. This steep rock spikes 500 feet into the air and is home to blue-footed boobies, the waters around it teeming with sea lions, sea turtles, sharks, and rays.

On Cerro Brujo, hike, snorkel, swim, and keep an eye out for lava gulls, frigatebirds, and sea lions. There’s a salty lagoon behind the beach that’s home to more of the Galapagos’ remarkable wildlife, including herons and egrets.

Galleon Beach, Antigua

Situated in English Harbour on the south coast of Antigua around 40 minutes from St. John’s, the capital, Galleon Beach is postcard perfection. Plan to visit this secluded shore, with its sand the same shade as a camel, in March. It’s one of the driest times of the year with highs of 82°F.

Catamarans and small yachts are scattered in the harbor, an area known as Nelson’s Dockyard National Park, where the English built Fort Berkeley in 1704.

Enjoy Galleon Beach’s slow pace with a gentle swim—gliding sea turtles and rays are often spotted in the water—before drying off under the shade of a palm tree.

What makes Galleon a stand-out beach in Antigua, aside from its movie-star good looks, is the immersive Rum Academy on the beach. Here, visitors can concoct and bottle their own rum, and take part in an obligatory tasting of this sweet Caribbean drink. Don’t forget to pick up an extra bottle to take home as a souvenir.

Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

Seven Mile Beach, just north of George Town in Grand Cayman, is the perfect spot to indulge in some springtime sunshine, with March being one the best times to visit.

One of Grand Cayman’s best beaches, Seven Mile Beach stretches along the island’s west coast, dotted with palm trees and some of the island’s most luxurious resorts. Watersports, boat rental, sun loungers, beach bars, and restaurants are among the facilities.

Pack a towel and a book, relax on a lounger, and plan to spend the day here, dipping in and out of the bath-warm water, sunbathing, napping, and sipping fresh coconut drinks. Feeling peckish? With many big-name hotels lining Seven Mile Beach, there is no shortage of restaurants to choose from along this pearly stretch.

From Bali to the Bahamas, escape to beautiful sun-soaked beaches aboard one of our March cruises. Discover your favorite stretch of sand and book your next unforgettable getaway.