Can anyone compare Negril's beach vs. Provo's Grace Bay?
 

I've thinking about going to Beaches Resort in Provo (Turks & Caicos) w/ my family, but I am so so spoiled by the incredible beach in Negril. I've been all over the Caribbean and haven't found a better beach (it's so crystal clear, dead calm, shallow, no weeds, no rocks, no reefs, no dark spots, postcard material end-to-end). But, I've heard Grace Bay is just as nice. <BR> <BR>Has anyone who HAS been to both Negril's Seven Mile Beach and Grace Bay? Has anyone seen one nicer beach period? Grand Cayman? Anguilla? St.Johns? Bahamas?

A much nicer beach than the one in Negril is at the Club Med resort on San Salvador in the Bahamas. Absolutely breathtaking. The brochure pix do not do it justice. The Club Med employees that have worked in their resort on Provo felt that San Salvador had better beaches, if that helps any. <BR> <BR>However, SS can be windy at certain times of the year.

I have been to both beaches - Beaches Negril Feb.2000 and Beaches Turks April 1999, and in my opinion Grace Bay wins without a question. The water is much clearer and sand much whiter than Negril and you can walk what seems like forever. Great snorkeling right off shore. I too have been to a few islands , Bahamas, Antigua, Barbados and of coarse Jamaica and Turks and Caicos. Grace Bay is the best beach I've seen so far!

I too agree with Cheryl. I have been to both Beaches properties (Turks & Negril) and other locations in the Caribbean. I very much enjoyed Negril, but my favorite beach/water destination of the two is Turks. (I also enjoyed the beautiful beaches on St. John since you specifically mentioned there) The beach is not as wide as that in Negril, but it is breathtaking. I walked the beach for miles in the early morning. The beaches are powder white sand and the water is unbelievably blue and clear. The snorkeling was remarkable right off the beach. The water sports were much better at Negril because waterskiing and banana boats are not allowed off the beach in Grace Bay due to the reefs. I did go parasailing however (actually that was breathtaking at both Turks and Negril). My kids (8 & 5)and my sister-in-law's family loved the motorized water sports at Negril, but we personally all agreed we liked the beach and crystal clear water better at Turks (as well as the snorkeling off the beach). I do not know the ages of the kids in your family, but it was so easy for the younger kids in our group to snorkel at Turks right off the beach. <BR> <BR>I think we are all returning to Turks again next year which will make it our third trip. Our families have loved our vacations to Beaches. Our own personal experiences have been great as far as a family vacation to the Caribbean goes. <BR> <BR>I would be glad to answer any questions you may have.

Thanks for your input - I've put Provo and San Salvador on my list of desired destinations. However, did you say there are much better? <BR> <BR>I love pretty beaches - and Negril has an pool-like quality, that is hard to imagine can be beat! I can stay in that water for hours, so warm and peaceful. There is poor snorkeling right off the beach, since the water is so shallow and there are NO reefs, coral or rocks to attract many or any fish. <BR> <BR>Also, every Caribbean book I've read had Negril in it's top ten list (Frommers, Fodors and Rum & Reggae) the only others to make every list was Shoal Bay - Anguilla, Trunk Bay - St. Johns and 7 Mile-Grand Cayman. <BR> <BR>Makes me wonder if you seen the same beach I did?