I have never been to the caribbean before, but one of the things that I find most enchanting about it is the clarity and beautiful turquoise color of the water. However, I have noticed quite a bit of variation between islands in this respect.

What island has the clearest, bluest water?

How do the bahamas compare to the islands of the caribbean?

Is there a lush/volcanic island that has the same beautiful water that the flat, scrubby ones seem to have? I would love to experience both aspects...

Thanks!

flat scrubby islands have the best turquoise, my opinion:
Turks and Caicos
Out Islands of Bahamas (Exumas, Eleuthera, San Salvador)
Anguilla

The only hilly islands that come close to the turquoise:
St. John VI
Virgin Gorda BVI
Jost Van Dyke BVI
Grenadines, especially Tobago Cays

The hilly islands aren't quite as turquoise as the others named.

these are the best of the best turquoise, other islands have some elements of it, but not quite as the ones I've named.

The Exumas have the best water in the Caribbean. Hands down. In fact, the clarity and colour of the water is so mind-blowing it is almost impossible to read because every time you glance up you become captivated by the view once again.

Antigua also has some gorgeous beaches with turquoise water -- Jolly Beach and Dickenson Bay are a couple.

Turks & Caicos !!

Funny how no one mentions Jamaica when they talk turquoise waters and hills/mountains. I always thought the water was crystal clear there from what I've seen.

turks & caicos !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The waters around low lying islands like the southern Bahamas and Turks will be the most beautiful since they have no rivers or creeks delivering silt and nutrients from hills, cities, etc, into the saltwater.
Curt

Turks & Caicos had clear, turquoise water but the island was flat & scrubby. Much prefer the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico- turquoise water but much more tropical and jungle-y.

Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos

Negril, Jamaica

St. John

Turks and Caicos -- gorgeous water: clear and turquiose. Island: flat and scrubby.
Grand Cayman -- very similar to Turks and Caicos in regards to water and landscape.
St. John / Virgin Islands-- the water is a deeper color, but still beautiful and clear. The islands are more hilly and lush.

Curacao has some of the bluest waters I've seen. TCI definitely among the top. Eleuthera also very nice.

The place that has these qualities is also the one that inspires me the most - the Grenadines. It's like having the world in front of you. I'm often moved by how clear the water is and the color. I love to sit by it from breakfast and all through the day as the sun moves across the sky.

I agree with Blamona....I would also add Punta Cana to that list. The water is gorgeous. In addition to Tobago Cays, I'd say Mayreau and Bequia have beautiful water - and so does Anguilla!

Aruba!

I have experienced extreme visibility at Little Cayman Beach Resort, St John, Jamaica, and Cozumel on a good day. It really depends on the weather conditions, and the depth. I hear that Roatan has incredible visibility.

You've resurrected a thread that originated in January 2012 - OP never came back to comment or make any other posts on Fodor's.

I think the Cayman islands and the waters off the coast of the TULUM ruins in Mexico were an awesome blue. I was in St. Lucia and didn't think that the waters there were all that blue, and same goes for Jamaica.