Just the name Caribbean evokes a totally different feel.  The beaches, development and culture are unique on the east side.  A rainier climate has kept the resorts away, Jamaican immigrants flavor the food and society and the geography creates totally different playas.

Instead of a convoluted coastline of coves, peninsulas and gulfs the Caribbean is one nearly unbroken line.

Because of the shape and size of the Gulf of Mexico there are nearly no tides (8 inches average compared to 8 feet or more on the Pacific). It’s not bathtub calm. The waves can be big and violent and the currents intense but the flat land and small tides mean much of the coast is backed by a navigable network of rivers, lagoons, estuaries and canals.

Our photos of the beaches here can’t do them justice but hopefully this gallery gives you a hint of their beauty and personality.

Click on the thumbnails for a more detailed description, location and larger images.