Playa Norte wraps around the northern tip of the island in a shallow arc of impossibly clear turquoise water. It is consistently ranked among the finest Caribbean beaches in Mexico, and rightly so: the water is calm almost year-round, rarely deeper than waist-height for a long way out, and the sand is fine and white. In the late afternoon the light turns golden and the sunsets here are spectacular, drawing a crowd of locals and visitors alike with beers and bare feet in the water.
The beach is lined with palapa-roofed bars and sun-lounger outfits, but it never feels overcrowded by Caribbean standards. Arrive early on weekends in high season to claim a good spot. Swimming is safe for children, and the flat water makes it one of the rare places where you can actually relax rather than get knocked over by waves.