The road to Maracas Bay winds up and over the Northern Range mountains, through forest full of tropical birds, before swooping back down to the sea. The moment you come around the final bend and see the bay below, it is one of the most beautiful views in the Caribbean.
The beach is well known for its food stalls selling bake and shark - a fried bread roll filled with seasoned fried shark, plus as many toppings as you like: mango chutney, pineapple, chadon beni sauce, and more. It is so popular that bake and shark is almost the unofficial dish of Maracas.
The waves at Maracas can be lively, which makes it great for bodyboarding and splashing. Lifeguards are always on duty, keeping everyone safe. The beach is sheltered by the hills on both sides, giving it a cosy bay shape with calm spots at each end.
Behind the sand, vendors sell fresh coconuts. You can ask them to chop the top off with a machete and drink the cool coconut water straight from the shell - then hand it back to be split open so you can scoop out the soft white coconut jelly inside.