We had our favorite Caribbean vacation ever many years ago in Guadeloupe, at the Club Med La Caravelle The beaches were lovely (although not miles and miles of isolated white sand – more coves with groves of trees). We loved the mix of cultures – European (very French), American, African, and South Asian. And the landscape was really varied – within a few miles of one another there was rain forest, savannah, and a volcano whose crater you could hike in. There was actual local culture, not just tourist amenities.
While we enjoyed the Club Med, and spent plenty of time on the beach or in the water, we wouldn’t have had nearly as good a time if we hadn’t forced ourselves to spend significant time outside the resort bubble.