Mexico vs Caribbean

We are in the early stages of honeymoon planning (all inclusive is a must, Dec 2026) and were originally really excited about the Caribbean. Turks and Caicos, Aruba, Negril Jamaica or Bahamas is where we narrowed it down to.

Then I checked flights and it’s 12-16 hours EACH WAY from western Canada (where we are), with a connection in Toronto. No direct flights at all. That put a massive damper on our mood because we could literally fly to Europe or Asia in the same amount of time.

The other option is Mexico, maybe Playa Mejeures or Akumal. We have been a number of times and wanted something different/special. But it’s fast and easy, I guess.

Question – are the beaches significantly better in the Caribbean, to warrant more than double the flight time? If it really is, we could stomach it. We are not big into pools – the beach is the most important part to us, with the option of excursions if we get bored. Thank you!