Not having private beaches and having public thoroughfare is a beautiful concept but then you have no enforcement and attitudes that throw up walls and barricades. During the local election a lot of folks thought if Danny got elected they would drive a bulldozer North to South and clear out these attitudes and blockades but that seemed to go the way of Trump and the Mexican Border Wall.

Diane and Elbert - you are both correct - but when I said walk through your yard I actually meant along the beach - but many people consider that their yard. There are pros and cons to almost everything - and to each his own.

If the Eastside is more desirable then why does everybody go over to the Westside to swim? Remember that horrible smell on the Eastside of the island (not sure if still smells)? The Westside is not the lagoon side, it is the bay side and that is where "Not so secret beach is" and is packed everyday.

You have more businesses and houses being built up there as you have beautiful sunsets land is affordable and no seagrass. It is correct that you don't see the reef from the other side lol, but you really don't see the reef on the Eastside. You only see the waves crash off it, unless you swim/kayak out to the reef. The fish are bigger on the eastside compared to the westside.

It is not so much what side is better it is more what are you looking for? Do you want to relax and it be quiet most of the time or do you want noise and amenities etc. Which ever one you say yes to that should be what side you want lol.

No matter what, you are going to choose what best suits what you are looking for. I am the type of person who would live in a cabin with no electricity in the middle of nowhere.

Hey Jason ..... The smell you reference was from a sargassum bloom a couple of years ago, and it is long, long gone!!
It affected the entire Caribbean as well as Florida. Indeed it was the sargassum that motivated people to visit the Secret Beach for swimming. Yes it is very pretty there.
The reef remains the main draw for tourism, whether it's seeing waves break over it or snorkeling and diving along it.