Mediterranean:
- Many fantastic Greek
beaches, see pictures
- Some enjoyable and characterful Turkish beaches,
see pictures
- Some deservedly famous French
beaches; the Cote d'Azur is overcrowded but Corsica
beaches [island] are less busy, less costly and more beautiful.
- There's still a little space left in Spain
but generally it's overbuilt, overrun and overheated in August, though this is the best time for Spain's Atlantic Coast.
- Superb, dazzling, emerald seas and golden rocks of Sardinia
and Lampedusa islands, Italy.
- Croatia beaches, not the Med, but the nearby Adriatic offshoot and one of Europe's newer destinations offering a handful of attractive, secluded and low cost beach holidays.
Pacific
Ocean: See also Pacific
Beach Pictures
- USA: Fine sands and warm waters in Hawaii and California.
- Chile: Anakena beach, Easter
Island. Not a huge beach but soft sand, clear sea,
palm trees and six huge moai monitoring the traffic.
- French Polynesia: Matira Beach, Bora
Bora. One of South Pacific's
best beaches, beginning at the famous resort Hotel Bora Bora.
- Yasawa
Islands, Fiji, a group of islands with small
sandy beaches and low cost backpacker resorts.
- One Foot Island Beach, islet of Aitutaki Island, the Cook
Islands.
- South coast of Ofu Island, American Samoa. A wonderful landscape
with very few tourists.
- Lefaga Beaches and Aleipata Beach, Upolu island, Western Samoa.
Little known but one of the cutest beaches in the South
Pacific.
- Ha'apai Beach, Foa
island, Ha'apai islands, Tonga. Low cost with the friendly locals.
Indian
Ocean:
- Madagascar: Ile Sainte Marie is an idyllic island resort fringed by peaceful beaches.
- Tanzania: Zanzibar's best beaches are on the north and east coasts, though experienced travellers often enjoy neighbouring Mafia Island's isolation.
A perfect way to end the holiday after doing a Tanzania wildlife safari.
Atlantic
Ocean:
- USA: American beaches are big and well serviced but often very commercial.
- UK: The British coast is craggily attractive, the water temperature is tolerable now and Cornwall's beaches are best.
- Many excellent beaches in Portugal.
- Some great stretches of soft sand on the west coast of France, such as La Rochelle, Arcachon,
Biarritz
and St
Jean de Luz.
- Essaouira, Morocco. A tranquil seaside resort popular with independent
travelers.
Malaysia:
- Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort, a secluded, palm-fringed beach, or
Kampung Juara for total serenity, Tioman Island.
- Long Beach, Kecil Island, Perhentian Islands. A popular destination
for budget travelers.
- Redang Island, Redang archipelago, with a superb marine park,
is excellent for scuba/snorkel addicts.
- Turtle Beach and Golden Beach, Similajau National Park, Sarawak.
Well worth the hassle to get there for some of Malaysia's finest
beaches.
Beaches that are probably not a good idea in August:
Australia
[North East Coast]:
- it's winter and water is chilly in southern Australia, go north but don't expect much surf, just toxic jellies.
Caribbean:
Depends on the island but rain, wind and choppy seas may be visiting though lots of tourists won't be. Low cost but a little risky!
Mexico:
No thanks! Storm season means frequent rough seas, cloud, wind,
rain.
Thailand:
May - Oct is the worst time to go, particularly on the west coast due to heavy rains.
The Gulf [east] Coast has a less rain than the west
but for longer, from June - Dec. |
