I asked my readers to reveal me their favorite beaches. Here they are:
7. Australia
Whitehaven Beach on Queensland’s Whitsunday Island. These white sand beaches have been chosen the most ecological in the world – and Queensland’s cleanest! [photo: Birger Kühnel]
Cape Tribulation in Daintree National Park, Queensland. Far from any civilization, the only ways to get here are by a guided tour from Cairns or by car. Stay in an eco-lodge in the midst of the rainforest. [photo: Ian Mackenzie]
6. Brazil
Rio de Janeiro’s Ipanema is famous for a lot more than just the song. The word “ipanema” comes from Tupi language and means a “stinky lake”, which couldn’t be further from the truth. [photo: alobos Life]Boipeba Island, around 50 miles South of Salvador, is a dream destination for those seeking a secluded beach. Most of its 15 miles of coastline is pristine beaches. [photo: Danielle Pereira / Miradas]
5. Maldives
Maldives are some 1200 islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Every resort has its own island, and it’s said to be a divers’ paradise. [photo: Mac Qin][photo: Nattu]
4. India
Anjuna is a village on Goa that has been a hippie paradise from the 60s. South of the village is a busy beach accessible by a short scooter ride. [photo: Olivier]Goa is India’s very own beach holiday destination that is set apart from the rest of India with its Portuguese-influenced food and architecture. It was a Portuguese colony for five centuries. [photo: Dennis Yang]
3. Philippines
Small island of Boracay is an hour’s flight away from Manila. It’s been lately hit by a tourist tsunami as Asian travelers have found its beaches. Parties are held on the beaches in the evenings. [photo: Duncan Rawlinson / Duncan.co]
Tiny Malcapuya Island is a little North of the much more famous Palawan. It’s mostly a day trip destination from Coron, but there are several huts on the beach that you can rent for overnight stays. [photo: Roslyn]
2. Greece
Halkidiki Peninsula close to Thessaloniki is full of beaches. This is Kavourotripes, in the area of Sithonia, where the beaches are more secluded and nightlife not as vivid as in the nearby Kassandra. [photo: gichristof]Zakynthos Island in Western Greek archipelago is a relaxed vacation destination with some nightlife and plenty of peace for families. Bouka Beach is 5 miles North of the town of Zakynthos and one of the island’s more quiet beaches. [photo: Robert Wallace]
1. Finland
Finland, why Finland? This was voted on the list by my Finnish readers who all love their cottages on islands and by the lakes, but you gotta admit that the land of 300 000 lakes and several archipelagos has lots to choose from.
What do you think is the best beach destination in the world?Share it on Facebook and you could win a bag from Globe Hope, made of old sails! The giveaway is still open for a week.
A week ago I already felt like I had landed in the middle of paradise – and then the bell boy led me to my room where the balcony opened to an amazing view of the Atlantic, straight to East. Sunsets are beautiful, but sunrises are even more so, and what could be better than viewing them straight from your bed?
My kind of view to start the day! Thanks to Margaritaville Resort for the amazing view – and at this resort, every room comes with a view.Do you think it was worth it to wake up at seven? Especially when I could go back to sleep at 7.30…
Colorado weather was good enough when it was time to head to Florida, but still the warm wet air of Southern Florida caught me off guard when I exited Miami airport in search of a taxi to my final destination, Fort Lauderdale. I spent nine days in South Florida, and this is what I loved:
Hollywood Beach Boardwalk. Bands playing almost every night at the band stand, and the feeling of warm sand between my toes right off the airplane.
Fort Lauderdale Beach and an ocean that was still warm in November. The lights around here are turned down in the night to not confuse sea turtles nesting on the beach.
John U Lloyd State Park with a beach completely untouched by development. If you think Florida’s beaches are too touristy, this is for you.
Hollywood Beach right next to MargaritavilleJohn U Lloyd State Park – this view could be from a hundred years ago, when barefoot postmen walked days on end to deliver mail to different beach communities.
The 175 steps leading up to Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse. The museum is small and you won’t be able to get a close-up with the lense, but check out the views!
Those couple magic minutes, when I figured out how to flyboard. Totally worth the ten or so minutes spent splashing into the water at awkward angles.
Four alligators spotted while airboating around night-time Everglades. Wroooom!
One alligator that we spotted with Iiro while driving along an “alternative” toll-free route to Big Cypress Swamp. The route was a dirt road in bad shape, and our rental car was a Toyota Prius, but hey, we made it – with a wild alligator sighting to boot!
A mile of boardwalks around a swamp next to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Indian Museum. Don’t step off the boardwalk, a sign told us, and looking at the impenetrable wetlands, this seemed like one of those “don’t microwave your cat”-signs of pure obviousness. Hard to believe people actually lived in these swamps!
One big bad swamp buggy, whose sole passengers Iiro and I were. The ride might be a little more bumpy than usual, the driver said and charged straight into the swamp. Fun!
No way we could have hiked around a swamp without the boardwalk.Swamp buggy at left, swamp airboat on the right. Thanks to Billie Swamp Safari and Sawgrass Recreation Park for the rides!
150 miles to Key West, which we didn’t drive but FLEW! The small Piper airplane took us low enough for me to grasp the sheer size of the Everglades.
The 100,000 or so party people who had come to Key West’s Fantasy Fest with us. “Crazier than New Orleans on Mardi Gras” said one local and I don’t find it hard to believe…
Everglades right off the coast
Dozens of new tavel bloggers I met at TBEX travel blogger conference.
Two “old” travel blogging pals from Finland, who I finally got to know face-to-face. Moikka, Sanna and Ulla!
The top-rated award-winning queen size air mattress that our friend in Fort Lauderdale had gotten to host us for the last couple days of our stay. And this is completely without irony here.
Some of the photos and events featured in this post are from a press trip organized by Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB.
This post is part of Instagram Travel Thursday, a celebration of travel photos on Instagram and the stories behind them. You can find me on Instagram as @globecalledhome. The rest of the participants are below.
