Have you come down with a serious case of wanderlust? I bet you are feeling the stress of school, home, and responsibilities. One of the best remedies for that is a nice hot, sandy beach where you can tan, swim, play, and relax. You can even volunteer to assuage your guilt for taking some time off – beach communities have plenty of opportunities! Here are 6 of the greatest beaches from around the world. Book your ticket now and you’ll thank us later.
When it comes to beautiful beaches in Asia, you need to head to Thailand. The Thai word “Koh” means “island”, so most places with Koh in their name are sure not to disappoint. One great place to kick up your feet is Koh Chang because it is a great mixture of a backpacker vibe, good food, and a gorgeous beach. You might have to take a plane, a train, and a boat to get to some of them, but the beauty and excitement of Thai beaches is something to write home about.
Maybe you need this beach getaway during the winter, maybe the 4 feet of unshoveled snow outside is going to drive you crazy any minute now. Well, winter here means it is summer Down Unda! Head to the Gold Coast of Australia for amusement parks, surfing, shopping, and of course golden beaches. Or if you want some more focused on nature, head to the beaches north of Cairns, Queensland where the rainforest meets the reef. Beaches up there have scuba diving, snorkeling, parachuting, the Daintree Rainforest, and the Great Barrier Reef. Go find Nemo!
Reading Darwin’s dry account of the Galapagos islands may not make you want to hop on a plane and fly to Ecuador, maybe it does. Either way, if you’ve heard of Tortuga Bay on the Santa Cruz Island, you’d want to book that flight. This is a pristine long, beautiful beach that will show you the abundance of wildlife around; iguanas, crabs, birds, and mangroves cover the shore. If you head to the end you can snorkel amongst the mangroves and see tons of white tipped and black tipped reef sharks.
The Riviera Maya has the best beaches in Mexico, and definitely competes for some of the top in the world. Playa Paraiso (Paradise Beach) has warm turquoise waters, palm trees, and white sandy beaches. The list of activities to do seems endless, and an added bonus is you’ll be very near to the Tulum Mayan ruins.
On the other side of the world, we have the famous islands of Indonesia. Yes, you can head to the famous Bali and you surely won’t be disappointed. But, consider heading to the island of Lombok. Lombok often gets overshadowed by its neighbors, but it also offers beaches, surfing, volcanoes, scuba diving, backpacking, and even a sea turtle hatchery.
The beaches of the island of Seychelles, off the east African coast, are astounding and take quite a trip to get to. You will be plunged into a world of huge granite rocks, blindingly white sandy beaches, and unbelievably turquoise waters.
Contributed by Kristin Melody
