October 21st, 2010
Santorini, popularly known as Thira, is a supernaturally beautiful Island, equipped with amazing sceneries and wonderful colored beaches. The romantic Santorini has been an impressive honeymoon destination since last decades, especially for newly married couples to enjoy the warm summer. Santorini Islands afford them everything that essence for love and romance like, breath taking sunrise and sunsets, sun bathing beaches, villages, blue doomed churches, lonely places and most significantly the Mediterranean climate. This island is gifted with beautiful beaches with uniquely colored sand. Most of the Santorini beaches are having the black sand that creates an unforgettable experience among the visitors.
Santorini is one of the most desired tourist and holiday destinations in Europe. It has been a perfect vacation destination especially for couples and their families. Glorious sunshine, sophisticated lifestyle, cheap air tickets, beautiful beaches, villages, restaurants and luxury hotels make it a great place for family holidays. The villages with dazzling white buildings, narrow streets, the snow clad mountains, the breath taking sunsets, the gorgeous landscapes, unique villages, museums and beautiful beaches of the Santorini Island are enough to surprise the tourists and attract them to enjoy their holidays.
No introduction is required to explain the beauty of Santorini. All kind of accommodations are available in Santorini including apartments, luxury hotels, resorts, camping sites and villas keeping in mind to the visitors’ budget. Due to easy holiday accommodation on budget Santorini has been attracting more than a Million of Visitors every year.
The gorgeous beaches are adequate to demonstrate the beauty of the Santorini, Greece. Some of the most popular and beautiful beaches of Santorini are, Perissa Black Beach, Akrotiri Red Beach, Kamari Black Beach, Monolithos Beach and Perivolos Beach.
Perissa Black Beach:
Perissa is regarded as one of the most popular beaches of Santorini Island situated 15 km south east of Fira. Due to its impressive and amazing black sandy beach Perissa has been attracting huge visitors and becomes more crowded at summer holidays time. A great verity of hotels, taverns, restaurants, bars, beach bars, rooms and night clubs are available here.
Akrotiri Red Beach:
The red beach is one of the most famous and beautiful of the beaches of Santorini. It is located near the village and ancient site of Akrotiri. The beach has unique red sand and the hill behind it. Due to a small beach area it gets crowded quickly. One can find chairs, umbrellas, and paddleboats for rent. The red beach is accessible by private cars or rent cars and then walking by the lot. Red beach also can be reached by sea with help of boats that departs from the ports of Akrotiri and Fira.
Kamari Black Beach:
This is the longest, busiest and the first beach which was developed as a beach holiday resort, situated 10 kilometers south east of Fira. The general landscape of the beach is much similar to Perissa with spectacular black sands. Kamari is the hot spot for visitors offering varieties of hotels, rooms, tavernas, restaurants, beach bars, cafes, water sports, sun umbrellas and night clubs to entertain the visitors.
The beach of Kamari is fully organized and offers all kinds of facilities like sun chairs, umbrellas and different types of water sports. From Kamari, a road takes you up the mountain to Ancient Thira, and a caique (traditional fishing boat) can bring you to the wild isle of Anafi.
Monolithos Beach:
Monolithos is nearest to the Kamari. This beach is located 9 kilometers from Fira and close to the airport. The impressive golden sandy beach consists of a great potential. This beach offers few hotels, beach bars, children’s play area, basket ball court, football pitch and umbrellas. This is a very organized beach divided in to two parts, one is for family and another quite part is suitable for couples.
Perivolos Beach:
This charming beach of Perivolos is ideally located in close proximity to Perissa which is a bout 3 kilometers away. This marvelous beach of Santorini is towards the southern end of the island of Santorini. The beach is prominent by its gleaming blue waters and is among the most tranquil beaches in the whole of Santorini. On the beachfront there are numerous taverns, pubs and restaurants.
So, visiting Santorini Island could be a great idea for your next vacations. One of the most beautiful beaches of the Santorini islands is waiting for you, to experience romantic moments and relaxation with your loved ones.
Categories: Beaches |
Tags: Beaches, Beautiful, Greece, Santorini, Visit | Comments Off
October 18th, 2010
Acapulco has some of the best beaches in Mexico, if not in the world. From Pie de la Cuesta to the bay itself, then out to Puerto Marques and Diamante, and on as far as Barra Vieja, Acapulco offers miles and miles of beaches, each with a personality of its own.
The Pacific Ocean beaches can have strong waves, and are fun for those who like hearty water sports. Surfers particularly like Bonfil and Tres Vidas — beaches east of Revolcadero in the Diamond Zone. Inside the bay the waves are usually gentle, particularly in the “traditional zone,” which is like a cove within a cove. The “Golden Zone” on the east side of Acapulco’s bay, from Parque Papagayo to the Naval Base, has marvelous water, sand, crowds and restaurants. In the middle of this is Condesa Beach, party central during Spring Break.
Here is a rapid tour of the highlights:
Pie de la Cuesta
Pie de la Cuesta (“foot of the slope”) goes on for miles of yellow sandy beach. Behind is Coyuca Lagoon, where you will find peace, nature, and a few good places to eat. This may be the best beach on the Pacific for watching the sun sink into the ocean at day’s end. The waves can be strong here. Usually uncrowded, Pie de la Cuesta is a favorite of couples.
Playas Caleta & Caletilla
Playas Caleta and its near twin, Caletilla, are Acapulco’s original and most traditional beaches. The aquarium and museum, Magico Mundo Marino, lies between them. Here there is food and music and lots of family activity. The waters are calm. Originally the beach of the Hollywood stars of the 50’s and 60’s, Caleta and Caletilla now appeal to tourists and locals alike, especially those with kids.
Roqueta and Marin Beaches
Take a water taxi or a glass-bottom boat from Caleta to Isla Roqueta, where two beaches await. Playa Roqueta and Playa Marin are quiet, rustic beaches in this nature preserve. They are a must for the ecotourist or anyone who wants an escape. Playa Roqueta is near where the boats dock. Playa Marin is a remote and undeveloped beach that can only be reached by making a small hike to the other side of the island.
Playa Angosta
Playa Angosta (“narrow beach”) is where locals go to avoid tourist crowds. This short strip of beach is on the Pacific Coast, between two tall rocky outcroppings, one inlet east of La Quebrada, where the cliff divers perform. From mid-August to mid-April you can see the sun set into the Pacific. It’s the only beach in Acapulco proper that offers such a view. Several local seafood restaurants serve up the food, beer and soft drinks.
Playas Manzanillo & Honda
These neighbors are on the bayside between Caleta and downtown. Look for the lighthouse or the marina. Several traditional seafood restaurants can be found on these very popular beaches. Fishermen moor their boats near here, and there’s a boat graveyard nearby.
Playa Tlacopanocha
Tlacopanocha is a popular beach at the end of the town pier (“the Malecón”). Here you can watch the cruise ships come and go during the season, as the marine terminal is nearby.
Playas Las Hamacas, Tamarindos, Hornos, Hornitos
These four beaches extend from the Marine Terminal near downtown to Parque Papagayo. They are the remaining beaches of Acapulco’s so-called “Nautical Zone” or “Traditional Zone.” Playa Las Hamacas is wide and flat, more visited by fishermen than sunbathers. Tamarindos and Hornos are long beaches, extending up the bay to the east. Large coconut palms line the entrances from the sidewalk along the Costera. They have excellent beach restaurants, umbrellas, loungers, tables, and calm waves. There is lots of space for the kids to run around. These beaches are mostly enjoyed by families. Hornitos is the last beach before the beginning of Acapulco’s “Golden Zone.” It is right in front of the town’s main flag pole at the entrance to Parque Papagayo.
Playa Morro
Playa Morro, just off the traffic circle at the Diana statue, is a transition from the traditional zone (more family-oriented) to the party focus of Condesa Beach farther east. Just off shore in the water is a hilly island (a “morro”), so it’s easy to find. Currents here can be trickier than at the beaches closer to downtown.
Playa Condesa
Playa Condesa is right in the middle of Acapulco’s “Golden Zone” (Parque Papagayo to the Naval Base). A big rock (called “La Redonda”) is just a few yards offshore. Condesa has lots of lively bars and dance clubs, and there is always a crowd, whether it be day or night. This is the most happening place for partiers, especially during “Spring Break.” A segment of Condesa (below “Beto’s”) is a popular beach for gays. The water can get choppy around the offshore rock formations, but there is always something happening up on the sand.
Icacos Beach
Playa Icacos, the Golden Zone’s second most happening beach, is much wider than Condesa from sea to back wall, with clear water and clean sand. Like Condesa, all sorts of water activities can be arranged, like waterskiing, jet-skis and rides. The hotels and condos of Costa Azul provide most of the sunbathers, and so the crowd tends to be a bit older than at Condesa and somewhat more upscale than in the traditional zone.
Playa Pichilingue
This beach is inaccessible to most people. It’s for guests at the Camino Real and residents of the gated community surrounding it. Waters are calm, as it is on the shore of the small bay of Puerto Marques.
Playa Puerto Marques & Majahua
Residents of Acapulco Diamante do not hesitate to say that Playa Puerto Marques and Playa Majahua are the best beaches in town — especially in late morning and early afternoon. Small by comparison with bayside beaches, they seem cozier and more tropical, as they are set in the lush mangroves around Puerto Marques. The waters are calm. Tourists do not seem to flock to these beaches, preferring the grander expanses of Playas Diamante and Revolcadero. Good shopping and good eating are also right at hand.
Playa Revolcadero
Playa Revolcadero (“tumbler beach”) and Playa Diamante are really one long and wide strip of sand on the Pacific Ocean near the Fairmont Hotels (Acapulco Princess & Pierre Marques) and the Mayan Palace. These are three of Acapulco’s most luxurious resorts. Here the chic and the fashionable come to enjoy the sun. Serious swimmers enjoy taking on the large waves that come rolling in. Unlike the waters on the bayside, the undertow at Revolcadero can be very strong.
Playa Larga
Playa Larga (“long beach”) seems to go on forever, east of Revolcadero, and continuing towards Barra Vieja, miles away. The airport property lies behind part of it. This is a place for ecotourism, or quiet retreats back to nature. There are campsites, a nearby hatchery for sea turtles and a couple of places to spend the night. There are not too many services (like umbrellas and chairs), few restaurants, and no vendors. Access by automobile is recommended (no public transportation).
Playa Bonfil
Past Playa Larga is Playa Bonfil, also very quiet and unoccupied. Here the waves get strong enough to provide decent surfing. It has a sandy bottom. Waves come right and left. Not much is there in the way of services.
Tres Vidas
Playa Tres Vidas (three-lives beach) is yet farther down the coast from Acapulco Diamante and almost to Barra Vieja. An exclusive golf resort has been built here. Very few visitors come, other than guests from the boutique hotel at the golf club, lovers and surfers.
Barra Vieja
At the far east of Acapulco, about 20 miles away, is a fishing village called Barra Vieja (old [sand]bar). Here you will find several restaurants and beach clubs, some of them absolutely first rate. They offer parking, showers, and beach facilities. You can eat, drink, sleep in the hammocks, swim in the pool, sun on the beach — whatever you like. It is perhaps as close to a real tropical paradise as you can get these days. Be sure to choose your beach club carefully or get a recommendation.
Categories: Beaches |
Tags: Acapulcos, Beaches, Everybody, Something | Comments Off
October 15th, 2010
Cape Town is a paradise for anyone who loves to spend time soaking up the rays or riding the waves. Featuring some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Cape Town is a haven of white sands and sparkling seas. There are numerous beaches in and around the city, and the ones you choose to visit will probably depend upon the type of beach activities you most enjoy.
The Cape is surrounded by the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, which meet at Cape Point. The two oceans – one warmer, one cooler – both lap the shores of pearly white beaches, which offer ideal conditions for sunbathing, swimming, water sports, picnicking and recreational sports. Before hitting the sand, find out a bit more about these famous beaches, to discover which ones you’d most like to experience.
Cape Town beach guide
Best beaches for quality
Six of Cape Town’s beaches have been awarded prestigious Blue Flag status by the Foundation for Environmental Education in Denmark. Blue Flag status is given to beaches of an exceptional quality, and which feature a high standard of cleanliness, safety, facilities and water quality. In Cape Town, these beaches are Clifton Fourth Beach, Mnandi Beach, Bikini Beach (in Gordon’s Bay), Muizenberg, Strandfontein and part of Camps Bay Beach.
Best beaches for sunbathing
Camps Bay and Clifton beaches are rated as some of the best beaches for sunbathing, picnicking and enjoying the warm summer weather. Camps Bay Beach is lined with exotic palm trees, while Clifton is the place to see and be seen! Granite boulders at Clifton, separating the strip into four beaches, offer protection from the wind. Meanwhile, the trendy cafés and restaurants opposite Camps Bay Beach offer a refreshing time-out from the sun after a day spent sunbathing and swimming.
Best beaches for water sports
Little Bay and Big Bay beaches, near Blouberg, are ideal for kite-surfing, windsurfing, flying kites and paddle skiing. They also offer magnificent views of Table Mountain, and are popular amongst families. The water is quite chilly, thanks to the cooler Atlantic currents. However, windy conditions make Blouberg’s beaches a favourite amongst water sports enthusiasts.
Best beaches for swimming
The waters of the Indian Ocean are significantly warmer than those of the Atlantic, and thus, the beaches at False Bay are popular for swimming. These beaches are generally also quieter and more relaxed than the Atlantic Seaboard beaches, such as Camps Bay and Clifton. Muizenberg and Fish Hoek Beaches are both popular among families, and offer great conditions for recreational games and swimming.
Best beach for kids
Boulders Beach is famous for its large colony of African penguins, which delight both young and old visitors. And, thanks to its gentle waves and sheltered strips, Boulders is ideal for swimming – especially for kids. Best of all, you’ll get to swim alongside the penguins, or peer into their colonies as you trot along the boardwalk above the dunes. The scenery at Boulders Beach is spectacular, and a trip to this beach is recommended for any visitor to the Cape.
Best beaches for a truly South African experience
At the harbour of Hout Bay Beach is the Mariner’s Wharf – a restaurant offering authentic fish-and-chips, South African style. Spend a day building sandcastles on this family-friendly beach, and be sure to sample the delicious fresh fish and chips served the old-fashioned way – in paper wrappers and boxes. Hout Bay Beach is also good for kayaking and horse riding.
Best beaches for unspoilt beauty
Noordhoek and Kommetjie Beaches are some of the Cape’s most serene beaches, unspoilt and blissfully quiet. Noordhoek Beach, with its 8km curve of powder-white sand, is ideal for horse-riding, kite flying and surfing. Kommetjie Beach is popular among families, and is also a great spot for surfing. Large tidal pools and long stretches of beach – perfect for seaside games – make it a favourite among kids and ideal for families.
The beaches of Cape Town await… Book your holiday now
There are plenty of spectacular beaches in the Cape, accessible from virtually any part of the city. For the easiest access to the best beaches, book holiday accommodation in the City Bowl – the most central place to be. New hotels in the Cape Town city centre offer 5-star lodgings and opulent amenities, adding a touch of glamour to your Cape Town beach holiday.
Book your luxury hotel accommodation in Cape Town now, and don’t miss out on a fabulous beach holiday this summer!
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October 3rd, 2010
Marbella Beaches
Marbella is the jewel of the Costa de Sol, a town frequented by the rich and famous. Some of the finest beaches in the Costa del Sol can be found in Marbella and its neighbouring resorts.
If you are renting a villa in Marbella, you will be spoilt for choice with the beaches in the area. Whether you want to sunbathe, stroll or participate in water-sports, Marbella has the beach for you.
Puerto Banus
Puerto Banus’ Blue Flag beach is 1km of lovely fine sand. It has great facilities including showers and toilets and a variety of water-sports are on offer. The great thing about this beach is the wide variety of things to fill your days with. There are fantastic restaurants on the beach, and the whole area is kept clean for its users. There are even life guards to ensure that the swimming is safe.
El Ancon Beach
The beach at El Ancon is a much quieter, and some would say more peaceful and beautiful, area than some of the other beaches in the Marbella area. The beach is developed and has towers used by lifeguards. It also has toilet facilities. This is a stunning stretch of sand and is perfect for family days out or a quick dip in the clear blue sea.
Los Monteros
You know that a beach is good quality when the local Spaniards use it regularly. The beach at Los Monteros is just that kind of place, with nearly 2km of smooth golden sand and large expanses of shallow water – just perfect for splashing about in. This beach is of such high quality that it can sometimes get busy, but if you pick your time right, there are few beaches that can compare.
Calahonda Beach
Nestled in to the western end of Marbella town, and within easy reach of any villas in Marbella, this beautiful stretch of sand is idyllic and peaceful. There are the usual collection of amenities, showers, toilets and lifeguards, and also a beach bar with sunbeds.
Linda Vista Beach
The “beautiful view” beach is located near the town of San Pedro de Alcantara, near to the Linda Vista urbanization and to the Basilica Vega del Mar. This Blue Flag beach is 550m long and has all the usual facilities along with a beach bar and two beach clubs. A very popular beach.
San Pedro de Alcantara Beach
This is the perfect beach for water-sport enthusiasts. Water-sports on offer include jet skiing, windsurfing and pedaloes. The 1km long beach is a Blue Flag beach and can be found in San Pedro. It boasts full facilities including a children’s play area, beach club and six beach restaurants.
Casa Blanca Beach
A lovely golden sanded beach situated in the Casa Blanca urbanization. This 2km long Blue Flag beach has a lovely promenade to stroll along and a variety of water-sports on offer. This beach is quieter than some but still has a good range of facilities including six beach bars with sunbeds.
So, now you know a little more about the beaches you have no excuse for staying by the villa pool. Take that book with you and hit the sand!
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