By: Marci Clark
When I was a kid, my best friend invited me to join her family on their summer vacation to Ocean City. It was the best thing ever. This became an annual trip for us and I developed a love for the sun and the sand.
My husband grew up surfing and loves the water more than I do—I actually don’t care much for open water. I love the sun and sand but prefer swimming in a pool. We were married on Jamaica Beach on Galveston Island, Texas almost 12 years ago.
We have since moved to the Midwest where the closest beach is lakefront. We often talk about all the places we want to go, and one thing they all seem to have in common is a beach. I’ll just share a few bucket list beaches for all of you who’d love to visit some great beaches around the world!
1: Rabbit Beach, Lampedusa, Italy
Rabbit Beach – photo by Enrica Tancioni on Unsplash
Rabbit Beach, Italy was voted the best beach in the world by participants of a recent TripAdvisor survey. I think it’s pretty easy to see why—the beach is located on an island south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. The water is clear, the beach is made of white sand, and it is protected by beautiful hillsides. It is one of few places in the area where loggerhead sea turtles lay their eggs, making it all the more special.
The only downfall of Rabbit Beach seems to be its size. The sandy area is small and is prone to overcrowding.
2: White Beach, Boracay, Philippines
White Beach – photo by Laurentiu Morariu on Unsplash
White Beach in the Philippines may share traits such as clear water and white sand with Rabbit Beach, but that’s where the similarities end. White Beach is a hub of activity from snorkeling to dancing the night away at a beachfront nightclub. Glass bottom and banana boats are ever present and shopping is never far away. Depending on where you camp out, there may even be butlers who keep your glass filled and snacks on hand.
Rumor has it the best time to travel to White Beach is between June and October to avoid crowds and get great discounts. The flip side of traveling to the island during these months is increased chances of rainfall.
5: Playa de las Catedrales, Ribadeo, Spain
Playa Las Catedrales – via Pixabay
The fact that this beach is in Spain is enough for me, and the natural beauty of this location is the icing, sprinkles, and cherry on top. Also known was Beach of Cathedrals, Playa de las Catedrales is filled with cliffs, caves, and arches naturally created by the ocean waves.
This is an isolated location; there are no nightclubs here. But they aren’t needed. Exploring this area should be more than enough entertainment for anyone.
4: Turquoise Bay, Exmouth, Australia
There is no easy way to choose the perfect spot in Australia but I’ll take a trip to Turquoise Bay anytime. A visit here between April and July means snorkeling with whale sharks. The gentle giants make an annual trip to the Ningaloo Reef to feed after the coral spawns. But the whale sharks aren’t the only amazing creatures you’ll see: with over 500 species living in the reef, snorkeling here is bound to be one of the most amazing ocean adventures ever.
July is also the perfect time to catch some waves—and just up the road from Turquoise Bay is Surfer’s Beach, a world famous reef break that serves up some pretty awesome rides.
5: The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
The Baths – photo by Kristen Sturdivant on Unsplash
This white sand beach is decorated by giant granite boulders and rock pools created by old volcanic activity. Like Playa de las Catedrales, The Baths is the perfect place for exploring with caves and hidden treasures abound. There is much to do in the area as well, including Top of the Baths Restaurant which offers a man-made fresh water pool in the middle of the dining area where local catches and frozen drinks are served.
Featured image via Unsplash.