There are an infinite number
of beaches, which means this year, to determine the best sandy spots, Travel +
Leisure launched its first annual Best Beaches Survey-and asked savvy travelers
to show their favorites.
The list began with 54 famous beaches, grouped by type, which voters then ranked. Some point came across loud and clear: you don’t need to travel far to experience a spectacular beach. Actually, U.S. beaches won in many categories, from seclusion to people-watching.
Within the Caribbean, meanwhile, all-inclusive hotels and endless activities-snorkeling, bodyboarding, sea kayaking-are a few of the reasons that families love Seven Mile Beach, within the Cayman Islands.
Wailea Beach, Maui, HI
Perfect for Activities: Thanks to a clutch of mega-hotels along Wailea’s small beach coves, there are many expert guides on hand only at that top-ranked beach for activities. They’ll lead the children on snorkeling, canoeing, and boogie-boarding excursions.
Seaside Beach, Seaside, FL
Perfect for Families: Pastel wood-paneled houses border dunes about this picture-perfect Gulf Coast beach, ranked No. 1 for families. After games of waterfront Frisbee, the whole crew can take cruiser bikes into the city for a casual seafood dinner.
Bahia Gardner, Española Island, Galapagos
Perfect for Wildlife Viewing: Most travelers visiting Darwin’s famous islands visit this top-ranked beach, Bahia Gardner, where explorers share the sandy shore with sea lions, red lava lizards, Española mockingbirds, along with other native wildlife.
One Foot Island Beach, Cook Islands
Perfect for Seclusion: There are no permanent residents on a single Foot Island, top ranked for seclusion, where travelers can walk-through shallow blue waters to long sandbars. Drumbeats at sundown signal the final boat back to neighboring Aitutaki island.
Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
Perfect for Families: This island’s fine sand and tranquil blue waters would impress any traveler, though parents are specifically taken with the all-inclusive hotel options, and youngsters love the laid-back activities, from snorkeling to shell-hunting, only at that second-ranked beach for families.
Voutoumi, Anti Paxos, Greece
Perfect for Seclusion: A top entry within the secluded category is Voutoumi beach on Anti Paxos, the tiniest of the Ionian Islands. To get to the remote crescent of pristine surrounded by steep cliffs, have a short boat ride from Paxos Island.
Playa Kalki, Curaçao
Perfect for Activities: Curaçao has seen an influx of tourists thanks to its appearance on NBC’s Bachelorette. But Playa Kalki, a high pick for activities, is definitely prized by expert divers because of its reefs and limestone coves, the place to find eagle rays and damselfish.
Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi, Thailand
Perfect for Dramatic Landscapes: With a ring of pristine surrounded by mangroves and limestone walls blanketed by dense foliage, it's not hard to see why this beach around the Andaman Sea nabbed the No. 3 landscape ranking-and why director Danny Boyle chose it for cult-favorite The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Assateague Beach, Virginia
Perfect for Wildlife Viewing: Rated No. 3 within this category, Virginia’s barrier islands Assateague and Chincoteague truly are famous for their wild horses as well as draw crowds for bird-watching (herons and egrets are typical).
Pampelonne Beach, St.-Tropez, France
Perfect for People-Watching: One of Europe’s most glamorous shorelines naturally ranked highly within this category. The half moon-shaped beach attracts the champagne-and-high-heels crowd that’s prepared to shell out $40 for lounge chairs and umbrellas.
The list began with 54 famous beaches, grouped by type, which voters then ranked. Some point came across loud and clear: you don’t need to travel far to experience a spectacular beach. Actually, U.S. beaches won in many categories, from seclusion to people-watching.
Within the Caribbean, meanwhile, all-inclusive hotels and endless activities-snorkeling, bodyboarding, sea kayaking-are a few of the reasons that families love Seven Mile Beach, within the Cayman Islands.
Wailea Beach, Maui, HI
Perfect for Activities: Thanks to a clutch of mega-hotels along Wailea’s small beach coves, there are many expert guides on hand only at that top-ranked beach for activities. They’ll lead the children on snorkeling, canoeing, and boogie-boarding excursions.
Seaside Beach, Seaside, FL
Perfect for Families: Pastel wood-paneled houses border dunes about this picture-perfect Gulf Coast beach, ranked No. 1 for families. After games of waterfront Frisbee, the whole crew can take cruiser bikes into the city for a casual seafood dinner.
Bahia Gardner, Española Island, Galapagos
Perfect for Wildlife Viewing: Most travelers visiting Darwin’s famous islands visit this top-ranked beach, Bahia Gardner, where explorers share the sandy shore with sea lions, red lava lizards, Española mockingbirds, along with other native wildlife.
One Foot Island Beach, Cook Islands
Perfect for Seclusion: There are no permanent residents on a single Foot Island, top ranked for seclusion, where travelers can walk-through shallow blue waters to long sandbars. Drumbeats at sundown signal the final boat back to neighboring Aitutaki island.
Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
Perfect for Families: This island’s fine sand and tranquil blue waters would impress any traveler, though parents are specifically taken with the all-inclusive hotel options, and youngsters love the laid-back activities, from snorkeling to shell-hunting, only at that second-ranked beach for families.
Voutoumi, Anti Paxos, Greece
Perfect for Seclusion: A top entry within the secluded category is Voutoumi beach on Anti Paxos, the tiniest of the Ionian Islands. To get to the remote crescent of pristine surrounded by steep cliffs, have a short boat ride from Paxos Island.
Playa Kalki, Curaçao
Perfect for Activities: Curaçao has seen an influx of tourists thanks to its appearance on NBC’s Bachelorette. But Playa Kalki, a high pick for activities, is definitely prized by expert divers because of its reefs and limestone coves, the place to find eagle rays and damselfish.
Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi, Thailand
Perfect for Dramatic Landscapes: With a ring of pristine surrounded by mangroves and limestone walls blanketed by dense foliage, it's not hard to see why this beach around the Andaman Sea nabbed the No. 3 landscape ranking-and why director Danny Boyle chose it for cult-favorite The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Assateague Beach, Virginia
Perfect for Wildlife Viewing: Rated No. 3 within this category, Virginia’s barrier islands Assateague and Chincoteague truly are famous for their wild horses as well as draw crowds for bird-watching (herons and egrets are typical).
Pampelonne Beach, St.-Tropez, France
Perfect for People-Watching: One of Europe’s most glamorous shorelines naturally ranked highly within this category. The half moon-shaped beach attracts the champagne-and-high-heels crowd that’s prepared to shell out $40 for lounge chairs and umbrellas.
No comments:
Post a Comment