Beaches or mountains? I have always struggled with this question, not. I know, I know. I always forget sunscreen for the first two days of every beach holiday, and then it’s too late. Sand in my suitcase annoys me in a special way that I did not know could exist. Crabs appearing out of sand is always a horrifying scene. And while they are all solid justifications against the beaches, my love for them is truly blind.
The sound of the waves crashing against the shores, increasing in crescendo as the sun goes down, calming every fibre in my body, is yoga for the mind. The simplicity of walking on the shore, leaving footprints on the wet sand, only to lose them in a breath, is exactly what life was ever meant to be.
I have secret compartments of memories that I am tapping into here, a little like The Pensieve of Hogwarts. Buckle up Potters, and dive in with me.
Now while I have enjoyed every single one of my beach vacations, there are some that are simply more magical than the rest. Here are some of my absolute favourite beach destinations – a little something to dream of in the times I am holed up at home in these virus times. The husband and I prefer the solitary to ṭhe crowds, and so we do mix up the touristy with ṭhe quaint and untouched. If you love your time with nature away from the crowds, these travel recommendations are for you.
Konkan coastline, India
The coastline has the Western Ghats in the east and the Arabian Sea in the west. Tropical lands, beaches, palm trees, forts, waterfalls, mountains and lush green valleys sum up the Konkan experience. The drive provides an exotic panorama of the Konkan coastline as well as the majestic hills.
Ratnagiri in Maharashtra has some beautiful, untouched, and clean beaches, where we were the only ones around. Well, it was us and the local fishermen, who has a pretty unique method of catching fish. Oh, and that means get your own food and any necessary equipment (beach chairs and book). Malgund beach must definitely be on every traveler’s list, if they are coming to these parts. Flat-ish for quite a distance with mild waves, it is well suited for smaller kids. While you are in Malgund, look up the Airbnb property listed as The One. Filled with seashells and crabs, the beaches around here are possibly a version of paradise. Umm, minus the crabs. Anyhow, half an hour’s drive away from Malgund are twin beaches of Aare and Ware, separated by a hill. No discussion about sun and sand in India is complete without the mention of Goa. Vagatore is possibly the most gorgeous beach in North Goa, and is made up of two beaches - Ozran and Tambduki. Tranquil coastline with white sands and azure water, you see here cliffs and palm trees around. You can see the Chapora fort (or the DCH fort) from Tambduki beach. The views of the Arabian Sea from the fort are breathtaking. So are the views from Olive – plus you’d be enjoying the view with great food for company. Goan trio of Baga, Calangute and Candolim is famous with tourists. Candolim is one of the most sought after beaches when it comes to experiencing water sports. Go for them if you like. Me, I have had more than my fill of banana boats. Candolim is also known for its beach-side parties and boisterous clubs. Hit Claudina's Shack for mouth-watering seafood and Goan cuisines. Do take out time to visit Aguada Fort - a well preserved Portuguese Fort located near river Mandodari. Cavelossim in South Goa, and more specifically The Leela Kempinski’s private beach, white sandy & calm of Cavelossim beach, and The Fisherman’s Wharf must be on your travel list.
Fårö & Gotland, Sweden
We travelled here during the off tourist season, which meant we had most of the touristy spots to ourselves. Abandoned fishing villages in the cold weather are the definition of picturesque. The blue of the Baltic sea is unbelievably blue – a deep, gorgeous, mystique-y shade of blue.
We took a bus from Stockholm to Nynäshamn, from where there’s the ferry to Gotland. The first thing I noticed after we got out of the ferry station was the lineup of berry trees that provide the perfect backdrop for almost everything around. Gotland is a dreamer's paradise. One look at its beaches and walking trails, and we knew we could never get enough of the place. Travelling here in September-October means you got here during the off season. Gotland was practically shut at this time and we were the lone tourists at most places.
A day in between was spent in the Fårö islands. Fårö is separated from Gotland by the narrow Fårö-strait, and is connected by two car ferries.
Bandos, Maldives
Or, it could be anywhere in Maldives, really. A chain of 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is one of the most serene, romantic, and wildly scenic destinations in the world. Each resort here is situated on an individual private island. Bandos is a private island twenty minutes speedboat r̥ide away from the Male airport. Well maintained property, helpful staff, clean, turquoise-greenish waters, and white sand, it’s just ṭhe place to swim with ṭhe fishes, or to go underwater. We went for the Beach Villa, which are the ones facing the beach. I would recommend either the Beach Villas or the Water Villas at Bandos.
Maldives is typically a honeymoon destination, so not all islands / resorts might be kid friendly - check before you book the resort. Bandos is super child friendly, and they make sure you know. If you travel with a child, that is. It would be super weird otherwise. Hmm, if they do that if you show up without a child, it would remind you of your mother. Okay, let’s move on.
The waters in Sweden are a deep shade of blue, and here in Maldives, you get clear blue waters in varying shades of soft blue and green. Add to that colouful fishes, and there is a picture you can expect during your visit.
Unlike any other travel destination, there was no agenda that we had here. All the islands look and feel more or less the same, and hence you can take a ferry to various islands and see more or relax at one, as we did. Evenings were milder on the skin and soul. Though, we had read the peak season in Maldives continues till April end and we traveled end March early April, the days during this time were scorching hot, and gave us enough sun burns to remind us of the memories of the trip for days after we returned.
Koh Phi Phi, Krabi, Thailand
We made Ao Nang as our base, with the hotel we stayed at across the road from the beach. We made a day’s trip from Ao Nang to Koh Phi Phi – it takes two hours by ferry to make the journey in the Andaman Sea. The ferry ride in itself is pretty magical with clear waters, cliffs, and hidden lagoons. Phi Phi Don is the largest of the islands here and the only one with accommodation and restaurants. Tonsai Bay is the main arrival and departure hub for Koh Phi Phi.
Phi Phi is every bit as beautiful as it appears in the pictures - clear turquoise blue waters, white sand, blue and green tiny fishes, cramped alleys, the out of the world Pad Thai, and the witty signboards everywhere. There are almost no motorized vehicles on the island, so transport on land is by foot or bicycle only.
One of the most beautiful beaches in Thailand, Maya Bay is a shallow bay surrounded by a ring of steep limestone hills on Koh Phi Phi Leh. The bay has a fascinating marine life and is a favorite spot for snorkelers. Maya Bay owes its fame to the movie The Beach that was filmed there.
Phi Phi has two seasons – wet and dry. Needless to say, catch this place during the dry season to enjoy its beaches better. The food in all the places we visited during our trip never disappointed us. But then, how can Thai food ever fail to measure up? Added bonus is that Thailand is very pocket friendly.
Çirali / Antalya, Turkey
Pronounced with a ‘ch’ and not ‘k’ sound, Çıralı is perhaps most known for being the hatching ground for endangered Caretta Caretta sea turtles. Now, while I cannot answer what the guy who named the specie was smoking, I am glad to report that’s the only thing he got to mess up around here.
Çıralı is a small rural village located just over an hour's drive southwest from Antalya. The quaintness ensures it’s not crowded with fellow tourists. Çıralı doesn’t have any major resorts or hotels, which is why it hasn’t lost its charm as a laid back destination.
It’s a stunning pebble beach with crystal clear waters, surrounded by historic ruins. At the end of Çıralı’s beach, you’ll find the ruins of Olympos, an ancient city that belonged to the Lycian Empire. The coloured pebbles shine under the sunlight, and make for a surreal beach experience. Thatched roof gazebos make it dreamy.
We took a boat for hopping on and off beaches nearby. The boat tour begins in the morning. It was just us and another family on the boat we took, so we practically almost had the place to ourselves, which was an advantage when we wanted to make some of the beach stops longer. You need a dingy to get to and from the boat. For some reason, the first thought I had on seeing the dingy was that I’d signed up for this dingy for the day, which made me surer and surer that I will be lost to the waves on that sea. Luckily, I was proven wrong.
Porquorolle, France
Porquerolles is an island in Côte d'Azur, France, and has been a setting for books and movies. With the stunning turquoise waters of the Mediterranean sea, these islands have quite an interesting history. In the early 1900s, a Belgian man bought the island as a wedding gift for his wife. Now ma’am, I don’t know your husband, but I totally approve. He also planted several vineyards, which still produce wine. The French Government bought most of the island in the 1970s, which allowed for the island to be protected from major development.
It can be reached by a fifteen minute boat ride from the peninsula of Giens. The only way to commute on the island is by bikes or you can go walking. Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes.
The island has beaches on the north as well as the south coast, however the south coast beaches are a bit tricky to reach. Once you arrive, you would realise it was absolutely worth the effort. It is mostly un-inhabited, and has rocky coastlines, beaches, natural reserves, forest trails, and a charming village.
The beaches here are picture postcard worthy. Plage de la Courtade is the nearest beach to reach from the center of the Porquerolles village. Because of that, it makes a perfect destination for families with small children or visitors who can’t walk long distances. The convenient position makes it the busiest beach on the island. Plage Notre Dame is on the northeastern side. You can either choose a forty minute walk from the village to reach here, or rent a bike. Because of its location, this beach is hardly ever overcrowded. On the northwestern part of the island lies another stunning beach – Plage d’Argent.
We spent our day on its beaches and walking in the village. The last ferry from the island took us back to Giens.
We began our Croatian adventure with Zadar. One of the first things I loved here was the drive by the sea, with the sea organ coming at a close second spot. Sea organ is an art installation, which is basically a series of marble steps leading down to the water. Beneath each platform is a hollow that creates calming, other-worldly musical notes when the waves and the wind hits the steps. About a ten minute, very scenic walk from the old town, is the Kolovare Beach. It’s a mix of sand and pebbles with the water so clear, some of our pictures appear to have only the pebbles and no water.
Bacvice and Kasjuni are the popular beaches in Split, which was our next stop after Zadar. Both of these are easy to access. Znjan is another clear water, white pebble beach around here. From Split you can take a ferry to Hvar, which takes a little under two hours. Hvar is an island in the Adriatic Sea, off Dalmatian coast. There are several accessible beaches around here with clear turquoise waters and pebbles, surrounded by pine trees and green hills. The beaches in Hvar are mostly pebble-y, so wear your water shoes to avoid the ouchy moments. Next stop – Dubrovnik. We took a bus from Split to Dubrovnik, which we almost missed because we overslept and were woken up pretty last minute by the extremely concerned owner at the property we stayed at. Now while there might be multiple routes to make this journey, the one we took involved crossing the Neom corridor. Neom is a nine kilometer stretch of Bosnia-Herzegovina territory that stands between Central and South Dalmatia. Plan for the border crossing in case you need to prepare for additional travel documents. Sveti Jakov Beach is my favourite in this part of the world. The access isn’t very easy with quite a few steps leading down to the sea. It’s a mix of sand and pebbles.
On reaching here, we headed to Sudersands Strand. It’s a sandy beach with bright blue waters of the Baltic that was abandoned in the winters. Colourful tassels, fishing boats, cold, windy, and beautiful. Although, if you want to get into the sea, opt for the summer months.
On the islands of Fårö and Gotland are rock formations called, well, rauks. They are a result of erosion during the Ice age and are unique to Gotland and Fårö. There are several different beaches with rauks on Fårö, but we choose to visit this one that's called Langhammars nature reserve - one of the famous rauk beaches on the island. I had never seen anything like this before. It's a magical land – one of those experiences that make you marvel at Mother Nature’s offerings. I will let the pictures do the talking.
So there, you have my top beach destinations. Let’s go make memories all over this beautiful world.