If you’ve spent the past year missing the feel of sand beneath your toes, when the world opens up to holidaymakers once again, finding a place with pristine shores and perfect views will be near the top of your to-do list.
Here, Good Housekeeping's travel editor David Wickers rounds up his pick of the world's best beaches to relax on…
Devil’s Bay National Park, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Go for: adventure
Go with: Elegant Resorts
Beaches are the main reason we go to the Caribbean, especially in winter when the weather at home is grim (which can also be said of much of the British 'summer', too!). Antigua alone has a beach for each day of the year (366 if you count the sister island of Barbuda). But if I had to single out just one, it would be Devil’s Bay on the island of Virgin Gorda. It's utterly beautiful, of course, but getting to it is all part of the magic. From the car park at The Baths National Park, you have to follow a twisty path between – and occasionally under – an avenue of smooth, pinkish granite boulders as big as elephants, and wade through a wonderland of grottoes and pools. After the 20-minute walk (which be warned, is not for the faint-hearted), you’ll step on to the silkiest of white sands, lapped by a peppermint sea. It’s a real ‘wow!’ moment. And picturesque Devil’s Bay itself is perfect for swimming or snorkelling in the beautiful turquoise waters.
Maldives
Go for: romance
Go with: Kuoni
In terms of topography, there’s very little to choose between the islands since they all share a remarkably similar template, of a lush green heart fringed by a necklace of the purest, softest, finest, whitest sands which, in turn, front a turquoise lagoon. All are pimple small; on the tiniest, you can even stand on the beach and throw a frisbee from one side of the island to the other. The differences between islands lie more in the style of resort that’s been grafted upon them. There are around a hundred to choose from, some Crusoe peaceful and unbeatably romantic, others with an abundance of facilities and a better bet for families. Some are a boat ride from the airport, others a seaplane transfer, some all inclusive, some pay as you go… all you have to do is choose one and hit the beach.
Patara Beach, near Kalkan, Turkey
Go for: relaxation
Go with: Tui
We have nature and ancient history to thank for the blissful emptiness of Patara, Turkey's longest beach on the country’s south coast. The beach is protected because of the presence of loggerhead turtles, which have chosen Patara to lay their eggs since prehistoric times. And it’s thanks to the Romans – whose archaeological site, complete with amphitheatre and triumphal arch – that this 10-mile long expanse of dune-backed sand is, aside from a small cafe with a cluster of sunbeds and parasols, completely devoid of development (and noisy water sports). Save time in the cool of the late afternoon to explore the ruins before returning to your likely roost at Kalkan or Kas.
Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa
Go for: nature
Go with: Rainbow Tours
Plettenberg, known by locals simply as Plett, is a seaside resort that sits on top of a line of cliffs overlooking a 10km-long arc of sand. It’s an essential stop if you’re travelling east along the Garden Route, from Cape Town towards Port Elizabeth.
The whole scene – the beach, the bay, the Tsitsikamma mountains plunging down to meet the deep blue Indian Ocean – is magnificent. As a bonus, between June and November, you can see whales the size of submarines frolicking in the breakers from the shore or on a boat trip. Chose your stretch of beach according to your interests: ‘Central’ for water sports, ‘Lookout’ for surfers and lagoons like ‘Keurbooms’ for calm swimming.
Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia, Greece
Go for: views
Go with: Sunvil
You’ll probably first see Myrtos, on the northwest coast of the island of Kephalonia, on ‘Come to Greece’ posters, picture postcards, calendars and fridge magnets. Your second sighting will be the spectacular view from high above as you follow the main coast road and look down at the gorgeous scoop of snow white beach enclosed by a horseshoe of green-backed mountains, which contrast with the many blue shades of sea. And your third encounter? The beach itself, after a hairy, 2km descent. Myrtos is Blue Flag clean but not also always safe for swimming – be sure there’s no red flag flying. If you want to know what the beach and the rest of Kephalonia looks like before making up your mind, watch Captain Corelli's Mandolin – it was filmed on the island.
Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
Go for: surfing
Go with: Travelbag
Bondi is more than a beach – it’s an icon, and by far the most famous beach in Australia. You may not want to base yourself on Bondi – it’s a short drive or bus ride from the rest of the city – but you should definitely pay a day’s homage. If the surf’s well mannered, you might like a swim. Or even a surf, with boards available for rent from outlets along the seafront and lessons are easily booked. Be there in time for breakfast at the Lamrock Cafe and/or lunch Icebergs right above the old seawater swimming pool.
Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, The Bahamas
Go for: photo opportunities
Go with: Tropical Sky
There are other better known islands that make up the Bahamas, but it is the diversity of the so-called Out Islands that make this destination unique. Harbour Island (along with Eleuthera) is the main island of the 110-mile long chain, but one barely known to Brits. It’s where you’d find, on its eastern shore, Pink Sands Beach, a remarkable work of nature formed by the sea pummelled shells of microscopic marine creatures called Foraminifera. The colours are at their most intense near the water’s edge, and, in my view, at their most stunning at sunrise and sunset when the contrast between the sea, sand and sky reaches its peak.
Bird Island, The Seychelles
Go for: peace & quiet
Go with: Audley
You'd be hard pressed to find a beach on the Seychelles that wasn't scenically ravishing, but rather than one of the big stars, I’m going to send you to a different island, a titch-tiny one called Bird. I once walked all the way round it, with one foot in the sea, one on the beach, and didn’t see a soul. Bird welcomes just a handful of human visitors, who stay in the one simple lodge (it has no TV or air con, but it is wonderful). It also welcomes some 80,000 sooty terns, which fly in to breed and stay for the whole summer. Resident wildlife includes other avian species, turtles and giant tortoises.
Holkham, North Norfolk
Go for: British beauty
Go with: Norfolk Cottages
First, a disclaimer: I’m sure everyone reading this will feel their own favourite beach should have been named as the best in Britain. I also confess to having seen many, many miles of worthy contenders over the years, all of which could well have made the final cut. But the one that pips all the others to the post, for me, is the beach at Holkham on the North Norfolk coast. Backed by dunes and rows of pines, it is a massive apron of sand (almost on a scale to rival the Sahara. Almost). At low tide once, I timed a walk from the top of a dune to the sea – it took 22 minutes. That’s a long way to go for a swim (wait till the tide comes in), but for a bracing walk, riding a horse, flying a kite or taking your clothes off (at the official nudist end only), Holkham is really hard to beat.
