Entry

Ten Off-The-Beaten-Sand Beaches

Apr 3rd, 2007 18:21
Harish Kohli, http://www.awimaway.com

Ten Off-The-Beaten-Sand Beaches
1. Konkan coast, Maharashtra, India
Pure white sand, backed by thick, lush forest, characterizes a string 
of gorgeous beaches running along a 370-km stretch of coast between 
Vasai and Vengurla. Hedvi, Velneshvar, Takarli, Harihareshwar and 
Ganpatipule, with its wonderful, red wooden 400-year-old temple, are 
among the delightful beaches awaiting the traveler ready to go the 
extra mile to find them. You can get to the coast from Mumbai by train 
or by air from Goa.
2. Nicoya peninsula, Costa Rica
Reef snorkelling, horseriding, jungle trekking and viewing the forest 
canopy from a zip-wire, along with the usual beach activities such as 
surfing, are treats on offer in this fairly remote, far northern 
region of Costa Rica. The wildlife is extraordinary: half a million 
turtles lay their eggs on the sand at Ostional beach, every two or 
three weeks from August to November, and the forests are full of 
howler monkeys, anteaters, coatis, armadillos and an array of 
spectacular birds, including the Resplendent Quetzal, with its 
shimmering green plumage, scarlet belly, white tail feathers and green 
tail, the rare and rapacious Harpy Eagle and over 50 species of 
hummingbirds and 75 different flycatchers.
3. Koh Mak, Thailand
Palm trees and the clearest of waters along a stretch of shore 25km 
long, as well as peace and quiet away from the crowds, are what you 
can expect on Thailand’s so-called ‘family island’. Set in the Gulf of 
Thailand, a little less than 50 km from the Cambodian coast, it’s 
reachable by boat from Trat on the mainland. You can stay here in a 
bamboo hut, a guesthouse, a thatch and rattan cottage or a good, but 
budget-priced hotel, and with luck you’ll see no one on the bit of 
beach you choose. 
4. Obzor, Bulgaria
The Black Sea coast of Bulgaria has taken off lately as a destination 
for beach tourists, and nice and clean the beaches are too. Crowded 
during high season, however, they may not appeal to those who want 
something more secluded, who may instead look to Obzor, roughly 
halfway between Bourgas and Varna, where the E87 highway emerges from 
forested hills into a brief, open coastal stretch. Despite its 
convenient location and 6-km-long sandy beach (the largest between 
Golden Sands and Sunny Beach), this remarkably pleasant spot can be 
almost yours for the taking, even during peak season.
5. Vik, Iceland
Not a place for sunlovers, the remarkable, 10-km-long, black-sand 
beach at Vik was named one of the ten most beautiful beaches on Earth 
by Islands magazine in 1991. It is no less beautiful now, with its 
setting on the crisp-coloured south coast of Iceland, its bird 
visitors from a nearby colony and the Reynisdrangar, black lava 
columns sculpted by the sea, nicknamed The Three Trolls. The sea off 
this coast is rather wild and stormy: even in summer, it feels cold, 
it looks cold, it even sounds cold! But it is a marvel and a place of 
glorious seclusion.
6. Ile Sainte Marie, Madagascar
Ile Sainte Marie is a granite island 57 km long and lies 8 km off the 
eastern coast of mainland Madagascar. Frequented by pirates between 
the 17th and 18th centuries, it is now a tourist destination, with 
enchanting beaches, bordered by coconut palms and backed by 
rainforest. A long, white beach at Pointe des Cocotiers features a 
marvelous tropical garden and a 20-bungalow hotel. On the eastern 
coast’s peninsula of Amphanihy are more beautiful beaches. Between 
July and September, the island is a fabulous place for viewing 
humpback whales, which pass through the channel that separates the 
island from the mainland between July and September. Go later in the 
year, October to December, and you can enjoy scuba diving near two 
wrecks. This tropical paradise has one significant drawback: it rains 
a lot, even in the ‘dry’ season.
7. Wild Coast, South Africa
Relatively untouched, the Wild Coast of Eastern Cape is a well-named 
wild and rocky, typically African haven, where waterfalls tumble into 
the sea along a stretch of nearly 100km. Its beaches, open spaces and 
pristine forest areas provide an opportunity for the adventure 
traveller to discover a variety of leisure options, including fishing, 
abseiling, snorkelling, diving and trekking in the hinterland. Tourist 
accommodation is sparse but intimate, which helps to guarantee a 
memorable holiday there.
8. Angra dos Reis, Brazil 
Tourism is highly developed here, but then with a mainland coastline 
and 365 islands to choose from, you are always bound to find a 
wonderful beach to yourself, with pristine waters perfect for 
swimming – among rainbow-coloured fish, if you like – or scuba diving. 
The town is 151 km from Rio de Janeiro, from where you can take a 
coach day tour. Better still, stay in the town and do your own 
exploring of the 2000 beaches. If you can’t find one to suit you, 
you’re not looking.
9. Hilton Dahab Resort Beach, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
OK, you won’t be the first to discover it, but if you want nothing 
more than a beautiful beach at a comfortable resort with a quiet, 
remote, end-of-the-world atmosphere, this beach may be the place for 
you. The mountains of Arabia face you across the water, and the beach 
itself offers good opportunities for swimming and snorkelling.
10. Cote de Massa, Morocco
A 90-km strip of golden beaches between Agadir and Tiznit, this coast 
is still almost untouched, with just one recently opened hotel, sited 
on the dunes that rise away from the sea. To the far right of the 
beach at Sidi Moussa d’Aglou, there are three prehistoric fishermen’s 
cave dwellings, but you need to be pretty hardy to visit them. Beware: 
strong currents make swimming hazardous. The wetland reserves of Souss-
Massa National are within near reach. 
Thanx
Harish Kohli
http://www.awimaway.com