5 top beach destinations I visited
You see me spending so much time on the beach that you must wonder about where I like it the most, don’t you? In 2017 I spent almot 3 months in different beach destinations. I was relaxing one month in the Maldives, a few weeks in Thailand and 1 week on Rodrigues island in the Indian Ocean. As many of you keep asking me which beach to visit, below I put up a list of top beach destinations I visited.
5 top beach destinations I visited
1. Maldives
Maldives simply had to be on the list, no matter what. And not only be on this list, but also proudly stand on the first place.
1,192 different Maldivian islands make for an ideal beach destination for everyone. You can find calm sea or wavy, you can go snorkeling or diving to observe rich underwater world, or simply relax on the beach doing nothing but sunbathing. During 4 weeks I visited various islands and beaches around Maldives and can honestly recommend all of them.
TIP 1: Here’s 30 things to know about Maldives before going there.
TIP 2: If you are looking for an overwater bungalow, Adaaran Prestige Vadoo could be your choice. And when it comes to local islands in Maldives, I can recommend Thoddoo.
At Kuramathi resort in Maldives
Who could say this is not a paradise? This is the first photo I posted from Maldives on my Instagram account. It was taken on Thoddoo bikini beach. Not too shaby, right?
2. Mexico
Out of more than 56 countries I’ve been to, Mexico made it to the very first place on my list of visited countries. I can never praise it enough. Happy people, tasty cuisine, stunning beaches, interesting archaeological sites… the country has it all. And when it comes to beaches, I prefer those on the Riviera Maya in Yucatan, or around Cancun. Isla Mujeres, Holbox, Isla Contoy and Cozumel islands are also breath-taking. Baja California is not bad either but the ocean there is not very turquoise.
TIP 3: If you are not conviced of visiting Mexico yet, I’m sure my article about 26 reasons why I love Mexico will change your mind.
3. Philippines
For many years it was said that Philippines consist of 7,107 islands but recently I’ve seen it’s more than 7,600 islands. The exact number of islands does not matter right now. What I’m trying to say is that Philippines must be a great beach destination if there’s so many islands to choose from, right? I’ve been to approx. 20 islands in the Philippines and can recommend some of them for sure. When it comes to beaches, for example Palawan, Coron and the little islands around them, such as Lang-Aw, all have eye candy beaches. Boracay, most probably the number one beach destination in Philippines, too. And let’s not forget Bohol island where I stayed at Amorita Resort.
TIP 4: If you are looking for a diving/snorkeling island, then Malapascua island would not disappoint you. I stayed there for 17 days even when not diving. The tiny island has a lot to offer.
Langob beach Malapascua Philippines
4. Thailand
If I count it right, I’ve been to Thailand 6 times already. Maybe when you got to this article it’s even more :D Thailand was my 2nd exotic destination after Mexico already in 2011 and it got deep in my heart ever since. There’s many picture-perfect beaches around Thailand. I can’t even remember all their names any more. In 2017 I spent 2 weeks on Koh Tao island and a week on Koh Samui. Both islands have incredible beaches. And Koh Phangan, too. Before that I’d also visited Koh Chang, Phuket, Koh Lanta and some smaller islands around on day trips. When looking for top beach destinations, Thailand might be one of the easiest places to visit.
TIP 5: If you don’t know which island to choose, check out the similarities and differences between Koh Tao and Koh Samui. Both islands are worth a visit, yet are very different.
5. Aruba
Aruba might be less known and less visited than the above 4 beach destinations, but you should put it on your bucket list. Aruba is a small island in the Caribbean that offers unforgettable white sand beaches with turquoise water. I did not know much about Aruba until my visit there a few years ago so when I stepped on the beach outside of my Divi resort for the fist time, I was in awe. What a perfect beach with perfect sunsets!
TIP 6: Here’s more about my trip to Aruba.
One afternoon on the beach a group of local guys came to me asking if they could take a photo with me. Why not? :)
Those following me for quite some time know that Mexico is my favorite country, then Costa Rica, then Philippines. Do you wonder why Costa Rica didn’t make it on the favorite beach destinations list above? Well, I love Costa Rica, I really do… but not only because of the beaches. There’s many other things I appreciate about ”pura vida”. They have some nice beaches, don’t get me wrong, but they are not those traditional exotic white sand beaches with crystal clear sea. At least no that idyllic compared to the countries above. Costa Rica is still worth a visit and I can recommend you beaches between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
What are your top beach destinations you’ve been to? Do they differ from mine? Please share in the comments below :)
SunnyGirl
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That’s a great list of beaches! As for me, I like beaches situated on the Eastern coast of America. There are miles of white sandy beaches with crystal clear blue water. Some beaches are situated not far from national parks, so that you can diversify beach rest by combining it with an excursion.
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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That’s great to hear :) I haven’t spent muchc time in Eastern coast of the USA, except Cape Cod for a day :)
Milan Bez Mapy Bardún
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Except of Aruba, been to all countiers, you’re mentioning here. For me, Maldives is best beach destination.
Alexandra Kovacova
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Well, same for me, Maldives win :D
Nie je túra bez Štúra
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Tak ja sa neviem rozhodnúť, ktorá z pláží vyzerá lepšie a dokonalejšie :-) Inak, ty tam úplne pasuješ :-)
Alexandra Kovacova
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Dakujem Rado, asi by ma nikto neprehovoril, aj keby tvrdil, ze na plaze nemam chodit :D