Deni Soft

Deni Soft

So Many Beaches, So Little Time

When booking annual holidays, the beach is by far the most important element for a lot of travellers. There are so many great beaches around the world so where do you start? Here's a list of some of the best beaches in Europe and beyond…..

Playa d'en Bossa, IBIZA is possibly one of the best beaches within a 2 hour flight from the UK, a 2km stretch of beautiful soft sand against crystal clear waters. With the main strip offering the usual water sports, pedaloes for those wanting to chill out and take things easy, to kite surfing for the more adventurous. The south wind along this coast makes it appealing to windsurfers too who enjoy riding the waves. There are many beachfront bars offering long, refreshing cocktails, ideal for when the sun gets too intense.

Olu Deniz, TURKEY is the most photographed beach of Turkey, with its famous Blue Lagoon home to crystal clear waters and a sheltered inland bay. On one side, the gentle sea laps up to the white shingle shore whilst the 10 minute walk along the cape will take you to the protected area of the National Park. Here you can hire pedaloes as the waters are so calm and hire a fishing rod, you never know what you may catch!

Ela Fonisi, CRETE has some of the prettiest sands in Europe, tinged with pink from the corals it's an area of natural beauty to the south west of the island. No holidays to Crete would be complete without visiting this picture postcard paradise for the day, here you can walk out for 200m and the waters won't come above your knees and it's so clear you can see the magnificent sea life.

Sharm El Sheikh, EGYPT is a historical gem located on the shores of the Red Sea, its golden beaches offer the opportunity to relax and unwind whilst the clear waters allow for some of the world's best diving. The Ras Mohammed National park is home to famous coral reefs and is well worth a boat trip even for you who just enjoy snorkelling. There are hundreds of species of tropical and marine fish just off the main beach if you prefer to go at Your Own pace and plenty of water sports available too.

Bijilo beach, GAMBIA is the most tropically beautiful beach you will find without a 10 hour flight, long stretches of soft sands await you and this beach is always uncrowded apart from the occasional fruit sellers who walk all along the coast selling the freshly picked fruits and nuts. You can watch the fishermen casting their nets out into the ocean whilst enjoying a cocktail or two, it's not recommended to swim in these waters as there is a strong undercurrent.

Cocoa Island, MALDIVES has exotic beaches to die for, powder white sands mixed with transparent waters it makes the perfect escape for honeymooners and newlyweds. Snorkelling and diving are famous in the Maldives and it's easy to see why, there's a wealth of Lion Fish and turtles and you could even find yourself swimming with stingrays.

Varadero, CUBA offers soft grain sand in abundance, ideal for lazing away your days with a tropical Caribbean cocktail. There are water sports galore here and the refreshing breeze makes it comfortable in the intense sun.

Patong beach, PHUKET is the most popular beach in Thailand, with its tropical waters and famous party atmosphere you'll never want to leave! Thought to be one of the top 10 best dive sights in the world it's easy to see why visitors return year after year to this exotic paradise.

With such a huge choice of stunning beaches to explore, this list will surely give you some pointers in the right direction! I felt most inspired by Ela Fonisi beach, CRETE, it's simply breathtaking and I'll definitely be taking holidays to Crete in the very near future.

About the Author

Yvonne Dawson also writes for TravelNewz, check out the site for interesting and fun news stories.

Kimberley Rew & Deni Bonet - "Phillip Larkin" w/Talk