By Emma Noah
Sunny skies and beach vibes! A new year has come which means we all have a whole year round of chasing the sun wherever it may be.
Well, it’s true, it’s always summer somewhere. We won’t run out of bikini days if we only know where to go and when to go there.
I hope you have enough sunscreens and swimsuits to last you a year of lounging by the beach and just about every activity that screams summer by the ocean!
If it helps, you should invest in the best luggage sets to get you through a year of beach trips. Your hats and cover-ups need space inside your carry on, so you better pack them wisely or else, you’ll be nursing annoying sunburn for the rest of the season.
Plan your trips and make sure to include these ten relaxing beaches that you should visit this year!
1. Elafonisi Island, Greece
Millennials would love this paradise on the western side of Crete, Elafonisi in Greece because of its pastel-hued beach.
The sand has a stunning pink color and it’s paired with turquoise blue ocean water. You’ll get mesmerized in an instant just by looking at this pretty color combination. It’s even voted countless times as the most majestic beach in the world.
If you want a more relaxing area to go to, there’s a shallow lagoon between the mainland and the island.
2. Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands has a lot of amazing beaches that you should visit at least once in your life, but if I were to pick one, I’d say go to the Seven Mile Beach.
It’s only a 5.5 mile stretch of coral sand on the Grand Caymans west shore. But the Caribbean sun, Cayman Island rum, and the Jamaican vibe all throughout the island are enough reasons to visit this British Overseas territory.
3. Bathsheba Beach, Barbados
If you kind of loathe the crowd and you would appreciate a more peaceful vibe, another Caribbean island is perfect for you.
The Bathsheba Beach is a wild-looking beach on the east coast of Barbados. The white waters of this beach resemble Bathsheba’s (wife of David) milk bath, which legends say helped her keep her skin soft and supple.
There are boulders around the area that you can exploit for all your Instagram shots.
4. Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
If you’re into surfing, the beaches in Hawaii can satisfy your craving for that. On the other hand, if you want a more relaxed spot to chill on, Hawaii can also give you that!
The Sunset Beach in Oahu is one of the best places to catch a big wave during the winter and to just float around with ease when the water is as calm as a lake during the summer. Whatever floats your boat, Sunset Beach will surely give you the satisfaction you are looking for.
Aside from the water activities that you can try at this beach, the view of the sunset in this paradise is impeccable, almost to the point of getting you emotional just by staring at it. In fact, it has one of the most amazing sunset views in the whole world.
5. Banana Beach, Koh Hey (Coral) Island, Phuket, Thailand
With a wide stretch of the jungle by the shore and a crystal clear water on the horizon, Banana Beach in Phuket, Thailand is one of the best places to go to if you want to feel like you’re in a Survivor episode.
It’s one of the less crowded beaches in Phuket with only one restaurant and very minimal infrastructure around the area.
Banana boats are famous in this area, thus the name, along with other water activities such as snorkeling and kayaking.
6. Gili Trawangan, Indonesia
When we say beaches in Indonesia, we would easily think of Bali as the only island we could go to for some tropical vibes.
Unbeknownst to many, on the other side of Bali near the coast of northwest Lombok Island, you can find Gili Islands where beaches are as majestic as the ones in Bali, only less crowded.
Gili Islands is a group of three tiny islands, one of which is the Gili Trawangan. It’s a pedestrian island with only bikes and horse carts to get you around. It’s like you’re back in time where the ocean isn’t polluted and the sea turtles are free to swim around without fearing for their lives.
This is certainly one of my favorite islands in the world, it might become one of yours too, you just have to see it.
7. Whitehaven Beach, Australia
Whitehaven Beach in Whitsunday Island, Australia is literally like a painting. It’s like abstract art with swirls of deep blue and turquoise colors against white and beige sand.
When you visit this island, you wouldn’t have to worry about your feet getting burned by the sand that’s been exposed to the sun for long periods of time. Whitehaven has silica sand which means it won’t burn your soles no matter how scorching hot the sun may be.
This beach is only accessible by boat, seaplane, or helicopter.
8. San Blas Islands, Panama
If you’re looking for private islands to quench your thirst for summer escapade by the ocean, you should put San Blas Islands in Panama on your list.
This Central American tropical nirvana has 365 islands to choose from, depending on how much you want to isolate yourself from the world.
But no matter what you choose, you would certainly be sure that there are fewer people on this side of the world. So there’s no need to worry about that.
9. Cinque Terre, Italy
Cinque Terre in Italy will give you a unique summer vibe that you can only experience here sans the palms trees and the jungle.
Vibrant-colored houses line up this famous cliffside, contrary to the greens we usually see on an island. The waters of Cinque Terre is so clear you would be tempted to jump on it once you see it. Just be careful, though, the beach area is rocky compared to white sand ones we’re used to.
The best way to experience Cinque Terre is through a sailing trip where you can stop in the middle of the sea to go swimming.
10. Boracay, Philippines
Boracay has been constantly named one of the best beaches in the world with its azure waters and powdery white sand beach. It’s one of the most popular tourist spots in the Philippines, even foreigners love to visit.
It is best to visit this paradise now that the island has undergone rehabilitation in 2018 until it was reopened to the public in 2019 with new rules and regulations to maintain the cleanliness of the beach.
