Gran Canaria's top 10 beaches

Gran Canaria is a small miniature continent. An island near Europe with a huge variety of beaches. Almost 60 km of beaches on a 236 km long coastline.

On Gran Canaria you can find all kind of beaches. In the south of the island there are a whole bunch of beaches, so you will guaranteed find one that suits you.

Quick Facts Gran Canaria

Where: Canary Islands, Spain.
Language: Spanish.
Population: 790 000th
Time difference: None
Currency: EUR.
Best time: Warm all year round, the biggest range of trips from October to April.

Gran Canaria's top 10 beaches

Playa del Inglés

Water and sand: Brown, soft desert sand. Shallow and not so much waves. A very long and wide beach.

Peace and quiet: Very crowded beach. In the morning and afternoon, many people walk between Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas.

What to do: Everything. Jetski, pedalo, banana boat and para-glide and shopping.

Children: Shallow and lots of sand to dig in. Child friendly.

Maspalomas

Water and sand: Brown, soft desert sand. Shallow with partly stony bottom. Sometimes the waves can be high and the wind hard.

Peace and quiet: A lot of people, but the beach is spacious, quiet and still.

What to do: Go shopping in the big mall Faro 2, next to the beach. Boat and bus excursions.

Children: The waves can be high. Young children do best to stick to the hotel swimming pool.

Anfi del Mar, Arguineguín

Water and sand: The sand has been shipped here from the Bahamas, is pure white and super soft. The beach is just outside Arguineguín so you have to walk or take the local bus to get you there.

Peace and Quiet: On weekends, the beach is crammed with locals. Otherwise it's pretty quiet.

What to do: Jetski and pedal boats for hire. Bus excursions to nearby towns.

Children: At the Anfi del Mar beach the water depth directly.

Puerto de Mogan

Water and sand: Jet black lava sand. The water looks dark because of the black sandy bottom. Shallow about 15 meters out, then it gets deep. No high waves.

Peace and quiet: Incredibly quiet and calm. The beach is small and almost empty.

What to do: Hire a pedal boat, take a boat excursion to one of the nearby beaches. Otherwise you take it very, very soft here.

Children: A family beach. It is shallow and quiet.

Playa de Amadores

Water and sand: An artificial beach with white hard shell sand, imported from the Caribbean. The water is turquoise and very still. It is shallow and sheltered from the wind.

Peace and quiet: In high season there can be a lot of people on the beach.

What to do: Many tourist come here from nearby beach resorts, just to sunbathe and swim. There are some shops along the beach.

Children: Child friendly, shallow from the beach.

Puerto Rico

Water and sand: White, soft sand. Never any waves. Shallow from the beach, deep if you jump in from one of the piers.

Peace and quiet: Very crowded, but peaceful atmosphere. Background noise from all jetskis.

What to do: Everything. Here you can rent pedal boats, jet skiing and paraglide. Excursions by bus and boat to the nearby resorts, theme parks and mountain villages.

Children: Child-friendly. Shallow water closest to shore.

San Agustin

Water and sand: Dark brown, soft desert sand. The beach is located in a small bay and there are no waves.

Peace and quiet: Very quiet and still. Popular family beach.

What to do: Sunbathe and relax. There is a small shopping center.

Children: Very family friendly. It is calm and shallow.

Bahía Feliz

Water and sand: There are a few large hotel complex in Bahía Feliz. There is a small rocky beach with high waves. Most people lie by the pool.

Peace and quiet: Very quiet.

What to do: Daily activities, such as water aerobics, beach volleyball and wind surfing.

Children: Children's paradise with large pool areas, trampolines and large playgrounds.

Playa del Cura and Tauro

Water and sand: Dark but not black, volcanic sand. The bottom is a bit rocky and sometimes the waves can be high. Pretty shallow.

Peace and quiet: Very quiet.

What to do: Diving courses, snorkeling and boat trips. Visibility in the water is not great, but sometimes you can see beautiful fish.

Children: The waves can be high for small children. The giant pool in Playa del Tauro is a favorite for the children.

Las Canteras, Las Palmas

Water and sand: At low tide the beach is wide and it is far to deep water. At high tide the beach is narrow and the water is deep. Often high waves. Tourists go to the north of the beach and Las Palmas locals sunbathe on the south side of the beach.

Peace and quiet: A lot of people, still quite calm and quiet.

What to do: Stroll along the long beach. Discovering the city of Las Palmas. Good shopping.

Children: At high tide the waves can be high and the currents strong. The waves are largest from November to February.

Tenerife's best beaches

Year after year Tenerife is one of Europe's most popular destinations. The island is in many ways the perfect holiday choice: guarantied sun , good swimming spots, close to everything. In Tenerife, it's easy to find something to do whether you want to go water sliding, wine tasting, shopping, playing sports, partying, or lie perfectly still on the playa.

Quick Facts - Tenerife

Where: Canary Islands, Spain.
Language: Spanish.
Population: 700 000.
Time difference: None
Currency: EUR.
Best time: Warm all year round, the biggest range of trips from October to April.

Best beaches

Playa de las Teresitas: Long stretch of sandy beach in San Andrés outside Santa Cruz. The island's most quiet and finest beach. Often deserted during the week, but it can get crowded on weekends. In San Andrés there are several excellent fish restaurants to eat at.

Sun loungers and parasols: No. Shower Facilities: Yes. Close to cafés: Yes. Lifeguards: In the summer and some weekends.

Playa de Los Cristianos: The local beach in Los Cristianos is completely renovated. Good for young children, no currents or waves and a lot of boats to watch. In the late afternoons you can see the city's youth play beach volleyball and football on the beach.

Sun loungers & umbrellas: Yes. Shower Facilities: Yes. Close to cafés: Yes. Lifeguards: Sometimes.

Playa del Medano: Wind surfers' paradise is situated in the village of El Medano on the south airport. Medano is a lovely place to hang out in, but the beach is not good for sunbath because of the wind.

Sun loungers and parasols: No. Shower Facilities: Yes. Close to cafés: Yes. Lifeguards: Sporadic.

Cyprus 5 best beaches

Do you want to sunbathe on the beaches of pure white sand and swim in crystal clear water? You do not have to go to Asia or Caribbean to experience that . If you choose to go to Cyprus you have the same beaches but much shorter flight time.

Cyprus 5 best beaches

Pissouri Beach

This is a great beach which rarely is crowded. Half the beach consists of sand while the other has small round stones. The beach attracts both tourists and locals.

Grecian Bay

If you live in Ayia Napa, you swim and sunbathe on the Grecian Bay beach. It's a very beautiful beach, with white sand and crystal clear water. It is also shallow and child friendly.

Latchi Beach

At the harbor of Latchi, on the east side you will find a beautiful pebble beach with clear water. If you are tired of sunbathing and swimming, you can always go to any of the fish restaurants and have fresh seafood.

Markronissos

This is Cyprus' most popular beach, which is actually three beaches located in separate bays. If you become restless to lie still on the towel, you can try one of the many water sport activities.

Konnos Beach

This is a beach that not many people know of, even though it is only three kilometers from the tourist paradise of Fig Tree Bay. It is a small nice beach that is very popular among locals. Here is a small tavern and water activities on the beach.

Thailand's 5 best islands

Koh this and Koh that. Many tourists like the cozy islands of Thailand. Here are the islands they enjoy most.

Koh Chang

Koh Chang has become a huge success in Thailand thanks to it´s mix of beautiful beaches, relaxing atmosphere and Thai daily life. The island has several hundred square kilometers of fine beaches, colorful corals, clear water, abundant wildlife, towering mountain peaks, steep cliffs and an exciting rainforest. The best beaches are located on the island's west side.

Koh Lanta

The pace is wonderfully laid-back on Koh Lantas long beaches. Under the surface you find a colorful world of exotic fish and beautiful corals. The finest beaches are located along the Koh Lanta's west coast where you also will find most hotels.

Koh Phi-Phi

Pure white beaches, wonderful bathing waters and spectacular diving are three good reasons to travel to Koh Phi Phi. It was here in the neighbourhood that Leonado DiCaprio made the movie "The Beach" .

Koh Samet

Koh Samet is a small quiet island, about thirty minutes boat ride from the town of Ban Phe, near Rayong at the mainland. People travel here to relax, sunbathe and swim along the silky beaches. Backpackers came here as early as the 80´s. Today it is a popular holiday destination among both Thais and tourists from around the world.

Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan has in recent years become much more than just an island of the backpackers. Every full moon there is a party on the island that attracts many tourists. In addition to raucous parties Koh Phangan is beautiful, with quiet beaches and hardly any traffic. The environment is also ideal for families with children.

Seven Seas Imperial - Turkey

We have now had time to digest our impressions from our holiday in Turkey. We stayed at an all inclusive hotel called the Seven Seas Imperial.

As soon as the bus drove into the driveway to the hotel, we saw that this was a hotel with class.

It was a beautiful view when we looked out on the terrace from the front desk.

Our room was in the main building and was very fresh. The room was for four people, but we were just two so there was plenty of room for us.

The view from the balcony was very nice.

At the main restaurant they served breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was different themes every day, so it never became monotonous. Down at the beach, there was also a lunch restaurant, which served some beach food such as sausages, burgers, etc. There were also two à la carte restaurants.

There were two separate pool areas. The main pool was near the reception area. There was also the Cave Bar, where you could cool off with a drink.

There was even a pool with a wave machine and water slides. We tested both the water slides and something called the rapid, where you went down in a rubber ring in a path. It was great fun.

We did not spend so much time at the pools. If you go to Turkey you'd like to experience the beach and ocean. The beach was perfect for long walks. For the restless, there were a lot of water sports activities.

When we had dinner, we ended the evening with a drink or two at one of the hotel bars. There were shows every night, but we contented ourselves with the bars. At The Cave Bar there was live music and other performances each evening.

In summary, we are very pleased with the hotel, the room and the meals. This was one of our top five holidays. The only downside was that the beds were a bit harsh, but no bed is as your own. Inclusive alcohol had a limited selection, but we knew that and then you can´t complain.

Do you want a relaxing holiday on an all inclusive hotel, we truly can recommend Seven Seas Imperial.

Vietnam's best beaches

Vietnam is a country with friendly people, culture, culinary experiencies and beautiful beaches. In Vietnam, you are looked at with curiosity and an unfailing hospitality.

The Vietnamese culture is exciting and the history makes itself felt everywhere in the many fascinating sights. But Vietnam also offers some of the finest beaches in Asia. There are soft white sand, clear water and palm trees that provide well needed shade.

Vietnam's best beaches

Nha Trang

In the center of the city the seven-kilometer long beach extends. Although it is located in a relatively large town, you will not be disturbed when you lay down on a sun bed or towel in the soft sand. Above the beach there is a street with seafood restaurants and outdoor cafes which not only offer wonderful Vietnamese cuisine, but also effectively screen the beach from the city traffic.

Phan Thiet

Phan Thiet is as famous for its beaches as for its beautiful scenery and the excitement of the crowds in the city.

The beach, which got its name from the nearby fishing village, is a mile long, sandy beach with a calm and laid-back atmosphere. Here it rarely rains, largely thanks to the huge sand dunes in the area. Along the beach the hotels are lined up, tastefully built into the vegetation. When you get hungry, it's easy to find a quality restaurant, especially along the main street that runs parallel to the beach.

Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc is a tropical paradise island in South Vietnam, close to the Cambodian coast. There are beautiful beaches with white sand, turquoise water and palm trees that provide well needed shade.

A trip to Phu Quoc is a grand experience. The island is less than five mil from north to south, and bordered by white sand beaches divided by cliffs that plunge into the sea. The landscape is very fascinating, with alternately vast plains and steep mountains. From the heights you can see the azure sea and the mighty jungle. On Phu Quoc you can enjoy the sun and sea and be carried away by the Vietnamese history and culture.

Cuba's best beaches

Cuba is a destination that more and more people are discovering. The most developed resort town is Varadero, where you can walk on the long white beaches and dip your feet in the turquoise blue water.

But there are more beaches than Varadero. Below is a brief description of Varadero and a few more beaches to explore in Cuba.

Cayo Largo: is an island with dazzling white sand, turquoise waters, abundant marine life and sunken ships, which makes it a favorite among scuba divers. Child friendly.

Maria la Gorda: offers Cuba's best diving and snorkelling from the pristine white beaches and nature trails and bird watching. Child friendly.

Cayo Coco: is a popular island for tourists, with nine miles of snow-white beach. Child friendly.

St. Lucia: has a 20 km long beach. Swimming, snorkeling and diving are excellent here. Child friendly.

Varadero: a tourist destination with a very wide sandy beach and warm water. Child friendly.

Playa Ancón: is situated next to Trinidad and there are four hotels and a beach. The beach is white and long.

Playa Maguana : a desolate but beautiful beach north of Baracoa. Pedal there on rented bike or take the car.