Best beaches for those who don’t like sandy beaches
While it may be surprising to some, lying on the beach all day trying to get a golden complexion isn’t everyone’s perfect vacation concept. That’s why we’ve prepared a list of the best beaches that offer much more than sand, sea and sun, considering those who don’t like beaches. If you haven’t planned your vacation this summer yet, it’s not too late. You can add these holiday spots that offer different activities to your holiday list.
Tulum, Mexico
Although the Tulum region of the Riviera Maya has continued to grow and gain style over the decades, it still retains that bohemian charm that has drawn hippies from all over the world to this once-sleeping village. There is so much to keep you entertained in this strip of the Yucatan Peninsula that you won’t even have time to lay your towel. At the top of the list is an in-depth exploration of pre-Columbian ruins perched on 12-meter cliffs overlooking the Caribbean. Once you’ve thoroughly explored this place, one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Mayans, then spend the night in quiet areas where you can find yoga, cave diving, vegan dinners from Mexican fusion cuisine, boutique shopping and enough ‘mescal’ to keep you up to date with this Central American music.
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
If you find beaches shallow, why not explore the hidden depths of the Red Sea? Snorkeling on the coral reefs of Ras Mohammed National Park brings out the colors of the underwater life with an almost unrealistic brightness. If you want to dive a little deeper, a real sunken treasure awaits you. The Sinai seabed is the final resting place of the British Merchant Fleet ship SS Thistlegorm, which sank here in 1941, and it was none other than Jacques Cousteau who found it ten years after its sinking. For drier fun, try Sharm, a stone’s throw from the breathtaking stretches of Mount Sinai, Giza and the Nile.
Mykonos, Greece
While sitting in the scorching sun all day doesn’t appeal to you, dancing all night in the cool sea breeze is something else entirely. For some of the best beach parties in the world, look no further than the Isle of the Winds. While Paradise Beach’s reputation as the ultimate dance-to-go party spans continents, the entire island, from the beach to the center of Mykonos, knows how to have a good time. Diving into the refreshing Aegean waters in the morning will bring you back, but you can also spend the day relaxing in the shade by finding a quiet and narrow cobblestone street.
Alachati, Turkey
Located on the west coast of Izmir, Alachati is famous for its stone houses, azure waters, boutique hotels and restaurants, perhaps as one of the most authentic towns in Turkey. You may want to spend the whole day sunbathing on the beach, but this is not possible in Alachati. When you find time to explore the architecture, windmills and food of Alachati, the first thing you should do is try windsurfing. With its wind blowing all year and its sea suitable for surfing, Alachati is already considered one of the few surfing paradises in the world. Of course, while you’re in Alachati, don’t complete your holiday without enjoying the lively nightlife!
Railay, Thailand
Beach holidays can be a bit of an adrenaline rush, unless you’re surrounded by the steep limestone cliffs of the Rai Leh peninsula. Thrill enthusiasts won’t have to look for anything else, as they’ll find plenty of diving, cave exploration, and canoeing adventures, in addition to rock climbing soaring above the deep waters. If that’s not enough, you can literally throw yourself off the cliff and dive into the water from 30 meters high. For a change of scenery, head to Krabi’s mainland, which offers an expedition into the jungle. After that, of course, there is the Thai massage.
Saint-Malo, France
On stormy mornings, angry waves pound the walls of Saint-Malo castle, and there is no beach in sight. At tide, flat beaches emerge, but these are insignificant compared to the maritime past that this port town hides within its historic walls. To recall its historical past, this place, which was an important port in the 17th and 18th centuries, gained a dark reputation thanks to pirates. The people of Malo, who plundered the English ships passing through the canal, had a quarter of the gold in all of France, and this gold was in the XIV century when they needed money. It had become a resource that Louis also resorted to. If you want to interrupt your explorations, you can still listen to the king for advice. The king also relied heavily on this corner of Breton for another kind of treasure: oysters. The nearby fishing town of Cancale still owes its reputation to this crusty delicacy.
Major Cay, Bahamas
The thought of sand getting between your toes may make you shudder, but this island in the Bahamas may be worth taking those few timid steps. It’s true that there’s not much to do in this tropical island country other than lounging on pearly-white sands and walking through the azure waters of the Atlantic, free from worries. But it’s hard to find another beach that boasts friendly pigs playing in the ocean’s blue waters. The secluded island of Big Major Cay is known as Pig’s Beach for obvious reason and is home to several dozen wild boars. Although no one knows exactly how they got there for the first time, the pigs have completely adapted to their beach-idle lifestyle over time, and you can swim and sunbathe comfortably among them.
