Here in the UK the school summer holidays are coming to an end; for some, they ended a while ago. With the busy autumn term ahead, the memories of fun family beach days will fade as the evenings draw in and the temperatures drop. But we’re not ready to say goodbye to summer just yet. Oh no! We want to embrace every last sun-kissed wave, every last sunset over a calm sea, every last sandcastle, shell hunt and ocean swim that made our summer holidays simply the best ever!
This A-Z, over 9 days, showcases the very best, most incredible, add-to-bucket list beaches around the world – according to my travel blogging friends. Today we cover letters P to R, showcasing beaches from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Lanzarote and Spain. Kick off your flip flops, pop on your sunglasses, relax on your lounger, and drink in these heavenly contributions …
P – Parakeet Bay, Rottnest Island, Australia
Rottnest Island, located off of Perth in Western Australia, is one of the best places to spend the day relaxing. With the beautiful bays and the clean beaches, you can’t go wrong with beach hopping and lounging. One of the recommended beaches is Parakeet Bay which is in the northern part of the island. You’ll love the white sand and the clear turquoise waters. The calm waters is safe for swimming snorkeling. There isn’t any shade here, so definitely bring sunscreen and an umbrella for coverage. The beach wasn’t crowded during our visit due to the remote location. You need to either ride a bicycle or take the Island Explorer Bus to get here.
Submitted by, and thanks to, Life Of Doing
P – Piha Beach, New Zealand
New Zealand is full of stunning beaches, but Piha, in Auckland, is super famous. Its waves are great for surfers, but it’s not only that. It’s very known due to its beautiful black colored sands. They’re black because of volcanic matter, and they’re stunning. If you’re lucky, you’ll see places where it’s like a tiger hyde: stripes of black on the golden sand.
If you’re even luckier, you may find a seal around – mostly early in the morning, when people haven’t started coming around yet. For people who don’t surf, like me, you can still have fun. Stay in shallow waters, or just enjoy the beach from the sand. It’s breathtaking!
Submitted by, and thanks to, World Trip Diaries
P – Perhentian Beach, Teluk Pauh, Malaysia
This serene beach paradise is found within a hidden cove on the northeast of Perhentian Besar (the Big Island) surrounded by towering rainforests, and the relentless sound of nature. However, the Perhentian Islands are otherwise renowned for fantastic snorkelling in Asia, and Teluk Pauh shares the best of it, with some of the most diverse and abundant reefs of the island. Where, following just a short paddle from the shore, we came across around 30 species of fish (we lost count) including Clownfish, Rays and Pufferfish. It really is a snorkelling Paradise. And while it does appear to be a private beach, with only one hotel next to it, the beach can also be reached by following an elevated walkway on the island. Another highlight includes the local silvered-leaf langurs which eat from the mango trees which line the beach perimeter.
Submitted by, and thanks to, Live Less Ordinary
Q – Quimixto Beach, Mexico
Located at about 20 miles south of the vibrant Puerto Vallarta on the lush Pacific Coast of Mexico, Quimixto is to me one of the best beaches in the area. The fun part is that you need to hope on a fisherman boat in order to get there as there is no viable road that leads there. The beach is one of the most deserted, and the waters are crystal clear and very much accessible.
Once you arrive you can ask to be dropped off at the pier from where you can enjoy a nice hike to a refreshing waterfall, a great simple walk of an hour before hitting the turquoise waters of the ocean. On the beach, you should get to the farthest end where you can either lay anywhere you want on the soft sand or rent a chair and shade from the only restaurant there.
Eating there is also very much recommended, for the great fish option and local specialties they offer. Mind though, if you are vegan you won’t find much, except probably for a hearty guacamole that is never missing from a Mexican Menu. To go back to your hotel, you can either ask your boat Capitan to come back for you at a certain time or ask the restaurant to call for a boat for you, whenever you are ready. You can spend the entire day there and enjoy the pristine refreshing waters surrounded by the tropical vegetation of the lush green mountains.
Submitted by, and thanks to, Boundless Roads
Q – Queens Beach, Sveti Stefan, MontenegroÂ
Queen’s Beach in Sveti Stefan, Montenegro is one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever visited. Villa Milocer on this stunning stretch of beach on the Adriatic Sea was the summer residence of the royal family. Queen’s beach was favored by Montenegrin Queen Marija, hence its name. Movie star Sophia Loren also enjoyed relaxing on this pristine stretch of beach in the 60’s and 70’s for serenity in this luxurious location. Today the beach remains exclusive and is only accessible to guests of the luxury resort Aman Sveti Stefan. We definitely felt like royalty watching the sunset over the sparkling blue sea as gentle waves washed over the reddish sand. Cypresses and olive trees make a beautiful backdrop to this beach fit for a queen.
Submitted by, and thanks to, World Travel Adventurers
Q –Â Quemada Beach, Lanzarote, Canary Islands
For those looking for a non-traditional beach to visit in Lanzarote (in the Canary Islands), Playa Quemada is a great option. It is a small fishing village easy to access on the East Coast of Lanzarote.
Contrary to most golden sand beaches in Lanzarote, this one is black. At the village the beach is covered with pebbles but if you keep going along the cliff you can find black sand to lie on (plus it is sheltered from the wind, which is great!) There are no facilities but the small village is full of charm with traditional houses and delicious seafood restaurants by the water.
Submitted by, and thanks to, ZigZag On Earth
R – Rodas Beach, Cies Islands, Spain
Along with the Ons archipelago a few other little ones, like the Cies Islands, are part of the Atlantic Islands National Marine Park.
Forget about the overcrowded Mediterranean beaches Spain was once famous for. As Galicians, we can’t be prouder of Rodas Beach in the raw and stunning Atlantic Ocean coastline. This beach has been featured many times as one of the most beautiful in the world by large newspapers and travel magazines such as The Guardian. It is located a 40-minute boat ride from Baiona, in Vigo’s estuary and apart from the Summer season which goes from late May to mid-September, it is only accessible by private yacht. Its pristine calm waters, small sand dunes, and turquoise lagoon welcome a couple thousand visitors daily (tops. In fact, visitors need to fill an online request to head there before since it is a National Park). Don’t be fooled though, its Caribbean like waters are some of the coldest you can find in Europe! But if you are brave enough to go for a quick dip, you won’t be disappointed.
Submitted by, and thanks to, A World to Travel
Thank you to all our fabulous contributors. We hope you’ve enjoyed our trip around the world to some amazing beaches. Please come back tomorrow for our next instalment, S-U, that will visit Anguilla, The Netherlands, Scotland, the USA, US Virgin Islands, Galapagos Islands, Sri Lanka and Poland. You can read yesterday’s post here.
