Weird and wonderful beaches

The perfect beach holiday typically involves stretches of white sand, crystal-clear waters and cocktails with little umbrellas. Of course, not all beaches are idyllic perfection; some are outstandingly weird and wonderful. You may not be able to sunbathe and swim, but these beaches are well worth a visit.


Glass Beach, California This beach pays true testament to the incredible force and sheer skill of Mother Nature. Located in Fort Bragg, California, this beach was unceremoniously used as an official dumping ground until the late 1960’s. Over the following decades, the sea filtered the rubbish and softened the glass, creating millions of multicoloured pebbles.

Chandipur Beach, India Chandipur is a distinctly unique beach. At high tide, the sea can recede up to an astounding 5 kilometres. When the sea retreats the ocean bed appears, revealing all manner of natural habitats. This beach allows for some serious exploration and you can expect to find beautiful shells, driftwood and tiny red crabs.

Giant’s Causeway, Ireland The Giant’s Causeway is a fascinating place, shrouded in legend and intrigue. The landscaped is scarred by hexagonal basalt columns which were created by an ancient volcanic eruption. The remarkable columns are so uniform and precise it’s hard to believe they were not carved by human hands.

Punalu’u Beach, Hawaii The white sands of many Hawaiian beaches are forgotten at Punalu’u as ancient volcanic activity has created striking jet black sands. Visitors to this beach may be treated to a rare sight of the endangered Hawksbill and Green turtles, who often call this bay home. The water is cold and very rocky so swimming is strongly discouraged.

Cow Beach, India First Snakes on a Plane, now Cows on a Beach, but this is no Hollywood Blockbuster. It’s not uncommon for visitors to this beach to have an encounter with a cow or two. Despite the bovine presence, this beach is extremely popular with tourists on cheap holidays thanks to its beautiful sands, lush palm trees and enticing waters.

Note:The photo in this post belongs to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnkay/6952135282/

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Koh Rong’s Long Beach: One of the best beaches I have visited

New York times puts it in the ‘Top 5 Beaches in the world’ list. I do not hesitate to say that it is one of the top beaches that I have been to. It has a long beach stretch, lovely waters safe for swimming, it is remote and hence very few people turn up here and it is in absolute pristine condition. This beach is the Long Beach of Koh Rong Island in South Cambodia.


This beach is so long that even if there are 150 people (which is generally a high number for this beach), you have enough beach area to ensure that the other people look like small dots in your vision. The hard beach floor, but soft on the foot, ensures that walking on it barefoot is like walking in heaven. The white sands are very pleasing to the eye and the shallow turquoise waters are perfect for swimming and floating. If you like to get a tan while reading your favorite book and not be bothered by anyone, then this is the place you have to be at. Since no local lives on this side of the island, there is no tourist infrastructure here and that means that you cannot get anything to eat or drink. Hence, if you do plan to spend the day here, it is advisable to carry enough water and food to survive the day. It would also be a good idea to carry a with you.


To reach the long beach, there are 2 options. One, you can do the 45 minute slightly adventurous hike from the bungalows on Koh Rong Island. This hike crosses tropical forests and then follows a steep decline that leads into the beach. The second option is to take the boat from the Koh Rong boat jetty to the Long Beach. A typical charge per person for such a trip is USD 4. Since the long beach waters are pretty shallow, the boat will drop anchor quite far away and you will have to wade through waist deep water to reach the beach.


Since the beach is a west facing beach, one of its best views is during sunset. Try not to miss it. The Long  beach here, like most of the beaches on Koh Rong Island is notorious for its sand flies, whose bites can be very irritating. Ensure that you spray yourself liberally with insect repellant that has a high DEET percentage. This is one place you should not miss on your next holiday to Cambodia. More so if you like tropical beach holidays.

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Beaches of South Goa’s Canacona District

Even though North Goa is known for its parties, flea markets, adventure sports and more, I find the beaches of South Goa to be more picturesque, serene,  endowed with natural beauty and less crowded. Below is a list of my top beaches (have ranked them: 1 being the best) that come under the Canacona district of South Goa. I thought I should share this list given that the Goa season is fast approaching.

1. Galgibaga Beach This is definitely the cleanest beach in Goa and may be, the whole of Indian mainland. I call it the turtle beach since the Olive Ridley Turtles come to nest here. Accommodation options may be less here, but that helps in preserving this natural beauty.

2. Cola Beach A very remote beach that has its own river, a small lagoon and the sea to itself. This is ideal for those who prefer a very quiet beach and would like to enjoy those serene sunsets with their loved ones. The freshwater body also adds a special charm to this beach.

3. Agonda Beach This is a popular beach next to the Agonda river estuary that is frequented by those who wish to stay around for long periods of times. One can find houses and shacks on rent by the month here. Sunsets here are legendary. For those staying here, the Cabo de Rama Fort is not too far away.


4. Palolem Beach The Palolem Beach is the most happening beach in the Canacona district with a lot of facilities. Ideal for families with great choice available in food.

5. Honeymoon Beach This is a pristine beach that is located on an island. One can get here in the early hours of the morning with packed food, enjoy the beach to themselves and then return to Palolem by evening. Great place to spot dolphins too.


6. Butterfly Beach A very small island beach that is about a 15 minute boat ride from Palolem. Ideal for those who are interested in climbing up the small hillocks of the hill, soak in the stunning Arabian Sea views, take a swim in the waters, have a relaxed afternoon and then return to Palolem in the evening. Watch out for the tides here.

7. Patnem Beach This is the beach that is most preferred by the foreign tourists as it is real close to the party zone that happens all night. Thursdays and Saturdays are the happening nights. It would be difficult to find a domestic tourist staying here.


8. Rajbaga Beach This is the beach that is right in front of the Lalit Intercontinental property. The Talpona river separates it from the Galgibaga beach. Ideal for those luxury seekers and those who wish to indulge in some adventure sports.

9. Colomb Beach This beach next to the Patnem Beach is known for its cove. Has an equal mix of domestic and foreign tourists. The beach is really small, but the waters can be real gentle here.

I hope that this list helps in planning your upcoming South Goa holiday.

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Unawatuna Beach: A great cove beach on Sri Lanka’s west coast!

Sri Lanka’s west coast to home to some of the best beaches on this tropical island. Hikkaduwa is one of the more popular touristy beaches, while Thangalle is the more quiet and local beach. Unawatuna, located 5 kilometres south of Galle is the one that offers the best of both worlds.

 
It’s natural cove ensures that it is a safe beach for swimming and its silversands and peaceful location give it a one-two punch. It’s beach shacks ensure that the tourists get a vibrant and luxury atmosphere close to the beach.

 
Unawatuna is also home to some of the best restaurants offering a great culinary experience especially the sea food and its clubs provide great nightlife opportunities. The waters here, apart from being great for swimming offer great win surfing opportunities and other adventure sports.

 
Owing to its proximity to the coastal town of Galle, a stay at Unawatuna also allows the tourist to explore the cultural highlights of Galle, roam its gem n precious stone stores and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Galle Fort.

 
Unawatuna is about 120 kilometres south of Colombo and 5 kilometres south of Galle. A short bus or tuk tuk journey connects Unawatuna to Galle. From Galle, one can reach Colombo either by bus or train. AC buses between Colombo and Galle offer a luxurious journey. A one way journey would take abut 2 hours 30 minutes and would cost about 230 LKR.

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Indulge in some Parasailing at Rajbaga Beach, South Goa

The exotic tropical destination, Goa, is the land of many personas. It has the wavy beaches, the pristine waters, the chilled out lifestyle, the bustling nightlife, the beach facing coco huts and many more. But, the one thing that is fast catching on in Goa is water sports, which ranges from scuba diving, snorkelling, parasailing, banana boat rides to jet ski.

 
Most of these water sports are fiercely popular with the local and foreign tourist population as there are a lot of adventure operators catering to the needs of these adrenalin lovers. The one adventure sport that is easily accessible to all adventure lovers, is affordable and is accessible across all age groups and health levels is parasailing.

 
Parasailing is an adventure sport, where the tourist is strapped onto a parachute in a body harness and is then pulled by a long rope that is connected to a speed boat. As the speed boat opens throttle and heads off into the open waters, the adventure lover is lifted high into the air along with the parachute.

 
This is a sport where you are totally airborne without your feet being on any surface. It is the easiest way to fly, let yourself loose, feel the adrenaline rush and enjoy the views of the wide open seas all at once.

 
There is no certification or practice required to participate in this sport, though a basic training session is provided by the instructor before the adventure activity begins. This adventure sport is generally organized during the afternoon hours when the gentle sea breeze blows in towards the land. None of the operators offer this sport during rough weather conditions.

 
A typical parasailing session lasts about 5 minutes and costs around 800-1500 rupees per person. Though, when in flight, the adrenalin rush is so high that the 5 minutes seems like 30 seconds and people often complain that the high gets over too soon. Parasailing is offered at many beaches in Goa along with other adventure sports. But, the operators at Rajbaga beach in South Goa are more reliable and have trustworthy equipment.

 
So, if you seek that adrenalin rush and are planning that holiday in Goa, then you know where to go and what to do!

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