Life’s a beach- The GTG’s top beach spots

Well to cheer up any winter-bearing residents of the southern hemisphere and to stay topical for those currently experiencing summer in the northern hemisphere (I use the term loosely and in sympathy for anyone in the UK/Ireland this ‘summer’) I thought I would talk about some of my favourite beach spots around the world.

• Newcastle- Australia (and surrounding regions), ignoring home-town bias, this area is renowned for it’s surf beaches but also for breath-taking bays to the north. The international ‘surf-fest’ held at Newcastle beach annually is testimony to its quality and accommodating nature.
  

  Shoal Bay in Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia from the headland. Originally posted to Wikipedia by Timc2000 and released into the public domain. Uploaded here for use on Wikinews by Cartman02au (Photo credit: Wikiped

   

   

   

   

  Phuket- Thailand (and surrounding regions), with seemingly perfect weather year-round, Phuket and the surroungin islands are well known amongst tourists looking for somewhere to go on a smaller budget (although not in comparison to the rest of Thailand). This said there are still many places in the area where you will not need to compete for space.

  

  The Beach of Koh Phi Phi Leh in southern Thailand. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

 

 

• The Algarve-Portugal, with one of the more milderEuropean climates, the Algarve is a sport for both families and people of any age looking to party. Be sure to take in the unique sandstone formations that serve as one of the Algarve’s best trademarks.

The Gold Coast-Australia, as one of Australia’s most popular family holiday destinations, the gold coast is a tourist mecca, the attraction expands from the beaches themselves to include the world-class theme parks and decent nightlife.

 

• Santander, San-Sebastian and the North coast of Spain, again for locals here, the beach is a way of life. You will note the presence of holidaying Europeans but that should not take away too much from the atmosphere, and the fabulous Pinxos in Basque country is definitely an added bonus.
  

  Beach of San Sebastian (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

• Dalmatia, the coast and islands- Croatia, with the clearest water I have seen anywhere in the world, treat yourself to some island views, and a pace that is refreshingly slower than you may be used to. Be mindful that some thongs (regular readers will know what I mean) or flip flops will be handy to get you as far as the water, and over the pebbles.
  

  Brela, Southern Dalmatia, Croatia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• The North coast of NSW-Australia, this stretch of coast is not so much a locally-kept secret but is a much less built up and visited area. Many of the most beautiful spots are perfect for camping and many a deserted beach can be found outside the exception of Byron bay and other more famous beaches.

So there are a few recommendations, apologies for not using my own photos for this article, I assure you I do have them and will add some to a gallery attached to this article at a later date.