Just Beachy

Salty hair, sun-kissed skin and that book you’ve been ready to get stuck into for months – beach life doesn’t get much better than that, right?

By Nadia Gardner

There’s something magical, grounding, and downright delicious about sunning your body, feeling the light on your face and squishing sand between your toes. It’s even better when you can do that on one of the earth’s most visually stimulating beaches. Because when the water kisses the sand, a joy like no other is sparked. Here’s our round-up of not just summer-worthy destinations, but all-year-long ones…

Magical Maldives

With its icing-sugar sand, whispering coconut palms and cobalt seas, the Maldives is the ultimate beach holiday all-year-round. Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an archipelagic country located in Southern Asia, situated in the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 750 kilometres from the Asian continent's mainland. The Maldives has a total of 26 atolls and 1190 islands out of which almost 200 are inhabited and 110 are left purely for tourism and luxury purposes. A little-known fact is that the beaches have white sand and not yellow since the sand on the beaches are made from coralline, and not quartz, like other kinds of sand. This kind of sand is very rare and constitutes just 5% of all the beaches in the world!

Our tip resort pick: LUX Resort Maldives

Blissful Bali

When it comes to Bali’s best beaches, it’s just the beginning. Add in some swanky sunset cocktails and world-class surfing, not to mention a few palm-studded bays, and you’ll swear you are straight out of a postcard. Bali is blessed with some of the very best beaches in the world. So pack your sunscreen and your fave bikini, wrap up your sarong and prep your hottest summer playlist, because you’ll want to tick off alllll of Bali’s best beaches on your next island adventure. From secret bays with the ultimate surf waves, to the most family-friendly waters and dreamy diving destinations – beach mode in Bali is officially on!

Our top pick: Padang Padang in Uluwatu (famed for its role in Eat. Pray. Love)

Cool Corfu

Greece has always been wildly popular when it comes to beach destinations. From Mykonos to Milos, you’re spoiled for choice with an abundance of islands. One we suggest is Corfu. This popular island off the north-west coast of Greece offers an enticing combination of sandy beaches, lush coastal scenery, and a historic old town. Surrounded by the Ionian Sea, the island is known for its unique heritage which includes a mixture of French, British, and Italian cultures. It features a beautiful rugged coastline that is lined with magnificent resorts, shops, and restaurants. Paleokastritsa is the most famous beach, while other nice Corfu beaches include Agios Gordis, Pelekas and Glyfada.

Our top pick: Canal d’Amour

Catch-me-if-you-can Cape Town

South Africa’s Cape Town boasts the most majestic jewels in the crown of beaches. From Bakoven to Llandudno, Camps Bay to Clifton, Cape Town beaches are always the hottest ticket in town. Beach life is big in Cape Town, despite the fact water temperatures range from chilly to frigid thanks to the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors to Cape Town have a choice of no less than 72 beaches, all within easy reach of the central business district. A coastline of over 300 kilometres surrounds the city and along the way are numerous beaches – each with unique character and appeal! From inner-city beach favourites like Camps Bay and Clifton to the more remote and romantic in Llandudno and Hout Bay, Cape Town beaches offer something for everyone. No matter where you throw down your towel, prepare to be dazzled with spectacular mountain views, picture-worthy turquoise waters, and dramatic beachfronts boasting tide pools, marble boulders, and insane sunsets.

Our top pick: Clifton