Hawaii’s coastline is supposed to be both beautiful and dangerous, and that about sums up conditions here. The currents and shore break keep it interesting and on the ‘must do’ list for surfers and body surfers, but when the ocean starts to get a bit angry you’d better take note and get out of the water if you’re anything less than an experience shorebreak body surfer – and if you don’t know what that is then you’re not one, get out of the surf! They may make it look easy but that doesn’t mean we can all do it.

A very slight indentation into the long straight coastline, a wild and deserted stretch of white sand, so far unspoiled by the intrusion of construction, with a name to reflect the piracy that once no doubt took place here. Good snorkelling, no facilities.

This island was named the “Fat Virgin” by Christopher Columbus because its coastline looks like a woman with a round belly. Virgin Gorda is the third largest of the British Virgin Islands and boasts private, pristine beaches and luxurious resorts. The island remains largely undeveloped, made obvious by the island’s lush green vegetation and overgrown mountainous trails.

Yachting enthusiasts travel the world to sail around the Virgin Gorda shores and Spanish Town is perfect for a day of browsing through the local wares. Virgin Gorda is also home to one of the British Virgin Island’s most popular destinations, The Baths – a collection of secluded caves, grottoes and tidal pools that are ideal for swimming and snorkeling. Don’t stress if you can only squeeze one day into your holiday to visit Virgin Gorda. The island is easily accessed through from other parts of the British Virgin Islands through plane or ferry.

On the very edge of Cap Ferret, is the beach called ‘La Pointe’, the sandy expanse of which gets so buffeted by the winds and waves that tree trunk pillars have been hammered into it to help hold the beach together – the science of how this works in unclear, but apparently over the last 30 years around 400 metres worth of sandy beach has been lost from this coastline. Behind the flat beach at La Pointe are the dunes, which is where some of the sand ends up. Beyond that is more wild coastline and on the other side of the beach is the Atlantic. There’s no main road along this stretch of coast, just long thin stretches of pines and small villages living off oysters.

Cap Ferret is close enough for Bordelais to drive down for the day – so as you sit in your oyster hut right on the beach eating oysters shucked straight out of the waters it’s accompanied by a superb selection of local wines.

Near Calvi, this is a small, secluded Corsican beach and mentioned by several non locals as one of the prettiest in the Med. Surrounded by pine trees, it slips under the radar of the beach loving crowds, but it has all the mod cons, including a charming restaurant right on the front.

The climate is closer to Italy than France, the food and culture closer to mainland France but the location is slap bang in between, a diamond along Corica’s 600 miles worth of beach-y coastline.

Santa Maria is located near Naoussa, in Plastira Bay and is a long coastline divided in many soft, golden sandy beaches which offer a beautiful view on the island of Naxos and crystalline emerald waters.

All the small beaches forming Santa Maria beach are fully organized, with sun beds, umbrellas and water sports facilities such as windsurf, scuba diving, paddle boats, etc…

A campsite is located behind the beaches and makes it really crowded during the pick season of July and August.
The beaches of Santa Maria in Paros can be reached by local bus or by infrequent fishing boats leaving from the harbour of Naoussa.

Right next to the lovely beach of Tsigrado is the superb beach of Firiplaka.

It is a long beach with silver sand and huge coloured rocks on its coastline.

The waters in Firiplaka are really exotic: crystalline and shallow green-blue, they charm everyone who has the chance to swim in them.