- swimming
- (273)
-
It has no roads, no cars. Its virgin rainforests are strictly protected and home to countless mammals from caiman to sloth and colourful birds like the striking blood-red Tanager. Its crystal waters are liberally sprinkled with turtles and offer some of the best diving in the world. You arrive by ferry and drag your suitcase along sandy tracks past quaint boutiques and restaurants or follow meekly as it is trundled on a barrow to your pousada by a burly local carrier. In the evening you will sit at a beach table, capirinha or chilled beer in hand, a bowl of freshly-caught seafood stew on order and your bare toes sifting the still-warm sand while a silent thunderstorm backlights the mountains of the distant Serra do Mar like some vast Hollywood set.
Ilha Grande lies just an hour off Brazil’s Costa Verde, that lush strip of Atlantic coastline stretching from north of Rio all the way down to Santos. It its time, this huge unspoiled tropical paradise, with more than 100 miles of jungle trails, has been a pirates’ lair – and as recently as the early 1990s housed a penal colony on one of its countless remote and isolated coves. Nowadays it still takes prisoners but only those who track down its isolation, sample empty beaches, coral reefs and laid-back Brazilian hospitality. It’s difficult to escape.
www.ilhagrande.com.br/
Google map: bit.ly/zrnHl9
No roads, no cars, no cash machines, no hordes of tourists. Perhentian Kecil, little brother to Perhentian Besar could just be utopia. Flanked by a sprawling jungle, pristine white beaches are lapped away by sparkling clear azure waters, the temperature of the most perfectly drawn bath in the world. A water taxi to one of the many secluded coves and beaches fringing the island meant an entire day with the stunning 'Shark Bay' to myself - a once in a lifetime experience. The locals couldn't be friendlier, and during Hari Raya the beachfront restaurants cooked and provided entertainment completely for free, with an open invitation to all on the island. Whether you are a backpacker or on the search for the ultimate paradise island getaway, Perhentian Kecil cannot come more highly recommended.
Speed boat crossings from Kuala Besut leave frequently, charging 70RM pp. The nearest airport if flying from Kuala Lumpur is Khota Baru - one hour's drive by minibus from Kuala Besut.
Google map: bit.ly/z8mNeZ
Surrounded by the Indian Ocean, there are worst places to find yourself stranded than on the coral-ringed Chumbe Island, located off the coast of Zanzibar. Chumbe combines sustainable ecological living with luxury; an affordable, private haven with a conscience. As a guest on this island paradise (and there are never more than 14 people at any one time), you have your very own beach, steps away from the front door of your beautiful palm thatched eco-bungalow. The beaches surround a marine protected coral park with world-class snorkelling, as well as being home to a historic lighthouse and the protected (and nocturnal) coconut crabs. The beaches are perfect for relaxation, nature spotting and romance, far removed from those of a typical holiday resort. On our first night, we were the only guests on the island. On our final night, the staff (always attentive without being intrusive) arranged a private, secluded candlelit dinner for two on the beach as a surprise. Bliss.
www.chumbeisland.com/
+255 (0) 242 231 040
Google map: bit.ly/yGhRM5
Very relaxed, take an old t-shirt with you to go over your swimsuit so that you don't burn when snorkelling.
Fringed with pristine deserted beaches of pure white sand and surrounded by the sparkling Indian Ocean, Quilalea Island is a hidden gem. This 35 hectare island is set within a national park and offers seclusion and privacy.
From the magnificent beaches you can reach some of the best coral reefs in the world that provide a habitat for an abundance of marine life. Feeding and nesting grounds for the population of sea turtles, dugong, dolphins, sharks and whales can be found here.
It is the undiscovered nature of this island’s beaches that make it so special. Snorkel the island’s shores, kayak the mangroves or relax in a hammock beneath the giant baobabs on the island beaches. Quilalea is a tiny untouched paradise. Difficult to reach, this is the ultimate African beach retreat for an offbeat getaway.
There are few places to stay on the island - the newly refurbished lodges at ‘Azura’, a luxury ‘eco’ boutique retreat which has all the facilities you need, while being a perfect beach hideaway, is worth a visit.
The quaint city of Pemba has an international airport, for the Quirimbas Archipelago in Cabo Delgado Province, Northern Mozambique. From here you travel by light aircraft, helicopter or speedboat to the island.
www.azura-retreats.com
+27 (0)767 050599
Family run cottages with marine biologist owner and qualified dive master. There are communal dinners from freshly caught fish and home grown veg which allow you to chat to other guests and compare marine life you've spotted. They can organise trips to nearby reefs (all four types of reefs are found in these islands) and deserted islands allowing you to explore the region and visit the bajo sea gypsy's. Fantastic snorkelling off the jetty. The family were lovely and friendly, taking us to see the local village and school and on nature walks to see hornbills and monkeys on the island. They also have a few homemade canoes you can borrow to paddle around the island. It cost around £10 per night per person for three meals a day and accommodation in May 2011. As there are only 10 cottages, it's never busy and we could often have the whole beach to ourselves. We planned to say four days and ended up staying two weeks!
Togian Islands are off North Sulawesi. An overnight ferry ride (best to upgrade to get reclining chairs) from Gorontalo. Most resorts meet the ferry and take you back to the island you're staying on for free. Fadilla Cottages (fadhilacottages.free.fr/)and www.sulawesi-info.com/togianislands.html
Google map: bit.ly/A0v4Vr
Darting through the chilly winter night to the steaming outdoor pool, or sunbathing and splashing here in summer is my idea of fun in London. Just a saunter away from Covent Garden Market, and shielded by a disguise of tower blocks, Oasis Sports Centre is one of London's hidden treasures. It is such an unexpected contrast to the shops and offices that surround it- a true Oasis.
Website: bit.ly/ymkL2F
168-173 High Holborn, London WC1V 6JJ
+44(0)20 7831 1804
Google map: bit.ly/zGhkja
It's off the road and very quiet and the lagoon is so big. If you want to snorkle and see many tropical fish and corals it's the place to go. The water is clear and clean. Last time I was there I spent four hours with six large turtles. I watched them graze on the bottom of the sea floor. Also a great place if you are a shell collector.
Google map: bit.ly/yP3A8p
There's plenty of lovely beaches in Cuba, but this is special. While other beaches are all palm trees/blue water club med cliches (not that there's anything wrong with that) this is the only place where you'll feel like Captain Jack Sparrow might just be lurking behind the next mangrove tree. You'll wish you brought a treasure map to this (almost) desert island.
Google map: bit.ly/ya7GCt
Every New Year I set the same resolutions; eat less bad and more good, exercise more, lose a few pounds. And most years my attempts are feeble. In the first months of 2011 however I committed to taking a swimming holiday in the summer. What a fabulous idea; the carrot was a sunshine holiday, the stick was regular training to improve fitness levels. A week of remote island swimming in clear Greek waters (a long one from island to island in the morning and a shorter coastal one in the afternoon), freshly prepared food, wonderfully long, lazy lunches onboard our sailing boat and the soundest sleep in comfy hotel beds left me healthy, fit, happy and relaxed. Resolution kept.
www.swimtrek.com
+44 (0) 1273 739 713
Far North Queensland has the tropical luxury of Port Douglas with lazy ceiling fans, cocktails and fantastic food but also back to basics four-wheel driving beyond Cape York with hidden pristine beaches. Even the main road from Cairns is a World Heritage area. The Coral sea is the most eye-catching aquamarine but take heed of the signs warning of salt-water crocodiles (salties.) The realisation that you're no longer top of the food chain gives you a whole new perspective on life. Still wanting to feel small in the marine world but much safer? Take a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef from Port Douglas. Much quieter than the backpacker chaos of Cairns, no "salties" out this far, choose a boat with a marine biologist on-board and swap watching on BBC 2 for a snorkel and flippers. See it soon - global climate change might mean its all gone in thirty years time. Even that fact on its own has been life-changing for us.
We visited the reef with Wavelength www.wavelength.com.au/ - oldest in operation, set up by a marine biologist
Shop 20, Meridien Marina Mirage, Wharf Street Port Douglas
+61(0)7 4099 5031
This small gem of a beach is much loved by locals, both human and penguin. Situated within a sanctuary for 3000 African Jackass penguins, the crescent of white sand is backed by dense vegetation in which the penguins nest. The sheltered bay is surrounded by huge boulders on which children love to climb and leap into the sea. Penguin couples waddle down the beach to cool off in the water and seem happy to swim among excited children, posing for photographs or playing Pied Piper as they lead curious kids into the rock crevices to explore. A fantastic family day out is on offer including a visit to the penguin breeding sanctuary or a delicious lunch at the restaurant adjacent to the free parking area where local traders sell African artifacts. An entrance fee to the beach is charged (about 50p) which helps fund the penguin conservation.
Boulders Beach, about 45 minutes drive from Cape Town, close to Simonstown.
Google map: bit.ly/ubjLTM
At Jambiani you will find miles of unspoiled beach and complete peace broken only by the sounds of the sea and the wind in the trees. You can stay right on the beach in guest houses built in the local thatched style. We stayed off-season in Jambiani guesthouse and had the whole house to ourselves. Lounging in the shady garden we watched the beach landscape change throughout the day. We swam early when the tide was up and then watched the sea recede until it was almost out of sight, observing the colours change from the grey of early morning to the shimmering turquoise of midday. The beach was largely inhabited by locals fishing from dhows and later as the beach grew in size women farming seaweed which patterned the sand. At lunchtime we ate freshly caught fish and drank local beers in small friendly beach cafes.
Jambiani village, South-east, Zanzibar
www.zanzibar-guesthouse.com
Google map: bit.ly/t13f93
Leave the ramparts, white washed blue shuttered buildings and the fish stalls behind and take a stroll along the endless golden sand. Sample the delights the cake sellers proffer while watching the sun set on the wild Atlantic Ocean. Rest on a log near the dunes and drift into your own magical world as camels, Arabian horses and kite surfers fade to silhouettes against the sinking sun. Round off your day with a traditional hammam in the medina and prepare for a new dawn.
Essaouira Beach, Morocco, Africa.
We sailed there and berthed in the fishing port, but most people travel by bus or hire car.
Google map: bit.ly/vfTQll
Holidaying in Cape Verde brings the unexpected, mainly due to the relative difficulty in planning one’s movements and activities ahead of time. Armed with a West African travel guide published the same year as my first trip to the islands, most of the information was already well out of date. Small businesses had blossomed and gone bust so with our hopes of seeing any more than Santiago dashed (the cost of last minute flights between islands were prohibitively expensive), my husband and I switched our thinking from trekking adventure to beach side relaxation and chanced upon many beautiful beaches around Santiago, our favourite being Tarrafal's beach.
On advice from an English speaking hotelier in Praia - a rarity, a small minority speak French as a second language and an even smaller number speak English - we found a minibus coletivo to Tarrafal. By ‘found’, I mean that after several fruitless conversations with local shop owners requesting directions, we caught sight of a driver trying to drum up more business while his present customers waited patiently within the vehicle. He stood on a street corner shouting “Tarrafal! Tarrafal! Tarrafal!”. A couple of hours north west on a bumpy cobblestone road later, we arrived at the picturesque sleepy fishing village of Tarrafal.
After walking through the small town centre and past the local open marketplace, we were greeted by pristine, soft sun bleached white sands, clearest of blue waters and the entirely unexpected view of neighbouring island Fogo across the water. Fogo’s volcano appears to hang over the water in the distance through the clouds, not unlike a hologram. Accommodation was a breeze to organise and within an hour of
our arrival in Tarrafal, we were in the water. In the dry season you can expect temperatures of upwards of 40 degrees and the water is pleasantly cold. The fishermen sorting their nets on the town’s white sandy beach is very classically African. Other beaches in the
immediate region have volcanic black sand. It’s a scene of colours in motion; the boats are brightly painted and the fishermen are dressed
equally vividly. It’s a noisy but efficient affair - after sorting the nets and docking the boats, the beach is quickly returned to its previous spotless state. Ordinarily there are few tourists on the beach, the sun is harsh and most can only take an hour or two at a time.
An alternative to sun baking and beach swimming can be found ten minutes walk away at the Hotel King Fisher, where diving and snorkeling equipment can be hired. The director of the diving school at Hotel King Fisher is a marine biologist and master diver, offering lessons for a reasonable fee. King Bay is accessed through the hotel and is well worth the trip on its own. Perfect for snorkeling even for less than confident swimmers with an array of colourful marine life to be seen, access to the water through the hotel is free of charge for those staying in alternate accommodation.
Extra tip: Euros are the easiest currency to exchange for Cape Verdean Escudos so don’t bother with US dollars or British pounds and remember your Portuguese phrase book!
Tarrafal is located north west on the opposite end of Santiago from Praia and is accessed via one of two arterial routes (either via the coast line or over the mountain route over narrow terraces and ridges) via minivan. Minivans run from Praia twice daily roughly at 10am and 3pm, departing only when the van is full. Expect to encounter the odd chicken or two on their way to or from market within the cabin with you.
The Hotel King Fisher villas (www.king-fisher.de/index.php?lang=en) start at about £50 per night. Cheap and cheerful B&B style rooms (don't necessarily expect hot water or electricity, check beforehand) near the beach are easy to find without a booking for considerably less also.
Google map: bit.ly/udVe1f
Shabby Vilanculos has silted up creeks and dirty beaches but a short and picturesque dhow ride (or a speed boat if the wind’s wrong) will take you to the heart of the Bazaruto Archipelago nature reserve. This series of platinum sand mounds rising out of the Indian Ocean are dotted with silvery driftwood trees - like sculptures sunk into the sand. £20 gets you your own personal skipper (we got two), and a day to wander aimlessly, cartwheeling along endless deserted beaches, sliding down sand dunes and snorkelling with tiny tropical fish. When we returned to our boat our two Mozambican guides had cooked up an amazing three course meal on an open fire - we sat on the beach as the rain came down, gorging ourselves tomatoey fresh squid stew and mountains of fresh fruit.
Sailaway Dhow Safaris
Rua Marginal, Bairro Central, Vilanculos, Mozambique, Mozambique
+258 29 382 385
Google map: bit.ly/w1Kckm
I recommend the beach on the Indian Ocean side of the coral-ringed Chumbe Island, located off the coast of Zanzibar. Chumbe combines sustainable ecological living with luxury; an affordable, private haven with a conscience. As a guest on this island paradise (and there are never more than 14 people at any one time), you have your very own beach, steps away from the front door of your beautiful palm thatched eco-bungalow. The beaches surround a marine protected coral park with world-class snorkelling, as well as being home to a historic lighthouse and the protected (and nocturnal) coconut crabs. The beaches are perfect for relaxation, nature spotting and romance, far removed from those of a typical holiday resort. On our first night, we were the only guests on the island. On our final night, the staff (always attentive without being intrusive) arranged a private, secluded candlelit dinner for two on the beach as a surprise. Bliss.
www.chumbeisland.com
+255 (0) 242 231 040
Chumbe Island Coral Park is a short boat ride away from Stone Town, Zanzibar
Google map: bit.ly/tEMflQ
A beach just north of Sidi Ifni in Morocco. Fantastic natural arches from sandstone, almost bright orange on a clear day.
Google map: bit.ly/t7dkuf
Tofo with its infinite sands, windowless wicker bungalows, perfectly spaced surf-waves and amazing market eateries serving up plates of enormous buttery prawns would have put Tofo in my top five travel spots even without the whale sharks.
Having de-rusted our diving skills with the extremely patient staff in Tofo Scuba's pool we joined a boat and headed off into the Indian Ocean.
First we noticed a whale tail - then five, twenty, too many to count, the most our dive leader had ever seen.
Without scuba gear we leapt into the water and spent the next hour swimming with the pod and their hangers-on - a couple of enormous but exceptionally graceful manta rays. Coming face to face with alien whale shark grimaces, swimming between their enormous bodies and sensing their utter ambivalence towards us was a euphoric and uniquely calming experience.
Praia do Tofo, Inhambane, Mozambique
Google map: bit.ly/uF3Mk4
Tofo Scuba:
www.tofoscuba.co.za/
+258 293 29030
Nestled in the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park - a marine reserve and world heritage site since 1999.
Endless beaches with massive sand dunes fringed by a dense coastal forest.
My favourite place is to the left of the lighthouse, just to sit and watch the southern right and humpback whales breach as they makes their journey up and down along the coast of Africa. Watching the sun set with a beer in hand is another way of celebrating the area's natural beauty, peace and quiet.
The rock pools have great nudibranchs and loads of tropical fish juveniles - great for snorkelling.
Between November and February you can see turtles laying eggs and the babies hatching (leatherbacks, loggerheads amongst the species).
You can also watch dolphins on their daily feeding route along the coast.
What more can I say? It has to be seen to be believed :)
www.isimangaliso.com/
Google map: bit.ly/sUyKKu
Is this your business?