Beaches in the Americas
Many people associate Hawai'i with Waikiki Beach. This iconic beach in Honolulu has been famous for surfing for more than a century. Today the two-mile golden sand beach is lined high-rises and resorts, and is still the place to be - also when the sun sets and all the restaurants and bars come alive. Waikiki Beach actually consists of eight individually named beaches. The first is Duke Kahanamoku Beach at the Hilton Hotel and is one of the most popular due to the protected swimming area. The next is Fort DeRussy Beach Park, which has grassy patches with palm trees and picnic tables. Gray's Beach is the next, though the beach is almost eroded away. Next up is Royal Hawaiian Beach, which has a lot of watersports. Kuhio Beach is right after, which is popular due to its protected swimming area. Queen Kapiolani Beach is great for bodyboarding on the rolling waves along the Waikiki Wall. Next is San Souci Beach, which is off the hotel strip and therefore popular with locals. It's also one of the best snorkeling spots on O'ahu Island. The last of Waikiki beaches is Outrigger Canoe Club Beach, which can be accessed either by walking from San Souci Beach at low tide or through an alleyway between the hotels. Remember, all beaches in Hawai'i are public.
Most will rank Kailua and Lanikai as the best beaches on this side of O'ahu, but Waimanalo Beach is another great candidate. It has the same turquoise waters and soft white sand, but it's also has shady towering trees and is beautifully set on backdrop of steep mountains. It's located right next to Kalaniana'ole Hwy, so it's even easy to reach. However, the beach park is also an unofficial tent camp for homeless people.
Burwood Beach is a small picture-perfect white beach. Less picture perfect are the concrete pavilions which dominate the ground, but they are nice to seek shade under, as the beach is very bare. The is an entrance fee, which also allows you to use the bathroom.
One way to get rid of beach hustlers in Montego Bay is to use the pretty palm lined Doctor’s Cave Beach, as you have to pay to use it. There are plenty of beach chairs for hire and if you get hungry, there is also a cafe so you don't need to get out into the real world.
The beach at Frenchman’s Cove is considered one of the best beaches in Jamaica. It’s a beautiful short crescent shaped beach with forest covered cliffs at both ends. A cold creek runs into the ocean at the left side, mixing with the warmer seawater. There are toilets and a cafe on site, and as with many beaches in Jamaica, there is also an entrance fee.
Jack Spratt Beach is a small dark sanded beach with a waterfront cafe of the same name. It’s popular place with a cool vibe. Pelicans dive into the shallow water right in front of the cafe’s veranda. The Jack Spratt Beach is considered one of the safest beaches to swim at in the Treasure Beach area.
Long Bay Beach is also known as Seven Mile Beach, though it’s only a bit longer than four mile. Anyway, this pretty ribbon of white sand and blue waters is one of Jamaica’s most famous beaches. Unfortunately, that also means all-inclusive resorts, hordes of sun tanning tourists, nondescript beach cafes, and never ending offers of massage, ganja, hair braiding, and more ganja. It’s for sure a spectacle and seems to attract a certain kind of tourist, so it might not be for everyone.
All the beaches on the south coast are narrow with dark sand. As this is far from the tourist zone of the west and north, the beaches are often still only used by fishermen. Colourful fishing boats with funky names are pulled up on the sand along with fishing traps. A few of these fishing communities in the Treasure Beach area, like Calabash Beach and Great Bay, have hotels and guest houses for the dribble of tourists who come here to experience rural Jamaica.
The coastline along the Bahia Concepcion is dotted with beautiful beaches, some more difficult to reach than others. The most breathtaking is probably El Requeson beach, nestled on sandy point, which provides a bridge to a small offshore island at low tide. The water is milky blue and the warm sand is pearl white. Another beautiful beach, La Perla, can be found a walk further south. Other beaches worth exploring are: Playa Santispac, Playa los Cocos, Playa el Burro, Playa Santa Barbara, and Playa Armenta.
These small unremarkable ruins would have been rather unimpressive if it wasn't for the absolutely amazing settings. Located on shear cliffs above the turquoise Caribbean sea and overlooking a narrow beach surely make them one of the most exotic archaeological site in the world. Sunburned tourists on tours from the resorts further north can swarm the place, so come early in the morning or in the late afternoon. The stretch of white beaches south of the ruins was once a backpacker Mecca, but the simple cabanas now come at high prices. The location though is still fabulous with white sand, swaying palms and cool Coronas.