What elements make up your perfect beach? Pure white sand. Crystal clear water. And a backdrop of palm trees. Yes please!

But what makes a memorable beach? That’s something a little different.

My 10 Memorable Beaches

1. Ostriconi Beach, Corsica

Starting in Corsica, known as the island of beauty, you’ll find many wonderful and secluded beaches here. One of the most memorable for me is Ostriconi, as much for the effort it takes to get there, as the beach itself. The only way to reach it is to hire a car (or bicycle), look for the small turning off the N1197 to the beach and then find a parking space, which is not easy at the height of summer. To get to the beach itself though you then need to find the little track that climbs down the hillside. And at the bottom ford the river and walk across the vast stretch of sand to the water’s edges. It’s no wonder that this beach is never crowded. It truly is beautiful and well worth the effort.

2. Tanji, The Gambia

The sounds, colours, smells, the taste of the salt in the air and of course the people. The beach at Tanji fishing village is unforgettable and a wonderful place to photograph. You can see more of my images from Tanji in my post, A feast for the senses at Tanji fish market.

 

3. Colva Beach, Goa, India

Early in the morning before my friends had got up I once took a walk along the beach at Colva. Some locals were cooling off in the shallows as it was already quite hot. That evening I returned with my friends for a beer in one of the beach shacks. Kicking off my shoes I felt the cool sand between my toes, sipped my Kingfisher beer by candle light, with the sound of the gently breaking waves and a soft sea breeze on my face. It was a magical moment that I’d love to relive again.

4. Gorée Island, Senegal

As I sat eating lunch in a cheerfully painted restaurant, looking down on the beach of Gorée Island, I watched a ferry dock and a stream of youngsters poured out. They were soon all splashing around in the sea. I’ll never forget the sounds of their laughter and the joyous looks on their faces. See more photos and read about my visit in my post, Echoes from the past on Gorée Island.

5. Lake Bled, Slovenia

I only spent one night here, glamping in a field between the forest and the beach but I do wish I could have stayed longer. How many beaches do you know with a view of a clifftop castle and a pretty church on its own little island?

 

6. Sanyang Beach, The Gambia

Back to the Gambia and another fishing beach. At Sanyang, also know as Paradise Beach, you’ll find a lovely stretch of golden sand with a beach bar. But what makes this beach so memorable for me is the ladies I met there.

I’d grown restless of sitting around and relaxing and went for a walk towards the row of fishing boats I could see in the distance. Before I knew it, not only was I getting some great photos, but I found myself deep in conversation with the local ladies about what types of fish their husbands caught, how they prepared the fish, smoked the fish, even how to cook the fish. I’ve no idea how long I was there chatting, laughing and snapping away with my camera but it was an afternoon I’ll never forget.

7. Kamari, Santorini

The beach at Kamari, on the east coast of Santorini is made of volcanic black sand. Rising up behind and to one side of the beach is the massive rock of Mesa Vouno, a stunning sight in the early morning light. I well remember, having visited the ancient ruins on the top of the rock, climbing down it, via a narrow track, to the beautiful beach below.

 

8. Santa Maria, Sal, Cape Verde

The islands of Cape Verde have some of the most stunning beaches I have ever seen but it’s the beach on Santa Maria that I remember most fondly – sharing a cool beer with friends and learning to play the ancient traditional West African game of wuri. Actually it wasn’t until a number of years later that I finally figured out how to play it but it was fun never-the-less. Find out more about wuri in my post, The Rules of Wuri.

9. Bognor Beach, England

On a chilly winter’s morning I awoke to find more snow had fallen in the night than I had ever seen in my life, in Bognor Regis at least. We’re really not that used to it here.

There was no way to get into work so instead I had a memorable walk in the snow with friends, through the park and to the beach. The deck chair hut surrounded by snow made me chuckle. When we had had enough of the cold we found a warm pub serving a full English breakfast and tucked in. I think what makes that morning so memorable was that it was an unexpected treat to have this time with friends and my sister. Seeing the beach covered in snow was magical.

10. L’Ile Rousse, Corsica

And back to the island where I began, Corsica.

The first time I visited this wonderful Mediterranean island I stayed in a little villa at the end of this beach with the countryside in one direction and the beach and the pretty town of L’Ile Rousse in the other, with its cobbled streets and fabulous restaurants. I can remember swimming near this very spot at one o’clock in the morning and floating in the cool water with the stars twinkling above me. So many stars.

I took this photo, however, many years later, while on assignment for Corsican Places. All I wanted to do was dive straight in but of course I couldn’t. But the visit had reminded me of just how wonderful Corsica is and I returned not long after, this time on holiday. When I got to L’Ile Rousse I walked out to sea and when the water was up to my neck, I could still see my feet as if looking through glass. No stars shone above me this time as I floated in the sunshine but I’ll never forget it. L’Ile Rousse is one of my favourite beaches in the world and most definitely memorable.

[bctt tweet=”L’Ile Rousse in #Corsica, one of my top ten memorable #beaches around the world”]

Pin it!