Feature: Shore thing - Top 10 summer destinations for 2011
While the temperature outside still lingers around the zero degrees mark, there are plenty of reasons to start looking ahead to this year’s summer escape. And if we’re completely honest we’ve been planning our 2011 summer holiday(s) since last summer...it has never hurt anyone to be prepared has it?! Well, either way, we are more than prepared for this year’s summer getaway. And if we are to believe a recent travelsupermarket.com survey, more than 90 per cent of us Brits are planning a summer holiday this year. So, what better way to start 2011 than planning your own sunny getaway?
And you won’t be disappointed when you start flicking through piles and piles of holiday brochures: new destinations, exotic escapes, secluded islands, tropical paradises and long stretches of beautiful white sandy beaches. Sounds appealing? Well, this is just some of what you can look forward to when you start searching for your ideal summer destination.
It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it! We have sampled our top 10 sunny summer escapes for 2011 to kick start your search, some more remote than others. It’s not that we don’t like other people but there’s just something relaxing and calming about being away from it all.
An escape from the crowd, Salema
If you are hoping to spend the summer exploring the shores the crowds haven't discovered, the Portuguese village of Salema could be your ideal destination. This quiet working fishing village sits on the south-west tip of the Algarve. Set between Sagres and Lagos, in the Costa Vincentina national park, Salema is a relaxed collection of houses set above a beautiful sandy beach. You can rent a room from a local (look for signs advertising quarto), visit the town’s morning market and explore the beaches and villages nearby, such as pretty Burgau. For a touch of romance, drive down to Cape Sagres to watch the sun set over what was once thought to be the edge of the flat earth – now the locals cast their fishing lines precariously over the cliff edge.
The summer favourite, Turkey
There’s no escaping the fact that Turkey is one of the ultimate holiday hotspots for summer travellers. The sunny destination has steadily increased in popularity year on year and 2011 is no different. Turkey’s coast is one of its greatest assets but sadly, this is no secret to hotel developers and bus-load tourists. So, if you want to get away from the party beats of Alanya or the all inclusive resorts of Bodrum, Selimiye on the Bozburun peninsula is a good bet. There can be few locations as idyllic as this part of the country. Just an hour from big and bustling Marmaris, Selimiye is a one-street village where all activity is clustered around the seafront. The most you’ll want to do is stroll along the seafront in search of dinner, but if you’re feeling particularly energetic then you might consider kayaking to the restaurant.
Unspoiled beaches, Koh Kood
Millions flock to Thailand each year, but you can still find quiet, unspoiled beaches on which to do absolutely nothing. Koh Kood’s great advantage is its relative remoteness. Getting there requires an internal flight or train journey from Bangkok, followed by an hour’s boat ride from the mainland. This sounds more of an expedition than it actually is. The car ride to the ferry port take you through lush green countryside, past villages and beautiful temples – there are worse ways to travel, right? Mostly, Koh Kood makes for a fine place to do nothing; slow and calm and unruffled, you can feel the island’s atmosphere subtly working its way into your bones.
On your doorstep, Devon
Why trek thousands and thousands of miles to get to white beaches and clear waters when you can find that right on your doorstep. Okay, it might not be as exotic as Thailand or as far-flung as the Maldives but this part of the south-west is a fashionable alternative to popular Cornwall. There is no doubt that the Dart estuary is waiting to be rediscovered, the off-beat hippyishness of places such as Totnes provides a refreshing change to the Trusafarian-dominated hotspots of the Cornish summer scene, and there is now a range of hotels in the area. We can’t guarantee sun-drenched beaches and scorching temperatures if you choose to holiday at home, but charming Devon is definitely worth a visit this summer.
Off-peak luxury, Mexico
Corresponding to British summer, Mexico’s ‘green’ season has increasing appeal: long days, fewer crowds than during the tradition peak period from October to May and possibly, best of all, far greater scope to enjoy the country’s fabulously stylish hotels. Who would say no to stay in luxury for less? Well, we wouldn’t! There is no doubt that Mexico’s chic factor is a big draw. The Starwood haciendas near the great Mayan sites on the Yucatan Peninsula are wonderful – San Jose, Santa Rosa and Temozon. On the Pacific Coast, Hotelito Desconocido is extraordinary, while Verana, off the beaten track, offers real barefoot luxury. But for true glamour there’s little that can beat Mahakua Hacienda de San Antonio. Take our word for it!
A touch of Hollywood, Carmel-by-the-Sea
Mid-California's rugged Pacific shores have an embarrassment of sweeping bays, mighty cliffs and immaculate forests. But only one of its white-sand gems is attached to the world's most affluent ‘artists' colony’. The downtime darling of Hollywood's hipper stars, Carmel is a charming, manicured town peppered with excellent, if slightly chi-chi restaurants, bars and cafes and more tiny galleries than you can shake a paintbrush at. Down on the pristine town beach, a swim can be bracing, but wetsuits are on hand for surfer wannabes, and coastal trails often reward hikers with a whale sighting. This is summer holiday Hollywood-style, so if you don’t fancy running into film stars in your bikini, stay away from Carmel!
On the radar, Costa de la Luz
The southern part of Spain's Atlantic coast is increasingly popular with discerning travellers from Britain. It hasn't been spoilt by overdevelopment and its towns are still working communities, not wholly pursuing the tourist euro - for now. But you might have to hurry if you want to experience this, since developers are starting to see the potential of this coast. The Atlantic beaches are lovely: windswept, dune-backed, and with few hotels to mar the view. The area is becoming increasingly popular because it still offers an authentic taste of Spain. Plus there are more and more smart hotels and apartments springing up, especially around Tarifa, which windsurfers discovered more than a decade ago, but is only just registering on mainstream tourists' radar. So, pack your swimsuit, bring your board and head to Costa de la Luz.
Undiscovered Caribbean, south coast Jamaica
Away from the big resorts, the south coast of Jamaica is an almost undiscovered part of the Caribbean. A well-known holiday hotspots for decades, finding this unspoiled part of the Caribbean island was surprising to us here at IWantSun.co.uk. The area has a real sense of tranquillity. There are lovely bays and quiet little townships. There's a laid-back funkiness that is part of the appeal of Jamaica. And there are also some seriously luxurious properties, such as the Bluefields Bay villas where Hollywood celebs discreetly hang out. It almost sounds too good to be true, but it isn’t! This could be your dream holiday spot for summer 2011. Hurry up before anyone else hears about it.
Beauty in abundance, Kotor Bay
With almost 200 miles of coastline, pitted with medieval walled towns, Montenegro is a treasure trove of hidden coves. Its largest inlet – Kotor Bay – is not actually a bay but a fjord: four connected straits surrounded by cliffs. The main town, Kotar, is worth a visit, but if you’re after the local atmosphere stay in one of the quiet fishing villages dotted around the shores nearby, such as Orahovac, which overlooks a white pebble beach. We simply love the beautiful setting, the secluded bay and the quaint villages...if it’s a little-known summer destination you’re after, this could well be it.
Far-flung beaches, Unawatuna
Our last suggestion takes you far afield. You may not even have heard about it until now, but this doesn’t mean that it’s not worth a visit – or two. Unawatuna, on Sri Lanka's south coast, has a perfect blend of Asian ingredients: palm-fringed sands, a coral reef, small-scale guesthouses, fresh seafood cafés, relaxed vendors who offer thick fonds of aloe vera as sun-tan oil. And it is exquisitely framed, by a brilliant white dagoba on a forested promontory. Sri Lankan currents are notoriously dodgy but Unawatuna is unusual in that it allows safe-ish swimming year-round (probably not the best place to visit with toddlers though). Or ride out on one of the traditional catamarans - basically parallel tree trunks, with a rudimentary sail. If you want to stay by the beach, try the aptly-named Secret Garden guesthouse.
What the travel agents say...
A long list of airlines, travel agents and tour operators have already given their top recommendations for the best places to enjoy some hot summer days and cool summer nights this year. For inspiration, check out operators such as Virgin Holidays, Thomson, British Airways and bmi (and many others), or look for summer holiday deals through the many online travel comparison sites.
