Holiday types · Beach
Beach holidays
Every brochure photograph looks the same. The things that actually differ are sea temperature, whether the water is calm, and whether the sand is sand.
Every brochure photograph looks the same. The things that actually differ are sea temperature, whether the water is calm, and whether the sand is sand.
It's the number that decides whether you swim, and almost nobody publishes it.
Camps Bay in Cape Town looks tropical and sits at 14°C. The Algarve is Atlantic, not Mediterranean, and runs several degrees cooler than people expect. Croatia's beaches are pebble, not sand. The Canaries in January are 19°C — swimmable, not warm. Meanwhile the Indian Ocean and Caribbean sit at 27–29°C almost year-round. We tell you the sea temperature for your month before you book, because it's the difference between a beach holiday and a beach view.
With the honest version of what the water is like.
29°C water inside a lagoon, and the best snorkelling straight off the beach.
A reef rings the whole island, so the water is calm everywhere. East for the best sand.
Granite boulders on white sand. Anse Lazio and Anse Source d'Argent are the famous two.
Limestone karsts and turquoise water — but check which coast for your month.
West and south coasts are calm; east faces the Atlantic. That rule decides everything.
Caribbean water and cenotes inland. Ask about the seaweed window before booking.
Four hours and warm all winter, though the Atlantic sits around 19–22°C.
Reef straight off the beach, calm water, and clearest in winter.
Duty-free island beaches at well below Thai prices.
The Maldives and the Indian Ocean generally, at 27–29°C year-round. The Caribbean is close behind in its dry season.
The Canaries. Four hours, 21–23°C air, and a sea around 19–20°C — swimmable for most people rather than warm.
April to August on east-facing Riviera Maya beaches. Isla Mujeres, Holbox and Cozumel's west coast largely escape it. We'll steer you if your dates fall in the window.
Yes. Tell us and we'll avoid the strips — south Goa, Anna Maria Island, Zanzibar's north, or the Seychelles outer islands.
Sorted by how far you're willing to go, with honest guide prices.
Sandy south coast, two airports, and the mountains behind. Pick the airport before the hotel.
Gold cliffs west of Lagos, sandbar islands east of Faro. Two very different weeks.
22°C in January and four hours away. The short-haul answer to winter.
The north and west are quiet; Laganas is not. Twenty minutes apart.
One island, one resort, nothing to do. Exactly the point.
West and south for swimming, east for the drama. Check which coast.
Guide prices, per person, based on two sharing, including return flights, accommodation and transfers where stated. They indicate what a holiday of this type has typically cost and are not an offer or a quotation. Your price depends on dates, party, board basis, departure airport and availability, and is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.
No forms with twenty fields. Send us the rough shape and we'll come back within one working day with real options and real prices.