These are a few of my favourite beaches.

[Amaru]

Number 1


Number 2


Number 3 -- Correctly identified as Phra Nang beach, Thailand by CivicBlues


Number 4


Number 5



Can the collective brainpower of RS correctly guess the location of each beach?

[CivicBlues]

#1 - Varadero, Cuba
#3 - Railay beach, Thailand

Amirite?

[Mr.Money]

all of them look pretty damn nice,you ever head to Hawaii,ALL i see is that beach ant infested with tourists elbow to elbow and People try Call that a Holiday

[Amaru]

Originally Posted by CivicBlues

#1 - Varadero, Cuba
#3 - Railay beach, Thailand

Amirite?

#1 - Negative, not Cuba, but it is in the Caribbean, so you're not too far off..... try again brah.

#3 - Yep, excellent guess... it's not actually Railay Beach, but it's only a few hundred yards away, so I'll give you the prize anyway. (The beach pictured is actually Phra Nang beach)

...so, kids, you're at 1 out of 5 correctly identified!

Originally Posted by Mr.Money

all of them look pretty damn nice,you ever head to Hawaii,ALL i see is that beach is ant infested with tourists elbow to elbow and People try Call that a Holiday

Haha, I haven't been to every beach in Hawaii, but I definitely agree that most of the Oahu beaches are like that.

Hawaii in general has "excellent but not truly world-class" beaches, I'd say... everyone has their own opinion of what makes a perfect beach, so those who love big surf and wide open golden sand might rank a beach like Makena ("Big Beach") on Maui as one of their favourites. A few beaches on Maui and Kauai are in my top-20 for sure, and I've not yet been to the Big Island, so there may be more.... but yeah generally I think Oahu isn't really on the map, and Hawaii overall is not the best place for flawless beaches (for me, that'd be the Caribbean).

Below = Makena "Big Beach", Maui
(apologies for the dude in the pic, he kinda ruins it haha)

[CivicBlues]

I took a picture from Varadero that looks pretty much exactly like your first pic. It's going to be hard to guess exactly since it's so 'generically perfect' looking

Second guess for #1 - Punta Cana, DR?

[jbsali]

#1: 7 Mile Beach, Grand Cayman?

[Amaru]

Originally Posted by CivicBlues

I took a picture from Varadero that looks pretty much exactly like your first pic. It's going to be hard to guess exactly since it's so 'generically perfect' looking

Second guess for #1 - Punta Cana, DR?

You're right. Sorry. Here's another pic from the same beach. (It's not Punta Cana, or Hispaniola at all. It's a British protectorate. This beach is often rated #1 in the world, which it's not IMO, although it's not far off.)

Originally Posted by jbsali

#1: 7 Mile Beach, Grand Cayman?

No, but great guess.

I fucking love that beach (7 Mile). For me, it's top-3... but for some reason, despite being in Cayman three times in the last 2 years, I never get a good pic. Definitely a superb beach though, especially if you know which sections to hit.

But yeah, not 7 Mile either in the pic....

[Amaru]

Originally Posted by Amaru

Number 4

I really don't think anyone is going to be able to guess this one, so I'll just tell you: Kandolhu, Maldives....

Spoiler!

^^ Solid spot. I'm going to French Polynesia on Friday, hoping there's a beach there that can rival the Maldives.


Anyway, the other 3 remaining beaches are all identifiable I think... we know #1 is in the British Caribbean somewhere, but not in Cayman.

Another one of the 3 remaining is in SE Asia....

[twitchyzero]

never been but i've seen enough photos to assume that was Maldives prior to your reveal.

Is your list based strictly on aesthetics? Or does it include activities, amenities, weather, people, food, pricing?

Think I'm more mountains kinda guy but after a glimpse of even an average Polynesian beach, my interest to visit places like Cook Isl and Pora Pora has shot up dramatically

Spoiler!

have a great trip...a dedicated thread is now expected.

[Amaru]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

never been but i've seen enough photos to assume that was Maldives prior to your reveal.

Is your list based strictly on aesthetics? Or does it include activities, amenities, weather, people, food, pricing?

Think I'm more mountains kinda guy but after a glimpse of even an average Polynesian beach, my interest to visit places like Cook Isl and Pora Pora has shot up dramatically

Spoiler!

have a great trip...a dedicated thread is now expected.

Just got home last night. Great trip, great place. I'll reply later to answer your Q's properly -- and to post my dedicated photos thread from the Polynesia trip -- later.... but in the meantime, here's a preview iPhone panorama pic I snapped quickly on our last day in Bora Bora...

[Amaru]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

Is your list based strictly on aesthetics? Or does it include activities, amenities, weather, people, food, pricing?

It's really just based on my overall feelings towards the beach. It may be tainted by my personal experiences at each beach, but I try not to let things like shit weather on the day I visit a beach influence my assessment.

I personally prefer calm, secluded, exquisite water color, fine grain sand, etc... I'm less influenced by how long or wide a beach is, how great the surfing is, what facilities are available, etc.

Definitely didn't include price in any of my rankings, although if I did consider money -- or travel time -- the Maldives would drop the fuck off the list. Bora Bora was equally insane in terms of cost, but way closer. In terms of beaches, the best I visited in French Polynesia crack the top-10 but don't quite compare with my faves in the Caribbean.

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

Think I'm more mountains kinda guy but after a glimpse of even an average Polynesian beach, my interest to visit places like Cook Isl and Pora Pora has shot up dramatically

Dude. Now that I've been and seen it in person, yes. Go for it. If you like the idea of towering mountains covered in lush jungle surrounded by a brilliantly turquoise lagoon, fringed by beaches, and awash in palm trees....... you will really love French Polynesia. Bora Bora was my favourite island, meeting all expectations -- it's just as gorgeous in real life as in all the pics you see online. It's very touristy (in a 5-star exotic kind of way) and SO expensive, tho... so, those on a budget might prefer Moorea or other islands (apparently Huahine and Mauputi are equally beautiful but more secluded and off the tourist radar).

That said, I think I can sum up French Polynesia with this: think Kauai (Hawaii) in terms of geography and scenery, but much smaller, less populated, and more authentic feeling. It's the perfect spot for your stereotypical dream honeymoon vacation, with decent land excursion options and spectacular underwater shit to see and do. Diving was as good as anything I experienced in the Maldives and perhaps overall the best spot for diving/snorkeling I've been to.

Downsides? $$$$$.

Nonetheless, it's way closer, so I'm ready to deliver a verdict: French Polynesia > Maldives.

[$_$]

So guys, I'm currently in a situation where I might have some extra money to invest... I've always been in love with beaches and I don't mind developing countries (probably prefer it because low cost of living). I would love to buy a quiet, ocean-front property that won't break the bank, somewhere I can retire to. Any suggestions on where to look? I've been looking at places around Thailand and Vietnam, but online sources haven't been the best.

[Amaru]

Originally Posted by $_$

So guys, I'm currently in a situation where I might have some extra money to invest... I've always been in love with beaches and I don't mind developing countries (probably prefer it because low cost of living). I would love to buy a quiet, ocean-front property that won't break the bank, somewhere I can retire to. Any suggestions on where to look? I've been looking at places around Thailand and Vietnam, but online sources haven't been the best.

What's the budget?

For me, nothing beats the Caribbean -- great weather, the best beaches I've found anywhere, laid back island vibes, and most islands are reasonably safe / relatively to get to. Downsides? Cost, smaller islands may be too small/boring, and occasional hurricanes. With a healthy budget, I'd look at Barbados, Cayman or USVI/BVI. For a bit more affordable but still spectacular, perhaps the Bahamas. On the less developed (but perhaps more interesting) end of the spectrum, I'd definitely look at Dominican Repub.

Current hot spots for retiree investment seem to also include Costa Rica ($$, but very developed), Belize, Nicaragua, and Panama (perhaps the hottest at the moment, but I'm not sold on the beaches). Never been to Central America so no personal comments on any of those places but they all seem very desirable overall.

Mexico is great too to be honest. My mother lives there half of the year and she enjoys a huge house on the beach in a gated community with a pool.... for $300k USD. Mexicans are friendly and shit is still CHEAP in most areas. Downsides? Safety (not an issue in many places but still a concern for many ppl) and third-world headaches.

Thailand is obviously huge, but I know nothing about SE Asia for retirement / investment in property unfortunately.... I know that the Philippines has some super lame rules about foreign ownership that might make it a headache (on top of the standard red tape you get in 3rd world countries), and of course SE Asia means a much longer travel time with higher travel costs (probably).

Spain, Greece, Croatia and Portugal are also worth considering if you are into the Euro-vibe and the Mediterranean beaches. No knowledge beyond that, but might be worth considering.

Good luck!

[CivicBlues]

I was in Montenegro last summer and waterfront property seemed very reasonable considering you are right on the Mediterranean.

Albania may be the last affordable stretch of Med coast left in Europe. You heard it here first!

[twitchyzero]

Originally Posted by Amaru

Now that I've been and seen it in person, yes. Go for it. If you like the idea of towering mountains covered in lush jungle surrounded by a brilliantly turquoise lagoon, fringed by beaches, and awash in palm trees....... you will really love French Polynesia. Bora Bora was my favourite island, meeting all expectations -- it's just as gorgeous in real life as in all the pics you see online. It's very touristy (in a 5-star exotic kind of way) and SO expensive, tho... so, those on a budget might prefer Moorea or other islands (apparently Huahine and Mauputi are equally beautiful but more secluded and off the tourist radar).

far-flung luxury resorts aren't in the cards for the near future...but yes one day

[Amaru]

Originally Posted by CivicBlues

I was in Montenegro last summer and waterfront property seemed very reasonable considering you are right on the Mediterranean.

Albania may be the last affordable stretch of Med coast left in Europe. You heard it here first!

Interesting. I hated those countries, and you couldn't pay me to live there for half the year.... especially when Spain isn't that much more $$ but actually has a semi-functioning bureaucracy.

But hey, that was 7 years ago, so maybe it's changed (or maybe I just had a bad week in that part of Europe?)... I did enjoy the retro Benz's all over Albania, and Montenegro had many shops selling very cheap sandwiches. Sadly, everyone I met there looked to be bordering on suicidal, and the best and brightest had long since fled for greener pastures in Germany or the UK.

Anyway, definitely worth considering the Mediterranean, whether the former Yugoslav area or something a bit more chic and snobby....

[Amaru]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

far-flung luxury resorts aren't in the cards for the near future...but yes one day

You'd be surprised what $100 will get you in Bali, Boracay or Krabi....

(But yes forget the South Pacific completely -- and the Maldives too -- until you reach the point where you don't mind blowing $33 on a mediocre cocktail... although it still hurts even when you can afford it, trust me)

For the record, I've been to many countries and cities legendary for being overpriced -- the Maldives, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Dubai, London, NYC, Bermuda, Tokyo, Singapore, etc -- and French Polynesia (Bora Bora esp) is without a doubt the most expensive place I've ever been. $850 per night gets you WAY better hotels in NYC or Hong Kong (or even Zurich) than it does in Bora Bora. The Four Seasons Bora Bora, when I checked for our trip, was asking $1800 USD per night for a basic overwater room (we paid $850 for the Conrad and it was totally underwhelming for the price, but I felt it was a 'good deal' even at that rate). Unreal.

Anyway, brb, gotta go down to Hastings and blow some sketchy dudes so I can afford to pay off my MasterCard bill...

[twitchyzero]

part of the reason why i didn't like one of the national parks in chile

the cafeteria food was $42 for a meal with awful service (they were annoyed I didn't reserve in advance when I confirmed beforehand I could order in-person). They even lied to another group they ran out of food when they served others in that same group as drop-ins 15 minutes later. When confronted they lied again lol

like I'd understand if it's very remote and costly getting food imported to say Polynesia...but i found out it comes by boat which is actually quite accessible

on top of that the room next door had rat problems