Some of the most beautiful beaches, in the world!

Places that inspiring your, to return again and again:

By Caitlin Morton and Nicholas DeRenzo, February 3, 2022

For our 34th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey. Registered voters weighed in on their favorite islands for beaches around the globe. As the world has begun to reopen and readjust, the results reflect the kinds of destinations you longed to visit. When you couldn’t travel and the ones you returned to first once you could.

More than 800,000 of you, filled out our survey. While we’re always curious about where you’ve been and where you’re going. We’re especially excited to learn about the truly memorable places. That sparked your imagination and stayed with you when travel may have seemed out of reach. Here are the 10 islands you love most for the perfect beach getaway.

This gallery has been updated with new information and new pictures, since the original publish date.

1. British Virgin Islands:

You can thank conservationist Laurance Rockefeller for putting the British Virgin Islands on the beach holiday map back in 1964. When he opened the Little Dix Bay resort, on a serene crescent of Virgin Gorda sand. Soon it was attracting well heeled sunseekers like, Queen Elizabeth II herself. Also the recently renovated property (now a Rosewood) regularly ranks among your, favorite resorts in the world.

Elsewhere in the archipelago, you can snorkel off of white bay beach, on Jost Van Dyke. Just sail away to a remote and uninhabited Sandy Spit, or follow the crowds to The Baths National Park. Where enormous boulders some as big as 40 feet in diameter set the boundaries for calm natural pools. Watch This Three Top Hotels to Book Next, From Mexico to California

2. Mykonos City, Greece:

There are certainly more secluded and relaxing spots in the Greek Isles. However if you’re coming to the party capital of the Cyclades. Chances are you’re looking for more stimuli than simply sun, sand, and surf.

Psarou Beach is the place to see and be seen, as the international elite moors their yachts offshore. To lounge on Loro Piana mattress–topped mahogany sun beds, under striped Tucci umbrellas. Come nightfall, the flashily named Super Paradise Beach transforms into a thrumming nightclub in the sand. Where the motto is “music’s loud, champagne’s cold”. We never said Mykonos was subtle.

3. Bermuda:

You’ve heard about white and black sand beaches, right. However this British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic, is home to pink sand! Which gets its surprisingly rosy hue from the presence of teeny-tiny, red-shelled organisms known as foraminifera.

While there are a few wide stretches of sand, scattered across the island. Such as Horseshoe Bay and Clearwater Beach. The true joy of beach-going in Bermuda is discovering tucked away spots. Like Jobson’s Cove, which is encircled by jagged limestone outcroppings and teeming with tropical fish.

So if it’s history you’re after? Then the St. Regis Bermuda Resort sits on St. Catherine’s Beach, in the shadow of a hilltop fortress. It was on this very bay, in 1609, that the first colonists landed by chance after their ship. The Sea Venture, wrecked on this reef. That inspired, William Shakespeare to write, The Tempest in the process.

4. Seychelles:

Lined with dense thickets of palm trees, including six species only found here! The beaches of this Indian Ocean archipelago are impossibly scenic. On some islands in the chain, you’ll be sharing the space with the Aldabra giant tortoise. These species as impressively gargantuan as its cousins in the Galápagos.

Therefore, you might find yourself rubbing shoulders with the glitterati. The Clooneys, the Beckhams, and Prince William and Kate Middleton all honeymooned on the uber-exclusive North Island.

If you don’t have private island money. Then you should consider the stunning Anse Source d’Argent. Which requires a small access fee to enter through a former coconut and vanilla plantation.

It’s reportedly among the most photographed beaches in the world! So when you see the elephant like, granite boulders strewn about the sand, you’ll understand why.

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5. Anguilla:

With 33 beaches to choose among, from a 35 square mile island! You’re never far from a relaxing spot to dip your toes in the Caribbean. On this most northerly of the Leeward Islands, the trade winds serve dual purposes. As a natural air conditioner and as a delivery device, for the wafting aromas of grilled lobster and crayfish. Lovingly prepared, at the island’s many roadside barbecue stands.

Thanks to it’s powdery white sand. Buzzing Shoal Bay East, is the island’s most popular beach. That string of rum-punch-slinging bars, even attract day trippers from the neighboring of, St. Martin.

6. Boracay, Philippines:

At less than four square miles, this compact Philippine island grew up fast. Transforming from under the radar to a overtouristed place, in the span of a few rocky decades. However, it was temporarily shut down in 2018 to allow for much-needed redevelopment and rehabilitation.

The island’s most famous beach, is the three mile White Beach. Where the sugary sands provide the perfect blank canvas, for viewing magical sunsets. And blue-sailed paraws (outrigger boats) that skim along the horizon. On Boracay’s eastern shores, steady winds make for some of the best kiteboarding and windsurfing conditions in the region.

7. Maldives:

Don’t come to the Maldives expecting expansive stretches of sand. The Indian Ocean nation is made up of some 1,200 pocket-sized coral islands! With the largest being only about three square miles. The beaches are appropriately intimate. However it’s their exclusivity, that keeps you coming back. Discover three Maldivian spots showing up on our, best resorts in the world list this year.

Because you’ll rarely have to jostle for a lounge chair while on land. One of the best ways to choose the Maldivian beach, that’s right for you is to consider the crowds. You’ll encounter under the sea. The Baa Atoll is considered the largest manta-ray gathering place in the world. While whales and sharks tend to congregate, in the South Ari Atoll.

So if you like your marine life considerably smaller. Then the microscopic Lingulodinium polyedrum species of plankton, puts on a dazzling bioluminescent display. Known as the “sea of stars,” off Vaadhoo Island in the Raa Atoll.

8. Bora Bora, French:

Polynesia, It’s not hard to see, why honeymooners flock to this destination, of French Polynesia. An extinct volcano ringed by turquoise lagoons, overwater bungalows, and a string of flat, sandy islets known as motus. Many of the beaches here are private, the personal fiefdoms of international luxury resort brands. The Conrad Bora Bora Nui, owns Motu Tapu, which was once the private beach of 19th-century Tahitian queen Pomare IV.

As luck would have it, one of the island’s few public beaches also happens to rank among its finest. Furthermore the waters around Matira Beach. Are as warm and calm, as an infinity pool. You can walk, all the way out to the surrounding reef, to easily snorkel among confetti colored fish and stingrays.

9. Palawan, Philippines:

This place is protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Also discover your third favorite islands in Asia. Doesn’t skimp on the geological drama, from its karst limestone cliffs to its subterranean river.

Offshore, its trapped in time. The beaches here gives you the option to discover, an underwater landscape! Of seagrass meadows and coral reefs, which are home to sea turtles, dolphins, manatee-like dugongs, and endangered giant clams.

Certainly you’ll find, some of the most gorgeous and unspoiled beaches, along the island’s. Northern tip to El Nido, which takes its name from the Spanish words for “the nest”. A reference to the swiftlets who build their (edible) nests on the cliff faces. And it’s also the perfect gateway for island-hopping among the lush and mostly uninhabited islets of the Bacuit Bay archipelago.

10. Aruba:

For first-time visitors, to this Dutch Caribbean island. It would be easy to never step foot off the two-mile strip of Palm Beach. With it’s high-rise hotels and access to watersports. From parasailing to kite-surfing to flyboarding aka zooming above the surface of the water on a water-propelled jetpack. But look elsewhere on this nearly 70-square-mile island and you’ll find beaches that show off its surprising diversity of landscapes.

Eagle Beach, is home to gnarled footie trees that twist and bend like bonsais due to the trade winds. While rugged Blackstone Beach is covered in smooth black pebbles in the shadow of natural land bridges.

Differently, it’s hard to beat the Instagram friendliness of the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort’s private beach. However you can get a day pass! Where its possible, to hand feed the lock of flamingos. Who strut among the lounge chairs and palapas like they own the place.

© 2025 Condé Nast. All rights reserved.

The post The World’s Best, Islands and Beaches. appeared first on You and Me Dating Site.

So what it’s really like, to visit the world’s friendliest island?

Encounters with the underwater residents and welcoming people of Fiji…

By Maggie Shipstead – 8 April 2023

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I was expecting to spend most of my time in Fiji, a nation of more than 300 islands, on or in the water, but I’d mostly been thinking of the ocean. Yet on a warm morning in May, I found myself deep within the mountainous interior of Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu, roaring in a red jet boat down a winding, mud-brown river, past sheer cliffs, dense jungle, and gentle banks where locals watered their horses or fished for tilapia or mud crabs. The river was one of Viti Levu’s longest, the Sigatoka, whose fertile, farmable banks are known as Fiji’s “salad bowl”.

After a while, the boat driver, an indigenous Fijian called Captain Nox, steered us into the shallows and cut the engine to share some local history with his 14 passengers. He pointed out a nearby mountain and told us that, because it was sacred, the Sigatoka chiefs had resisted many lucrative bids to quarry its marble deposits. In the 19th century, he said, one tribe lived in caves at the top and would rain rocks and spears down on anyone who tried to invade via the only trail that snaked up the mountain’s sheer face. He beamed. “But now Fiji is the friendliest island, eh?”

It’s true; nothing compares to the plosive enthusiasm of the Fijian greeting “bula!” It’s a word that floats like a bubble. Everyone says “bula” to everyone, even passing strangers. And historically, many have passed through here. A crossroads in the heart of the South Pacific, Fiji spans from eastern Melanesia, the region populated in prehistory by ethnically African people, to the western edge of Polynesia, which was inhabited later, by people who migrated from Southeast Asia by outrigger and double-hulled canoe. A little more than half of Fiji’s 900,000 people are Indigenous, or iTaukei, and nearly 40 per cent are ethnically Indian, descended from indentured labourers brought to work on sugar plantations during British colonial rule. Nox motored us to our next destination, Mavua, a typical rural iTaukei village of brightly painted cement houses with roaming chickens and children, populated mostly by subsistence farmers.

In Mavua’s community hall, a big, open-raftered room with louvered windows, 30 villagers welcomed us with a kava ceremony. Beloved throughout the South Pacific, kava is an earthy-tasting brown beverage made from the macerated root of a shrub in the pepper family (black, not bell pepper) called yaqona. On the first sip, kava makes your tongue go a little numb and, if you keep drinking, it induces a state of mellow good vibes. Glug enough of it, and you may find yourself more or less immobilised. Fijians are passionate about kava, which they call grog, and the slo-mo communal act of drinking it has long served as a tool for forging relationships and mitigating disputes.

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As the kava was prepared, the village chief and the oldest man in our boat (by default, our chief) engaged in a ritualised dialogue, punctuated by clapping and, eventually, sipping. As the bilos (cups for drinking kava) were passed around, heavy rain fell, drumming on the roof. Women in brightly printed dresses draped us with salusalu, or leaf garlands. The village dogs, drawn by the smell of lunch, waited hopefully outside the open doors. Sitting in long rows on the floor, we ate cassava and banana, greens, roti, sweet fried bread, ramen with curry sauce, and chicken. Afterwards, while men played guitars and ukuleles, everyone danced together, shuffling back and forth across the hall side by side with arms around one another’s waists, laughing. Then we jet-boated away in driving rain, the engine growling ferociously as Captain Nox spun us in circles.

Later, back at the sprawling Nanuku Resort Fiji on Viti Levu’s south coast, where I was staying, I had a private kava ceremony. Organised by an iTaukei man named Josua Cakautini, it was performed by four burly, bare-chested men who sat around a huge wooden bowl, in which they prepared the kava. During the ceremony, Cakautini explained that, before Covid, the yaqona root was often chewed by women rather than pounded. “Covid clashed with everything we stand for,” he said. “Unity and sharing. But you have to survive. And now we can welcome you here, and we say ‘bula’ to you to show we are respecting you as a human being.” He demonstrated how to clap to receive my bilo of kava. Then I was to say “bula” and drink it all in one gulp. I did. My lips tingled. “Fijian culture is changing,” he said. “The language. The way we dress. The way we live. But kava is the same.”

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Bula means “hello” but it also means “life”. Fiji is a place that drums on your senses, and reminds you that you are alive. It’s lush, colourful, and busy. Hardly anyone will let you arrive at or leave a place without singing a song of welcome or farewell. The roadsides are full of grazing horses and children in school uniform walking or hitchhiking, the boys in dapper narrow skirts called sulus, the girls in sleeveless shirt-dresses in mint green or coral. Snack bars try to outdo one another with clever names: Road Krill, Cannibal Country, and Cuppabula. People sell fruit, yaqona root, and strings of fish from simple stands. Outfitters offer cage-free shark dives and advertise snorkelling and scuba excursions with laminated photos of reefs bustling with fish. Water, always water.

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One day I went out snorkelling at a teensy private island with Kelly-Dawn Bentley, a marine biologist and native of nearby Pacific Harbour. We glided over a reef in water so shallow I barely dared move my fins. Little black fish bustled out of the coral as though to shoo us away. A school of silvery thumbprint emperors flashed around us like a swarm of UFOs. Bentley explained that a familiar practice was being used to conserve Fiji’s aquatic resources. “We are working with the local chief to hopefully designate this area as tabu,” she said, gesturing at the water between us and a nearby outlying island.

Throughout the South Pacific, tabu (Captain James Cook imported the word to the English language in 1777 as “taboo”) is a sacred prohibition that, traditionally, wasn’t used only to forbid offensive behaviour but also to manage community resources. For example, if a chief decided that a mountain had been too heavily hunted for pigs, he might declare it tabu until the pigs had time to recover. After overfishing in Fiji reached crisis levels in the ’90s, communities banded together to resurrect the practice of designating reefs as tabu so that fish could breed and mature in peace. The system is not perfectly effective (enforcement is a problem), but it’s an intriguingly modern application of an ancient idea. “Sustainability isn’t just about the environment,” Bentley told me. “It’s socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental.”

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At Kokomo Private Island, the luxury is so assured and pervasive as to seem effortless and casual, even homey. The passion project of Australian property billionaire Lang Walker, Kokomo occupies all 140 acres of an island south of Viti Levu called Yaukuve Levu that is a 45-minute seaplane flight from Fiji’s international airport at Nadi. As we approached, the barefoot pilot descended over the aquamarine shallows of the surrounding Great Astrolabe Reef, circled once over a green, bottle-shaped dollop of land with villas studding the long sandy beaches on either side of its neck, and splashed gently down.

Kokomo has 21 villas and five larger residences amid grounds that have been manicured into an idealised version of Fiji’s wild jungles: dense, rustling, green ranks of thriving palms and shrubs and broad-leafed banana plants, punctuated with vibrant maroon ti plants and sprays of white frangipani blossoms. The clientele tends to be Australian or Kiwi – and often families. There is a spa, of course, and a terraced five-and-a-half-acre organic farm, plus a floating platform off the main beach where guests can have drinks delivered by paddleboard. You know the room-service sashimi is fresh because the person on the other end of the phone will have to check with “the boys” to see if any fish has been caught yet. A grand, open, timbered and thatched building known modestly as The Beach Shack serves as the lobby and main restaurant. A second restaurant, Walker d’Plank, is perched above shallow waters patrolled by blacktip reef sharks.

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My aquatic lifestyle flourished. I could swim in my private pool or walk a few steps down to the beach, passing under a budding tree swarmed by black butterflies. I could snorkel or go out on a boat with iTaukei marine biologist Viviana Taubera to see Kokomo’s coral-restoration project or, as we did one afternoon, search for manta rays. We motored across the water made dark by an overcast sky, headed for a cleaning station off a neighbouring island, a place where the massive creatures were known to hang out and let smaller fish nibble the parasites off their bodies. “It’s too quiet out here,” said Taubera, scanning the sea. Just then the water around us exploded with a silvery disturbance: mackerel. “A school of thousands,” she said, lighting up. On the remote island where she grew up, she’d spent all her time in the ocean. “Marine biology was always a passion,” she told me. “For a while, I regretted studying it because I couldn’t find a job. But now…” She smiled. Now there was Kokomo. When no mantas showed, she was as crestfallen as a first-time visitor. “I really wanted to see one,” she exclaimed.

On my second-to-last morning, I was on Kokomo’s main dock before dawn. A two-level, 51-foot fishing boat was waiting for me, as was Jaga Crossingham, an Australian sportfishing guide and spear fisherman. “The kitchen told me no more fish,” he said. Showing me around the boat, he pointed out the padded, bolted-down chair at the stern, complete with a seat belt and footrests, where I would sit, theoretically to reel in a big fish. “This is where we fight,” he said. A pile of neon rubber squid-like lures and silver decoy fish with hooks as long as my hand lay at the ready.

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When the fish weren’t biting inside the reef, we went outside to where waves were breaking on the protective coral of Astrolabe. As the boat rolled heavily, we trolled along, booms extended like wings, trailing six lines. One zinged out, and I was sent to the chair. I reeled and reeled until my arm burned, finally pulling in a rainbow runner about three feet long. “Just a little one,” said Crossingham, dropping the fish in an ice-filled cooler against the kitchen’s edict. “It’ll make good sashimi for the staff.” We stayed out for a couple more hours, but the fish showed no more interest. “You did well,” said Crossingham when I stepped back onto Kokomo’s dock. At first, I thought he meant reeling in my little big fish. But then he explained, “99.9 per cent of people would have been very seasick.”

Out on that reef, I am reminded that any ocean nation is inherently a wild place, governed by water, for better or worse. We might have missed the manta rays, but it’s nice to think that they may be busy elsewhere. Thrashing waters might have the ability to turn a seaman green, though their energy is, in part, sheltering the marine life below. Warming seas endanger the reefs that protect the islands and the creatures that live in and around them, feeding Fiji’s people. There’s life there, in all its complexity. There’s bula.

Where to stay in Fiji

The majority of Fiji’s best spots are off the shores of its two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, and many include private transfers for guests.

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Kokomo Private Island (doubles from about £1,765) – a series of hilltop villas and beachside bure cottages overlooking the pristine waters of the southern Kadavu archipelago – is its own frangipani scented, barefoot-luxe ecosystem. The exceptional staff lead snorkeling tours to meet the manta rays that the resort helps to protect, and serves local mud crabs or baked mahi-mahi, with produce from the on-site organic farm, beehives, and vanilla plantation.

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On the southern edge of Viti Levu, the thatched-roof villas of Nanuku Resort Fiji (from about £546) poke through the trees on a paradise stretch of beach. Further afield than the diving, spa-going, and private plunging, activities include whitewater rafting through volcanic tunnels and exploring mangroves on foot or raft (the latter might involve traditional crabbing).

Other stay options include the Six Senses Fiji (from about £715), on the surf-ready Malolo Island west of Viti Levu, where endangered Fijian crested iguanas roam among the thatched bure villas with private pools.

What to do in Fiji

On Viti Levu, the mighty Sigatoka is one of Fiji’s longest rivers, and the Sigatoka River Safari takes guests past emerald hillsides and local villages with tales of its history. The eco-minded Talanoa Treks bring hikers through Fiji’s lush interiors, with dense forests and waterfalls.

The post Visit the world’s friendliest island! appeared first on You and Me Dating Site.

Some of the best beaches and islands, in The Philippines!

Hollywood loves El Nido. Scenes for the final installment of the “Bourne” series were shot here. The island was also the setting of a pit stop on “The Amazing Race.

One of the Philippines best assets is its 7,000 islands, edged by white sand buffering turquoise waters filled with some of the world’s most diverse marine life.

And most of them are relatively unexplored.Of course, not everyone will agree on which destination is best, but this is a good starting point for coming up with a travel plan:

WHERE TO GO!

1. El Nido, Palawan

Palawan is indeed “the last frontier” of the Philippines, as it’s been dubbed, the coastal town of El Nido is the gateway to wild adventure. Sure, it’s got powder-fine beaches and gin-clear waters. But the views are what really sell the place.

Off the coast of El Nido are majestic karst limestone formations, empty lagoons, marble cliffs, prehistoric caves and waterfalls. All are easily explored.

What to do: El Nido is a popular base for divers. Surrounding waters contain more than 50 species of coral, and attract whales, whale sharks, sea cows, manta rays, dolphins and endangered turtles.

2. Boracay, Aklan

Bad times have befallen the jewel in the crown of Philippines beach destinations. In April 2018, the country announced it was closing Boracay island for six months because of environmental damage. Behind the problem is, of course, the dazzling beauty that has made Boracay so attractive to travelers and developers.

The shutdown is intended to provide time to clean up the island and surrounding seas. If this proves successful, Boracay should be able, once again, to claim its rightful place on this list.Until then, we’ll keep dreaming of White Beach, a four-kilometer stretch that in happier days welcomes everyone from beach bums to adventurers.

At night, under normal circumstances, the beach comes alive with candle-lit sand castles, cozy restaurants and bars that stay open til dawn.Away from White Beaches, are calmer resorts. There’s always been a less boisterous side of Boracay and, even in recent years, it still offered secluded strips of sand, coves, caves and cliffs.

What to do: During the early months of the year, Boracay typically attracts hundreds of kite-boarders and windsurfers who compete in the International Fun board Cup. The rough waves and strong winds make Boracay an ideal destination for water sports fanatics. Let’s hope it continues to do so when it reopens for business. Travel to best beaches

3. Palaui Island, Cagayan Valley

This isolated island is a natural secret — only the brave and persevering bother to visit. Glorious white sands surrounded by volcanic rocks on one side kiss blue-green waters on the other. Snorkeling and diving brings you face to face with coral gardens and a rich marine reserve.

Palaui is all about raw beauty. But it takes some work to get there.Treks should be blessed with clear blue skies, patient companions and trusted local guides. Getting to the island’s most prized stretch of beach requires battling thorny grass, muddy ground and a mangrove forest.Uncharted Philippines offers a three-day Palaui Island Photography Tour for $240 that includes transportation, accommodation, food and guides.

What to do: With no resorts or hotels, Palaui has only one real option — camping under the stars. Otherwise, visitors are left to explore home stay options.

4. Panglao, Bohol

Once a sleepy island, Panglao is being roused by travelers in search of gorgeous beaches. It’s a refuge for those who appreciate a diverse menu of aquatic attractions. Options include dolphin watching, whale spotting, diving with barracudas, jackfish, sea snakes and brilliant coral formations.

Natural charms: In addition to its beaches, the island of Bohol is famous for its Chocolate Hills, an unusual rolling terrain of more than 1,000 dome-shaped hills. The hills are named for their brown color during dry season, when grass dries up.The “world’s smallest primate” — the endangered Philippine tarsier — also inhabits the island.

Random fact: Years ago, a number of foreigners came to Panglao on holiday and never bothered to leave. Locals picked up their languages to better converse with the tourists. In addition to English, in Panglao you have a good chance of meeting a local with a handy grasp of German, Swiss or Japanese.

5. Bantayan Island, Cebu

Perfect mix of luxury and seclusion.Courtesy Santa Fe Beach Club Bantayan has remained relatively untouched by modern life, save for a smattering of foreigners who have taken up residence, sucked in by the island’s white sands, aqua-colored waters and red-gold sunsets.

Beers are cold and cheap, townsfolk are hospitable and the dreary troubles of the outside world are easily forgotten.

Holy crowds: If you’re after peace and quiet, don’t plan a stay during the Holy Week before Easter. The island is crowded with Filipino travelers during this period, with rooms and services booked months in advance.

What to do: Relax. Action-packed it ain’t. There are no five-star hotels, no malls, no fashion-forward shopping centers.

6. Caramoan, Camarines Sur

Named after the local sea turtle, Caramoan is as scenic as it is secluded. Stretches of white sand run between huge boulders and rock formations. Scuba divers, island hoppers and beach bums all converge here.

Complementing the beaches are caves, waterfalls, freshwater pools, underground streams and lagoons.

Adventure site: The “Survivor” reality show series and similar international programs have used Caramoan as a shooting location.Despite the locale’s popularity with TV production companies, there are enough beaches to go around for everyone.

What to do in the Philippines: Mountain climbers can trek to Mount Caglago’s summit and take in a terrific view of the Caramoan islands and islets. The mountain is a pilgrimage site for some, thanks to its gigantic statue of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

7. Samal, Davao

A burgeoning tourist destination, Samal is on a mission to get the word out on its 118-kilometer coastline of white sandy beaches.You know the highlights: pristine waters, lush greens, rock formations, mangrove and coconut palms. Numerous resorts provide a range of choices for visitors, from luxurious resorts to backpacker options.

The vanishing island: This curious moniker is the nickname of Shanipaan Shoal, a tiny island that literally disappears from sight during high tide. The only thing visible at high water is a single, elevated cottage poking out of the sea.

What to do in the Philippines: The vast Coral Garden Marine Park, a fish sanctuary filled with diverse marine life, makes Sambal a favorite among divers and snorkelers.

8. Siargao Islands, Surigao del Norte

Even if you can’t surf, Siargao is a beautiful beach getaway. Known as the top surfing island in the Philippines, Siargao is often overlooked as a beachcomber’s paradise.

There are breaks for beginner surfers, moderate ones and even pros looking for three-meter-high waves. For those with zero surf skills — and no desire to acquire any — there are also pristine beaches with milder waves, perfect for sunning and swimming.

What to do in the Philippines: Ideal days for surfing are between mid-August and mid-December, when the swell is most consistent. Beginners should visit when waves are smaller, around April or May.

9. Great Santa Cruz Island, Zamboanga

On Great Santa Cruz Island, pulverized red coral washed up from the sea floor mixes with white sand to produce a pink-hued beach.It’s a different version of perfection: the powdery beach competes with the blue and green shades of the sea. Some parts of the beach are lovely in their undeveloped state.

There are signs of civilization — souvenirs, nipa huts and restrooms.Beach visits are limited to day trips, so you have to squeeze everything into a few hours: swim, sunbathe, snorkel, dive, even fish for your lunch. Just don’t mistake serenity for safety — there’s a deep drop in the sea just meters from shore.

What to do in the Philippines: The island is just a boat ride away from the city proper, but getting there requires extra precautions, due to local threats.Only those with a tourist permit from the Department of Tourism in Zamboanga City can visit. The permit fee includes armed security escorts.

Why the need for security? According to the Department of Tourism’s regional office, it’s a preventative measure: “On the security situation in Zamboanga City, there are no militant or terrorism activities recently. Although there were reported shooting incidents, these were intended to specific victims due to personal grudges.

The city is very vibrant and relatively peaceful.”As a precaution, check with your embassy for security threats before traveling.

10. Pagudpud/Bangui, Ilocos Norte

Along the northern tip of the island of Luzon sits the coastal town of Pagudpud. It’s a quiet, sleepy and rural community, with little overt commercialism.Perhaps because it takes time and effort to reach Pagudpud, the wide and inviting beaches are usually empty, making them ideal for those who enjoy mixing solitude with sun, sand and surf.

A row of windmills down the coast from Pagudpud in the town of Bangui makes for a picturesque if not unusual backdrop for a Filipino beach.

What to do in the Philippines: Parts of Pagudpud are exposed to winds that blow in from both the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean, making the waves ideal for surfers, especially from July to October. Windsurfers and kite boarders are starting to take notice of this northern getaway.

Updated June 11, 2020

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8 Reasons Why Palawan is One of the Best Places to Retire in the Philippines!

By Citi Global Team  April 22, 2019

The Philippines is quickly becoming a retirement haven. In fact, it’s now one of the 24 best places to retire in the world, according to Forbes. However, with 7,641 islands to choose from, it might take some time before you decide where exactly you’ll retire. NB. 8 Reasons Why Palawan is One of the Best Places to Retire in the Philippines?

If you’re going to compile your top options, you’ll want to include world-famous Palawan on the list. Year after year, it ranks among the best islands in the world for travelers. But why settle for a simple trip? Living in Palawan may prove to be a wonderful retirement plan for any retiree seeking paradise. Check out the list of reasons why this popular destination is a perfect place to retire in the Philippines!

8 Reasons to Retire in Palawan!

1. Breathtaking Scenery:

Imagine getting a sweeping view of the ocean first thing in the morning, or spending lazy afternoons on a quiet beach. Living in Palawan brings this dream into reality. Here, you can live a life surrounded by the best of nature–a premium for most other real estate properties!

The abundance of natural wonders in Palawan also means you’ll always have sights to see. For starters, Puerto Princesa’s own Subterranean River is one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

2. Fair Weather:

While the Philippines as a whole is prone to typhoons, these storms generally hit the eastern side of the country. Palawan is the Philippines’ westernmost province, which means that it’s often shielded from typhoons at full strength.

As a result, the island experiences a lot of sunny days year-round. It just so happens that Palawan comes alive with tourists during the dry season from November to May.

3. Clean, Green Surroundings:

Another nickname for Palawan is “the Philippines’ last ecological frontier.” Various groups and government agencies place great importance on preserving Palawan’s pristine quality. Even the locals take part by cleaning up after themselves, resulting in litter-free streets.

Chances are, you’ll reap the benefits of these green practices if you retire in a verdant piece of Palawan real estate. Expect no less than fresh air that feels absolutely refreshing on the skin early in the morning. Just remember to do your part in keeping the environment clean!

4. Hospitable Locals:

Filipinos are already known for their hospitality, but the people of Palawan take it to another level. The locals are eager to answer all your questions no matter if they know you or not. They may even go as far as recommending the best eats in town, the must-see sites to visits, and the ideal places to go to buy your everyday essentials. Wherever you go, there is always a community that will make you feel right at home when living in Palawan.

4. Safe Neighborhoods:

Although it’s always good to be vigilant, you’ll be pleased to know that Palawan has a low crime rate. There are almost no thieves or snatchers around to disturb a leisurely evening stroll. A curfew also helps residents stay out of trouble.

6. Fresh Food:

Puerto Princesa’s New Market and Public Market can provide you with a steady supply of fresh seafood and produce. It definitely helps that they’re both close to the sea. In fact, the Public Market is just 200 meters away from the Puerto Princesa Baywalk Pier. You’ll have access to all the fresh supplies you need for any kitchen experiments after you retire!

7. Balance of Rural and Urban Lifestyles:

Palawan perfectly balances natural beauty with the conveniences of an urban lifestyle. Public transportation is a breeze, with multicabs and tricycles plying the roads. Also, there are several establishments and shopping malls on the road leading away from the Puerto Princesa International Airport.

8. Low Costs of Living:

You’ll be surprised at how affordable everything is in Palawan! Discounts can help you save while shopping, especially if you buy in bulk.

Living in Palawan doesn’t just come with perks like cheap yet fresh food and basic necessities. You can also live on a serene beachfront residence for a competitive price. And despite the reduced costs, you’ll still get high-quality products and services. You can enjoy a relaxed island life without ever worrying about going broke in the middle of retirement!

ALSO READ: 4 Must-Visit Places in Palawan

Are you now thinking of retiring and living out your golden years in one of the best islands in the world?  It’s never too early to scout for properties where you can comfortably retire. That way, you can ensure that the rest of your life will be nothing short of paradise for you.

Consider settling down at the Diamond Beach Residences. This picturesque beachfront property is located in a quiet, unspoiled part of Puerto Princesa for your utmost comfort. You can also earn passive income by enrolling your unit under the hotel pool, in case you need to hop back to Manila or elsewhere. Contact us today for inquiries!

Visit our blog for more articles about Palawan real estate and investment options for retirees in the Philippines.

Get in Touch to Inquire About Palawan Properties for Sale and Other Real Estate Investment Opportunities.

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