Jungle Beach Costa Rica has long been a top destination of travellers from around the globe. It has something for everyone but the reasonably unknown and unspoilt beauty of the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, on the Pacific coast around Santa Teresa, is a hidden gem. It has a growing community of surfers and artisans from all over the world who have decided to make it their home. This has translated into a vibrant and colourful place to explore and chill out, with the perfect combination of a tropical beach town matched with quality restaurants and services.
It is quite a difficult place to get to but once you make the trip from either San Jose or Liberia (and please only travel in a 4x4 in the wet season!), it is very much worth the effort.
Here are my top 5 reasons for adding it to your hit list of places to visit:
1. The beaches are your own. No more worries about other sun worshippers getting too close for comfort on a packed and sweaty beach. The beaches from Mal Pais up to, and especially Manzanillo are huge and people-less. You sometimes feel that you are on your own private beach and this photo shows you exactly what I mean.
Being in the tropics also means that the beaches are surrounded by lush, dense jungle, full of the sounds of howler monkeys and an abundance of huge palm trees. Pick coconuts and drink the fresh and naturally isotonic pipa juice from your hammock – it really is this idyllic. Our beaches recently won Trip Advisor's best beach in Central and South America.
There are rock pools between Manzanillo and Playa Hermosa between mid and low tide. Not only are these tidal pools breathtaking to see, but there are a whole host of little fish to share the experience with. This makes for stunning images for those budding photographers out there and it doesn’t cost a penny. When the tide is high, you wouldn’t even know they were there!
2. Incredible surf. I am not a surfer, but my husband is, so I feel qualified (by association), to write about it. I don’t know if you surf but this is an exceptional place to give it a go. During the dry seasons, the waves on Hermosa beach are consistent and gently rolling, providing the novices out there with sufficient white wash to get the basics covered and practice and practice and practice. During June, July and August, the surf can get quite big and scary or big and fun, dependant on your skill level. Being a surfing town also means that there is no shortage of quality surf instructors – for all ages and all of whom speak at least a few languages proficiently. Lessons cost around $40 - $50 for a two hour session and you can also hire boards from around $10 a day. The beach breaks of Playa Carmen, Mal Pais and Santa Teresa are some of the more consistent in the whole country. Waves all year round. There are also a number of secret point breaks that you might encounter.
3. Yoga. Where there is surf, you will find yoga – and lots of it too. Whether you are into pilates, ashtanga or vinyasa flow, there are some breathtaking places to practise that are extremely reasonably priced. One of the most beautiful I would recommend, is Horizon, Playa Carmen, with inspiring vistas. A favourite and long established yoga teacher for the area is called Nancy Goodfellow. Nancy is based out of Prananar down in Hermosa and can be reached through www.pranamarvillas.com. I have been with some seriously advanced people in her class who have rated Nancy amongst one of the best in the world.
4. The Sunsets. Moving onto something a little less high physical impact, the sunsets here are
amazing. Being on the Pacific side of Costa Rica means glorious and never ending glows each evening. The only question is where to watch it
each night: do you head up the mountain to Brisas del Mar for spectacular views of the peninsula, scrumptious cocktails and yummy food, head to the beach bar at D&N on Playa Carmen for some chilled out sunset music or simply retire to your beachfront villa or hotel?
5. Wildlife Aplenty. I touched on this earlier, but the Nicoya Peninsula really is haven for travellers looking to be submerged in nature. There are huge iguanas everywhere, white faced and howler monkeys in the trees outside your bedroom window, colourful parrots flying through the air, wonderful nature walks through the Cabo Blanco nature reserve and if you are lucky, you might even get to see baby turtles being released into the sea at Calatus, a 45 minute drive north of Manzanillo.
There are so many more reasons that you should think of coming to Santa Teresa – horse riding, buying freshly caught fish straight off the fishermen at Mal Pais, artisan organic farmers markets on Saturday’s or just slowing down for a few weeks, but for now, I hope that I have given you a taste for the Nicoya Peninsula. Come and enjoy it for yourselves.
Fernando de Noronha is a small volcanic island found a few hundred kilometres off the coast of Brazil. One feels like you’re in the middle of the tropical Atlantic here - volcanic rocks jut into the sky and the scenery is of cliffs, pounding waves and beautiful beaches. The beaches of Fernando de Noronha are dramatic and stunning, ranging from cliff backed coves to long beaches popular with surfers. Fernando de Noronha has some of Brazil’s best surfing, and also some of the best scuba diving in addition to the country’s best beaches. Much of the island is a National Park as it’s full of endemic birdlife, and many of the beaches are important turtle nesting sites. All in all there’s many reasons to visit Fernando de Noronha.
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Holiday resorts on other Greek islands are numerous and widespread, so that there is sure to be Greece package holidays that appeal to everyone, with just the right blend of nightlife, culture and relaxation. You will note that Palmyra Beach is ideally located for travelers who wish to broaden their knowledge of Greek culture and learn more about ancient Greek art and mythology. Hotel guests can commute easily to the Greek ancient sites of Athens to the Acropolis , to Cape Sounion, to museums and to other major historical sites. The alternating invaders, the peaceful settlers, and the country’s position at the crossroads between east and west, have all left their mark on the Greek cultural landscape. Archaeological sites abound in the country side, and museums in cities protect priceless artifacts from antiquity.
There are an almost endless number of beach resorts in idyllic locations around the world. From the party beach resorts of Ibiza to the secluded beaches of the Greek Islands or the tourist hotspots of Malaga and the Playa de las Americas, there is a beach holiday suited to every beach lover. Though most of the beaches here are built up with resorts, they are gorgeous enough to attract visitors, some rich and famous, from around the world. On this relatively large island there are numerous small villages, some with relatively deserted beaches. There are many resorts and organized beaches along Crete’s north coast, with the less crowded options on the south and west side. Whichever island you choose to visit, there will be a wealth of beaches waiting for you. 
With more than 2,000 islands, ranging from tiny atolls to the veritable continent that is Crete, maritime Greece is unmatched for sheer variety. Beaches, history, walking, cycling, water sports, festivals, food ecology: chances are if you want it, they’ve got it. Style bars in Heraklion (Crete) can serve the locals such vegan beery delights as Chimay and Hoegaarden. Blessed by Mother Nature, Crete delights the senses with its fertile valleys, mountain peaks, sacred caves, and fresh local goat cheese, basil, figs, and wine. This is a great place to explore (by car) and relax for a week if you’re not interested in island hopping.
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As anyone planning a Mexico beach vacation is aware, Mexico beaches are among some of the most tempting in the world. Mexico beaches are some of the most beautiful in the world. With pristine white sand, clear blue waters and a bevy of activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, swimming, surfing and much more. Chichen Itza, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Ixtapa, Puerto Escondido, Cancun, Cozumel and Cabo San Lucas are just a few of the more popular Mexico beach destinations.
Depending on your preferences, the best time to plan your Mexico beach vacation is likely between November and May. Although the weather is quite nice during the winter, Christmas and Easter generally attract huge holiday crowds and prices skyrocket. June and July are by far the hottest months of the year and Mexico beaches will be oppressively humid. Summer also sees the greatest influx of insects to the area, although these months are generally the least expensive travel times.