Tulum, Mexico

On the Caribbean coast, on the southeast of Mexico, located in Quintana Roo, is the city of Tulum. This is the only Mayan city that was built by the water. It's a beautiful walled city which is one of the most visited places, and considered one of the big Mexican marvels. Tulúm, a word of Mayan origin, means "wall", it's the only archeological site by a beach, surrounded by walls on three sides: the fourth side of Tulum is the Caribbean Sea. The landscape is absolutely dazzling, from the reefs where the city is on you can admire the beauty of the Caribbean, with underwater caves and a tropical jungle.

Tulum is divided in three zones: the beach, the archeological and the town. The beaches are really impressive, and many of them are yet considered as virgins. In fact, every year thousands of turtles came to these beaches. Tulúm has three well differentiated areas: the beaches, the town and the archeological zone. The beach area is particularly breathtaking, many of them are still virgin, the cabins and small hotels were built in total harmony with the natural beauty of the surroundings. Tulúm is on the south point of the Mayan Riviera, which is very convenient to stay for a few days and visit the nearby ecologic parks: Xel-Ha to the north and Sian Ka'an to the south.

WHERE TO STAY AND HOW TO GO - HOTELS AND FLIGHTS

You can find every kind of accommodation here, for the most demanding tourists and you could also select the picturesque cabanas with different luxury levels, from the simpler ones to very luxurious ones.

Of course that many hotels use the typical Mayan decoration style to offer their visitors an accomodation totally incorporated to the amazing scenario that Tulum offers to the tourist..

From the International Airport of Cancún, you can take the Cancún-Chetumal highway, Tulúm is a little more than 130 kilometers away. There are buses that offer this service from the airport.

ACTIVITIES - WHAT TO DO

The archeological tourism, eco-adventure tourism and diving are only some of the activities you can do, besides all the water sports possible. Tulum is ideal for relaxing, physically and spiritually; you can practice meditation or yoga, or enjoy an old fashioned Mayan steam bath. Tulum is the eco-archeological destination, perfect for those who enjoy nature, sun and history; adventure, exploring and contact with nature.

Several of the best Mexican beaches are on the Mayan Riviera. Tulúm stands out, with the beautiful sky blue waters and for being next to one of the most impressive Mayan cities. Unlike Cancún or Playa del Carmen, Tulúm is a tranquil place with tourists who walk its extensive beaches. It's so quiet is not unusual to bump into people who practice nudism.

On the south of Tulum we can enjoy a gorgeous beach called Boca Paila, which is inside the Sian Ka'an Reserve, it's virgin and it's located between the Caribbean Sea and the Muyil Lagoon. It has a magnificient tropical vegetation, exotic birds, turquoise waters and white sands. You can get there by a narrow coastal highway, the local fisherman offer their services, and you can camp there as well.

WEATHER - WHEN TO GO

The weather in Tulúm is tropical, humid and hot, the average temperature starts at 25ºC to 35ºC. The best time of the year to visit is from November to May, because the rainy season goes from May to October.

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahia de Banderas - Banderas Bay. Puerto Vallarta offers championship golf, tennis tournaments, mountain biking, snorkeling, scuba diving, horseback riding, hot air ballooning and more for the active traveler! Day trips range from a flight to a mountain silver mining village to a cruise to the island preserve of many endangered species, from booze cruises to dolphin and whale watching.

The north shore of the bay is lined with beach towns that offer good wading beaches and the usual tourist amenities. These include: Bucerias, Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Playa la Manzanilla, Playa Destiladeras, Playa Pontoque, and Punta Mita.


Get more information on Puerto Vallarta here



Get more information on Puerto Vallarta here

America's 2010 Top Beach #8: Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, South Carolina got Dr. Beach’s nod for the number 8 beach of 2010 in America. And if you know a little about South Carolina, you’ll know it’s one of the best places to play golf and tennis. With the layout of the barrier islands around the Carolinas there are literally dozen of nature walks and kayak and canoe paths where you can see thousands of birds and other wildlife. But let’s get to the beach.






Beachwalker Park is a small part of the great Kiawah beach area. The nice thing about it is that along with its beauty, there are restrooms, lifeguards, and a snack bar in the summer. The park is designed for families with a nice walk area along what is called Captain Sam’s Spit.






Here you will see nature at its finest with untouched beach and shoreline. And if you can bring your bike, you’ll have even more fun as there are trails that take you just about everywhere on Kiawah. If you want to park in the park, there is a $7 fee.


Memorial Day fills the park and unless you come very early, you won’t find parking.


Beachwalker Park beach is clean and the view is beautiful. When you’re up for eating, Kiawah Island has many restaurants to try out. We enjoyed the Fresh Market Village Shoppes and again, the bike trails make everything fun, if you bring a bike. If you don’t – there is a bike shop on the island that rents bikes. If you have the time, there is also a kayak rental near the bike shop.


Cottages and resorts fill up quickly around holidays, but call around to get a good price. Beachwalker Park is worth a visit and is why Dr. Beach put it on his list this year.


Beach Index:


- Atlantic beach with compacted tan sand
- Rent or bring a bike, many trails that are fun
- Stay a week or longer if you can
- Family fun beach with facilities

Beaches of Dubai, UAE

Dubai is the center of tourism and trade. Most of the tourists that come to UAE choose to spend their holidays in this emirate and the city of Dubai. The Bay of Dubai is in the heart of the city and it defines its characteristic appearance.
	Al Mamzar Beach Park. Located on the border between the emirates of Dubai and Sharjah, the park occupies a huge territory.   It is almost always half empty, despite the magnificent beaches and an abundance of different facilities for sports and recreation.   You can find fabulous green gardens, a large amphitheater, BBQ area, a hall with slot machines, children's playgrounds with slides and swings. There are seven beaches on the territory of the green park.   On weekdays it is quite easy to find a secluded corner with a warm, clean sand, while on Fridays the whole park is full of laughter and loud voices of the locals residents and visitors from India who enjoy their well-deserved holidays.   The beaches are spacious, well equipped with showers and toilets, as well as sun umbrellas made of palm leaves.   Gantut Beach is a fairly long and clean sandy beach, located near the island of Palm Jebel Ali, 4 km from the Hotel Jebel Ali Hotel & Spa.   The water here is crystal clear, calm and quiet and the privacy is guaranteed. The obvious pluses are the showers and shade canopies made of palm branches.
Jumeirah is the most popular beach in Dubai with the sand light like a feather, very white, where you can safely swim, enjoying the warm water and gentle sun. Before you find yourself at Jumeirah Beach Park, you will have to overcome a few hundred meters of landscaped gardens. The park is popular for its convenient platform for a family barbecue, children's play areas, but if you really want to rest alone with nature, try not to get to this beach on a Friday afternoon.   Kite beach located in Umm Suqeim between the sailing club and the fishing village (just behind the Mirage Art Centre). There are no facilities on this beach where happy fathers fly kites with their children, and tanned young ladies enjoy the sun. It is famous for gusty winds and a huge open space, an ideal environment for those who do not accept the laws of gravity and likes to fly. Abu Dhabi, the capital city stretches along the lifeless sand and parched rivers on the Persian Gulf. This is the largest and richest of the emirates. The city of Abu Dhabi is located on the island and separated from the mainland by a narrow strait which is a city park.   Bahrain is a wonderful island located 40 minutes from the coast of Abu Dhabi. You can get there by a charter boat. The journey becomes an adventure of viewing seven miles of wild white sandy beaches.   Jebel Danat is an uninhabited beach situated 400 kilometers from Dubai with calm clean sea water. Since the beach is only yours it makes sense to think about sun umbrellas. It has shallow water 50 meters from the shore which makes this coast ideal for a holidays with children.