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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,047,835 times
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Don't get me wrong, I love a nice beach for swimming, just laying about on and all that...but the idea of say going on a vacation just to go to a beach...beaches are nice, but they only excite me if they have something else to offer. E.g. coral reefs to snorkel in, good surf, spectacular scenery. Maybe I take them for granted since I live close to some 'world class' beaches and have been to more beaches, many stunning, than I've had hot dinners.
But often many people's vacations seem centered around having fun in the sun at beaches (often because it's in summer, or else to some tropical destination), and there's often an emphasis on beaches when discussing tourist destinations. That's fine, but it seems the preferred choice.
Well if you look at a map of the world you'll see how many beaches there are...so I think there are far more special and 'spectacular' beaches than we know about. I find overcrowded beach resorts sort of annoying - think Miami Beach, Acapulco, Patong Beach, even the city ones like Bondi Beach. I like beaches and the ocean, but they're only one of the great things to see/experience while travelling, for me at least.
If you are a "beach person" being on a beach is simply amazing.
For non-beach people it probably is over-rated because they prefer the mountains, forests, cities, seas, etc. It'd be a boring world if we all liked the same things.
If I lived a place that's warm year round, I probably wouldn't care too much about the beach. As it is, after/during a cold winter and sludging through snow, nothing beats hoping on a plane and just doing absolutely nothing on a beach for a couple of days!
Beach vacations are kind of strange. Maybe because also I grew up in Florida, near some excellent beaches, and I equate a beach "vacation" as an hour drive and a half a tank of gas away. What - you mean people actually travel by plane and stay in hotels to lay on a beach? Seriously, it's a ridiculous thought.
Then again, I take vacations, or used to take vacations, to climb mountains (now I just gaze at them or take the tram up). So I get it, only a little bit however. What I don't understand is the European thought of going to truly beautiful and historic places....just to lie on a beach and get drunk. i.e. - British trips to Spain...to see the historical significance of the Alahambra or to explore Toledo catherdrals? Nah - to lie on a beach on the southern coast tourist slums, get drunk during the day, and eat fish n chips at night. British and Dutch trips to Egypt...to see the wonders of the ancient world? Nah - to lie on a beach at the tourist slums at Sharm, get drunk during the day, and eat fish n chips at night.
Agreed , Laying on a beach sweating while you are getting a radiation burn,getting sand in everything, looking at a flat boring ocean doesnt do a thing for me either,Beaches? i gave up on building sand castles 60 yrs ago..
It really depends on the perspective of the traveler, and what they like to do.
When it comes to the beach, many people want to simply relax, empty their minds and veg out for a week. Others want to go scuba diving or bird watching.
During the heat of the summer, the coastline is often cooler. During the cold winter, people wanting to get away from it all can do so at an empty beach.
I grew up on both coasts, and always loved the water. Then I moved to Colorado, where there is not a whole lot of moisture, period, let alone coastline.
So for years, almost every vacation I took involved the beach in some way, at least for part of it.
Now I live at the beach, so no longer pine for it. The beach is my church as well as my playground.
It is a place for reflection and meditation, and a place to romp with my dogs.
It is a place to appreciate nature, and a place to swim and exercise.
Not all beaches are created equal. When you've lived in a place where you see bald eagles during your daily dog walk, you don't take it for granted.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,047,835 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate
It really depends on the perspective of the traveler, and what they like to do.
When it comes to the beach, many people want to simply relax, empty their minds and veg out for a week. Others want to go scuba diving or bird watching.
During the heat of the summer, the coastline is often cooler. During the cold winter, people wanting to get away from it all can do so at an empty beach.
I grew up on both coasts, and always loved the water. Then I moved to Colorado, where there is not a whole lot of moisture, period, let alone coastline.
So for years, almost every vacation I took involved the beach in some way, at least for part of it.
Now I live at the beach, so no longer pine for it. The beach is my church as well as my playground.
It is a place for reflection and meditation, and a place to romp with my dogs.
It is a place to appreciate nature, and a place to swim and exercise.
Not all beaches are created equal. When you've lived in a place where you see bald eagles during your daily dog walk, you don't take it for granted.
I think if you just want to swim/lay about, a lake, waterhole with a nice sandy beach is just as good as the ocean. Maybe it's more fun to splash about in waves, but I do enjoy the peace and tranquility of still waters.
For other activities like surfing, body-boarding, most water sports, you can't replace the ocean. Plus the oceanic environment is fascinating.
I grew up at a beach, and while I enjoy walking along the shore, I'd rather lie by a pool! I'm not really a "swimmer" and getting wet and cooled off in the ocean leaves you sticky and salty!
I grew up at a beach, and while I enjoy walking along the shore, I'd rather lie by a pool! I'm not really a "swimmer" and getting wet and cooled off in the ocean leaves you sticky and salty!
I am a swimmer and love frolicking in the ocean, but agree with you about the salty/stickiness which, along with the sand, is an inescapable part of the beach experience.
My favorite thing in the world (don't get it to do it very much anymore) is to hang out at the beach, then dive into a swimming pool afterward.
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