Paradise could very well be a perfect beach lapped by turquoise waters and touched by a gentle cooling breeze. August is the month for beach lovers, and in addition to those on our very doorstep there are also idyllic spots scattered across the globe for the intrepid traveller to discover.
Living on the Costa del Sol, we are well served by sandy beaches and coves, including stretches of coastline that are protected for their beauty and ecological importance. In fact, we must count ourselves blessed to be living in a warm climate with cool water and Mediterranean beaches that are part of our daily landscape and always within reach.
Our region is a beach haven within Europe, and one that people from across the continent travel great distances to access and enjoy what those of us who live here can take for granted.
That said, even residents of Marbella will occasionally want a change of scenery, and if you do there are paradisiacal spots that are the stuff of tropical island fantasies. Naturally, many are indeed tropical islands, with the added advantage that you can go regardless of the season – just make sure you miss any monsoon or hurricane periods and all is set for that classic palm-fringed beach experience that will have you feeling like you’re on the set of a Bond movie.
Navagio Beach
This cove-like beach in Zakynthos is famous for two reasons. It gained notoriety – and derives its name – from a shipwreck that almost eerily rests upon the sandy beach at the base of the cove. Visitors to this most unique of spots will have to share the beach with the rusting remains of the MV Panagiotis, which ran aground here in stormy conditions in 1980.
Known over the centuries as a favourite hiding spot among smugglers, this is about as good a place to get shipwrecked as any on the planet, for at Navagio Beach you find yourself hemmed in between clear blue skies, aquamarine water and the light-toned limestone cliffs of a classic Greek island.
Indeed, the sheer beauty and dreamy crystal clear water of this spot makes it one of the outstanding locations not just in the Ionian Islands but anywhere on the earth’s shores. What adds a further touch of James Bond glamour is the fact that Navagio Beach is only accessible by boat, with many a luxury yacht dropping anchor a little further offshore and launching a sloop for one of the more sophisticated beachside experiences…