WORLD'S BEST BEACHES:
IPANEMA BEACH, RIO, BRAZIL:
It is famously known for its elegance and social qualities. Two mountains called the "Dois Irmãos" (Two Brothers) rise at the western end of the beach. The beach is divided into segments by marks known as "postos" (lifeguard towers). Beers are sold everywhere on the beach along with the traditional cachaça. Pronounced "kashasa", it is a sugar cane rum made in Brasil. Also known as a national drink in Brasil there is "The Caipirinha", a mix of Cachaça (or vodka) with crushed lime, sugar and ice. There are always circles of people playing football, volleyball, and footvolley, a combination sport of vollyball and football originated in Brazil.
In the winter the surf can reach 10–15 feet. The water quality varies with days of light-blue water to a more murky green after heavy rains. Constant swells keep the water clean. The often treacherous beach break regularly forms barrels.
Just west of this colorful section and towards Leblon is another popular stretch of sand known as Posto Nove (aptly named after the 9th lifeguard tower) where young and often beautiful carioca men and women hipsters congregate.
Ipanema is generally regarded as one of the safest districts in Zona Sul. It is a mostly middle to upper middle class neighborhood being the second most affluent neighborghood in Rio after Leblon, which has communities of large residential homes. As such, it is usually patrolled by more police than other areas of the city.
KARON BEACH, PHUKET, THAILAND:
Karon Beach refers to a beach, and the town adjoining it, on the western coast of Phuket, Thailand.
The beach is a popular destination for tourists. Generally quieter than neighbouring Patong Beach, it is especially popular among families and couples, and less popular with singles than Patong. It is also especially popular with Scandinavian tourists, with many businesses catering especially to them.
Karon Beach was heavily damaged by the tsunamis following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, especially in its southern regions, but has since largely recovered and by 2008 showed little evidence of tsunami damage.
WAIKIKI BEACH, HAWAII, U.S.A:
Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikiki and one of the best known beaches in the world.
The neighborhood extends from the Ala Wai Canal (a channel dug to drain former wetlands) on the west and north, to Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) on the east. The name means spouting fresh water in Hawaiian for springs and streams that fed wetlands that once separated Waikiki from the interior. Waikiki has long been a place of relaxation. In particular, the area was a retreat for Hawaiian royalty in the 1800s.
Today the neighborhood and beach are considered the center of the tourist industry in Hawaii, with an abundance of both high-rise resort hotels (including the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Halekulani hotel, the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, and the Sheraton Waikiki) and historic hotels dating back to the early 20th century (such as the Moana Surfrider Hotel and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel).
Waikiki Beach is noted for its magnificent view of Diamond Head. The frequently visited tourist beach, easily accessible by an alley next to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, is actually fairly short, with half of it marked off for surfers. For some distance into the ocean the water is quite shallow, although there are numerous rocks on the bottom, so waders should watch where they put their feet. As with most ocean beaches the waves can have some force, particularly on windy days.
Since 2001, there have been free movies on the beach. Many tourists from around the world can view a movie on an outdoor 30 foot screen. This particular free movie event in Waikiki is called "Sunset on the Beach". Sunset on the Beach typically shows movies of no higher than a PG rating. Recently, they showed Enchanted.
MYRTOS BEACH, KEFALONIA, GREECE:
Myrtos Beach is situated in the region of Pylaros, in the north-west of Kefalonia. The beach is situated between the feet of two mountains, Agia Dynati and Kalo Oros. Myrtos is world-famous for the magical colours of the water (from sky-blue to dark blue, green-blue and turquoise). In the evening when the sun is on the horizon, the water is coloured by magnificent colours, (red, yellow, purple, orange), as the sun disappears. The situation of the beach is also imposing and magical. For all these reasons Myrtos has been voted 12 times the best Greek beach and every year is in the top-ten beaches of the world.
Geology: The surrounding sediment at Myrtos Beach is generally made up of Marble, a metamorphosed limestone. The beach is made up of round, white cobblestones which decrease in size to that of a small pebble. The sediment gradually becomes smaller as you approach the shoreline. Because the slope angle has an abrupt drop near the edge of the shoreline the wave energy that is continually acting on Myrtos Beach is very high. This wave action is what causes the gradation trends from cobbles to pebbles along the beach.
Longshore current, along with wave energy, has an effect on the beauty of this beach. As waves curve along the beach they also pick up the finest bits of marble; this creates what is known as sediment plumes. These plumes follow the curve of the beach with the direction of the waves making the water a brilliant shade of turquoise. Because of the strength of the waves they carry the plume out past the headlands. Then wave refraction takes over pulling the plumes back into the bay, which is what creates the beautiful anchor shape.
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