Beaches

Recommended reading

A Week at the Beach: 100 Life-Changing Things You Can Do by the Seashore by Jim Hubal and Joanne Hubal

This book lets you in on how to get the most out of your beach vacation. Also heavy on beach trivia and secrets to having more fun in the sun.

The Beach by Alex Garland

Classic backpacker beach tale of a utopia community on a hidden Thai beach that goes into disarray. Made into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Best Designed Beach Hotels by Martin N. Kunz

Highly photographic book outlining many chic, new design beach hotels. A visual journey on the coasts of six continents.

Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine (http://www.caribbeantravelmag.com)

The leading travel magazine on the Caribbean. Features and photos of the best beaches, as well as vacation bargains and hotel reviews.

The Everything Family Guide to the Caribbean: A Complete Guide to the Best Resorts, Beaches and Attractions - Island by Island! by Jason Rich

An island by island breakdown of the Caribbean with families and beaches in mind. Reviews of resorts, cities, restaurants, and stretches of sand.

Islands magazine (http://www.islands.com)

This magazine dedicated to travel on islands around the world has loads of beach friendly information. The majority of the destinations are tropical.

Luxury Private Islands by F. Vladi

Private islands are many people’s idea of ideal. This photo book details many of the world’s most exclusive beach properties.

Sandcastles Made Simple: Step-by-Step Instructions, Tips, and Tricks for Building Sensational Sand Creations by Lucinda Wierenga

Renowned sand sculptor Lucinda Wierenga teaches you how to make expert sand castles. Piece by piece instructions and photos allow you to create seemingly difficult sand castle elements with ease.

Travel + Leisure Magazine

The focus is on luxury and relaxation, not just beaches but beaches are a key element. This is where to go to find the most exotic and chic resort hotels.

The World’s Best Nude Beaches and Resorts by Mike Charles, Judy Ditzler, and Nicky Hoffman-lee

Guidebook chronicling nude beaches and resorts all over the world. Lists the top 1,000 places to show some skin.

Useful Websites

General

Beach Hunter (http://www.beachhunter.net)

Travel author and beach expert, David McRee, offers descriptions and links to some of his favorite beach websites around the world.

World’s Most Beautiful Beaches (http://www.worldmostbeautifulbeaches.com)

Beautifully designed website highlighting the top beaches all over the world with many best of lists, news reports, and water sports information.

Asia

Beach Thailand (http://www.beachthailand.com)

List of almost every beach in Thailand with photos and descriptions. Also names hotels and accommodations with prices near every beach.

North America

Best California Beach (http://www.best-california-beach.com)

Website that scours the 1100 miles of California coastline revealing the ins and outs of the beaches, resorts, whale watching, and cities.

Pacific

South Pacific (http://www.southpacific.org)

Loads of information on traveling in the South Pacific from travel writer and guidebook author David Stanley. Everything from airlines, news, maps, films, music, guidebooks, and tips for trips.