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.
- Click here for Top 10 Beach Vacations - Overall