It’s about that time of year when your Facebook and Instagram friends start loading your feed with their vacation pictures. Pics of them lounging on the beach in Cancun, pics of others sitting at the airport lounge waiting for their flights to depart to Maui, pics of them enjoying an outdoor coffee date in the jungle like ruins of Honduras….I mean… I’m getting a little bit of fomo (fear of missing out) from your friends!
The Question Is: Where Are You Going On Vacation This Year?
If you love to travel like I do, and don’t have the time to do it as often as you’d like, you want to make the most out of your trip by picking a beach destination that is going to make all of that time off work worth it right? This is why I have compiled a list of my current favorite beach destinations. Some beaches I have been able to visit more times than one, and some I haven’t returned to in years unfortunately but plan on visiting again soon. What I love most about these destinations is that they aren’t so far from me; I live in the U.S. so these beach getaways are convenient and economic. Anyway, let’s get started!
Destination No. 1: Isla Mujeres
I have been fortunate enough to visit this beautiful Mexican beach just a few short miles away from Cancun several times and every time I visit, the view takes my breath away. The turquoise water and white sandy beach looks totally photo shopped legit. One of my favorite things about this little island is that they mostly cruise the streets in small motorized vehicles, like a golf cart, mopeds, bicycles, etc. The streets are pretty narrow and it’s much easier to get around with than it would be a car. We usually decide to rent the golf cart because the small roof blocks the sun a bit so it’s not so hot, and believe me, it gets hot over there so you will thank me later when you do visit.
Destination No. 2: Roatan
There and several beautiful beaches in Honduras but Roatan has to be my favorite. It’s located on the norther coast and is the largest of the bay islands in Honduras. The waters are crystal clear with a baby blue tint and a water temperature so enticing, it feels like your getting into a warm bath. Oh, and did I mention that the ocean is crystal clear? 😉 You can literally see your feet in the water and the tiny fish swimming around them it is unreal. We didn’t get a chance to go diving but the clear waters makes it ideal for it. It was mid May when we went and the sun was blaring; I mean, hot! The heat didn’t help with the half day activity we had booked: Beach four wheeling!
The four wheeling adventure was so much fun, we even drove through parts of the jungle and saw some cool insects and animals including monkeys! The only downside to this adventure was the heat. The heat rising from the motor and the heat from the sun was a bad combination so beware and wear sunscreen! Oh, I forgot to mention the mosquitoes, eek!
Destination No. 3: Cozumel
That’s right, another part of Mexico that has incredible beaches and incredible views! Again, crystal clear turquoise waters with white sandy beaches to make you stare at it for hours. Besides their beautiful beaches, the ocean is ideal for snorkeling or scuba diving. I went suba diving both times I visited and the coral reefs are beautiful. There’s even remains of a sunken ship that baby sharks were swimming through it was incredible!
Destination No. 4:Grand Cayman Island
This Caribbean dream is an island located within the Cayman Islands that has a limited amount of hotels and is famous for their vibrant coral reefs. This is a host spot for cruise ships to port and offers tons of shopping areas including designer fashion shopping as well. I naturally wanted to see what the stores had to offer but my husband hates shopping, especially shopping while on vacation. ugh! When we visited this island, we had to take a small ferry boat to shore from where our cruise ship docked and I must confess I got a little sea sick. The waves were crazy that day and the ferry was partially covered and overcrowded so it didn’t take long before I pushed my way towards the outside to get some fresh air! Besides that downer, I would return in a heartbeat. I love it’s quaint vibe and the locals are friendly and inviting. If you are looking for a more secluded and relaxing beach vacation, this is a great spot for that.
Destination No. 5: Falmouth
No, I don’t mean Massachusetts silly I’m talking about Falmouth in Jamaica. Falmouth is also a popular cruise port that seriously is pretty busy all the time. Despite all of the visitors and traffic, they seem to have a steady system in place and getting everyone where they would like to go with ease. We decided we wanted to have a beach day that day and were ready to sunbath and nap. Driving through the city was like an organized chaos. Cars everywhere, non-functioning traffic lights, people driving erratic and creating their own lanes it made you not want to look but you couldn’t help it! Locals were used to driving like that and seemed so relaxed behind the wheels including our bus driver who was awesome by the way. Once we arrived to the beach, I was floored. The beach and water was so beautiful and the water temperature was heavenly refreshing. If you have never been to Jamaica you should consider going at least once in your lifetime. It is an experience that you will remember forever!
Tell me your favorite beach destinations in the comments below. I need more ideas for my future vacations next year. I’m thinking somewhere a little farther though… like the Amalfi Coast maybe? 😉
