ABOUT SURF CITY USA, HUNTINGTON BEACH

Huntington Beach’s shoreline stretches for 10 miles. Its wide sandy beaches make it a paradise for families, couples, dogs, and surfers. Surf City USA also attracts professional surfers and World Surf League contests because it supposedly has perfect waves. Plus, the endless summer weather of California offers a relaxing atmosphere and the opportunity for outdoor activities all year-round.

WHAT TO DO IN HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA

Visitors to Huntington Beach have listed what they love most about this beach. According to a survey, the top favorite things to do include playing volleyball on the courts, sitting around the bonfire pits, attending concerts and watching movies on the sand. Of course, everyone loves visiting the iconic Huntington Beach Pier.

ABOUT HUNTINGTON BEACH PIER

The Huntington Beach Pier is 1,850 feet in length. The pier  lets visitors walk all the way out to sea. At the edge of the pier, visitors can experience breathtaking views amidst the crashing waves and the ocean breeze. Huntington Beach is a place for creating memories. It holds a special place in the hearts of locals. Many locals come here to enjoy the beach and also to celebrate special events.

THE BEST BEACHES IN CALIFORNIA

The top 10 winners in the category Best California Beach are:

Huntington City Beach
Newport Municipal Beach
Hermosa Beach (Los Angeles)
Manhattan Beach (Los Angeles)
Carmel Beach (Carmel-by-the-Sea)
Crystal Cove State Park (Newport Beach)
Natural Bridges State Beach (Santa Cruz)
McClures Beach (Marin County)
Coronado Beach (San Diego)
Santa Monica State Beach

A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees. Then the top 10 winners for The Best California Beach were determined by popular vote.

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THE 5 BEST BEACHES IN ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

Feeling drained after a day at work? Jump in the car, chuck on your swim suit and within the hour you can be sprawled on a towel in the sun at Semaphore or perfecting your freestyle at Moana. With so many options so close to the city, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. But fear not. Here are our 5 best beaches in Adelaide.

1
GLENELG

Family-friendly Glenelg is the most popular metropolitan beach in Adelaide. It’s also the easiest to access. Just hop on the tram from the city and get off at Moseley Square, just metres away from the water at Glenelg. Once you’ve gone for a dip and strolled down the jetty, grab a bite to eat. After lunch, take a walk around the picturesque Holdfast Shores or give your credit card a workout at one (or more) of Glenelg’s trendy boutiques. Jetty Road is a bustling mix of cafés, clothing boutiques and restaurants. No trip to the beach is complete without an ice-cream or gelato, by the way, and you’ll find plenty of ice cream opportunities at Glenelg.

2
BRIGHTON

Jump back into the car for ten minutes and you’ll be at Brighton. Mirroring Glenelg with its own Jetty Road, Brighton has a similar relaxed vibe with eclectic cafés, restaurants and fish and chip shops aplenty. While still very popular in the summer months, Brighton beach is generally less crowded than Glenelg.

3
HENLEY

Surrounded by a range of good seafood restaurants and centering around a bustling grassed square, the beach of Henley is a must-visit whether you’re after a quality dinner, a quality swim, or a bit of both. The shoreline of Henley stretches as far as the eye can see, with plenty of space for laying out your towel or taking a dip.

4
SEMAPHORE

A trip to Semaphore is a trip back in time. The Semaphore beach is long, wide and bordered by sand dunes; however Semaphore’s main drawcard is its history. Its expansive foreshore and boulevard are dotted with beautifully preserved Art Deco buildings. Nothing quite compares to the grandeur of the Palais, which was originally a 1920s bathing pavilion. Now the Palais in Semaphore is a great place to grab a pub-style lunch or enjoy a glass of wine.

Nearby stands Semaphore’s iconic Time Ball Tower, as well as a waterslide complex for the kids, a ferris wheel and  a gorgeous 1920s carousel,  the oldest carousel in Australia. Semaphore Road, just metres away, is bordered by historic pubs, restaurants, interesting boutiques and a treasure-trove of shops.

5
PORT NOARLUNGA,
CHRISTIES BEACH AND MOANA

Port Noarlunga, Christies Beach and Moana are a bit further away from Adelaide, but well-worth the trip. Port Noarlunga’s huge shore, crystal clear waters and towering red sandstone cliffs assure you that you’ve left the city of Adelaide behind.

The three beaches are surfing and body boarding hotspots, but still perfect for families as swells rarely get too rough. With plenty of room on the beach, you’ll never have to worry about overcrowding. Just rock up and hit the water. Take your snorkelling gear to Port Noarlunga. The long boardwalk of Port Noarlunga leads to a reef that’s popular all year-round.

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Perfect beach holiday at the  Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, the best luxury hotel in Cebu

From the air, Cebu seemed
engulfed in grey clouds, making
us worry that our much-awaited
holiday at the Shangri-La’s
Mactan Resort and Spa would
be muddied by the weather.

Fortunately, it seems the sun always
shines on this little piece of heaven by the
sea at the tip of Mactan Island. It was
indeed overcast upon arrival at Mactan
International Airport; but when we
reached the Ocean Wing of the Shangri-
La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, just 20
minutes away from the airport, the clouds
had disappeared and the sea had turned
a glorious blue from the private terrace of
our 72-square meter Panorama suite.

Perfect beach holiday at the  Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, the best luxury hotel in Cebu

Of course, we just had to jump into the
water as soon as possible. It was a short
walk through the gardens of the Ocean
Wing of the Shangri- La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, which is a more private section
apart from the main resort, to the resort’s
secluded beach, where golden sand and
warm waters awaited. Here, the beach center  offered a full menu of water sports activities, along with
plain old lazing in the sun.

“Let’s go snorkeling,” I suggested; within
minutes we were outfitted in aqua shoes,
life vests, and snorkeling gear, and heading
towards a garden of corals where hundreds
of colorful fish happily spent their days.
This marvelous underwater spectacle was a
most fitting start to our holiday.

The live show at Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort and Spa

There are many restaurants at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa; but as it was such a nice evening, we
booked a table by the beach for an outdoor
barbecue and a live show featuring the best
of Visayan culture. 

We selected the food to
be cooked on the grill, including marinated
pork and fresh fish, found ourselves a table
at the side so that we had our feet in the
sand and the sea breeze on our faces, and
watched the colorful spectacle of Southern
Philippine songs and dances.

Perfect beach holiday at the  Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, the best luxury hotel in Cebu

“Life sure can’t get better than this,” I said,
but it actually did. After dinner, we walked
hand-in-hand around the vast estate
until we stumbled on the Cowrie Cove, a
restaurant-bar playing cool music at the
very end of the property. It was obviously
our lucky day because the best seat in the
house had just been vacated by another
couple: it was a private gazebo way out in
the water, accessible only via a narrow path
from the bar.

So this was how we ended our first evening
– listening to chill music while drinking
champagne and dessert in the most
romantic place in Cebu.

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