It’s simply too cold. We need sunshine. And we need it now!  Unfortunately, even NDL can’t deliver UK sunshine on a cold day in January. Instead, we’ve challenged our in-house travel experts to come up with their Insider Guide to the World’s Best Beaches.  Reading this article will definitely warm you up inside, and might even inspire your next prize promotion:

 

1. Best Beach to play Robinson Crusoe

Nemto Island in Papua New Guinea is only accessible via a ‘short’ 4 hour sea kayak journey from Nusu Island, 600 miles east of Papua New Guinea.  Proud of its population of 2 (a fisherman and his wife), you really can feel like Robinson Crusoe for the day.  Walk around the entire island in just 2 hours, and take in the beautiful white sandy beaches and palm trees, heavy with cackling parrots.  And perhaps debate the reason for the island’s lack of human residents. It is, of course, surrounded in mystery.

 

2. Best Beach to Spot Wildlife

From the dolphins of Australia’s Tin Can Bay, to wild pigs swimming through the azure waters of the aptly named Pig Bay in the Bahamas, there were simply too many options to choose from in this category.

But the hands-down winner has to be South Africa’s Boulders Beach. This sheltered beach is made up of inlets between granite boulders, sitting just outside Cape Town.  Not only is the beach clean and safe for swimming and exploring rock pools, you’ll also get the chance to stroll among a colony of African Penguins, as featured on Unmissable.com.

 

3. Best Beach for Snorkelling

The waters surrounding the Maldives are renowned as being some of the clearest on earth.  Combine this with the abundance of shallow reefs located behind natural breakwaters and you have the perfect location for snorkelling. But which beach to choose?

Our clear winner is one of the newest resorts, Soneva Jani in the Noonu Atoll. Opened in the 5.6 kilometre private Medhufaru lagoon in late 2016 (and already featured on Unmissable.com) , the resort features luxurious overwater villas each with a private pool, outdoor deck, a personal butler to see to your every need. Stay in the two story Water Retreat villa, and you’ll even have a slide from the second floor straight into the water!

 

4. Best Beach for a Staycation

Fancy a trip to an island but can’t face the 14 hour flight? Look no further than the beautiful Isles of Scilly.  Just 15 minutes from Land’s End, this archipelago boasts its own micro-climate, where the average winter temperature is a balmy 10 degrees, and summer highs regularly hit the late 20’s.

Home to the most diverse collection of birds in the UK, the waters around Scilly are teaming with fish, dolphins, the occasional passing whale and some of the friendliest seals in the world. Don’t believe us? Watch this amazing diving video.

 

5. Best Beach for Family Fun

Saint George Beach on the Greek Island of Naxos wins our vote here. Easily accessible on foot and well-protected from northern winds, Saint George offers calm, shallow, warm water, excellent facilities and a plethora of taverns and cafés lining the promenade.

The sports club on the beach even makes the surliest of teenagers smile, with activities from windsurfing to catamaran sailing. Guaranteed to keep the whole family out of mischief for hours.

 

6. Best Beach for Glowing Waters

By daylight, Bio Bay in Puerto Rico (also known as Mosquito Bay) is your typical Caribbean paradise. Azure waters lapping palm tree fringed white sand shores… you get the idea.

However, as the sun sets, the real magic happens. The sea here is packed to the brim with almost invisible organisms ‘Pyrodinium bahamense Dinoflagellates’ (dinos). In calm waters, the dinos remain invisible.

But agitate the waters and these incredible organisms glow, turning the black night sea to a fabulous neon blue.

 

You can swim, canoe or simple paddle to your hearts content in a neon paradise.  Discover more bioluminescence adventures here.

 

7. Best Beach for Art

Just next to the sandy beaches of Cancun in the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll find the perfect place for some underwater culture: the Museo Subacuático de Arte (Museum of Underwater Art).

To draw crowds away from the over-visited Cancun-Isla Mujeres Marine Park reefs, in 2009 the Director of the National Marine Park founded the museum, built on a 420sq metre area of barren substrate and featuring 475 sculptures fixed to the seabed made from specialised materials used to promote coral life. Fancy a scuba-diving trip to a museum? Read the full article Unmissable.com.

 

8. Best Beach for Natural Hot Tubs

Hot Water Beach certainly lives up to its name. Located on Mercury Bay on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand, it is the home of a unique natural phenomenon. Between the high and low tide, underground hot springs filter up through the sand.

Dig a large hole and hot water escapes to the surface, forming a natural hot water pool. The water, with a temperature as hot as 64 °C (147 °F), comes from two underground fissures located close to each other and if you time your visit right, you can create your very own private beachfront hot tub.

 

9. Best Beach for a Romantic Stroll

Praia do Cassino, in Brazil, is the world’s longest beach. An incredible 150 mile stretch of sand and surf. Get ready to hold hands for a very long time…

 

10. Best Beach for a Party

Soft sands, clear waters, beautiful people and great beach bars. Salinas Beach in Ibiza is the cool beach for those in the know. 10 minutes drive from Playa d’en Bossa and Ibiza Town, the beach at Las Salinas is the southern most tip of the island and is considered (as far as beaches go) to be very cool.

Home to a string of popular bars and restaurants whose gourmet food, attractive clientele and gorgeous location more than make up for the exclusive prices. The bars all play a quality selection of dance and Balearic music which spills out onto the beach. They’ll even bring cocktails and food orders out to you on the sand, leaving you to dance the day away in the Ibiza sunshine.

 

Making the most of your promotional campaign

Of course, selecting the right destination is only one aspect of running a successful prize promotion. Our Prize Content team can help ensure every aspect of your campaign runs to plan, supports your brand and achieves your marketing objectives. And our Customer Experience team will handle all the winner management for you.

Read our Guide to Running Successful Promotions or speak to one of our prize promotion experts on 020 7428 3090 today.