Here at Beachionary.com, discovering amazing, breathtaking, unique beaches every day, it is part of our job! Rest assured, we take our job very seriously! Spring has started in the Northern Hemisphere and we would like to take this opportunity to showcase one of our favorite destinations this winter and, that is no other than the beaches of New Zealand. After heavy thought, we selected some of the best beaches for your eyes only. Sit back and enjoy the tour!

(clicking on the beach name will redirect you to the beach page)

 Cathedral Cove, Coromandel Peninsula | New Zealand 

Cathedral Cove or Te Whanganui A Hei Marine Reserve stretches over an area of 9 square kilometers. There, you will find a truly spectacular scenery, one of the best that New Zealand's coastline has to offer.  You can approach Cathedral Cove on foot from the western end of Hahei Beach. To fully experience the Reserve, there is the more adventurous Cathedral Cove Walk, a 2.5 km track passing  through Gemstone Bay, Mares Leg and leading to Cathedral Cove. 

 Hot Water Beach,  Coromandel Peninsula | New Zealand  

The beach is famous for its hot springs from an underground river that ends in the Pacific Ocean. In low tide, visitors dig their own spa pools in the sand and lie back in to enjoy the relaxing sensation!

 Ohope Beach, Bay of Plenty| New Zealand

Many consider this as the best beach in New Zealand. Located in the Bay of Plenty , Ohope is 11km of sand overlooking Whale Island, the active volcano of White Island and the coast of East Cape. Conditions at Ohope often favor great surfing!

 Hahei Beach, Mercury Bay | New Zealand

Hahei, named after the Maori chief Hei, is located on the east coast side of the Coromandel Peninsula, between Cooks Beach and Hot Water Beach. Hahei is one of the finest beaches in Coromandel, a popular family holiday destination and in a short distance from majestic Cathedral Cove and the Marine Reserve. 

Wainui Beach, Gisborne| New Zealand

About 6km from the city of Gisborne, Wainui Beach is world famous for its consistency and quality of surf all year round. The part of the beach near Wainui Surf Lifesaving Club is patrolled and fills with families every summer.

 Main Beach, Mount Maunganui | New Zealand

Mount Maunganui’s Main Beach is the beautiful white sandy surfing beach starting from the base of the mountain. The town of Mount Maunganui offers all kinds of accommodation, endless options for dining and entertainment.

Beachionary supports the Blog4NZ initiative, a 3 day grassroots blogging and social media effort to promote New Zealand as a travel destination, a month after the devastating earthquake in Christchurch.

The Beachionary Team

Photo By Flickr user robertpaulyoung

If you are an unconditional romantic but you got tired of Valentine chocolates and stuffed animals, it is high time you went the extra mile and planned the Valentine experience of your life. What a better way to celebrate this special day with your partner than a romantic trip for two to one of the finest and hottest destinations in the month of February!  

Beachionary has chosen for you 5 exotic destinations for a dreamlike Valentine’s Day. Don’t pack your bags with unnecessary clothing. The only thing you will need is your bathing suit!   

1.         Sipadan Island, Sabah | Malaysia     

The island, in the Celebes Sea just off the east coast of Borneo, is formed by living corals that grew on top of a defunct volcanic cone. Sipadan is considered among the top dive destinations in the world. Divers adore these waters for the spectacular marine life that lives here. With more than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species, Sipadan is an underwater treasure worth exploring!    

2.        Noordhoek Beach, Western Cape | South Africa  

Noordhoek Beach is one of Cape Town’s finest beaches. Wide open beach that stretches over 8 km from Chapman’s peak to the Kommetjie lighthouse. There are two good surf spots here, a right peaking break called the Hoek and, Dunes beach break. The enormous size of this beach and the soft white sand makes horse riding a unique experience!

 3.        Mabul Island, Sabah | Malaysia  

Mabul is a small island in the Celebes Sea less than an hour from Borneo and in close vicinity to Sipadan Island. Mabul’s shallow waters and muddy seabed are a perfect location for muck diving! Bear in mind that you will need a macro camera lens to capture the tiny exotic creatures that live in the muck.

 4.        Wailea Beach, Hawaii | United States  

On the South of Maui, Wailea Beach is a spectacular golden beach and the beachfront of Grand Wailea Resort and the Four Seasons. Get to your hotel, put on your bathing suits and go straight to Wailea Beach for a good swim. You can also choose from snorkeling, bodysurfing and paddle boarding. Whatever your plans, do not miss the astonishingly beautiful sunset!

 5.       Dover Beach, Christ Church | Barbados 

Dover Beach is near the popular St. Lawrence Gap on the south coast of Barbados. The vast sandy terrain of the beach is absolutely gorgeous for lazy walks and you can buy beverages and snacks from the stalls nearby. Dover is safe from strong undercurrents and you can take advantage of the calm waters to try boogie boarding, jet skiing or even windsurfing! 

Whatever your destination Beachionary wishes you an unforgettable Valentine’s Day! 

 The Beachionary Team

Photo By Flickr user robertpaulyoung

However, Rio de Janeiro has many world class beaches that make you feel you are on the top of the world!

Botafogo beach, within Guanabara Bay, has beautiful sand and waters and is ideal for water sports. There is also a popular boat station and Yatch Club.

Flamengo is a beautiful beach, where you can play sports, exercise or relax.

Leblon beach is quieter from other Rio beaches and here you will see mostly good-looking Cariocas! The beach also provides for jogging and cycling.

Prainha is a small beach in Rio de Janeiro with some good waves to ride if you are up for it.

São Conrado beach has strong water swells. It is popular spot for both surfers and hang gliders!

Praia Vermelha is an exotic sandy beach surrounded by coconut and bamboo trees. 

Ipanema beach is one of the most famous beaches in Brazil and a true must see! 

Praia da Tijuca is the longest beach in Rio de Janeiro with a huge selection of seaside bars and restaurants to choose from. In this beach you will also find some great waves to surf!

Praia da Joatinga is situated on the southern coast of the city, small and isolated surrounded by high cliffs and a dense tropical Atlantic forest.

Have you been to these wonderful beaches? We look forward to reading your beach reviews!

The Beachionary Team

Photo By Flickr user robertpaulyoung

Just before 2010 goes away, we thought it's a good time to recall the 20 beaches that Sunday Times listed as the "hottest" ones for the year. You'll find a lot of them in France, some others in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Cyprus but there are few of them in countries you wouldn't imagine, like Lithuania, Germany and the Netherlands. The good news is that all of them are in Beachionary!! You can check where they are or tell us what you think, if you've been there, or even book your next summer holidays in one of them!

 So, here's the complete list:

1. The sandy Plage Le Conguel  in Brittany, France 
2. The beach in  Lac de Mondély in Midi-Pyrénées, France 
3. The beaches at Collioure, a small town in Languedoc-Roussillon, France
   Plage de la Balette
   Plage du Boutique
   Plage de Port d'Avall
   Plage Boramar
   Plage St Vincent
   Plage Nord
4. The isolated Plage de Piemanson  in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
5. The golden Plage de Notre Dame  in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
6. The crystal clear Palombaggia  beach in Corsica, France
7. The rocky Cala d’Aiguafreda in Catalonia, Spain
8. The famous Playa de la Concha in Basque Country, Spain
9. The sandy Playa Las Salinas  in Balearic Islands, Spain
10. The peaceful Platja Illetes in Balearic Islands, Spain
11. The cove of La Grotta Azzurra in Campania, Italy
12. The isolated Cala Luna in Sardinia, Italy
13. The luxurious Bonj Les Bains in Splitsko-Dalmatinska, Croatia
14. The famous Panormos in South Aegean, Greece
15. The adventurous Papafrangas Cove in South Aegean, Greece
16. The relaxing Polis beach in Paphos, Cyprus
17. The beaches in Porto Santo island in Madeira, Portugal
    Quinta Palmeira 
    Praia do Cabeço 
    Praia das Pedras Pretas 
    Praia do Penedo
    Praia da Fontinha 
18. The historical Palanga beach in Klaipėdos Apskritis, Lithuania
19. The beaches in Sylt island in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
    Sansibar,   Oase zur Sonne   and Fun-Beach Brandenburg

    20. The beaches in Terschelling dunes in Frisian Islands,Netherlands

Spathoek  Noordergronden

Do you agree with this list? If not, why don't you go to Beachionary.com and write reviews for your favorite ones? They may end up the hottest ones for 2011!

The Beachionary Team wishes you a Happy New Year!

Photo by Flickr user Abeeeer

Hello and welcome to the beachionary blog. Watch this space for updates on what's happening in beachionary, technical articles and personal experiences from traveling the world (we always wanted to be writers deep inside!).

Have fun!

The Beachionary Team

Photo by Flickr user heatheronhertravels