Famous Beaches

Waikiki Beach is located on the southern side of the island of Honolulu. Its name comes from the Hawaiian language and means sprouting fresh water. The beach is very popular because of the warm climate, clear blue skies and beautiful views, as well as the good surf. On windy days the waves can be strong and the beach's long rolling break makes it ideal for all types of surfing. Half of the beach is sectioned off for surfing with the other half left for swimming. The shoreline now has a number of tall buildings and hotel resorts. The first hotels opened in the 1880s and from the 1890s the resort grew in popularity with tourists from the mainland, although the area had been a retreat for the Hawaiian royal family for many decades before that. The beach hosts many events each year including surfing competitions, outrigger canoe races, hula dancing, and in recent years free movies projected onto an enormous outdoor screen. Over time the beach has suffered from erosion and there have been a number of projects to try to protect the beach and replenish lost sand. At one time sand was shipped over from California although since the 1970s projects have focused on reducing further loss and sustaining the existing sand.

Bondi Beach is a well-known and popular beach; it is also the name of the suburb which it is situated to the east of Sydney. It’s just 7 kilometres from the Sydney central business district. Its name comes from the Aboriginal word meaning water breaking over rocks. Bondi Beach became increasingly popular during the middle of the nineteenth century and was declared a public beach in 1882. It remains popular with locals and visitors and is particularly popular with British and Irish tourists on Christmas Day. The beach is about one kilometre long. Areas safe for swimming are shown by red and yellow flags and the southern end is generally reserved for surfing. In addition to the underwater currents, a further danger comes from the sun. Despite official warnings about the need to use sun protection in Australia, there are no sun umbrellas on Bondi Beach. Sharks, however, do not present much of a risk as the beach is protected by an underwater shark net during the summer. During their months of migration, it is possible to see whales and dolphins in the area and very occasionally penguins. The beach regularly hosts many public events including a short film festival and a sculpture exhibition. During the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the beach was the site for the beach volleyball competition.

Copacabana Beach gets its name from the area of Rio de Janeiro in which it is situated. The borough of Copacabana is to the south of the city and is world famous because of the beach. The beach is 4 kilometres long and has historic forts at either end. The beach has been the site for all sorts of outdoor events; it has hosted the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup many times and in recent years has been the venue for huge free concerts. It is also where millions of people go every year to celebrate New Year's Eve. When it was announced that Rio de Janeiro would be hosting the 2016 Olympics, locals congregated on the beach to celebrate. There are many hotels, hostels, bars, nightclubs and restaurants along the promenade and the promenade is itself a work of art; a 4-kilometre-long pavement landscape of Portuguese design. Copacabana is well-linked to the rest of the city; it has 3 metro stations and numerous bus services as well as 3 major roads.

Praia da Marinha, the beach of the Navy in English, is one of the more well-known of many spectacular beaches in the Algarve, the southern coastal area of Portugal. It’s famous for its stunning cliffs and clear clean water. It has been used in many advertising campaigns and in promotional material for Portugal. In 1998 the Portuguese Ministry of the Environment awarded it the Golden Beach Award for its outstanding natural qualities. There are many other beautiful beaches along the same stretch of coast; the south-facing coastline of the Algarve is over 150 kilometres long. The Algarve has been popular with tourists for many decades, particularly those from Northern Europe. In addition to well-known natural beauty spots, nice beaches and a warm mild climate, tourists are attracted by the growing number of high-quality golf courses. Tourism is now the most important economic activity in the area.