Lazy beach days

The low-rise Gambian capital might not be as advanced of a visitor hub as one would, perhaps, expect from a city of such national significance, but it certainly boasts some raw appeal contained within its pulsating and often rather hectic streets. Beyond Banjul proper lies the sprawling Serekunda — Gambia's most populous area — and the vacationer-favoured coastal settlements of Kololi, Bakau, Koto and Fajara.

With glass skyscrapers that reflect the bustle of daily life, magnificent buildings such as the Emirates Palace, its lively souqs, excellent restaurants and long stretches of white beaches lapped by the crystal clear waters of the Gulf, Abu Dhabi is a city of outstanding contrasts. The throbbing heart of the city lies 250 metres off-shore on an island linked to the mainland by the Al Maqtaa Bridge and Mussafah Bridge. Home to the respected Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation and the Al Hosn Palace museum, along with numerous venues for the arts, the wealthy city is the cultural as well as commercial hub of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Few Greek islands boast an immaculacy comparable to that of Astypalaia — a butterfly-shaped cloistral haven rising from the stunning blue of the Aegean Sea. Captured at certain angles, Astypalaia bears a striking semblance to its not-so-distant yet far more glamorised cousin of Santorini. With its pristine beaches, whitewashed houses, and uncharted walking paths, the island is an explorer's heaven, and a find for those looking to escape the madding crowds of summer vacationers.

Pampas grass lines the dunes that border the small town of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. The tufts of their leaves, fluffy and swaying with the breezes sweeping from the Atlantic Ocean, seem to mimic the fluffy clouds that sweep overhead in the blue skies. Since the 1920s vacationers have penciled in Atlantic Beach for weekend getaways and summer trips. Perhaps this is because of the town’s pristine sands and seaside activities, or maybe it’s because nothing beats dinner and an ocean view sunset. Either way, the Beach is calling.

The Island of Hawaii is known colloquially as the Big Island — a fitting nickname for an island twice the combined size of its neighboring counterparts! Big Island flaunts its colors like the plumes of a peacock: fierce reds of magma from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park contrast spectacularly with the bright white snow of Maunakea, while the electric black sands of Punaluu Beach stream into the emerald green of the Hamakua Coast’s rainforests.

Hungary has no marine coastline, but it does have the largest freshwater body in Central Europe, Lake Balaton. The lake has been popular since the Magyar tribes first galloped into the Carpathian Basin in 896, and it shows no signs of losing its appeal. A collection of resort towns and an interesting bicycle route ring the 77 km long lake. Hévíz-Balaton Airport is 20 km from Keszthely at the southern end of the lake. From there, you can hire a car or take a bus and explore some of the resorts.

The narrow, cobbled streets of Alghero’s medieval citadel, packed with boutiques, bars and restaurants, slope towards the harbour and sweeping bay. Built in a buttery sandstone that glows a soft apricot shade in the setting sun, it’s Sardinia’s most picturesque Old Town. Spanish-style palazzos and street signs in Italian and Catalan reflect its proud heritage: 300 years of Aragon rule. Fringed by pine forests, long sandy beaches, hotels and bars curve away towards green headlands. It’s an idyllic setting.