Guadeloupe has a great amount of variety along its coastlines, offering good surf breaks on the South East and North West Coasts of Grande Terre.
Favourite surf spots are Sainte Anne, Saint Francois, Port Louis, Le Moule and Anse Bertrand. But the best spot is St. Francois, with a very good watersports centre, renting windsurfs, jet skis and kayaks. And of course a great “surfer camp” not to be missed.
Mackerel Cove, a sandy beach situated on a narrow neck of land off Beavertail Road, is perfect for swimming and water skiing. This deep water bay offers protected anchorage, for a relaxing day onboard.
Other great swimming and diving spots are located off Fort Wetherill State Park, such as West or Fort coves
Dionis Beach
Shallow and calm. Located approximately 3 miles west of town, accessible by bike. Lifeguards and restrooms available. Great beach for swimming, safe for children.
Jetties Beach
Several nice beaches are located along the legendary Ocean Dr: Gooseberry Beach is a private beach club open to the public with white sand and clear, calm ocean waters - perfect for swimming. Bailey’s Beach, also situated off Ocean Dr, is another nice secluded beach, good for swimming.
The park has two nice beaches - Sand Beach and Echo Lake Beach, with changing rooms, rest rooms, and lifeguards on duty during the season. Sand Beach is along Park Loop Road. Note that the water temperature rarely reaches above 55°F! Echo Lake Beach, on the western side of the island just north of Southwest Harbor, has much warmer water.
Kastellorizo does not have a beach, even though it is a little bit sandy in the Mandraki!
But who needs beaches when you can swim from the rocks into the clearest water imaginable.
There are several bathing ladders around the harbour for anyone to use. A few in front of the harbourside Hotels are generally off limits but the Hotel Megisti has a small charge for sunbeds and access to the water, as do Faros Bar {the Lighthouse} and The Aussie Bar.
The Rade de Villefranche is very sheltered and calm, with crystal clear water, making it the perfect spot to swim, snorkel or Kayak.
There is a small beach just after the Port de la Darse, called Plage de la Darse.
The main beach is after the old town, towards St Jean Cap Ferrat. A few cafes can be found along this pretty sandy beach.
Beaulieu is also a great place to swim or to dive.
La Ciotat stretches along almost 20 km of coast line and offers a choice of sandy or pebble beaches as well as narrow creeks. Close to the shipyards are the famous Calanques of Mugel and Figuerolles, each one with a narrow sandy beach. On the other side of town, there is a long sandy beach, lined with hotels, restaurants and bars.
Nice has a 7km long beach stretching along Promenade des Anglais, with private and public parts. Note that the beach is covered by smooth pebbles, but the water is clear and very clean.
Arena
Lieu-dit Morta Majo
20253 Patrimonio
Well known vineyard located between Bastia and St Florent. Visit upon reservation and view the onsite boutique selling their production.
Tel: +33(0)4 95 37 08 27
Domaine Orsini
Rochebelle Pietralba
20214 Calenzana
Spectacular vineyard estate, located about 6km from Calvi, in the mountains and overlooking the bay.
Offers the sale and tasting of their wine, homemade liquors, a variety of jams and local sweet specialties. Run by the welcoming Orsini family. Open 7/7.
Tel: +33(0)4 95 62 81 01
Cape Elizabeth, Fort Williams and Portland Head Light
Accessible via a bridge with a very safe bike and pedestrian path, Cape Elizabeth, home of the waterfront Fort Williams Park, offers excellent biking and hiking options. Ride your bike all the way to the Portland Head Light, only 5miles from downtown, for stunning views of the entrance to Casco Bay. From the marinas, head south on Commercial St, cross the bridge and follow the quiet waterfront streets to Fort Williams Park.
Audubon Society of RI Environmental Education Center
1401 Hope St (Route 114), Bristol
Monaco is a wonderful and safe place to discover by foot. Here are some ideas for unforgettable strolls:
New Bedford’s restored historic waterfront district is delightful, with its cobblestone streets, brick buildings and Greek revival mansions. Do not miss the Seaman’s Chapel, located across from the Whaling Museum and described in Herman Melville’s ‘Moby Dick.’
Portsmouth Harbor Trail: a must do while in Portsmouth. The trail goes by over 70 points of scenic and historic significance throughout the town. Maps are available at the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, 500 Market St, or right at the Market Square info kiosk where the tours start.
The Island has several good walks, mainly up into the mountains, which is well worth the trek.
From the top of the whitewashed steps it is possible to walk towards the radio towers and then over to the Acropolis and back down the airport road into the village.
Alternatively head in the opposite direction towards the Mandraki and cross the high plateau known as Avlonia then back down the secret steps {difficult to find} or convenient goat track down to the Mandraki.
Take the time to stroll around the old town that still retains its authentic character with narrow streets and laundry hanging in the windows. Stretching along the beach and Baie des Anges, from the Vieux Port to Nice airport, is the legendary 7 miles long Promenade des Anglais. A favourite of walkers, joggers, bikers and inline skaters.
With very quiet country side roads and nature preserves, Block Island is a walker and biker’s paradise. There are 40 miles of marked trails, several starting next to the New Harbor’s marina, such as the Greenway trails. Bikes can be rented everywhere, including at the marinas.
Don’t miss the cliffs of Mohegan Bluffs, on the southern end of the island. The beach below can be accessed going down several flights of steep stairs. The island’s North and South light houses are also a must see.
Jet Mala
Located on Mala Beach, they offer a whole range of water sport activities such as jet skis rental, lessons and tours along the coast, water ski and rental of inflatable water toys and kayaks.
Tel: +33(0)6 63 48 04 70
Riviera Gliss
Port de Plaisance de Beaulieu 06310 Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Popular watersports centre run by the enthusiastic and dedicated Pascal Cecot. Exceptional choice of activities, such as parasailing, waterskiing and wake boarding. School for kids and adults of all ages and levels. Wide range of water toys rental. Also sale and repair of jet skis (See ‘Jetskis’ in the directory). Located within the marina.
Tel: +33(0)4 93 80 82 59
Cell: +33(0)6 80 86 26 46
Wind’s Up, located 199 Beach St on the lagoon in Vineyard Haven, rents small sail boats, windsurfers, kayaks and standup paddles. Also have a retail store.
Tel: (508) 693 4340
The Massif de Bavella, surounding Porto Vecchio is home of the crystal clear rivers and offers a great spot for whitewater rafting. Licensed instructor Robert Scanu is a climbing and canyoning specialist with a local school.
Cell:+33(0)6 12 39 54 75
[email protected]
www.canyoningcorse.fr
As elsewhere in the Balears, cycling and mountain biking is popular.
There are a number of dedicated cycling routes; the interior and coastline is quite wild and mountain bikers will find plenty of trails to explore.
Biking is very popular all over the island. Mallorca is in fact a winter training ground for many professional cyclists. Soller is within cycling distance from Palma on bike, but note that the road tunnel linking both towns is not open to bicycles, nor is it possible to load your bike on the Soller trains. However, buses will take a few bicycles on board. Many local hotels in the area have mountain bikes for hire. While the 'on road' routes are limited to the few main roads on this side of the island, the off road options are numerous...but often involve quite a bit of bicycle carrying.