Part and parcel with the idea of a beach vacation is planning to deal with crowds. The most frequently employed stratagems involve trying to avoid the peak beach vacation period of the summer months, or getting up early and staking out a spot on the sand before everyone else arrives. Yet the former means missing the best beach weather, while the latter is inconvenient in the extreme. Far better than either is to go to an unheard of, little-frequented beach spot.
Aroa, Aitutaki of the Cook Islands
For those who are willing to really travel to get away from the beach crowd, Aroa tops the list. Not only are the Cook Islands far off the beaten track, Aitutaki isn’t even the main island in the archipelago. Nonetheless, it still has a breathtakingly beautiful lagoon, complete with white sand and palm trees. Equally attractive and uncrowded is the snorkeling and scuba diving, and the island has a range of accommodations starting with a backpackers dorm and topping out with the upscale and pricey Akaimai Lodge.
Las Islas Ciel, Spain
If you know your Spanish, you know “Islas” means “islands,” and the Ciel Islands are a national park located off the Galician coast, in northwestern Spain. The striking coastal landscape here is one of white sand beaches hemmed in by rocky coves and fronted by strikingly clear turquoise water. The islands are virtually unknown outside of Spain, and the location is a natural for tacking onto to a visit to Santiago de Compostela. All of this comes at a price, however: Las Islas Ciel is a national park, so accommodations are limited to camping.
Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam
Most visitors to Vietnam plan their beach stops around Nha Trang, but they ought to be looking at Phy Quoc Island, located off the southwestern tip of the country. Reachable via sea ferry from Rach Gia in the Mekong Delta and by air from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), the island remains off the radar of most travelers, despite being named the world’s cleanest and most beautiful beach destination by ABC News in 2008. With beaches lining one entire side of the island, plus a few secluded beach spots on the other side, visitors should have no problems finding an uncrowded stretch of sand. Better still is the range of accommodations, with everything from upscale resorts to bargain bungalows