At the end of Halibut Point Road is an easy and beautiful, hour-long loop that takes you through fairytale, moss-covered rainforest on rocky beach fronts. At low tide, you can walk out to some tiny, rocky islands—though watch your step for shallow tide pools full of sea stars and anemones. At high tide, the sea comes right up to meet...

Between the end of Lincoln Street and a rocky beach sits Sitka National Historical Park. This patch of forest is centered around an old Russian fort site with Tlingit and Haida totem poles erected along the way. While you walk along the beach path, keep an eye out for distant whale spouts on the water. Watch for running salmon and...

Get to Dhermi and Himara before they are discovered more widely – and spoiled! Every summer new hotels appear on this stretch of coast, and with patchy application of planning laws and insufficient infrastructure in these out-of-the-way spots there is the danger that expansion will wreck what currently makes these beaches such paradise. Nevertheless, you can find secluded coves, clear...

The calm of Lake Ohrid may come from the fact that it is the deepest lake in the Balkans, and one of the oldest lakes in the world (comparable to Lake Baikal and Lake Tanganyika). It lies between Albania and Macedonia and on the Albanian side the largest town is Pogradec where there are plenty of hotels, bars and cafes....

Saranda is the southernmost town in Albania and the nearest point to the Greek island of Corfu (just 45 minutes away by ferry), often now included as a day trip for those on cruises. The town has (stony) beaches and easy access to other beach destinations such as Ksamil, and the nightlife that would be expected from its location and...

Despite their reputation as an ocean getaway, the Florida Keys don’t boast many large beaches, mainly due to the character of the islands. The Keys are remnants of coral reefs frozen in stone, fossilized, with a buildup of sand and much around mangrove roots forming a shoreline. Anne’s Beach is one of the more popular little slivers of sand along...

The whole of Bahia Honda Key is given over to Bahia Honda State Park, and that’s a good thing.It’s a botanist’s delight. Botanically-rich, the island hosts more than 150 species of native plants, including the largest known stand of Florida silver palms. It’s found along the Silver Palm Nature Trail at the north end of the park. The National Champion silver palm...

Once the grand sentinel that protected the fledgling town of Key West from attack, Fort Zachary Taylor is still an imposing presence from the sea as sailboats – and monster cruise ships – pull into port in downtown Key West. The fort is a stunning piece of brick architecture, started in 1845 and still under construction when Federal forces steamed...

One of the secrets of the Florida Keys: the beaches are made of parrotfish poop. Seriously. These tropical fish feed on the coral reefs, and their excreta contains coral sand that washes up on the otherwise rocky shores of the Keys. The reef is why John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park exists. Six miles offshore, Molasses Reef is the most...

Of all of the Florida State Parks in the Keys, Long Key has the best campsites: they sit right on the shoreline overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Hiking and nature trails introduce you to the many habitats on the island, including the transition zone, a weird scrub-like habitat with a forest floor of chaky white sand embedded with coral splinters. Paddle...

When the artist on Duval Street mentioned she’d gathered vase sponges on Smathers Beach, I was hoping for a bonanza as Hurricane Frances was coming ashore. Instead, I almost got blown into the water. Watch out where you walk when’s there’s weather! Lined with coconut palms and carpeted in coral sand, this is a pretty beach, and the largest on...

Bring your binoculars for fall birding at Curry Hammock State Park, where migrating raptors cruise overhead by the hundreds following a major flyover route. The main portion of the park, on the Atlantic Ocean side of US 1, features a campground with sea breezes, a picnic area, and a small beach for launching kayaks or wading in the shallows. A...

Birthplace of the world’s oldest surf lifesaving club (1907), and a family favourite since the 19th century, Bondi Beach is the trail head for a lovely amble along cliffs fringing coastal suburbs. The Bondi-to-Coogee Coast Walk meanders 6.6km south, with boardwalks and footpaths following the voluptuous curves of beaches and honeycombed sandstone cliffs. The walk is do-able in 2 hours each...

Tiny Bouddi National Park, on NSW’s central coast, was dedicated in 1935 after a campaign inspired by Sydney lawyer Marie Byles. She explored the area on foot in 1922 with three girlfriends, one a trouser-wearing pistol-toting lass named Ester Waite. What enthralled Ms Byles were the coastal cliffs: great walls of cracked sandstone battlements besieged by crashing waves. Wind-tolerant walkers can see this splendour on...

On sunny days, SydneyHarbour lives up to its reputation as one of the world’s most spectacular harbours. But you don’t need a million-dollar income to enjoy the million-dollar views. You can watch the pleasure boats and green-and-yellow commuter ferries, the swimmers and stick-chasing dogs, from the Manly Scenic Walkway. Linking the Spit Bridge, at Seaforth, and the world-famous beach suburb of Manly...

Leave Fraser Island‘s ocean beach to 4WDs and anglers. Forget, briefly, the humpback whales that loll off its west coast July to October. Because away from coastal distractions you can hug a tallowwood grown tall and 11m around, swim in a perched lake, and appreciate the hush in rainforest before dawn and the cacophonic birdsong after. To get a real feel for the other...

Aberdeen is not much of a destination, but if you do find yourself here then consider the following options: A walk on its good long beach The Stratosphere science discovery centre Provost Skene’s House, the former city mayor’s residence and the city’s oldest building (1545). The excellent Maritime Musuem which looks step-by-step at the process of ship building and has...

It might just be a man-made point of reference – Britain’s most northwesterly point – but Cape Wrath does have a feeling of being at the very edge of something. This is mostly down to the Stevenson lighthouse (1827) being perched on cliffs high above the continuous and mesmerising pounding of the ocean waves below. Indeed only 5miles/8km to the...