Beached Wombat

Beached Wombat - The Top 10 Beaches from the Wombat Tour

DW - A lot of Wombat energy has been put into finding the perfect beach over the past couple of years, and, at the end of our trip we decided to try and put some of our favourites together, mostly so we can look back in years to come and remember that, despite what we've always thought, maybe Australia doesn't have the best beaches in the world. Both Wombats had equal say in the voting process and together we've come up with ten (10) beauties we'd have no hesitation to return to tomorrow if we had the chance. Looking at the list, there's a noticeable theme of little or no waves which, when you just want to hang out in the water without the stress of getting mauled by a 10-foot dumper (which will in-turn pop my tender shoulder out) makes for the perfect type of beach. Surfers will disagree with every single pick on the list, but to be honest, we really don't care. Enjoy.

10. Saoporto, The Algarve, Portugal - Portugal remains as one (1) of our favourite countries of the trip, a lot of which has to do with The Algarve. Saoporto Beach is hidden beneath red-ochre cliffs, and with (although freezing in May) crystal clear waters, calm as you like, it doesn't seem justified at only number ten (10).

9. Cala en Porter, Menorca, Spain - Island beaches are always difficult to top, and this spectacular white-sand, clear and calm watered beach on Menorca is certainly a ripper. It's also surrounded by cliffs, one (1) of which is home to a number of restaurants and bars, with a view to die for.

8. Noja, Spain - Northern Spain hides some absolute beauties, often overlooked by visitors as they flock to the East. Somewhere not too far West of Mundaka (sometimes host to the ASP World Championships) you'll find this tiny town of Noja, with undoubtedly the most beautiful beach in Spain. Again, the waters are icy cold in May, but it's easy to look past when you're in paradise.

7. Dos Rios, Ilha Grande, Brazil - There aren't many countries in the world where the tropical jungle comes right down to the beach. Ilha Grande is an island not to be missed, and the 8km each-way hike to Dos Rios (Two Rivers) is well worth it, for total isolation and privacy. It's inaccessible by boat (because of the waves) and there's no cars on the island, so if you want to feel alone in paradise, there aren't many better places than here. Again, the waters are cold; cold enough for lost Patagonian penguins to sometimes visit, but maybe after a few hours you'll be looking for company anyway.

6. Playa del Carmen, Mexico - A month in this wonderful part of the world simply isn't enough. With gorgeous white-sands and delectable blue/green water at around 28'C, it's no surprise we weren't in a hurry to leave.

5. La Maddalena, Sardinia, Italy - I don't think I've seen water as clear and tranquil as that of Northern Sardinia, and this National Park of islands just off-shore is somewhere you could see yourself spending a lot of time doing absolutely nothing but baking, swimming, and eating scrumptious Italian food. We spent a couple of days in La Maddalena, and there's a good chance it'd be one (1) of our first stops upon return to Europe.

4. Tulum, Mexico - Just when we thought Playa del Carmen had the best beaches in Mexico, we only had to travel a stone-throw's South to find ancient ruins along the most beautiful coastline's edge. The waters here are gentler than those of Playa del Carmen, and when you share the beach with only a handful of people and a few iguanas on those unmistakable white-sands, life is pretty damn good.

3. Isla Majeres, Mexico - Again, just when we thought we'd found Mexico's best beach, we took a day-trip out to Isla Majeres, the very definition of paradise. The water is shallow forever and with no disruptions for the white sand underneath, it gives this marvellous blue/green colour for as far as a tacker like me can swim. That'll do Mexico, that'll do.

2. La Palosa, Sardinia, Italy - Despite the crowds that swarm, along with the African salesmen flogging you whatever they can, it just doesn't get much better than this hidden beauty in the North-West of Sardinia. This magical place is often ranked as one (1) of Europe's top beaches, and when you arrive you can understand why. I've never seen water so clear in my life; I reckon the visibility without goggles would have to be 20+ metres, it's just phenomenal.

1. Varadero, Cuba - The Cuban's may not know service very well, but my God they can produce the longest and prettiest beach in the world (that we've seen anyway). Varadero is very popular amongst visitors to this strange yet fascinating Communist Caribbean island, but if you steer away from the resorts to the North, you'll find unfootprinted parts and the most majestic waters you thought only existed in dreams. Add to that the temperature of around 28'C and you won't need a bath for a long long time.