Beach Breaks

If cabin fever’s getting the better of you, make a plan of some of the places you want to head to once everything is up and running again. This month, we hear about some of the favourite beach getaways of our readers and staff.

PHILIPPINES

My favourite beach is Alona Beach on Panglao Island, Bohol, in the Philippines. You can either fly to Manila and transfer to Bohol International Airport, or fly to Cebu, get a taxi to Pier 1 and take a fast ferry to Tagbilaran Seaport. A great place to stay would be my four-bedroom house on Airbnb, of course! There are other excellent hotels such as Henann Resort Alona Beach (a large one with hundreds of rooms) or The Bellevue Resort (less crowded).

The diving and snorkelling there is incredible! Scoot over to Balicasag Island for its amazing drop-offs and sea turtles in the shallows. You can even take a ferry ride or helicopter to Oslob and swim with whale sharks. Alternatively, do a day trip into Bohol to see the Chocolate Hills, Loboc River and tarsiers (tiny primates), visit adventure parks, or cruise around in vintage cars – it’s like Cuba in the Philippines!

You can also rent a scooter and explore on your own. The people are amazing and will always help and steer you to some adventure. There is also amazing food on the islands, from local to international – it’s a smorgasbord of some of the best foods!

A favourite moment from my visits to the area was being alone on a little outrigger boat between Panglao and Balicasag Island, with only my family and the boat captain. We shared the morning on the sea with pods of wild dolphins. It was a magical hour or so with them before they left to feed.

Brian Kennett, Reader

THAILAND

I’m more of a winter holiday girl but I really loved my first trip to Koh Samui two years back. Stepping out of the plane to blue cloudless skies and loads of greenery, I knew I was in for a good time.