We all love beaches: But I bet you didn’t know that…

Beaches attract tourists like magnets. Families, couples on their honeymoon and thrill seekers come to sunbathe, take part in water sports or often to simply stroll along the shore. Beaches vary dramatically in their size and use… while some beaches are tourist meccas, others are unspoiled wildernesses, meaning beaches are often as interesting as other favourite vacation destinations.

The Caribbean is famed for its crystalline azure blue waters and pristine powder soft white sandy beaches and generally, our thought processes don’t go beyond that. Here are a few interesting facts about beaches we thought you might enjoy and some of our beach favourites to consider for your next adventure!

Many scientists believe that beaches are only a temporary phenomenon caused by the changes in sea levels after the last Ice Age.

The ocean covers 71% of the earth’s surface.

The slope of a beach matches the waves, so the slope is often gentler in winter when the waves are stronger.

90% of all volcanic activity occurs in the world’s oceans.

A white cotton shirt is equivalent to SPF 7. But still not enough coverage, so don’t forget to apply your sunscreen once you reach the wonderful shores of your favourite beach.

The proportion of people that go to the beach that can’t swim is roughly 1 out of 3.

A group of jellyfish swimming together is called a smack, so be on the lookout, they have been frequently spotted in areas along the British & US Virgin Islands coast line during the hot summer months.

Sharks have a 6th sense called electrosensory perception that allows them to detect electric fields. (No, they can’t see dead people).

Pictures and paintings of beautiful tropical beaches usually show gentle blue waves lapping at brilliant white sands. But did you know that much of that sand actually comes from fish poop?

Here’s some of our favourite white sand beaches: 

While some beaches are predominantly made of white sand some others are composed of smooth black sand.

Although black sand beaches are generally less known than their white sand beach counterparts, if you are looking to change things up a bit from the typical tropical vacation, they can be a wonderful alternative.
Black sand beaches are volcanic in origin and are formed very differently from their white sand counterparts which are coral in origin. Therefore the grain size and colour of the sand vary, even on the same stretch of beach.
Black sand beaches will eventually disappear if sand is not replenished by another lava flow. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that…

​On that note, here are a few of our favourites: