Metrolife: Beaches top vacation hotspots

Beaches are a favourite travel destination with many and summer makes them an ideal vacation choice.

This year, destinations like Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion Island, Bali and Thailand are trending among travel enthusiasts. These places help them connect with nature and also offer various adventure activities for that adrenalin rush.

Shruthi Raghunanda, actor, says she and her husband Sripad Rao are adventure enthusiasts. “Maldives is a great choice as it is close to India. It has a lot of private beaches and is not as crowded as Mauritius, making it an ideal vacation destination. The view of the blue lagoon from the water bungalow is quite enthralling,” says Shruthi.

“We had a great time trying out snorkelling, scuba diving, parasailing and dolphin watching in Maldives. It was a thrilling experience to feed stingrays and sharks. One can go to Malé from there too,” she adds.

“Phuket, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam are preferred beach destinations for the shorter travel time and easy visa processes. There are many low-cost carrier flights to these places from Bengaluru.”

- Neelu Singh, CEO and Director, Ezeego1

Eashita Maheshwary, marketing professional, is a beach-lover too. “I work so that I can travel often. I went to Thailand for scuba diving. From there, I went to Bangkok and Phuket. Places like Thailand and Gili Island in Indonesia are getting popular because they are cost effective and offer adventure sports. You get to experience an international trip on a local budget,” Eashitha says.

Harsha MV, director and CTO, Skreem, and his wife visited Bali in February this year.

“We chose to visit this place for its clean beaches, affordability and easy accessibility from Bengaluru. Moreover, Bali has a lot of Indian influence in its culture. Be the language or the food, this helps one feel close to home and be comfortable. The water sports and the private beaches were the winning points for me. We are planning to visit Bali again this August,” says Harsha.

“The demand for beach destinations has gone up by 15% as compared to the same period last year. Beaches in the UAE are also becoming popular with travellers. Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are some of the most sought-after destinations.”

-Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings

Ezeego1 packages

Instant Mauritius value La Margarita:

• Annual Package for 5 Nights/6 Days
• Price: Starting at Rs 60,859
• Inclusive of: Round-trip flights, hotel stay, breakfast and dinner, sightseeing and transfers.

Maldives Magic Bandos Island Resort:

• Price: Starting at Rs 50,729
• Inclusive of: Hotel stay, breakfast, sightseeing and transfers.

Cox & Kings packages

Mauritius:

• 5 Days / 4 Nights
• Price: Starting at Rs 22,703 per person (without airfare)
• Inclusive of: Accommodation as per the itinerary.
• Meals, transfers and sightseeing as per the itinerary.

Maldives:

• 4 Days/3 Nights
• Price: Starting from Rs 27,940 per person (without airfare)
• Inclusive of: Accommodation at selected category hotels including buffet breakfast (except on the day of arrival).
• Dinner on the first, second and third days at the hotel.
• Return airport transfers by shared speedboat or seaplane as specified against each resort.
• Green Tax

Thomas Cook packages

Maldives: Holiday Island Resort and Spa:

• 3 Nights/4 Days
• Price: Starting at 32,958 (without airfare)
• Inclusive of: Hotels, transfer, meals.

Fushion - Phuket, Krabi and Bangkok:

• 6 Nights/7 Days
• Price: Starting at Rs 60,067
• Inclusive of: Flight, hotel, sightseeing, transfer, visa and meals.

Bali Villa Special:

• 6 Nights/7Days
• Price: Starting at Rs 46,259
• Inclusive of: Flights, hotel, sightseeing, transfer and meals.

Activities to look forward to

• Parasailing
• Paragliding
• Snorkeling
• Scuba diving
• Barbeque on the beach
• Kayaking
• Luxury spa retreats