Beaches in August that Aren't Heaving?

[sniffydog]

I've left our 'big' summer holiday planning a bit late this year and am in need of some input! We can only go mid-late August and really wanted somewhere that has lovely (sandy) beaches but you don't have to fight for a patch of sand on.

Wish List:

• short haul
• sandy beaches but some rocky coves etc good too
• options for things to do nearby - boat trips etc
• not Atlantic coast (water to cold for DW)
• probably rent a villa

In the past we've done Mallorca, Menorca, Corsica, Kefalonia and Zakynthos. All nice but all pretty busy in peak time. Any advice on spots that might suit?

We had a lovely big family holiday near puerto de pollensa a couple of dummers back and stayed in a villa with pool just outside the old town. We drove to the beach to swim and found some lovely little places further along to snorkel (though the pollensa beach wasn't crowded even in August) and the children enjoyed the pool at the villa. We went in to old pollensa in the evenings to eat and drink and wander.

If you don’t mind a bit of a multi stage journey I’d suggest a harder to get to, lesser known Greek island. You’d need to fly to Athens or an island with an airport then get ferry. Islands without an airport are a lot quieter (though perhaps not the best known ones like Naxos or Paros).

Naxos, a greek island. The town beach is incredibly long and most people stay the town end so a few minutes walk and there's hardly anyone. It's also a ferry hub so you can go to other islands for a day, and there's an iced=cream place that does some of the best ice-cream I've had

The catalonia coastline ticks all those boxes

Blanes
Sitges
Cadaques
Calella
Lovely water temp on that costline too

The peloponnese in mainland Greece. Easily drivable from Athens - beautiful with so many lovely beaches.

sunshine can you recommend any particular places in the Pelopponese? Love the idea but no idea where to look!

And maybe Menorca. We went there when kids were very small but were surprised that there weren't that many beach options

I think you need to look again at Menorca - there are over 100 beaches in Menorca - from small coves that you can only access on foot, to big tourist beaches that are over 2km long. If you've got a car, you can drive to some of the quieter beaches and walk.

In August, it will probably be busy on the main beaches, but most are fairly easy to walk along to quieter spots.

I would recommend Sardinia. Hire a car and there's plenty of beaches to visit. Some white sand, some shingle

Isn’t Sardinia stuffed full of Italians in August? I always assumed so but perhaps not or are there hidden corners?

Booked! Naxos/Paros combo. Flights surprisingly reasonable into Mykonos then a tiny bit of Island hopping to split between villas. Thanks for the suggestions!

Lovely! Naxos and Paros have so many beaches I’m sure you’ll find quiet ones. Any without easy parking nearby tend to be quieter.

Highly recommend hiring a boat for a day or half day (you don’t need a licence, it’s very easy) and exploring otherwise inaccessible coves.

Late to reply but if looking at peloponnese in the future we love foinikounta. Methoni also nice

I’d go to Halkidiki, Sithonia fits your brief and is beautifully quiet

We went to fuerteventura last summer and the beaches are so massive that it was never even remotely crowded.

Fabulous. Which villas did you choose? We're visiting both those islands this summer!

Sea temperature is perfect in Greece in August, great choice.

But not as cold depending on the exact time you go and close to other beaches near Spain which are warmer. However many places will be busy in summer time unless you go north where the weather is not guaranteed,

Parga on the Greek mainland has some lovely peaceful beaches either side of the main town one. If you hire a car there are some really gorgeous isolated ones dotted along the coast.

Would you mind suggesting where you stayed? Looking for semi-lux to lux accommodation but not able to find anything that is working for me.

@callmesaddy sorry it was quite a few years ago. It was a 2 bed apartment. Check how far it is to walk to the beach. There were a lot of tourist type ones walking distance to the beach and driving distance looked to be where the locals were (nothing wrong looking with them, but bit of treck to bars etc.)

I second Tavira in Portugal and if it’s too cold take wetsuits.

Would you mind sharing where you stayed? I am looking for semi-lux/luxury stays in close proximity to the beach & not able to find something that works.

Would you mind sharing where you stayed? I am looking for semi-lux/luxury stays in close proximity to the beach & not able to find something that works.

An Bang beach fits the bill. Except it’s long haul lol.

Near Hoi An in Vietnam. We are just back from there. It’s like the Med 30 years ago but nicer food and way cheaper.

We stay at an adults only hotel, the Tavira beach is essentially an island, access is via a 10 minute 2 euro ferry ride from the town, the beach is miles of clean and beautiful white sand.