If we talk about beautiful places, with warm climates and paradisiacal landscapes to spend a well-deserved vacation, then we are going to move to South America, that side of the American continent that is located in the southern hemisphere of our planet, and has great natural attractions that have attracted Many travellers from all over the world since it was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492.
South America has twelve countries, which are: Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina, which have innumerable natural resources that some of these countries have exploited to develop touristic activities that allow them to contribute to the creation of jobs and the national budget.
But, generally when people talk about South America, they highlight the beauty of its beaches, white sands, crystal clear waters and an enviable temperature. Hence, the purpose of this article is to offer a list of the best beaches in this continent, highlighting its benefits and the activities that can be practiced there.
Most of these countries have lovely beaches, but the first place goes to Brazil, whose beaches are still among the favourite ones of tourists from around the world, when looking for a tourist destination in South America. According to the Trip Advisor website (2018) “thousands of travellers ranked Brazil’s beaches among the twelve best beaches in South America by 2018 in the first place”.
It should be noted that this measurement is made by Trip Advisor users, who chose to vote for beaches, because they have crystal clear waters, fine sand and / or outdoor activities.
The first place was taken by the Brazilian beach “Baia do Sancho”, located in Pernambuco, Brazil, and it is located in the natural reserve of Fernando de Noronha, and the experience of reaching this paradise is unique, since you have to walk, slip through a dark tunnel and go down some steep stairs, but according to the visitors it is worth doing this activity, which in turn is very entertaining, to be able to enjoy its warm waters and an unparalleled landscape, at the same time perform various water sports.
In Brazil we also find famous for its crystal clear waters and white sands, as well as for the fun they offer to tourists. Within these we have beaches like “Praia Do Espelho”, located in Bahia, which is one of the longest beaches that exist, with a total distance of 60 kilometres, so to travel it takes approximately two hours.
We also have Prainhas do Pontal do Atalaia, which is located in the city of Arraial do Cabo, and is characterized by its calm waters that offer tourists the possibility of diving. Also, is Forno Beach, located in the same city and is among one of the favourite ones in South America, for its calm turquoise waters that make a splendid contrast with the beautiful sunsets that are usually observed in this wonderful place.
Ecuador also stands out for its beautiful beaches, being one of the most recognized “Tortuga Bay”, located on Santa Cruz Island, in the Galapagos Archipelago in Ecuador. It is characterized by its very white sand, crystal clear waters, and a path of almost two kilometres that leads to this wonderful place with splendid views, which can be enjoyed from the beginning, where the whirlpools of Playa Brava can be once they lead to the path of Playa Mansa.
In this tour of both beaches, you can enjoy a wonderful vegetation, animals and mangroves that protect you from the sun, so it is visited annually by thousands of people looking in this archipelago that astonished Charles Darwin and where he did his research, in a natural scenario formed by more than 100 islets and 22 islands, and which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978, thus contributing to the development of ecological tourism in Ecuador.
In the same archipelago is “La Playita”, in which you can take a three-kilometre tour along a path covered with mangroves, where the flamingos, birds of different species and iguanas pose, which leads to the famous “Wall of the Tears”.
On the other hand, in Ecuador we can visit the beach “Los Frailes”, located in Manabi, which is considered one of the most beautiful beaches of the beautiful country, due to its white sand, its crystalline waters, its great extension and the tranquillity that is enjoyed, mainly because it is far from the road, because it belongs to the Machalilla National Park and is surrounded by cliffs and a viewpoint.
Another of its attractions is represented by the route that must be made to arrive, in which there is a spectacular dry forest where you can observe various species of flora and fauna typical of the area.
Chile also has spectacular beaches, although with colder waters, typical of the Pacific Ocean. Among these beaches we have Playa Ovahe, located on Easter Island, near the famous Anakena beach. This beach is characterized by having an intense pink sand and clear waters. It is visited annually by a large number of tourists from around the world, and provides a quality hotel service.
As it was said before, “Anakena” beach is also in the “Easter Island”, Chile, being the most famous beach of this island, and has the disadvantage that it is in a quite remote location, to the point that only one The airline arrives at this destination, which is the Rapa Nui National Park, considered a world heritage site by UNESCO.
Moving to Venezuela, we find Cayo de Agua in the Archipelago of “Los Roques”, which is one of the most famous of the set of islands and keys, which are considered by tourists as an idyllic paradise of white sands and peaceful turquoise waters.
This beach is located at the western end of Los Roques National Park, approximately 45 minutes from Gran Roque Island, where you can find all the inns and tourist services of the archipelago. It is known for being the favourite habitat of dolphins, which can be seen happy in the crystal clear waters of that wonderful place. The sand is extremely white, and its currents are windy, so it stands out as an ideal place to practice water sports. Also, there are fresh water wells where you can practice snorkelling and diving.
One of the most striking landscapes of this beach, are the sandbars that are located on a narrow strip of land that joins them across the sea, which makes them look like a bridge in the sea. It is a unique landscape that together with the crystalline waters, the white sand and the surrounding landscape, make Cayo Agua one of the most admired beaches of the American continent.
Also in Venezuela we find “Playa Medina”, located in the city of Carúpano, which is part of the northern coast of the Paria Peninsula. This beach has a unique beauty that distinguishes it among many, due to the great contrast between the sea and the abundant vegetation of trees and coconut trees.
This almost virgin beach, is protected from the onslaught of the waves because it extends all along a small bay, where the ends penetrate the Caribbean Sea, which gives its waters little movement, and precisely this tranquillity is Enjoyed to the maximum by the tourists that visit it.
It is also characterized by its crystalline waters, which are often seen green, a fine sand of soft golden colour, and an abundant shade thanks to the existence of a large number of coconut trees, make everyone who visits Playa Medina want to return, to enjoy a unequalled landscape, the tranquillity of its waters and the sound of the hundreds of birds that pose in its abundant vegetation.
We cannot leave out the beautiful Colombian beaches, being Pilón de Azúcar, located in La Guajira three hours north of Riohacha, in Cabo de La Vela, there is the “Pilón de Azúcar” beach, which can be seen from a top of the same name, in which there is an altar of the Virgin of Fatima and a relaxing view of the Caribbean Sea and the gusts of wind that give a special attraction to this beach.
When visiting Pilón de Azúcar, you can have contact with the Wayúu culture, through visits to the indigenous ranches, which represents a unique experience that every tourist who loves nature and culture cannot be missed, besides there you can rest with tranquility and beautiful natural scenery.
Finally, to conclude with this summary list of the most recognized beaches in South America, we cannot leave out the “Island of San Andrés”, which although is located only 110 kilometres from the Nicaraguan coast and about 720 kilometres from the coast Colombian, belongs to Colombia and is administered by this country.
This island located in the Caribbean Sea, has remained for years as one of the most sought after tourist destinations by tourists from around the world, who find in its beaches tranquillity, a natural scenery characterized by its white sand, and especially of water, which varies in shades ranging from an intense blue to a crystalline turquoise, which is why they call it “The Sea of Seven Colours”. One of the most famous beaches of San Andres Island is “Spratt Bigth”, where you can practice sports such as surfing, kite surfing and sky.
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