BATTLE OF THE SANDS
Whatever you're looking for from your seaside holiday, we've got the perfect spot for your beach towel
BEST FOR ESCAPE: Lara Bay, Cyprus
Want to get away from package tours and parasols? Head to the Akamas peninsula in north-west Cyprus, where there are heaps of deserted coves and inlets for you to make your own. The jewel in the crown is Lara Bay. Only accessible by 4x4 (hire one from around £50 a day with Elephantrentacar.com), it's a sanctuary for green and loggerhead turtles. They nest in July and August so the beach is closed then, but you can enjoy Lara's rugged natural beauty for the rest of the year.
DON'T MISS: The Fisherman Taverna is a great seafood restaurant near Agios Georgios village (00 375 6942 585550). Leave your car in the village and enjoy a 45-minute walk through the olive groves.
WHERE TO STAY: Try the Hideaway Club near Kyrenia (Hideawayclub.com). This idyllic retreat has a child-free policy throughout summer, so you can really unwind. VIP suites cost from £85 per night. Or book Villa Phaedra near Polis (Getaway-villas.com), which has mountain and sea views and a private pool. It costs from £576 per week and sleeps six.
GETTING THERE: Charter flights from Gatwick to Paphos with Monarch cost around £169 return (Monarch.co.uk).
BEST FOR ROMANCE: Tonga
Tonga is a largely undiscovered group of islands in the South Pacific, so you won't be crowded by other loved-up couples. It's not cheap to get there, but you get to languish on your own Castaway-style island and even skinny dip in peace!
DON'T MISS: The seas around Tonga act as a nursery for humpback whales from May to October, so book a day's boat trip for around £47 (Sailingsafaris.com). When you're back on land, try the lobster in butter at the stunning Seaview restaurant in Nuku'alofa.
WHERE TO STAY: A 'fale' or cottage on Euaiki Island Eco Resort costs from £120 per night (Tongaislandresort.com). For something cheaper, fales cost £30 per night at Heilala Holiday Lodge (Heilala-holiday-lodge.com).
GETTING THERE: Air New Zealand (Airnewzealand.co.uk) flies from London to Tonga weekly. Prices start from £930 return.
BEST FOR FAMILIES: Mellieha Bay, Malta
Don't let the fact that Madge and Guy filmed Swept Away here put you off. One look at Mellieha Bay and you'll see why people love this collection of seven islands 60 miles off the coast of Sicily. The shore shelves gently into the Med so it's ideal for teaching your kids to swim, and there's a floating play area to keep older children amused.
DON'T MISS: The Popeye Village Fun Park (Popeyemalta.com) is built around the set of the 1980 Popeye film, with water rides, games and entertainers. Entry costs around £10 for adults and £8 for children.
WHERE TO STAY: The Riu Hotel (Riu.com) has great facilities for kids, such as a ball park, face painting and bowling, so parents can slope off to the spa for some R&R. From £40 per person per night for a family room.
GETTING THERE: EasyJet (Easyjet.com) flies from Gatwick to Malta twice a day, from around £124 return.
BEST FOR GETTING FIT: Croyde, Devon
Ask any surfer about the best beaches in the UK and chances are Croyde in north Devon will be near the top of the list. The 800m stretch of white sand is perfect for walking and running. And thanks to awesome surf, the fitterati hit Croyde beach to catch some waves. Hire a bodyboard from one of the local shops and teach yourself to ride the waves, or get more technical with a lesson from Point Breaks surf school (Pointbreaks.com), from £35 for 3 hours.
DON'T MISS: The après surf at the Thatch pub or Billy Budd's. They often have live music and they always have surf dudes at the bar. The Big Sheep (Thebigsheep.co.uk) also deserves a place on your itinerary. It's a sheep theme park (really!) with everything from sheep racing to lamb feeding. You can also try mountain boarding (like snowboarding but without the snow) and beat your vertigo on the high ropes course.
WHERE TO STAY: Pickwell Manor (Pickwellmanor.co.uk) offers gorgeous apartments - the Snug sleeps two, from £495 per week. For a more pampering experience, Saunton Sands (Brend-hotels.co.uk) has tennis courts, an indoor pool and sauna. Prices start from £196 for two for bed and breakfast.
GETTING THERE: Barnstaple train station is 10 miles away.
BEST FOR PARTYING: Sylt, Germany
Germany isn't where you'd expect to find a holiday party island, but Sylt (main image above), off the north coast, has become known as the Hamptons of Europe. The 25-mile beach faces the North Sea, and you can hire Strandkorbs - wicker beach chairs - to keep out the breeze and UV for £8 a day. Expect to see nudity by day and beach parties by night.
DON'T MISS: La Grande Plage restaurant (Grande-plage.de) is raised above the beach on stilts, and it even has a sauna!
WHERE TO STAY: Stadt Hamburg with its Shiseido spa (Hotelstadthamburg.com) is one of Sylt's finest hotels. Rooms cost from £145.
GETTING THERE: Lufthansa (Lufthansa.co.uk) flies direct to Sylt, from £354 return.
PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY, GETTY IMAGES AND LANDMARK MEDIA
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