Wondering about what to do or where to go in the coming year? Or you just want to make an addition to your bucket list? Here’s a list of the 19 best beach and island destinations to visit in 2019, from the from Islands magazine. They’re all over the world, with some of the usual suspects, such as St. Barts, Antigua (pictured above) and Crete.
But how about a trip to the Whitsunday Islands, the 74-island archipelago (only four of which are developed), with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world? The Whitsundays serve as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, where you’ll want to see the coral before climate change bleaches it beyond repair. Go by boat, helicopter or seaplane.
In Mexico, we already know about Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja California peninsula. But how about Todos Santos, about an hour’s drive north on the Pacific side, a surfers’ enclave with a laid-back bohemian vibe? Founded as a mission in 1724, it’s where the Sierra Laguna mountains flow down to the ocean. Ride your bike or horse on the beach. But go soon, before the crowds move up from Cabo. Or head across the Peninsula to swim with the whale sharks in La Paz.
In the Atlantic, 2019 is the year to visit Madeira, the four-island archipelago that’s an autonomous region of Portugal. It’s about 360 miles due west of Morocco, and it’s celebrating its 600thanniversary in 2019. You can join the festivities with a glass of the eponymous wine, and stay in little fishing village of Camara de Lobos, or in the capital of Funchal and overlook the harbor. Take in all the history and pretend you’re Winston Churchill; he loved the place. For more: https://www.islands.com/19-best-places-to-travel-in-2019/
