Dec 18 2014 at 12:15 AM

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What is it about the humble meeting of sand and sea that seems to enchant us? It's more than just the sum of its parts, a beach. It's more than sand to lie on, more than water in which to swim. It's romance, it's adventure and it's the time of your life.

Beaches mean so much. They're building sandcastles when you were a kid. They're family holidays away from school. They're the feeling of catching your first wave as a teenager. They're wild nights in foreign lands in your 20s, the relaxing getaways of middle age and the long walks of later years.Beaches are freedom. Beaches are an escape.

We're spoilt, as Australians, with beaches. When your home boasts places like Whitehaven, Cable Beach, Cox Bight, Burleigh, Palm Beach and Turquoise Bay, you come to expect a lot from that humble meeting of sand and sea. Yet still we travel in search of perfection, to discover and enjoy beaches the world over, to soak up culture and difference while getting a hit of vitamin D.

There's variety in beaches, easily enough to keep you amused for a lifetime. There are the hidden beaches, those secluded wonderlands that you feel like keeping to yourself forever. There are the bustling city beaches, European hotspots of carefully primped sunbathers and oblivious foreign gawkers.

There are the stunning, windswept northern beaches of Scotland, in whose cold waters you would never dream of dipping a toe. There are the spring-break beaches of the Caribbean, the surf beaches of Tahiti, the family-friendly patches of Fiji, the stunning backdrops of South Africa. Whatever your preference, there's romance, joy, relaxation and adventure in every beach. It's impossible to deny the attraction of that humble meeting of sand and sea.

Ben Groundwater

WHY I LOVE IT Maybe it's the memory of skimming the waves on a little Hobie Cat or maybe it's the "Say it, it will happen" attitude of the private island resort, but the beach on Vomo Island holds a special place in my heart. Most of Fiji's best beaches are found in the Mamanuca Islands and further north, in the Yasawa Islands group, north-west of Nadi. After all, this is where The Blue Lagoon,the movie that started it all, was filmed in 1980. Roll out of your beachside bure and it's hello, tranquil turquoise water! And prepare for your heart to melt when you see Vomo's baby-turtle breeding program.

WHAT TO DO Be sun smart and pack a rash vest. The snorkelling is excellent, but no-one likes burnt backs and calves. And don't spend all day in the water or in your hammock. The sundowners at Vomo's Rocks Sunset Bar are a must. The dry season is from May to October, and the rainy season from November to April.

See the article here:

Sand-sational: Traveller writers divulge their favourite beaches