Caribbean or the Med? - a great original beach story by Jaklien on a beach holiday.

Caribbean or the Med?
Thousands if not millions of Europeans flock to far flung destinations in the Caribbean or Southeast Asia to relax on pristine white sandy beaches and swim in clear blue warm oceans. Up until recently, I was one of them, but since my trip to Sardinia, I've come to realise that there is no need to be cooped up in a metal tube for 15+ hours, while Europe has sandy white beaches and clear blue seas of its own. I tested four of them on the Island of Sardinia near the capital capital Cagliari.

Fresh off the plane after only a 3 hour flight, we head off to Poetto Beach on the outskirts of Cagliari. According to my guide book this city beach is lined with funky Ibiza-style beach clubs. After we fight over a parking spot with a scary looking Italian beach visitor we set foot on the much anticipated white sand. It's a bit crowded, the reason probably being that it's a Saturday afternoon. We manage to find two loungers and an umbrella and get comfy. Unfortunately, not for long. The seemingly childless couple sitting next to us, turns out to be the parents of 12 kids that suddenly seem to appear out of nothing. And the owners of 6 dogs. They also decide to turn on their boom box loud enough so the whole island of Sardinia can enjoy it. This is not really what we had in mind. Where are the funky beach bars playing Cafe Del Mar music? Granted that it still beats sitting in London and watching the rain lash against your windows. We give this beach a 6 out of 10.

The next day we decide to try our luck elsewhere and drive south to the beaches of Chia. Much to my excitement we spot some pink flamingos along the way. The beach we find here lies in a small bay under the Tower of Chia and it has a very secluded feel to it. There is one refreshment stall that also rents out loungers and umbrellas which you do need as there is no shade whatsoever. There are people sitting near this stall but further away we find a long stretch of sand with hardly anyone there. The water is of a clear blue that rivals any beach in Thailand or the Pacific Ocean. Standing in the shallow water, we watch the fish swim around our feet, until one gets really cheeky and decides to nibble at my toe. (Which is actually quite painful) We give this beach a 8 out of 10.

Day three we head in the direction of Villasimius as recommended by a colleague. The drive is a bit long but very scenic and therefore well worth the effort. The windy coastal road offers mesmerizing views onto many small inlets and we see steep drops into the Mediterranean Sea. We follow a sign that says beach, park the car and head down a rocky trail that leads to a deserted beach. Besides some lonely umbrellas and beach towels there is nobody to be seen. I spot a beach boy taking a siesta under a tree, but he seems to be the only breathing being here. We dump our stuff on the white sand and jump into the refreshingly cool water. We swim to a rock protruding some 200 metres away from the beach and climb on top of it to watch the fish watching us. We sit there till we feel the sun burning or skin. This is exactly what we had in mind when we came here and we give this beach a 9 out of 10. The only reason we leave is because it's lunch time and there is no place that sells food. We continue to the town of Villasimius to have some lunch and then decide to check out its city beach. It's a bit busier than the previous two beaches, but still quiet enough to relax and read a book. The sand is again as white as snow and the water unbelievably clear. We give this beach a 7 out of 10.

All in all I am pleasantly surprised. This trip was only intended to be a quick weekend getaway, but I will honestly be back for more. No more Thai beaches for me.

Author : Jaklien