Eco-friendly beaches

We all known that pollution is a constant threat for the environment, especially in the last years when the industrial development went berserk, with no perspectives for a bright and “green” future and in opposition, ecology became like a trend or a simple way of living.

It’s no surprise that we rarely see a location not being affected by pollution but there are some places in the world that offer a sanctuary to wildlife and travelers alike, a place where you can still see nature in all it’s glory; of course, there is no need to tell you that some of the most spectacular beaches and shorelines are either nearly impossible to reach or found on protected land.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Oahu, Hawaii

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is the first Marine Life Conservation District in Hawaii but its wasn’t always a clean area, though things have changed in 1990 when the state has been enforcing strict rules for beachgoers in the former volcanic crater site and the numbers of visitors have been limited. The living reef environment is one of the top spots in the state for snorkeling but before entry, it is mandatory to watch an educational video about preserving the fragile ecosystem.

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Australia

This beach located on Whitsunday Island, the largest of a 74-island chain and is famous for winning many national awards for environmental protection and for resource recovery, including the “Cleanest Beach in Queensland”. Whitehaven Beach is a white sparkling beach that stretches on 4.3 miles and the tourist access on the island is limited by the Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, where you have to register with a tour guide.

Playa Matapalo, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

The Osa Peninsula, known as the lungs of the Earth, is blessed with a dense forest, home of with almost half of the 500,000 species of flora and fauna located in Costa Rica, and a conservation-minded government. This beautiful Playa Matapalo is popular among surfers and its gray-sand beach stretches into the Portalon National Wildlife Refuge, known for its marine turtle protection project.

Koh Libong, Trang Province, Thailand

Koh Libong is the largest island of Trang province in Thailand and with the help of the Swedish environmentalists, the officials became committed to ecotourism and sustainability in comparison to other parts of Thailand, now trashed by tourism. This golden beach, sparsely populated, is now home to turtles, birds, dugongs and crabs.

Las Islas Cies, Galicia, Spain

The Las Islas Cies is an island protected as a national park and is considered as one of the best beaches in Europe, located on Atlantic Ocean, where the water seems calm as a lake. The number of visitors is limited and if the beachgoers plan an overnight stay they should known that this is restricted to camping; obviously, cars are prohibited on the white sand of Las Islas Cies.

Sancho Bay, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Sancho Bay is one of the most secluded and unspoiled spots on the island of Fernando de Norohna with a number of only 420 visitors being allowed to access the beach at one time. Fernando de Noronha has 15 beaches with sparkling blue water and white sand beaches and is a protected marine ecological reserve; the Sancho Bay is surrounded by natural walls so the access is possible only by a ladder that’s wedged in a rock crevice.

Short Sands Beach: Oswald West State Park, Oregon

The Short Sands Beach is secluded from the rest of the world by being surrounded by mountains and tucked away in a cove. The access to the beach in Oswald West State Park is possible by following one of the many trails that lead to an amazing forest of towering mature trees and the tourists can visit only a 13-mile stretch of the Oregon Coast Trail from this beach.

Goosewing Beach Preserve, Little Compton, Rhode Island

Goosewing Beach is owned by the Nature Conservancy of Rhode Island, an area which takes pride in its dune, beach and coastal pond environments that come together, being one of the few places in the world where you can find breeding sites for the piping plover and where groups make an effort to protect the endangered shorebirds.11