Three beach-loving jetsetters recall the most sublime sun destinations

With getaways on pause this year, there’s perhaps nothing that fuels our collective wanderlust more than the longing for a beach holiday. So while we all fantasize about the sand and surf, we asked three (temporarily grounded) frequent flyers for their most memorable sun-kissed destinations. Consider this travel inspiration until life’s a beach again.

Timothy Chan, communications consultant

Home sweet home: Toronto

Dream escape: Dead Sea at the Crowne Plaza Jordan

The country of Jordan is only slightly bigger than New Brunswick, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in its archaeological finds and natural wonders, which is what brought Timothy Chan and his husband to this isolated destination just weeks before the pandemic hit. Among the most unforgettable parts of their epic adventure was time spent floating in the famous Dead Sea, which Jordan shares with Israel.

This otherworldly body of water isn’t actually a sea at all: it’s a landlocked salt lake. “You have to experience it to truly appreciate the novelty. At 1,312 feet below sea level, it is the lowest land point on Earth and known as the largest natural spa in the world,” says Chan, who spent the day adrift in the water — 10 times saltier than the average ocean — on the private beach of his hotel, the Crowne Plaza Jordan. “The Dead Sea is the perfect place to relax and recharge. I covered myself in the mineral-rich mud and floated in the sea while soaking up the warm sunshine.”

Rita Remark, global lead educator for Essie

Home sweet home: New York City

Dream escape: Railay Beach, Thailand

With a title like “global lead educator,” it’s no surprise this Canadian expat, now based in NYC, has travelled all over the world — though work has usually landed Rita Remark in bustling international capitals, and not the sandy shores she favours for personal holidays. “Honestly, I’ve been thinking of every possible escape since the pandemic started, but this beach is a frequent visitor in my daydreams,” says Remark of Railay (also spelled Rai Leh) Beach, in southern Thailand’s Krabi province.

She arrived on the secluded peninsula — accessible only by boat — almost a decade ago, while on a solo five-month backpacking trip. “When I pulled up to the shore, it felt so untouched, like my own secret hideaway,” recalls Remark. “The small U-shaped beach was filled with warm, jade-tinted water, lined with coconut palms and framed by limestone cliffs. It was a little slice of Thai heaven.” Railay’s distinctive karst formations curve along the coast like a giant limestone fortress, while down below is one of the prettiest beaches in all of Thailand, backed by proper jungle. “I sunbathed and swam, napped in the shade, drank a fresh watermelon shake. It was perfect.”

Ania Boniecka, art director and digital content creator

Home sweet home: Calgary

Dream escape: Playa Quimixto at Xinalani Retreat, Mexico

“I grew up by the Baltic Sea in Poland and I’m also a water sign, so I’m totally drawn to the ocean,” says Ania Boniecka, a self-professed beach lover (and Pisces). Narrowing down her most coveted stretch of sand was a challenge, but Playa Quimixto on the southwest coast of Mexico, about 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, wins out — in part because of a close encounter with the wild. “It’s only accessible by boat and on the way, we were able to do some epic whale watching,” recalls Boniecka of her journey to the far-flung Xinalani Retreat. “We were just a few feet away from a baby whale and its mother. It was the most glorious, powerful moment.”

As for the resort’s private beach itself, expect pristine, fine white sand and crystal-clear water. Several trails run alongside the beach, including a hike to a waterfall, about 30 minutes away. “You can see so much more beyond just relaxing on a hammock,” says Boniecka, “even though that’s one of my very favourite things to do.”

The Star understands the restrictions on travel during the coronavirus pandemic. But like you, we dream of travelling again, and we’re publishing this story with future trips in mind.