Where is the best beach in the world?

Galicia’s Cies Islands – “The best beach in the world”, according to the Guardian! In the mouth of the River Vigo there lies a beautiful, unspoilt archipelago, known in Galicia as the Isles of Cies.

This idyllic archipelago consists of three islands, Monteagudo, San Martino and do Faro, and was declared a nature reserve in 1980.

The Guardian newspaper at the time named the beach of Rodas on the island of Monteagudo as the “best beach in the world”. With translucent cold waters lapping sparkling, white and idyllic beaches, visitors to the Isles of Cies would find it difficult to disagree with the Guardian’s appraisal of Rodas beach.

Boats for the Cies Islands leave several times a day from the towns of Vigo, Cangas and Baiona. The journey from Cangas takes approximately 45 minutes and costs around 20 Euros per person.

Speeding past mussel rafts and the pristine beaches on either side of the river estuary, the boat trip to the islands is in itself a pleasant experience. When you dock at the jetty at the island of Monteagudo, flopping straight on to the soft and inviting sand is almost as tempting as going for an ice-cold welcoming drink in the restaurant.

For those wanting to abandon the crowds heading towards the wooden rampart and exploring one of the numerous paths in the pine forest is perhaps the best option, as discovering the natural beauty of this marvel in the Atlantic Ocean should definitely be high on the agenda of any discerning Galician traveller.

A hike to the top of the lighthouse for unparalleled panoramic views is certainly a Cies Islands highlight, particularly for those who have a penchant for bird watching, as the world’s largest colony of 22,000 pairs of seagulls exists here. For the more aqua-minded of visitors, swimming and snorkelling remain popular activities on this protected national park of which 83% of it is underwater!

There are no dustbins to speak of on the Cies Islands and it is required that visitors take all rubbish back to the mainland. There is a campsite on the island of Monteagudo and campers can be seen wrestling with their trolleys, laden with tents, sleeping bags, rucksacks and empty beer cans for the boat trip back to the mainland.

Trudging through the white powder sand generously loaded with minute quartz particles, which sparkle in the sunlight light a billion diamonds, the day trippers reluctantly leave the islands on the last boat. The mainland seems to the Cies Islands day tripper to be busier than ever after spending a tranquil day on these idyllic islands – A perfect holiday experience with a chance to visit the best beach in the world, not to be missed if you get the chance.