Not a Beach Bum? Not a Problem Says Cheapflights.ca

TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - Jun 23, 2015) -  A perfect day at the beach? For many that's lounging with your toes in the sand. However, for some, hours of idling on the beach is, well, less than ideal. If you're in the "can't wait to get off your towel and do something" camp, no need to fret. The travel experts at Cheapflights.ca, the champions of simple travel search, have you covered with their Top 10 Beaches for the Non Beach Bum. Whether you are into adventure, history, nature, water sports, airplane watching or simply long walks, these beaches offer more than just sand, seashells and sunshine.

Here's a selection of six of Cheapflights.ca's Top 10 Beaches for the Non Beach Bum plus what they are best suited for:

• Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, United States (Best for: SUP, surfing) - Sunset Beach is a good one for those of us who would rather skip the beach altogether than spend time lying on one. If you're not averse to being on the water (versus just close to it), this beach on Oahu's North Shore offers good opportunities for SUP (stand-up paddle boarding) as well as surfing. In the winter the beach attracts surfers, but during the summer the calmer waters are perfect for paddle boarding. In fact, on particularly calm days you can paddle all the way to Waimea Bay from Sunset Beach, which is a six-kilometre ride.
  
  
• El Castillo, Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico (Best for: Culture and history buffs) - Even if you aren't a huge beach fan, it's tough not to appreciate the postcard-perfect combo of white sand and turquoise water set against cliffs that you get at El Castillo in Tulum. But fear not -- there's much more to do here than sit on the sand. This beach is directly below the Mayan ruins of Tulum, meaning you can combine some cultural exploration with a bit of beach hopping. El Castillo is the largest structure among the Mayan site and can be seen directly from the beach.
  
  
• Kite Beach, Cabarete, Dominican Republic (Best for: Kiteboarding) - Cabarete is a small village in the northern part of the Dominican Republic that's within walking distance to Kite Beach, an aptly named mecca for kiteboarders. So if your speed of beach-going leans more toward, well, speed then this is the beach for you. Kite Beach gets constant trade winds and warm waters, which is why it's so popular among kiteboarders. If you're interested in trying the sport there are several places where you can book a lesson like GoKite Cabarete Kiteboarding School. They also rent equipment.
  
  
• Playa Grande, Costa Rica (Best for: Surfing, turtle spotting) - If surfing or learning to surf is your ideal day at the beach, Playa Grande in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica is a good spot to check out. Known as one of the best surfing spots in Costa Rica, the area attracts surfers from around the world. The breaks at Playa Grande are moderate and constant meaning it's a suitable surf spot for both experienced and new surfers. Bonus: If you're in the area between October and May you might be lucky enough to spot a female leatherback turtle coming ashore to lay eggs.
  
  
• Maho Beach, St. Martin (Best for: Aviation fans, airplane watching, thrill-seeking) - If you like watching planes coming in for a landing, then Maho Beach was made for you. The popular stretch of sand in St. Martin is located at the western end of the runway of Princess Juliana International Airport and it's known around the world for the ultra-close encounters with planes you can have there. How close? Close enough to reach out and touch a wheel.
  
  
• Long Beach, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada (Best for: Kayaking, surfing, nature-lovers) - Long Beach, as the name would suggest, is long. This stretch of sand located in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve between Tofino and Ucluelet, clocks in at nearly seven kilometres. That's a lot of scenic real estate for the beachgoer looking for an active day. Options include surfing (or learning how to surf), kayaking and jogging. And since it's in a national park, nature-lovers will be happy, too.
  
  

Want more non beach bum options? Our other picks for best beaches for active days are: 90 Mile Beach, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia (best for long walks on the beach); Jurassic Coast, Dorset and East Devon, England (best for fossil hunters, history buffs ); Bahia Gardner Espanola Island, Galapagos (best for wildlife viewing, snorkelling); and Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (best for snorkelling). To read the full details on Cheapflights.ca's Top 10 Beaches for the Non Beach Bum, visit www.cheapflights.ca/news/top-10-beaches-for-the-non-beach-bum.

About Cheapflights.ca, part of the Momondo Group
Momondo Group is an online travel media and technology company that is driven by the belief that an open world is a better world. The group now serves travel search and inspiration to over 17.5 million visitors a month -- plus 8 million travel newsletter subscribers -- via its Cheapflights (www.cheapflights.ca) and momondo (www.momondo.com) brands.

Skygate began the sourcing of complex air-travel data in 1992, while Cheapflights pioneered the online comparison of flight deals for users in 1996 and momondo launched meta-search in the Nordic countries in 2006.

The Group has offices in London, Copenhagen and Boston with a consumer base across more than 30 core international markets but users all over the world.

Follow us on:
Twitter: twitter.com/cheapflights
Facebook: facebook.com/cheapflights
Instagram: instagram.com/cheapflights
Pinterest: pinterest.com/cheapflights