The cost of a day on the beach

Having spent most of the summer on the beach myself (yes, I'm a lucky girl!), I found some new research about the costs of beaches very interesting. TravelBird's Beach price index ranks over 300 beaches around the world on the cost of spending one day at each. 

Vietnam

After pricing five essentials (sun cream; water; beer; lunch, and an ice cream) they ranked them to give holidaymakers the information they may want before booking a holiday. The most affordable beaches in the world are in Vietnam, while the most expensive were found in Norway. 

Norway

The bit that interested me most about the research though, was the beaches in the UK. I sometimes feel for families who stay at home to holiday in the British Isles, but end up spending more money than if they'd gone out of the country to holiday. For instance, the research revealed that the UK's most expensive beach is Priory Bay on the Isle of Wight. 

Priory Bay, Isle of Wight

So where is the cheapest beach in the UK I hear you ask? It's Botany Bay in Kent. It's the northernmost of seven bays in Broadstairs, with safe swimming, and spectacular chalk cliffs and stacks. Not only is it beautiful, but it's relatively secluded too. 

Botany Bay, Kent

 For me, that seclusion can be the key to the perfect day at the beach. Some of the best beaches I've come across in the world are those that are hard to get to, and therefore more often that not, deserted. I often take a picnic with me, meaning costs are kept down anyway, and while it's nice to enjoy lunch at a beach bar, there's also something lovely about not moving from your spot on the beach and enjoying a little homemade snack!If you want to see the full list of beaches, then click here to see the research in full.