The article says that Grand Turk is a great place to go to get away from the crowds. With a population of 4,500, Grand Turk is a small town feel, except that it has perfect beaches.

Front Street is where you’ll find all the “action” and the pretty-in-pink oceanfront Osprey Beach Hotel. Rubbing up next to weathered wooden shacks and elegant British colonial architecture dating from the turn of the 20th century, the inn’s breezy rooms and tiny courtyard pool overlook the shimmering blue expanse beyond, offering the perfect place to hole up and shun the modern world.

That is a classic description of the Caribbean islands that used to be British colonies. I really need to go to the Turks and the Caicos islands sometime. I always thought that they were a bit expensive, however, the Osprey Beach Hotel mentioned above is $151 in the low season and $169 in the high. That isn’t bad at all.

The Grand Turk has crystal clear water, and some of the best snorkeling in the world. You can go snorkel and see coral and rays, and snapper and grouper then go up the beach and eat that same snapper or grouper in a beach restaurant.

The Grand Turk does have empty areas of undeveloped beach. That is perfect for me. 7 Miles of untouched sand, with almost no people (because they are all having a party at Pillory Beach at Bohio Dive Resort.

Jensen Beach, Florida, is a fun little beach town. The breeze is always blowing to keep the area cool. Lots of sidewalk cafes and unique shops are within walking distance parking. Thursday nights from October to April open air markets, crafts and food draw crowds to the main street.

The causeway to Hutchinson Island, over the Indian River (part of the intra coastal waterway), is nearby. Underneath the causeway bridge are picnic areas, benches, fish cleaning facilities, bathrooms and parking for families and fishermen.

Drive over the Jensen Beach causeway, Rt. 732, and you are at Jensen Beach Park (Rt. A1A to NE Ocean Blvd). Find a parking place in the many park areas, hop out of your car and follow the sidewalk over a slight dune to see the beautiful Atlantic with beaches stretching as far as the eye can see in both directions.

It’s a sunny day in late February with a slight chill in the shade of a 68-70 degree day. We are wearing sweat shirts with shorts and are comfortable even while wading in the surf. Some are swimming and surfing but most are sunning on the sandy beach. Everyone is happy to be out after a long cold spell even for Florida.

The area is gorgeous; the beach is great for children at low tide. The pitch into the water is gradual. But at high tide there is a serious drop off and may be treacherous for children and some senior citizens. Check tide times on the computer or the newspaper.

We stop at the New England Fish Market on NE Jensen Beach Blvd. on our way back home for fresh Mangrove Snapper and salmon to grill at home (the restaurant is great too).

We visit family in Port St. Lucie and never miss making this trip to Jensen Beach several times during our stay.

Dr. Beach (Dr. Stephen Leatherman) is the Director of the Laboratory Coastal Research at the Florida International University. He takes into account the water and sand quality, plus safety, facilities and environmental management when he settles on the Top Ten American Beaches each year.

This year, the Top 10 Beaches are:

Hanalei Bay – Kauai, Hawaii

With a sandy beach in front of mountains and cliffs, Hanalei Bay is one of the most beautiful spots in Hawaii.

Siesta Beach – Sarasota, Florida

White sand beaches are what set Siesta beach apart from many others. The subtropical climate doesn’t hurt either.

Coopers Beach – Southampton, New York

Southampton is one of the oldest settlements in NY, so you will be sure to also have some history along with your beach.

Coronado Beach – San Diego, California

A beach in Southern California. Do I need to say more?

Hamoa Beach – Maui, Hawaii

Another beach from Hawaii, but from Maui. Hamoa Beach is surrounded by cliffs and thick vegetation. Also there is an island just off shore (Alau island) with coconuts growing on it.

Main Beach – East Hampton, New York

Located at the end of Long Island, you are sure to enjoy both the beach and the Village of East Hampton.

Cape Hatteras – Outer Banks of North Carolina

The Outer Banks are a great place to get away from a lot of the commercialized beaches that you find in other parts of North Carolina.

Cape Florida State Park – Key Biscayne,Florida

You can do most anything at Key Biscayne, Florida; swimming, snorkeling, walking, fishing, anything you can think of (within reason).

Coast Guard Beach – Cape Cod, Massachusetts

One of the favorite tourist beaches in Cape Cod, Coastguard beach has no parking. You have to take a shuttle from a parking lot.

Beachwalker Park – Kiawah Island, South Carolina

With 11 miles of beach located on a barrier island, you will be sure to enjoy Beachwalker Beach in South Carolina.

These beaches have all been on the Top Ten list before, but in different orders. Do you have any comments about beaches on this list, or ones that you think should have been? Let us know in the comments.

Here are some more Top 10 Beaches;

• A Cheap Beach Vacation Top 10
• Top 10 Most Exotic Beaches in the World
• The Top 10 Beaches in America

However, in today’s economic climate it’s not always easy to get to a warmer climate. That’s why I am posting this list of the Top 10 Cheap Beach Vacations from Away.com. I have talked many times about inexpensive and cheap beach vacations, and they are always popular, so here is another.

Top 10 Cheap Beach Vacations

10. Destin, Florida

With over 100 miles of beach on the Gulf of Mexico, there is plenty of room for you to find some privacy. Destin is in the Florida Panhandle, where the fishing can’t get much better. Since you never leave the country, the costs are already lower than other beach destinations.

9. Outer Banks, North Carolina

I was stationed in NC for a few years, and the beaches are great. The Outer Banks is an awesome place to go for fishing and wildlife watching. There are lighthouses, Kitty Hawk (the Wright Brothers first flight), and the North Carolina aquarium. There are over 15o miles of beaches, usually on a strip of land no more than a mile wide. There are also some great seafood places for relatively cheap.

8. Huntington Beach, California

A little bit north of Laguna Beach in Orange County is Huntington Beach. It’s a different crowd than what you would get in Laguna, and is more popular with surfers. It even has the International Surfing Museum. The beach itself is about 8 miles long, but that should be enough since most people will try to show themselves off at Laguna Beach.

7. Cape Ann, Massachusetts

In Cape Ann, you will find the oldest fishing port in America, Gloucester. I have been here and I loved it. I am a New Englander at heart, and this is pure New England. With beaches lined with cliffs and mansions, Singing Beach is similar to the beaches in Newport, Rhode Island. Cape Ann is about 40 miles north of Boston, which itself is worth a visit. Of course, no visit to New England is complete without eating some Maine lobster, but Woodman’s in Essex claims to be the seafood place that invented the fried clam in 1916. That is worth checking out.

6. Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

If you are looking for something outside the US, then you should try Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. I have a map of Costa Rica so you can see where it is (on the right side, the Caribbean side). With beaches all along the coastline, you won’t run out of sand, unless you walk along the beach all the way to Panama.

5. Negril, Jamaica

Finally, we get to Jamaica. I was just in Negril, Jamaica this last summer, and you can definitely save some money in Jamaica. You just have to watch yourself and plan. The beach is around 7 miles long, and is just about perfect. You could spend the entire day on the beach, there are enough people selling food that you would never have to leave. We practically didn’t. My own tip, get a taxi to take you to Sweet Spot restaurant. You will be the only tourist there, but you will be happy when you eat the food.

4. Morro de Sao Paulo, Brazil

With 4 beaches (named First, Second, Third and Fourth) you will certainly be able to find the beach that fits you. From luau and dance parties on Second, to quieter Fourth beach, with is good for snorkelers and those wanting to get away.

3. Placencia, Belize

Placencia is one of the most popular beaches in Belize. over 16 miles of white sand beaches are sure to satisfy your winter blues. If you get tired of the beaches (can you ever get tired of the beaches?) you can kayak through Monkey River and see monkeys, manatees and crocodiles.

2. Tulum, Mexico

No beach list would be complete without Mexico. If you don’t want the crowds and parties of Cancun, head south to Tulum, Mexico. Along with great beaches, Tulum also has Mayan ruins that you can explore. It is also one of the cheaper places to stay on this list.

1. Cannon Beach, Oregon

If you want to go to the Pacific Northwest, then try Cannon Beach, Oregon. With the iconic Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach is definitely a picture takers paradise. Ancient Spruce trees, cliffs, beaches and the ocean all make Cannon Beach a very picturesque place.

Mazunte, Mexico

Originally known for the turtles coming ashore, and therefor turtle meat and turtle soup, Mexico has since declared Mazunte a reserve, and the area has started to focus on sustainable eco-tourism. So if you are in to saving the planet, but doing it from the comfort of a beach, then this is for you.

Goa, India

Goa, India has a number of beaches. From very well touristed beaches to secluded ones. If you can find a spot for yourself, you could definitely enjoy the view.

Skiathos, Greece

Back to the Mediterranean, to Skiathos, Greece. Skiathos is a small island that is a protected environment, so it will never see much development. That is excellent news for those wanting to head to the beach. It will always be a very natural beach setting.

Ambergris Caye, Belize

Ambergris Caye is the largest island in Belize, which is in the Caribbean. No matter what you like to do, you can find it here. Exploring Mayan ruins, trekking through the jungle, snorkeling and scuba on the second largest coral reef in the world, and of course, swimming in the Caribbean and laying on the beach.

Hawksnest Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Hawknest Bay Beach is a National Park Beach. That means no hotels, no restaurants, no resorts no interruptions. Just you and the beach. Maybe some coral formations and forests and rocks to climb, but mostly the beach.

Santa Catarina, Brazil

If you are into surfing, then you definitely want to check out Sanata Catarina, Brazil. Many international surfing championships have been held here, and you can get a piece of the action. Also, Brazilian nightlife, beaches, the southern Atlantic, what else would you want?

Montauk, Long Island, New York

At the end of Long Island, Montauk claims to be one of the best spots in East Hampton. If anyone has watched the new USA Network show Royal Pains, you’ll have seen the Hamptons. However, it stretches the truth a bit, the median income is around $42,000, not millions. Although quite a bit north of many of our other beaches, it does have a warmer climate zone than you would think. Plus, on a clear day you can see Rhode Island.

Sometimes I think I shouldn’t read these lists, because they just make me want to leave everything behind and head for some waves.

For past years lists, see the Sexiest Beaches for 2007, and the most beautiful and sexy beaches for 2008. Here is part 1 on the list for 2009;

The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

With natural pools and grottoes formed by giant slabs of concrete, you will almost always be able to find some privacy at The Baths in Virgin Gorda, BVI.

The Baths are also a great place for snorkeling and Scuba diving with lots of great coral formations.

Muizenberg Beach, Cape Town, South Africa

Muizenberg Beach is a perfect beach for almost every activity, nice moderate waves, yet still some great ones for surfing. Dolphin and whales can be seen not far from here. Muizenberg Beach is set in a Victorian style town for added atmosphere.

Zuma Beach (Malibu), California

Located in Southern California, Zuma Beach is one of the best known beaches on the West Coast. Some rate it as one of the best for surfing.

You can also see dolphins many times when you swim at Zuma Beach.

Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

South of San Jose on the Pacific Coast, this is what I call a beach bum paradise. Beaches surrounded by forests, mangroves and lagoons. Coral reefs make this great for snorkeling and scuba, and rain forests make it perfect for those looking for some adventure and wilderness. Here is a Costa Rica map.

Hvar, Croatia

If you are looking to go to the Mediterranean, then check out Hvar, Croatia. It has been a center of tourism for over 140 years, and is considered one of the top 10  most beautiful islands in the world.

Homegrown grapes and olives make Hvar the only place if you are into local food and wine.

Gold Coast, Australia

It’s Australia. Do I need to say more?

With many, many beaches, you can pick and choose the beach that fits you, from beaches for kids, for surfing, for snorkeling, everything you want is on the Gold Coast.

Varadero Beach, Cuba

Varadero Beach is known by many as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

It has over 20 miles of beaches, which should make it easy to find a nice private spot. However, it is also one of the largest resorts in the Caribbean, so there will be a lot of people.

This isn’t the end of the list, read part 2 of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

Rondel Village was a beautiful hotel in Negril, Jamaica. It was clean, had great service, and was almost right in the middle of the beach.

These are pictures from our room. You can see that we were right on the beach. Although the entire beach is lined with hotels, Negril the city is actually surrounded by cliffs. This is one thing you have to watch when searching for cheap hotels in Jamaica, if they don’t say beachfront rooms, then they are most likely on the cliffs, and don’t have beaches close.

If you are looking for a vacation or holiday in Jamaica, I would definitely recommend Rondel Village. The restaurant had great food, and there were always people at the bar. However, it wasn’t a party atmosphere, which I liked.

Tours in Jamaica can range in price from cheap to expensive. Going through the hotel is probably not the best idea, rather go through another agency, or ask a taxi driver.

I will be going into much more detail about places we went and things we did in Jamaica in later posts.

See the first day of our Jamaican Vacation here.

Calvert Cliffs State Park, Maryland

Located on the Chesapeake Bay, you can find anything from shark teeth, to snails, to sea glass and even arrowheads.

Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

The Outer Banks are a beautiful, and sometimes empty place to be. Because it is such a long drive to the end, you could be virtually alone on Ocracoke Island. There are many types of shells to find including sand dollars, whelks and cowry helmets.

Sanibel Island, Florida

Because of its location by the continental shelf and the warm waters of the Gulf, you can find more shells than you can carry at Sanibel Island. Some of the shells you’ll find are coquinas, scallops, whelks, and sand dollars.

Point No Point Beach, Hansville, Washington

Located on Puget Sound, you can see almost everything from this beach, a lighthouse, whales and Mt Rainier. You can even rent a room at the oldest lighthouse in the sound. The shells you see there are dogwinkles, limpets, and geoducks.

Gulf Islands National Seashore, Pensacola, Florida

At the edge of the Panhandle on the Gulf Coast, you’ll find these islands off of Pensacola. They are apparently unspoiled by hotels and such, so you can find just about anything. They have comb bittersweets, coquinas, lucinas, sand dollars, and augers.

Shipwreck Bay, Lanai, Hawaii

Of course, just being in Hawaii is good enought reason to go, but if you are into shelling, then this is one place you can’t miss. You can find shells along with all kinds of treasure from boats and other man made things. Some of the shells you’ll find are violet snails, leopard cones, imperial cones, sea slug shells and even on rare occasions, blown-glass floats from Japanese fishing nets.

Cumberland Island, Georgia

You can take a ferry out to Cumberland Island and rent a bike from a park ranger. You can ride your bike down to Dungeness Beach and find all kinds of shells, even a mansion built by the Carnegies. The shells that are home to Cumberland Island are coquinas, shark teeth, heart cockles, ark shells and moon snails.

Point Reyes National Seashore, California

Just north of San Fransicso, you can find Point Reyes. It is home to many species that are beautiful, but also poisonous. The tidepools catch all kinds of animals and shells, including ocher stars, mossy chitons, razor clamshells, and goose barnacle.

San Jose Island, Texas

Along the islands of the gulf coast of Texas, you’ll find San Jose Island. With no cars, this island becomes a beautiful, quiet, relaxing beach. Add in some shells and phosphorescent plankton at night and you can have a great time. Some of the shells you’ll find are sundials, shark’s eyes, and caramel-rippled lightning whelks the size of your fist.

Silver Strand State Beach, Coronado Island, California

Silver Strand State Beach gets it’s name from the oysters that are littered across the shoreline. But oysters are not all that it has to offer. Other shells include sand dollars, cockles, limpets, and scallops.

Molokai, Hawaii

This island, often called Hawaii’s “real” island, is so laid back there’s not a single traffic light and no building is bigger than a palm tree. Chances are, yours will be the only footprints you’ll find on any of its deserted white sand beaches. Travel authority Pauline Frommer says Molokai’s unspoiled, pristine beaches are among her favorites worldwide and she imagines they look a lot like the Hawaii Capt. Cook first laid eyes on. From Honolulu, it’s a 25-minute and $135 flight to Molokai’s Hoolehua Airport (MKK). A one-way ticket to Maui from Honolulu costs about $61. Unlike Maui, there are no direct flights to Molokai from the Mainland.

The Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica

Frommer says this wildly beautiful region–with its pounding surf and prehistoric rainforests–is quite distinct from the others Costa Rica surfers and expats have been flocking to in recent years. Not only are the music and food different (think Reggae and spicy jerk chicken), gorgeous white-sand, coconut-tree-lined beaches are peaceful and desolate. To get to Puerto Limon, the capital of Limon province, from San Jose, take Highway 32 (also known as the Guapiles Highway) that connects this region to the rest of the country. Check out this map of Costa Rica.

Holbox Island, Yucatan Peninsula

Holbox (hol-bosh) is part of the Yum Balam ecological reserve, separated from land by the Yalahua Lagoon. The 26-mile-long island boasts many secluded fine white-sand beaches peppered with beautiful seashells. The Gulf of Mexico’s jade green waters are calm and swimmer-friendly. But don’t expect nightclubs or wi-fi. Or cars, for that matter, as everyone travels in golf-cart buggies. From Cancun airport you can take a taxi to Chiquila, about two hours away, to catch a ferry; or hire a water taxi on the spot to take you to Isla Holbox, 14 km (nine miles) away. Total travel time from Cancun is about three hours. There’s a rustic airport on Holbox for private planes. The more expensive hotels ($200 to $400 a night) will help arrange private launches.

Whitehaven Beach, Australia

Nestled on Australia’s dreamy Whitsunday Island (the largest of the Whitsunday chain), Whitehaven Beach offers four miles of silky soft, milky white sand courtesy of pure silica grains. A lush acacia forest backdrop keeps things as cool as the turquoise waters. Although this is one of Australia’s most photographed beaches, it’s also one of its less trampled thanks to strict visitation limits enforced by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (you must register with a tour operator to access the area.) A number of tour operators offer daytrips, overnight stays or scenic flights to Whitehaven Beach from the islands, Shute Harbour or Airlie Beach. A catamaran trip from Shute Harbour is $100 per person.

Oswald West State Park, Oregon Coast

At this state park south of Cannon Beach, the 15-minute walk through the woods to the beach keeps most people at bay–save for the die-hard surfers. The crescent-shaped beach is on a secluded cove backed by dense forest. If you like dramatic and desolate, this is your beach. Best bet is to fly into Portland, then drive a rental car to the coast.

Barbuda, Caribbean

Antigua may tout its beaches, but Caribbean travel expert Ryan Ver Berkmoes says it’s her sister island Barbuda that’s really got something to crow about: Its unspoiled beaches are natural, sprinkled with pink sand and miles long. On the deep blue Atlantic side expect driftwood and shells; on the calmer Caribbean side, you’ll find turtles and tropical fish in calm, limpid turquoise waters. But don’t expect to see anyone else. No wonder Princess Diana vacationed here several times. Fly to Antigua first, then hop on a small Carib-Aviation plane for the 20-minute ride–about $200 round-trip (two flights a day).

Colombier Beach, St. Barth’s

Accessible only by boat or a 25-minute hike along a rugged goat trail (take the path just beyond Flamands Beach), Colombier is a sweet little cove perfect for swimming, snorkeling or eating a French picnic. Private yachts and sailboats often moor here while their passengers frolic in the water. (If you have a boat or like to hike, this day beach is free.)

Playa Medina, Venezuela

Club Med has a reputation for staking out some of the prettiest beachfronts in the world, which is why it had its eye on this palm-fringed patch of sand on the isolated Paria Peninsula. Local opposition prevented it from happening. That, and the 10-hour drive from Caracas, explain why the gold-sand beach with placid waters remains as pristine as ever–save for a bunch of bungalows and a low-key restaurant. There is a very small airport in Carupano, an hour east of Playa Medina. The “fanciest” hotel on the beach–guest cottages about $150 a night–arrange for airport transfers.

Pink Beach, Bonaire

When people think of Bonaire, they think of scuba diving, says Ver Berkmoes, but this island’s bountiful beaches should not be overlooked. Since people tend to spend their time underwater here, you can find miles and miles of desolate beach on the south side of the island. Pink Beach is particularly beautiful, its sand tainted pink by Bonaire’s signature coral reef. Major airlines provide direct flights to Bonaire’s Flamingo (also pink) airport from Houston, Newark, Atlanta, and San Juan.

White Sand Beach, Bali

Most of Bali’s beaches are layered in dark black sand with the exception of this gem, tucked in a tiny cove on the East Coast. When travel writer Ryan Ver Berkmoes first discovered it, there were only a handful of fishermen on the beach. Now that seafood grills and day beds have arrived, the crowds are sure to follow.

1. The Baths – Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

Snorkeling, caves, grotto’s and beautiful sandy beaches are what you can expect at The Baths in BVI. The giant boulders have created a type of maze to walk through.

2. Flamenco Beach – Culebra Island, Puerto Rico

Tropical forests, beaches, nature, turtles. What more could you want from an exotic island. Much of Culebra Island is protected, for wildlife, plants, and historic monuments.

3. Flic en Flac – Mauritius

Flic en Flac is a small village on the West Coast of Mauritius. Of course, it has the required white sand beaches, and it also has a blue lagoon.

4. Copacabana – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Before you start trying to sing some Barry Manilow, this isn’t the nightclub, but the beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This is the opposite of a quiet village, and is one of the party capitals of the world.

5. Playa Tamarindo – Costa Rica

If you want to get away, go to Playa Tamarindo Costa Rica. The jungle looks like it comes right up to the beach. The sea turtles love it so much, they come back every year to make more sea turtles.

Come back for the next five exotic beaches on the list.