So you want to celebrate your birthday at some new place this year, but wondering where should I travel for my birthday? Don’t worry, we have listed some great options in this article.
Destination Ideas
How Long Does It Take to Travel Around The World
Ever wondered how long it would take to travel around the world? Read on to find out long it takes to explore Mother Earth on a plane, train, boat or on foot. [Read more…] about How Long Does It Take to Travel Around The World
Top 20 Black Sand Beaches in the World
Thinking about an exotic place to hang out in your next vacation? Would you like to discover new places while having fun?. Then black sand beaches are definitely for you.
What is so amazing about black sand beaches and why is the sand black?.
Well, before showing you the most stunning beaches with these characteristics, you need to know that this particular sand comes from eroded volcanic materials such as lava and other dark-colored stones and minerals.
List of the Best Black Sand Beaches on Earth
However, what makes these beaches so incredibly beautiful is the fact they are unique as they exist only in specific parts of the world.
So pack your luggage and be ready to get lost in one of the eye-catching black sand beaches on earth!
20) Black Sand Beach, California
Hidden within the San Francisco’s Golden Gate Recreation Area, this black sand beach is one of a kind in America.
This beach looks like it doesn’t belong to this shore as black sand beaches are natural phenomenons related to volcanic areas. And that is what makes this place so special.
The dark sand comes from iron minerals that surround the 20 miles long coastline.
Regardless of its beauty, you can’t swim there due to heave waves. In fact, there are signs all over the place warning people not to dive in the water.
However, it is a cool place to chill with friends or family.
19) Albay Islands, Philippines
The best about this place, you have three islands to choose from.
Albay is an island complex where Bacacay, Sto. Domingo and Tiwi offer both locals and tourists a unique day.
They show you don’t have to go to Hawaii or Iceland to enjoy the majestic views of black sand beaches.
The volcanic rock and ground lava give the beach a distinctive dark color. Whichever Island you choose to visit, you’ll feel relaxed.
Also, you can get to Albay from the capital city Manila by direct flight or around 10 hours by bus or car.
18) Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Indonesia
Deep into the woods of the Tangkoko Nature Reserve, lies one of the most beautiful black sand beaches on earth.
Located in the Sulawesi island, this beach combines a unique dark-sand color with an awesome natural park with endemic and exotic species all over the area. That is why this place should be on your bucket list.
Furthermore, it is relatively easy to get here. You can fly from Manado and once you arrive in Sulawesi, the 2-hour drive to Tangkoko will take you to amazing landscape views before getting to the beach.
17) Karekare Beach, New Zealand
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New Zealand also has a place on this list and northern Auckland offers one magical black sand beach.
Karekare is a non-conventional beach as you get here hiking through steep ridges that surround the whole area. But it definitely worth the effort once you are there.
This is one of the black sand beaches where surfers and risky swimmers pave their way. However, it is dangerous as the waves strike at the beach violently.
If you are planning to visit Karekare on a family trip, authorities advice to first know about the place to avoid any dangerous situations.
In any case, this is a gorgeous beach that deserves your time.
Want to know more about this remote place? So go check out an amazing tour that GuideYourGuide has around this area.
16) Papenoo Beach, Tahiti
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Can you imagine how is a beach in French Polynesia? Exactly, amazing.
Papenoo is in this ranking for a reason and is because it’s one of the nicest black sand beaches.
This is not your typical white and light sand beach that crowds the whole country. Indeed, volcanic materials make this place different.
Locals say this beach has to be your first step before going through The Papenoo Valley, which is a jungle in the island of Tahiti that offers incredible mountainous landscapes.
What else can you ask for in French Polynesia?
15) Playa Negra, Puerto Rico
Did you think white sand beaches are the only ones in the Caribbean Sea?
Think twice!
Puerto Rico shows you that black sand beaches can also be a primary destination in the Caribbean area.
This black sand beach in Vieques is the result of volcanic materials beneath the surface, which cause this amazing dark tone.
As it is in the Caribbean zone, the sea is clear and totally available to swim and spend a good time with friends and family.
What’s even funnier is that many locals were totally unaware of Vieques existence until 2004, when more and more Puerto Ricans started noticing this gem in their own country.
They named it “Playa Negrita”, and it also shows you don’t have to go so far to see a natural treasure.
14) Kamari Beach, Greece
Greece is home to Western Civilization, it offers a rich cultural history and wonderful heritage.
However, this country also gives you the opportunity to see awe-inspiring beaches, such as the black sand beach at Kamari, Santorini.
Normally you would think of white sand beaches when it comes to Greece, but it turns out that also offers one of the fanciest black sand beaches.
Santorini rests on the rim of a volcano, that is the reason for the glimmering black sand on Perissa.
Both locals and tourists make a journey to Santorini only to witness this unique place in Greece.
13) Soufriere, St. Lucia
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This time the Caribbean Sea brings up another treasure. But in this case, this black sand beach is even more difficult to know about due to St. Lucia’s lack of awareness.
In fact, black sand beaches are what make St. Lucia a different place among the other Caribbean countries because it offers views that you rarely see. It’s amazing.
Not for nothing, Soufriere Beach is one of the main attraction to locals.
Every year St. Lucia’s residents try to put Soufriere on the map so more people can appreciate this beautiful place.
Now you know the Caribbean area it’s not only light sandy. This region always finds a way to amaze locals and tourists.
Also, don’t miss 4 Hidden Gems in the Caribbean Sea
12) Marigot, Grenada
The last of the black sand beaches from the Caribbean region on this list, and by far the most difficult to get to.
You find Marigot in St. George, a northern city in the town of Concord. Once you are there, expect a challenging hike until you reach the beach.
But Marigot is on this list for a reason. Once you make the stroll through Grenada’s dense jungle you will arrive in one of the most lonely places in the entire planet.
No noise, probably no other humans around other than you and your crew. Certainly, you will feel that you are far away from everything.
That for itself is more than a good reason to visit this remarkable beach.
11) Panalu’u Beach, Hawaii
The first or many Hawaiian black sand beaches on this ranking. It couldn’t be another one than Panalu’u Beach, located on the Big Island of Hawaii.
The exotic dark sandy comes from basalt and lava flooding into the ocean. When you see this beauty, you will feel all the journey worth it.
The beach is rocky and in some seasons of the year is dangerous to swim. For this reason, authorities warn tourists to stay awake.
The downside of this natural beauty is that there are some endangered species such as the green turtle, hawksbill turtle, or the Hawaiian monk seal.
Locals are doing a titanic effort to preserve their endemic animals. This is why you must be respectful with the area, you are here to relax and become one with nature.
10) Miho-no-Matsubara, Japan
In the Miho Peninsula of Shizuoka City, you will find this natural treasure. When you arrive here, you won’t believe how amazing this place is, ever.
Miho-no-Matsubara was included in 2013 in the UNESCO World Heritage site. So you can have an idea of the magic of this area.
The black sand beach only adds a piece of attractiveness to this place. What’s more incredible is that here you will be surrounded by over thirty-thousand pine trees as well as the Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan as the background.
Without a doubt, this is a landscape you don’t want to miss out.
Also, you need to know what to buy in Japan: souvenirs to take home.
9) Playa Jardin, Spain
As you may know, Spain has a lot to offer. And of course, Playa Jardin is one of them.
Located in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Playa Jardin (Garden Beach) is what every tourist wants when it comes to a relaxing vacation.
When you see the beautiful landscape with palm trees and volcanic black sand alongside a botanical garden, you can easily notice that is not a coincidence this beach was named the Garden Beach.
The best part? This beach is safe to swim!
You can enjoy the view of Tenerife’s volcano Mount Teide while swimming or snorkeling.
It is a great place to go on a family trip or just chilling out with friends.
For further information about Playa Jardin, check out the amazing offer GetYourGuide has for you.
8) Prince William Sound, Alaska
Going down on this ranking you find this wonderful black sand beach in Alaska. You won’t regret if you ever visit this place.
Unfortunately, and for obvious reasons, you can swim here. But Prince William Sound is not here for swimmers, rather you will be delighted with the landscape surrounded by glaciers and mountains all around the area.
Perhaps the most intriguing past about this place is the paddling off the shore going through the colossal glaciers and towering rocks on a deep-blue background. This experience undoubtedly is breathtaking.
Furthermore, this is a great spot for campers. Due to its location, Alaska displays one of the most if not the best sunset on the entire planet. Now you can notice that the dark sand is only a complement of this area.
The volcano sand is soft and you can hike around the place as well or just enjoy a picnic while delighting yourself with a beautiful sunset. All of these components make this place one of the most amazing black sand beaches on earth.
7) Playa Negra, Costa Rica
Starting the top 7 there is another Playa Negra, but this time the travel takes us to Costa Rica.
Playa Negra, located in the northwestern region of Guanacaste, is what every surfer would call paradise. Indeed, this beach was the filming spot of Bruce Brown’s The Endless Summer II.
Playa Negra amuses visitors not only with the beauty of the place itself but the renowned resorts, hotels and cafes make this place even more amazing.
Small but great, Playa Negra is considered by many as one of the best zones in Costa Rica.
Don’t miss out 10 Best Beaches in Costa Rica (Top Spots Ranked!)
6) Lovina Beach, Bali, Indonesia
When you think about Bali, tranquillity is the first thing that comes to mind.
And, who wouldn’t be amazed at Bali? Well, when you visit Lovina Beach you will confirm this place should absolutely be on everyone’s bucket list.
Situated just 2 hours away by plane from Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital city, Lovina will delight you with its grey and black sand together with a dolphins show in the mornings.
Want more? Here you can dive, snorkelling and go on a boat trip on the sunrise to the dolphins. So yes, it’s safe to swim!
You simply cannot miss this place. It’s the true definition when someone refers to a ‘different vacation’.
5) Stokksnes Beach, Iceland
Entering the top 5 you will see a lot of Iceland here, and Stokksnes Beach is a place you only see in movies.
In fact, it is true. This place in southeast Iceland looks like a background on a Disney film. The cliffs that surround the areas combined with beautiful lagoon and the amazing black sand beaches result in a breathtaking landscape.
Without a doubt, one of the best places to enjoy the black sand beaches in Iceland.
4) Waianapanapa State Park, Hawaii
Located minutes away from the Hana Highway, Waianapanata State Park is everything you’ve ever dreamed of when it comes to unique beaches.
This place is not only a black sand beach, but it also represents a cultural heritage as there are various legends about this area. And once you see the marvellous beach you will immediately realize why this natural park is one of a kind.
When you are here you will not know what to take pictures to, it’s simply amazing. Lava caves, the coastline, stone arches, blowholes and the glimmering black sand beach make this place a paradise to hike.
3) Kaimu, Hawaii
Going deep into the top 3 we reach the newest of the black sand beaches on earth, and it couldn’t be located in a more delightful place than Hawaii.
Kaimu is a local favorite place although you can’t swim here due to hazardous waves and currents.
However, what makes this beach special is its amazing landscape surrounded by coconut trees alongside a heavy dark volcano sand.
This beach was formed after a river of lava destroyed the original place in 1990.
2) Diamond Beach, Iceland
Deciding between the first two spots is not always easy, and this is exactly what happens in this case.
The next two black sand beaches are so amazing that ranking one ahead of the other is torture. But one has to win, hasn’t it?
Regardless, Diamond Beach will make you feel in a magical world. It’s so amazing and not for anything is considered one of the best black sand beaches in Iceland.
The ice shapes in a unique way that make the beach look like there are diamonds all around the place.
You will never see the beach in the same way. While some ices melt, new ones are forming every time, and thanks to this natural phenomenon this place never looks the same.
So you will have a lot of pictures to take when you visit Diamond Beach.
1) Reynisfjara, Iceland
What do Game of Thrones and Star Wars have in common? They both were filmed in Reynisfjara.
In fact, many other movies and series have this astonishing place as their filming spot.
It easy to notice why many all over the globe consider this place in the South Coast of Iceland as the best non-tropical beach on earth.
Reynisfjara takes you to another dimension, it’s only you and the powerful waves that combining with the volcanic sand will make you feel your life worths every single second.
Just looking at pictures of it you automatically feel in another world.
As there are no many humans strolling around, this is a perfect location to blow your mind.
You can’t miss this overwhelming place, that’s why GetYourGuide offers you a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Reynisfjara.
After seeing this, are you still wondering why you should visit black sand beaches?
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5 Best Theme Parks in Europe (Ranked!)
If you’re thinking about having fun, chilling with your friends and family, and more importantly, discover new experiences, then don’t miss out this rank of the best theme parks in Europe.
In these amusement parks across Europe, you’ll definitely enjoy yourself and of course, you’ll always want to come back!
Discover here the top theme parks in Europe for every age range. These family-friendly fun places are perfect for the youngest ones, teenagers, young adults and everyone who wants to go in a pleasant adventure.
List of the Top Theme Parks in Europe
Visiting these theme parks in Europe should be without a doubt in your bucket list. So pack your bags and check them up for yourself!
5) Prater – Vienna, Austria
Described as the playground for everyone, this theme park offers you a unique experience in the 65-meters-high giant Ferris Wheel, one of Vienna’s most notorious landmarks.
Besides, you can enjoy yourself there in more than 200 booths that the park offers, as well as the ghost train, go-karts, merry-go-round and many terrific restaurants to take a meal while having fun.
Prater’s unique design will make you feel in a nostalgic adventure, far away from the real world. In addition, This amusement park is not only beautiful itself, but It also gives you a unique experience with nature.
You can become one with the Stadtpark and see the amazing landscape of water meadows along the way. Also, you can take a promenade through Hauptallee Avenue while you delight yourself with the chestnut blossom at its finest.
Isn’t that stunning? there is no single chance for this place to disappoint you. For the most part, Prater will be in the wishlist of many wonder junkies.
How To Get There
You can get to Prater by taxi, subway, bus or even walking!
A taxi will cost you around 12USD for a 5 minutes ride from Julius-Raab-Platz. Meanwhile, the subway and bus will charge you less than 3USD and in 5 minutes you’ll be there.
You can take the subway at Stephansplatz station and the bus at Schwedenplatz station.
If you’re an adventurer and want to walk all the way to Prater, your best choice is to begin your hike from Stephansplatz. The 2.5 kilometres walk will take you around 30 minutes to arrive at one of the most exciting theme parks.
And that’s it, you’re in Prater now! Get lost in this charming theme park and entertainment for a while.
Hotel Rooms
There are several good options for you when it comes to hotel options. Prices vary from 260USD to 350USD at the cheapest. Above all, every great alternative is less than 2 km away from Prater.
Useful Information
Open hours: Prater is available all year long from Monday to Sunday: 11 AM-10 PM.
Tickets price: Prater is a theme park everybody can visit because is free from any charges. You only have to pay if you want to get in an attraction. Prices vary from € 1,50 to € 5,00 depending on the size and age.
Recommended duration: more than 3 hours.
For more detailed information about tours, and other interesting things to do in Prater, check out GetYourGuide to have the best choices.
Also, check out:18 Best Castles in London You Need to See
4) Fraispertuis City – Vogues, France
Labeled as the place of the fascinating family memories, Fraispertuis City is another theme park that will make you want to come back.
Fraispertuis City is one of those theme parks that will make you forget about reality and only focus on the moment. It is in Jeanménil, Vogues, northeastern France.
This amazing amusement park offers you 36 attractions for the enjoyment of the family, including 3 roller coasters and 6 water parks. Furthermore, there are four restaurants where you can take some meals or snacks while you enjoy your day.
Here you can also see the marvelous Vosges Forest and the roller coaster Timber Drop, which was the steepest in the world until June 2, 2011.
How To Get There
Getting to Fraispertuis City is really easy from Jeanménil, you can get by bus, taxi, Uber or by walking.
The 2USD bus ride will take 5 min, while taxis or Uber will charge you anywhere from 7USD to 11USD. However, If you walk all the way to Fraispertuis City from Jeanménil then the hike will take you half an hour.
On the other hand, getting to Jeanménil from Paris will take around 4 hours by car, 7 hours by train, or 8 hours by bus.
Hotel Rooms
A 2-adults, 2-children hotel room nearby Fraispertuis City is around 530 USD. For instance, rooms near the theme park are normally quiet and are no further than 3km.
You can check out the best hotels for you on the official website of Fraispertuis City amusement park. Or take a look at Booking.com for the best deals.
Useful Information
- Open hours: 10 am-6:00 pm from April to September.
- Tickets price: from 15 to 23 euros depending on age.
- Recommended duration: more than 3 hours.
3) Efteling – Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands
Efteling is everything you always imagine when it comes to amusement parks. People who have lived the experience first hand, they all agree that this theme park in the Netherlands will never disappoint.
Efteling simply lives up to the expectations, so you definitely have to give this theme park a chance whenever you are around Europe.
Dutch consider this amazing theme park as one of The Netherlands hidden gems. From the fairytale essence surrounded by forest to the bunch of fascinating attractions, all about Efteling makes it a great place to chilling out with family or friends.
Efteling describes itself as the ‘World of Wonders’, and those who live the experience can’t be more agree with that. When you are finally here, don’t miss out the Dream Flight, the most famous attraction of the park, the Fairytale Forest and Aquanura, which is the largest water exhibition in Europe and third in the world.
Another great advantage of Efteling is that you can check out their, calendar, tickets, and expected crowd the day you go on their mobile app.
Furthermore, you can also use their app to find attractions and more valuable information about the place.
How To Get to Efteling
Efteling is located in Kaatsheuvel, 100 km away from Amsterdam and you can get by bus train or car.
The bus lines 300, 301, 136 and 800 will take you to the Efteling bus stop. The fee is 10USD.
If you plan to go by train, you need to get to the ‘s-Hertogenbosch’ (Den Bosch) station or Tilburg. The charge by train is 27USD.
Both bus and train travel will take around 2 hours.
However, if you are adventuring by car, the ride from Amsterdam will only take 1 hour. Efteling parking service charge 10 euros.
Hotel Room
Another great feature of this incredible theme park is that it also offers its own accommodations for visitors.
You can book a holiday home or a hotel room for overnight stays at Efteling.
For a 6 person house, including 3 days access to the theme park, the fee is 460 euros. Meanwhile, a hotel room for 4 people charge 320 euros including breakfast and 2 days access to the park
Useful Information
Open hours: 10:00 am-6:00 pm from Monday to Sunday. It opens all year long.
Tickets price: Visiting Efteling requires a previous reservation as it is one of the most demanded theme parks in Europe. General tickets start at 38 euros and if you go on a group of 20 people, the fee is 33 euros.
Recommended duration: more than 5 hours – 1 day.
For more relevant information about Efteling, you can always take a look at GetYourGuide to find out the single best offers, discounts, and tours around this spectacular amusement park.
You need to see: 9 Best Weekend Trips from Amsterdam
2) Europa-Park – Rust, Germany
Of course, this list is nos complete without a German theme park.
All about Europa-park worth it. Indeed, this theme park in Germany is the second most popular in Europe only behind Disneyland.
Want a fact? Europa-park is so well accommodated that it can host 60,000 guests per day. This amusement park receives 5,5 million visitors every year on average.
This place accounts over 100 attractions, including 13 rollercoasters and 15 European areas that will surprise even the most incredulous ones.
This theme park is so huge that you will likely not have enough time to encounter everything it offers. That’s why you will want to return over and over again, this is an endless adventure!.
Europa-park also offers culinary highlights, evening cinema, shows, concerts and events. As the very own visitors say, it is a lifetime experience.
Whenever you are there, you can’t miss the Atlantic SuperSplash, afterwards you will feel reborn. Also, try the Blue Fire Mega coaster, it goes from 0 to 100 km in just 2.5 seconds!.
After that, you will have more than 100 attractions, so go immerse into it and try it on for your own. Certainly, you will not regret anything.
How To Get There
Europa-park is in the heart of Europe, in the border triangle Germany – France – Switzerland. And as expected, you will have a lot of ways to arrive at the theme park.
You can get by car, public transportation, coach (private company or long-distance), by plane and even by shuttle service.
As Berlin is 7 hours away from Rust by car, your best chance to arrive at Europa-Park is by taking public transportation on the Ringsheim station in Germany. The bus travel from Ringsheim’s line 231 is only 13 min.
A taxi from Ringsheim will charge you 5USD for a 6 minutes ride.
If you want to know more about the different ways of getting to this amazing theme park, you can always check out the Europa-park official website.
Also, on GetYourGuide website there is another interesting option on how to get to Europa-Park from Strasbourg, France.
Hotel Rooms
There are a vast variety of hotel rooms you can book nearby Europa-park, most of the 4-star hotels charge anywhere from 110 euros to 125 euros.
Useful Information
Open hours: During the summer season, the park opens from 9 am until 6 pm Monday-Friday, and until 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Over the winter season, they open from 11 am to 7 pm.
The theme park opens all year long, excluding the 24th and the 25th December.
Tickets price: children aged 4-11 pay 47 euros, while everyone over 12 pays 55 euros. Children under 4 and children on their birthday enter free to the park.
Recommend duration: the suggested time for getting around here is 1 day, but it is fair to say you will need more than a single day to explore everything that Europa-park has to offer.
1) Disneyland Paris – France
This rank can’t finish without the most popular and visited theme park in Europe: Disneyland Paris. This theme park in France deserves all the acclamations that it receives.
The numbers say it all, this amusement park hosts 15 million people each year and it is by far the most famous and important theme park in the European continent.
Disneyland Paris consists of two parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park.
Disneyland Park
This park features fairytales and Disney characters as well as the Sleeping Beauty Castle, shows, attractions and parades. This theme park will amaze your eyes with the genuine magic that only Disney knows how to transmit.
Once here you can’t miss the Discovery Arcade, the Horse-Drawn Streetcars and the Liberty Arcade.
Only Disneyland Park receives around 9 million enthusiasts each year on average, which makes it the most-visited amusement park in Europe and the 13th io the world.
Walt Disney Studios Park
On the other hand, this park offers you a mind-blowing and eye-catching experience with all the fantastic events, including Elsa’s sing-along in her ice palace, the encounter with your favourite characters and the Toy Story Playland.
It receives 5.2 visitors every year, ranking it third among all the theme parks in Europe.
How To Get to Paris Disneyland
The park entrance is only 30 minutes away from downtown Paris, and around 1 hour from Paris’ airports. Naturally, you have many ways to arrive.
By bus, it will cost you 8 USD on a 35 minutes ride. The travel by train is about 40 minutes and the fee starts at 4 USD from the Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy station.
If you go by taxi or Uber from Paris it will take 30 minutes to get and the charge is approximately 90 USD.
It doesn’t get any easier than that.
Hotel Rooms
Disneyland Paris offers you three different accommodations: The Disney Hotels, Disney Nature Resorts and Partner hotels.
There are many practical hotel options, and the prices start at 140 USD.
It will also be helpful for you to search for more useful hotel information on Disneyland’s official website and be alert of promotions about the resorts.
Useful Information
Open hours: 7:30 am – 1:00 am all year long.
Tickets price: Disneyland Paris offer you three full-day options, and the fees to enter vary depending on the season.
1 day / 1 park
MINI tickets: adults 70 USD, children 64 USD.
MAGIC tickets: adults 94 USD, children 87 USD.
SUPER MAGIC tickets: adults 106 USD, children 98 USD.
1 day / 2 parks
MINI tickets: adults 94 USD, children 88 USD.
MAGIC tickets: adults 118 USD, children 111 USD.
SUPER MAGIC tickets: adults 130 USD, children 121 USD.
You can browse around GetYourGuide to getting more information about tickets, promotions, and special offers, including a multi-day entrance ticket.
Recommended duration: 1 day.
See Related: 10 Best Day Trips from Paris
To sum up, visiting these theme parks will make you feel like in heaven, all of them are one-of-a-kind experience that you don’t want to miss.
Even if you are traveling alone, with your special one, in a group or in family, theme parks are always a great opportunity to experience a full ecstasy in the most fun and harmless way.
Additionally, it is important to mention that these theme parks in Europe always keep in mind handicap and disabled people, offering special offers or discounts every once in a while.
However, depending on the season these amusement parks in Europe even offer a free pass to people with disability.
You only need to be updated on the promotions that the theme parks Europe regularly offer.
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If you are here, it means that you are planning for a holiday. So, are overwater bungalows part of your dream destination? Here is a list of some quite affordable overwater bungalows you can consider for your holiday. [Read more…] about 10 Best Affordable Overwater Bungalows to Explore