http://www.picturesofbeach.net en-us Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:13:32 -0500 http://www.picturesofbeach.net/zuma-beach/ A legendary, amazing Zuma Beach is a state beach in the community of Malibu, California in Los Angeles County. It is located is at 30000 Pacific Coast Highway. This magnificent stretch of sand is family friendly, fun, and often crowded. Zuma Beach consistently rates among the healthiest for clean water conditions on the Los Angeles County Water Quality measured levels.

One of the most well-liked and largest beaches in the State of California, Zuma Beach is known for its long, wide sands and excellent surf conditions. Though a state beach, it is protected by the Lifeguard unit of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, with 14 lifeguard towers on the sands proper and one of four Section Headquarters in L.A. County, the Zuma Lifeguard Headquarters located at the center of the beach. Like all beaches with superior conditions for surfing, Zuma has its share of the sea wave phenomenon known as the rip current. Visitors are encouraged to not swim or surf in front of the Lifeguard Headquarters (between Towers 8 and 9), as the rip currents are particularly numerous and strong there. (Hence, the concentration of lifeguards at the most potentially dangerous location on the beach.) As of 2007, it's telling that the Los Angeles County Fire Department Lifeguard Unit uses Zuma Beach to illustrate a rip current. Zuma Beach, with its excellent surf conditions, is host to several surfing events where world premiere surfers compete. With optimum wind conditions nearly daily in the late afternoon, Zuma draws many to kitesurfing on the northern end of Zuma Beach. Because of the beach's close proximity to Malibu High School, teens are partial to the stretch between towers 6 and 7 at Zuma (30750 PCH) located two blocks from their school campus and often utilize the beach for biology research.

Zuma Beach is directly accessed via PCH, and lies between the major access corridors Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon Road and Kanan-Dume Road to the south, and Las Posas Road to the north. Parking is available in a large fee parking lot. Additional parking is available on the adjacent PCH.

On its southwest side, Zuma is bordered by Westward Beach. Westward is geographically situated on Malibu's westernmost promontory known as Point Dume. Westward includes a stretch of 2-way road right at the sand's edge. Parking is available on the road as well as a fee parking lot. Westward Beach is marked by a shorter sand shelf than Zuma, a veritable pipeline, making the waves of less duration and higher impact. Westward Beach is recommended for strong swimmers, as the wave action compared to Zuma Beach is stronger, can push down on swimmers, and delivers more of a "crunch." Westward Beach is where former lifeguard Jesse Billauer suffered his accident that left him paralyzed.

When emergency conditions occur, e.g., fire, mudslide, earthquake, Zuma Beach is the designated emergency evacuation center for evacuees. With its flat terrain, open parking lot, miles of pristine sand, and xeriscape landscaping, it serves as an optimal first response open air shelter. Zuma Beach also sports a dedicated helicopter landing area for medical emegency airlifts to local trauma centers.

With its close nearness to the film and television industry in Los Angeles, Zuma Beach has been a popular filming location. It was a frequently used site for the popular television series, Baywatch as well as numerous films, television episodes, and advertisements. The beach is referenced in the 1978 TV-movie Zuma Beach starring Suzanne Somers. Westward Beach has been used for innumerable films, television shows, and advertisements for decades. Planet of the Apes's famous final scene was filmed here. Innumerable ads, both film and print, that require beach scenes are shots of Westward Beach. ]]> Sat, 05 Jul 2008 11:23:28 -0400 http://www.picturesofbeach.net/zuma-beach/ http://www.picturesofbeach.net/tamarindo-costa-rica/ Tamarindo is located on the northern pacific coast of Costa Rica in the Province of Guanacaste at 10 degrees 18 minutes north and 85 degrees 49 minutes west. The town has approximately 2000 full time residents, and can swell to 5000 people during the tourist season. The main draws of the town are surfing and eco-tourism. Tamarindo has all the amenities of a Costa Rican beach town: surf, sand and sun, sun, sun. But it offers much more to many more. It is the ideal place for honeymoons and weddings, couples, and families, and wonderfully suited to eco-adventures. Tamarindo offers first class sport fishing, sailing, surfing, snorkeling, golfing, ATV tours, turtle watching, diving, horseback riding, canopy tours, zip-lining, jungle boat rides, beauty spa, an art gallery and crafts and pottery stores. A multi-cultural community, Tamarindo boats several bakeries, an outdoors vegetable market and more than 40 restaurants. Whether you like to eat Vegetarian, 'Tipico' Costa Rican, Italian or Sea Food, it is all here. Accommodations are available for every budget, from luxurious beach-front hotel to hostels. Tamarindo is a long beach, with excellent waves near the mouth of the estuary. Currents can be pretty strong, especially on a falling tide. Tamarindo has two main breaks for advanced surfers; Pico Pequeño a rocky point in front of the Hotel Tamarindo Diriá and the excellent river mouth break called El Estero. The rest of the beach breaks are perfect for learning.

The sun shines just about 365 days per year, and the temperature is pleasantly warm year round. In the rainy season, from May through October, you can expect a brief shower in the late afternoon, making the beach sparkle, and allowing for extraordinary sunsets, click here for average temperatures, hours of sunshine, precipitation as well as a 5 day weather forecast.

The beach is a three and a half kilometer stretch of white sand and warm blue water. Tamarindo is surrounded by National Parks to its north and south, and mountains with breathtaking views to its east. Nature is abundant, Leatherback Turtles lay their eggs in the northern part of the bay. Howler Monkeys are heard and seen swinging on branches throughout Tamarindo. In some restaurants giant Iguanas will come up to your table expecting table scraps. In the late afternoons you can hear the parakeets screeching in the trees, preparing to settle down for the night.

The biggest waves you'll ride can get up to 12 feet, although only during November and December. Tamarindo is a great place to use as home base as you explore many of the breaks to the north and south including Casitas and Playa Grande to the north and Langosta to the south.

Playa Grande beach is also a beach where the leatherback turtle comes to lay their eggs. The leatherbacks take over the beach from November to April, digging their nests up to one meter deep, lay their eggs and cover the pit with sand, returning once again to the sea. After 60 to 90 days, the hatchlings emerge and immediately make their way back to the water.

The beaches in the area are generally clean and recent efforts by the government and local business organizations are proving themselves. Unfortunately, the area has become a boon to developers who have cut corners and not installed proper infrastructure including black water treatment.

Tamarindo Beach, Guanacaste is the most accessible location along the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica with an airstrip serviced 7 days a week from San José by two airlines: SANSA and Nature Air provide several flights daily. Private charter services are available as well. Scheduled daily bus service to and from San José, as well as surrounding communities, is available by a variety of companies. There is also a paved highway from San José for those who wish to rent a car and drive the countryside. The average time from San Jose to Tamarindo is 5 to 6 hours depending on traffic. The international airport in Liberia, Guanacaste is open to international flights from a variety of carriers. The airport is about a 75 minute drive from Tamarindo through newly paved roads. The town also has a very big nightlife, and features many local musicians on a regular basis. ]]> Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:42:11 -0400 http://www.picturesofbeach.net/tamarindo-costa-rica/ http://www.picturesofbeach.net/cancn-beach/ Cancún is a coastal city in Mexico's easternmost state, Quintana Roo, on the Yucatán Peninsula best known as the Mexican Caribbean or at the northern section of the Mayan Riviera; however Cancun does not share a similar climate or topography to the Mediterranean. It is the municipal seat of Benito Juárez municipality and a world-renowned tourist resort. The city center is located on the mainland which connects over the Nichupté and Bojórquez lagoons to a narrow "7" shaped island where the modern beachfront hotels are located. The island of Isla Mujeres is a nearby island located off the coast and is accessible by boat from Puerto Juarez or Punta Sam. The city of Cancun is young, as are most of its permanent and temporary inhabitants. It was just a small sand barrier some 35 years ago when the plan began to develop it into the vacation haven of the 21st century. Today, Cancun consists of a medium-sized coastal city and a long, thin island connected to the mainland through bridges at its north and south ends. It features world-class resorts, hotels, clubs, and malls. It offers something for everyone, from an all-day fun party beach to an isolated, tranquil island.
Here you'll find everything, from ultra chic to funky laidback, from R&B to techno, from tacos and cheeseburgers to fancy, mainstream standards. All tastes are welcomed and catered to in this paradise. No wonder this is Mexico's most popular resort.

Cancun is an open gate to your dream vacation. It boasts state-of-the-art hotel facilities among the coolest clubs, bars, and malls only a few feet away from the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Cancun's beaches.
The new, great, and gorgeous beaches of white sand caressed by warm, turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea stand out as the hottest spots in town, both literally and figuratively.It's impossible not to enjoy them so don't even try. Put on your bikini or swimsuit, it's time for fun under the sun!

Topless bathing is an activity that is quietly accepted in Cancun and many of the surrounding areas along the Mayan Rivera. Total nudity is rare (as well as illegal), especially on the major beaches. Start planning your next vacation trip to the best and most beautiful tourist destination in Mexico.

There are about 140 hotels in Cancún with more than 24,000 rooms and 380 restaurants. Four million visitors arrive each year in an average of 190 flights daily. The Hotel Zone of Cancun is shaped like a 7 with bridges on each end connecting to the mainland. Hotels on the vertical or long side of the 7 tend to have rougher beaches and beach erosion can be a problem. Resorts on the horizontal or short end of the seven tend to have more gentle surf because the waves here are blocked by the island of Isla Mujeres which lies just off shore. The Hotel Zone offers a broad range of accommodations, ranging from relatively inexpensive motel-style facilities in the older section closest to the mainland, to high-priced luxury hotels in the later sections.

Many of the hotels are time-share condominiums with kitchen facilities. Some are all inclusive hotels which offer unlimited breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, hotel activities, entertainment, non-motorized water sports, and 40% discounts on tours to the Mayan ruins. Tips and taxes are included in the price of the hotel rooms. There are also upscale private residences and lavish condominiums for rent that cater to the rich. Restaurants, bars and shops in the hotel zone tend to be rather expensive compared with the downtown area and other Mexican resorts. Travelers will find many well-known theme restaurants and clubs here. Although the Hotel Zone is frequently described as "posh" or "exclusive" the main Cancún tourism market is middle- and upper-middle-class, according to government statistics, which also report that more than 37% of Cancún visitors are Mexican. On the opposite side of the island from the Caribbean Sea is the Nichupté Lagoon, which is used for boating excursions and jet-ski jungle tours.

Weather.
The temperature of the city is warm and tropical, moderated by the marine breeze which circulates through its avenues. Depending on the season, maximum temperatures are typically between 26°C (78.8°F) and 33°C(91.4°F) in the day and 18°C (64.4°F) and 25°C(77°F) at night. Temperature extremes have ranged between a maximum of 39.5°C (103.2°F) and a minimum of 9.5°C (49.2°F) 5km inland at the Airport. More temperate conditions occur from November to February and it is hottest from April to September, due to proximity to the Caribbean and Gulf humidity is high all-year around (averages close to 70% on rain free days). Ocean borne breezes temper the heat and humidity, espicially in Coastal areas from the hotel zone north, such as Puerto Juarez however this effect is lost the further inland on the Yucatan one goes or further south along the Mayan Riveria (which is more sheltered).

All hotel rooms in the Hotel Zone and many on the mainland are air conditioned. Weather is highly variable. During winter nortes, (northerly storms with a cold front passing southward from the North Amercian continent) drop temperatures sharply to below 20°C (68°F) and even cooler, however such periods are usually short-lived. In the course of a single day, the weather can turn from bright sunshine to dark and stormy and back again. It's not uncommon to look out one's window and see sunshine, while rain is falling on the opposite side. Sun showers and rainbows are frequent throughout the year, but especially during the summer rainy season. Many weather sites on the Internet will routinely report rain every day and this causes undue alarm among future vacationers. Cancun is on the ocean, the high level of humidity near in the air and therefore always the chance for rain, but all-day rain is infrequent.

The tropical storm season lasts from May to December, the rainy season extends into January with peak precipitation in September. February to early May tend to be drier with some occasional scattered showers. Although large hurricanes are rare, they have struck near to Cancun in recent years, Hurricane Wilma in 2005 being the largest and almost twenty years ago, Hurricane Gilbert made a devastating direct hit on Cancun.

No matter how you choose to take advantage of the sunshine and beauty of Cancun, your Mexico travel will be filled with activity and incredible weather! ]]> Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:47:26 -0400 http://www.picturesofbeach.net/cancn-beach/