Best holidays for beach and culture

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a wildlife-lovers paradise. 51% of the country is jungle-covered greenery packed with over 500,000 unique species of plants and animals. There’s no better way to get acquainted with the rainforest than on our Cloudforest Tour & Stay trip . You’ll get the chance to spot tropical birds in Los Chilese, cross the hanging bridges over the forest canopy spotting monkeys and sloths, and take a dip in some hot volcanic springs. Keep your eyes peeled for the fingernail-sized glass frogs and over 52 species of super-speedy hummingbird. After having the time of your life on the tour, you’ll then get to relax at the Riu Palace Costa Rica which boasts a stunning beachfront setting backed by gorgeous hills and mountains. Coco Beach resort is just a 20-minute cab ride away, too.

Vietnam

You might have heard of Halong Bay and Vietnam’s famous terraced rice paddies, but we bet you didn’t know that the south-east Asian country boasts some amazing sand stretches, too? On our Northern Explorer Tour and Stay trip, you can combine both. The trip starts with an adventure through, you guessed it, northern Vietnam where you’ll trek through the terraced green fields of the Muong Hoa Valley, try some streetside Pho in Hanoi’s old quarter, and explore Halong Bay’s beautiful limestone peaks by boat. You’ll then fly to the under-the-radar, secluded island of Phu Quoc on Vietnam’s south coast, which is the perfect place to relax. When it comes to hotels, you can take your pick from the beachfront-set Richis Phuquoc Beach Resort And Spa which boasts Caribbean-esque vibes, or the Vinpearl Phu Quoc Resort which is right on Bai Dai Beach.

Thailand

Vietnam’s neighbour Thailand is also the perfect place for a beach and culture break, with lively cosmopolitan cities and paradise-like beach resorts in one convenient setting. Take our Bangkok and Khao Lak Tour, and you can spend half of your holiday exploring the buzzing city of Bangkok, with Buddhist temples and street markets on the agenda. For the rest of your holiday you can relax on the beautiful beaches of Khao Lak. Pick from a range of stylish city hotels for your time in Bangkok, including the luxurious Millennium Hilton or the city centre Century Park Hotel. Then, for your relaxing retreat in Khao Lak, you can choose from the Khao Lak Bhandari Resort & Spa which boasts rustic, bungalow rooms and a peaceful spa, or the JW Marriot Khao Lak Resort which lines up South East Asia’s longest pool.

India

You can’t visit India without seeing some of the iconic sites, including the magnificent palace that is the Taj Mahal – one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Book our Golden Triangle Tour and Heritage Village Club Multi Centre, and you’ll get a week-long introduction to India, ticking off the temples and museums of Delhi, the stunning pink city of Jaipur, and the Taj Mahal in Agra. You’ll also get the chance to taste spices at the colourful markets, explore abandoned ghost towns, and stroll through some impressive green spaces and gardens. After your non-stop tour, you can chill out and get some much-needed R&R at the Heritage Village Hotel. This place is located conveniently near one of Goa’s best beaches, the golden Arossim Beach, which is just a five minute walk away. It also boasts a huge pool, an onsite ayurvedic centre where you can indulge in a range of treatments, and a clutch of a la carte restaurants.

Ready to book your next beach and culture break

Browse our full list of Multi-Centre holidays. Or read, the best beach holiday destinations or the best summer holiday destinations

Author: Selina Akhtar