Our whirlwind tour of beach locations around the world that get lost in the shuffle, perhaps in favor of more flashy candidates, rolls on with more unusual sandy points.

Gulf of Aqaba or Eilat, Middle East

The name of this essential gulf in the Middle East is less important than the role it plays in the arid geography of the region. Eilat in Israel and Aqaba elsewhere, the span of water is home to several fine beach resorts, a collective haven to people who call the nearby desert lands home.

With coastlines on Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Israel, the Gulf of Aqaba has a vital strategic position in this volatile part of the world. More appropriate for travel purposes is the allure of world class resorts.

Sharm el-Sheikh may be the most familiar and famous to outsiders. The oasis of Egypt, known affectionately as “Sharm”, is a popular retreat for the wealthy. A “City of Peace”, Sharm has often been host to several international conferences, in no small part because of the pristine beachfront and waters on the coastline.

The town of Haql provides Saudi Arabia with a small outpost on the Gulf of Aqaba. Because conservative Saudi policy frowns on beach and water play, the coastline is quiet. This of course, has been wonderful for the marine life and geography of the area. Excursions to the beach are possible in certain expat circles, though not as prevalent of course as in other nations visible from the Saudi side of the Gulf.

With a population of just over 45,000 people, the Israeli town of Eilat supports much more than that in peak tourist season. The coastal playland of the country, the area is flush with hotels and resorts that cater to beach lovers not just from the state, but from all over the world. If Israel is a “V” on the map, Eilat is at the very bottom, with Egypt and Jordan on both sides. Other than prime beach time, the area has world class SCUBA on tap, a marina and several wildlife preserves.

Jordan has a role to play on the Gulf of Aqaba as well. The town of Aqaba in fact, is the only seaport in the country. As a result, the area plays not just a vital role in recreation but commerce as well. With over 80,000 people, Aqaba is on the rise and efforts in the capital of Amman to target the town as a tourist and economic zone are in development. Projects to increase both tourism and business to the area have had positive impacts on both, with new waves of visitors from Europe and the Middle East.

South Korea

As a peninsula, South Korea is a somewhat unorthodox entry on a list of unusual beach locations. The country has a long and diverse coastline, with myriad beachfront property. The problem is, do most outsiders to the country know that? In a recent unscientific poll of beach visitors within South Korea, most were from – surprise, surprise – South Korea. Locals love to go to the beach but what steps has the national bureau of tourism made to spread awareness beyond the country, with the possible exceptions of China and Japan? In other words, when was the last time you overheard someone in your part of the world say, “Man, we have to get to South Korea to catch some killer rays dude”?

The truth of the matter however, is that South Korea has some phenomenal spans of sandy coastline. Metropolitan Busan alone has enough beach in the area of Haeundae-gu to pack over 100,000 people on a nice day. In fact, Haeundae is one of the most posh beach resort towns in Asia, with a recent influx of commercial development to seduce wealthy vacationers.

Another option in South Korea is the province of Jeju, a World Heritage volcanic island in the Korean Strait. With a subtropical climate, Jeju has some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, with waterfalls, jungle, mountains and of course, sand. The beach in Seogwipo City is a popular vacation choice for the equivalent of Spring Break in South Korea, when university students flood the island.

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Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8