Top 5 Most Beautiful Beaches in Antarctica

Antarctica is not exactly known for beaches; this continent paints a mental of image of dry, cold place. But don’t be surprised to learn that it is among the favorite travel destination of some tourists for its beaches, although not primarily for swimming. Antarctica is a nice and beautiful continent to visit or tour. The Antarctic Peninsula is the warmest and most exotic area of the continent; this is where the animals migrate for breeding during the months of October to February.

During the austral summer, Antarctica experiences very long day; darkness lasts just a few hours. The setting of the sun at dusk lasts a long time, too! Take a look at the list of the beautiful beaches in Antarctica, in no particular order:

1) Deception Island – The leading beach travel destination in Antarctica. Take a relaxing steam bath at this partly-submerged volcano! Situated at South Shetland Islands at the northern Antarctic Peninsula, volcanic activity formed Deception Island. The name corresponds with the small passage leading to the central caldera. Take a swim at the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove, or enjoy the many other hot springs that the island offers. Penguin-watching is a popular activity; you can also swim with them – in your bathing suit, of course!

2) McDonald Beach – Located in Ross Island in Antarctica, the beach is snowy but beautiful nevertheless. It is inhabited by thousands of Adelie penguins, orca whales, seals and some species of birds. This is not the place to go swimming, but it is a beautiful beach to tour.

3) Neko Harbor – If you can endure the chill, don your bathing suit and take a plunge to the navy blue waters of Neko Harbor. Standard water temperature is 0.3 degrees C, and there are broken pieces of ice glaciers that you can climb on. The option to dip into the water is left only to the really brave souls.

4) Black Sand Beach – You can walk along the shores of Black Sand Beach in Antarctica with hundreds of cute chinstrap penguins waddling around. During summer months, some of the glaciers melt and green grasses start to emerge. In other parts of the beach you will actually see several moss patches forming interesting patterns on the stones. Another great beach to explore sans the swimming.

5) South Shetland Islands – The greenest part of Antarctica, you will find an abundance of rock formations colonized by different bird species. There are small creeks with hot water streaming from the spring. You will also find a plethora of colorful stones on the beach. This is a great travel destination in Antarctica.

With these interesting places to see in Antarctica, it is quite understandable why its popularity among the tourists is growing. Visiting this continent requires no visa, but it has a few entry and exit requirements which are actually not so difficult to acquire. It is important to observe the Antarctic Treaty and the Environmental Protocol. Vacationing in Antarctica would be one of the best adventures you’d ever have.