traveltourist: The best summer beaches

This could be you: tourists snorkelling at Club Med in the Maldives. Picture: Escape Source: Supplied

Dolphins at Monkey Mia in Western Australia. Picture: Escape Source: Supplied

THE Escape team have sought out five of the best deals available this summer, sure to have you lazing around - or out jet skiing - in no time.

Go on, dive in
If you're talking beaches - and if you're not, let's - you're surely talking the Maldives, in the Indian Ocean. The 26 coral-and-sand atolls are pretty much all beach, when you think about it, rising to just 2.3m above sea level. With summer temperatures of about 30C and the humidity kept down by the cooling sea breezes, it's the perfect place to catch a little sun.
Club Med Kani is the ultimate carefree base, with its new lagoon suites built on stilts over the water offering a panoramic view of the little island of Kani and the vast ocean stretching away beyond. Each private suite has a terrace and you can go snorkelling right from your doorstep.
Escape Travel has six nights at Club Med Kani in a lagoon suite - with travel insurance, airport transfer, three gourmet meals daily, bar and snacking, sports and activities and nightly entertainment all thrown in - for $3105 a person twin share, for sale until December 19. Valid for travel until December 24 and from January 22 to February 1 next year.More: 1300 799 783 or www.escapetravel.com.au

Say 'hi' to Bali
If you're in search of an exotic beach on a foreign shore but don't want to travel too far afield, then the sandy expanses of Bali should be on your list. Why not plump for a stay at the 4-star Grand Istana Rama Hotel, right on Kuta beach, with some of the best surfing in the world a few steps from your room?
It's a laid-back place to spend a few days, with the shops of Kuta Square a short walk away and the vibrant nightlife of party street Jalan Legian also close by. For music-lovers who want to kick on into the night, there's the Double Six club and Hard Rock Cafe Bali within staggering distance.

Student Flights has four nights at the Grand Istana Rama Hotel in a superior room, with breakfast and return economy class airfares to Denpasar with Pacific Blue, from just $995 from Sydney. The offer's available until the end of this year, valid for travel from February 1 to March 31 next year.
More: 1300 019 130 or see www.studentflights.com.au

Malaysian around
The beaches of the Langkawi archipelago in Malaysia will have sunseekers spoilt for choice. There are so many you won't have enough time to catch some rays or splash around on all of them - but Burau Bay, fringed by rocky outcrops, is a common haunt of migratory birds.
Pantai Cenang, rimmed with towering coconuts and casuarinas, is as pretty as a picture and neighbouring Pantai Tengah, around a tiny headland, is home to the Federal Villas Beach resort.

Escape Travel has seven nights at the 3-star resort in a run-ofhouse room backed up by one night at the 4.5-star Pan Pacific KLIA Airport Hotel for $949 a person twin share out of Sydney, including Malaysia Airlines flights. The resort has a recreation centre with a spa, and two huge swimming pools - although you won't need to be using them. This offer is on sale until December 4 and valid for travel from February 1 to March 31 next year.
More: 1300 799 783 or www.escapetravel.com.au

Monkey's the business
Monkey Mia, in Western Australia's Shark Bay, is one of the few places in the world where you can play with wild dolphins. A recognised natural beauty and World Heritage landmark, Monkey Mia has attracted schools of dolphins to its peaceful shore almost every day for more than 40 years - it's a rare day indeed when the friendly mammals don't turn up.
But while they're the main attraction, the remote Monkey Mia is surrounded by kilometre upon kilometre of unspoilt beach. If you can't find a quiet bit of beach here to claim as your own, you're simply not trying. When you get sick of the beach there's plenty to jump into - snorkelling, sailing or bush-bashing in a 4WD. There's even a camel ride, if you're bold enough.

The 3.5-star Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort is right on the beach and just a few steps will take you to the water's edge to see if any finned friends want to say hello. Flight Centre has four nights in a beachside dolphin unit from $335 a person twin share, valid for travel until the end of March next year.
More: 1300 939 414 or www.flightcentre.com.au

Pack the sunscreen
Of course, you don't have to go hotfooting huge distances in search of the perfect beach. Australia's a sun-kissed paradise in its own right, and where better to hit the beach than the Sunshine State? Queensland's beach climate is ideal for summer and there are kilometres of beach from which to choose.

The Sunshine Coast is a popular destination and Escape Travel has four nights in a bungalow-style apartment at the 4.5-star BreakFree South Pacific at Noosaville for $215 a person twin share between January 23 and March 31 next year. The tropical-colonial resort reclines against 2ha of lush, landscaped gardens and is just five minutes' drive from Hastings St, the beating heart of Noosa's cafe culture. Of course, if that sounds like too much work, the resort is also home to the relaxing Noosa Health Spa. It's just a short trip away from Noosa's Main Beach and Sunshine and Peregian beaches - ace spots for a bit of surfing.
More: 1300 799 783 or www.escapetravel.com.au