Are you getting ready for a beach vacation this summer? Nothing beats finding that pristine shoreline to enjoy some downtime. However, be careful where you book your trip and make sure you do some research. If not, you could end up on one of these awful beaches, as people in a recent online discussion recommend. Here are some of the worst beaches in the world.
1. Freedom Island, Manila, Philippines
To get an idea of how polluted the shores of Manila Bay are, in 2019, it took more than 400 truck-fulls of removal to clear the garbage lining the beach. The culprit is a mixture of disposable plastic waste and a terrible attitude to ecology.
2. Blackpool Beach, Lancashire, United Kingdom
“I found out the Blackpool is a beach in northwest England that has repeatedly failed to meet standards of cleanliness,” says a beach lover.
A strange celebratory decadence juxtaposes the grimness in Blackpool — a city popular with bachelor and bachelorette parties. Britain’s answer to Las Vegas (though more like the Jersey Shore) is not a dirty beach, but the unclean, gray waters betray an overpopulated tourist trap.
3. Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Roughly 16 million residents contribute to Guanabara Bay’s fetid pollution, so much so that before 2016’s Olympic Games, experts warned athletes not to go near the sea and to use hand sanitizer at all times. Nevertheless, one unlucky Belgian sailor fell to dysentery when the Games arrived.
4. Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Any beach in Australia’s tropical Northern Territory presents the brave swimmer with many risks. Box jellyfish, sharks, and Australia’s answer to a modern-day dinosaur: the saltwater crocodile. Unlike other regions, Darwin doesn’t install protective nets on its beaches. Factors such as tidal strength, vandalism, and other technical issues prevented a netting program from succeeding. In Darwin, you swim at your own considerable risk!
5. Kamilo Beach, Naalehu, Hawai’i
Who would have thought America’s slice of paradise would make this list? However, Kamilo Beach on Hawai’i’s southernmost point once yielded 15,000 pieces of ocean garbage in a single day. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch sits between the archipelago and California; sadly, Kamilo Beach is in a perfect spot to accumulate this detritus.
6. Haina Beach, the Dominican Republic
This stretch of the Caribbean coast is nicknamed the “Dominican Chernobyl” because of a derelict battery plant where lead contaminates the local water supply. This ecological disaster means locals have between five and ten times the safe lead levels in their systems — making it the most lead-contaminated place on Earth.
7. Cole Park, Corpus Christi, Texas
Environment Texas conducted a study on Texas beach water pollution in 2019, finding that 141 of 167 of the Lone Star State’s beaches were unsafe for swimming on at least one day each year. Top of this sad list is Cole Park Site-3 in Corpus Christi, whose waters were deemed unsafe on 80% of the days they tested. Aging sewage systems are under redevelopment, for which the city is shelling out $725 million.
8. Pattaya, Thailand
Dubbed the “Costa Del Crime” of southeastern Asia, Pattaya is a hub for British gangsters on the run, while it also has a raw sewage problem. Considering Thailand has hundreds of outstanding beaches — avoiding the seedy Pattaya will not be difficult for tourists.
9. Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai, India
Due to raw sewage and living waste leaking into the sea in Mumbai’s surrounding coasts, fecal coliform is 60% above acceptable levels. The sand on Chowpatty Beach is exposed to old motorboat oil, turning black and mixing with the incoming trash, causing a horrific stench. No thanks.
10. Bognor Regis, West Sussex, England
Here’s a different kind of beach to avoid. There are no piles of trash lining Bognor’s deserted beaches, nor are there crowds of noisy tourists. Visitors to this seaside town have nothing to fear or avoid in Bognor, which is the problem. The only danger to people on Bognor Regis Beach is boredom. Though local holiday park Butlins may provide respite to children, their parents will pray for the day to end.
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This article was produced by Our Woven Journey. Source. Featured Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
Demi Michele is a seasoned traveler, turned freelance writer. Having explored most states and ventured internationally, her love for outdoor cafes, new cuisines, and cultural immersion shines through her wide range of articles. Based in Texas with her family and two Scottish Terriers, Demi turns her adventures into captivating travel narratives to share with readers.