beach

AS the glass lift descended the cliff face, green umbrella pines gave way to craggy sandstone  before the epic golden sands of Praia da Falesia were revealed.

My friend Rosie and I were in awe.

“This place is stunning”, was our first impression — and it was one that held true throughout our three-day autumn sunshine break at the 5H Pine Cliffs Resort on Portugal’s Algarve coast.

From the bottom of the lift, we strolled down the boardwalk to beach restaurant Maré, which serves the freshest seafood.

As we enjoyed shrimp mango tacos and spritz cocktails, then chocolate ice cream, we deliberated over which sunloungers on the private beach we should aim for the next morning.

Despite our early-morning flight, the quick transfer meant we were in the mood for exploring and after lunch, we got back in the lift to head back up to the resort and get our bearings.

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Across the 178-acre estate there are options for every budget or group size, from apartments and suites to villas and townhouses. But our home for the weekend was the resort’s original focal point, the 217-room Pine Cliffs Hotel.

Strolling from the beach to the hotel we passed under the many pines that shade the cobblestone walkways and gardens and give the resort its name.

The clifftop hotel, unlike the resort’s newer residential zones, has a traditional style. Terracotta floors, hand-painted ceramic tiles and whitewashed archways give way to leafy courtyards, as Moorish-style architecture pays homage to the region’s historic Arabic influences.

It’s a theme that continues into the hotel’s bedrooms. The beds have bespoke headboards featuring more of those hand-painted tiles, in elegant constrast to the rooms’ calm, white walls and all the mod cons you could wish for.

Guests can join a free Tiles Tour to learn more about the Algarve’s decorative tiles, or azulejos, in the hotel and grounds.

Once you’ve soaked up the back stories, about how this traditional art has survived earthquakes and invaders down the centuries, you head off for a workshop to design your own creations.

Armed with a blank tile, fine brushes and traditional mineral paints, you learn the technique of glazing from scratch.

Your work of art is then fired for you to safely pack into your suitcase.

Meanwhile, across the resort’s grounds, sport is also front and centre.
A scenic nine-hole golf course hugs the cliff edge and features the hair-raising Devil’s Parlour hole, where players must drive a ball straight over a deep ravine.

Then there’s the Annabel Croft Tennis and Padel Academy. We had a fantastic time here, being taught the basics of Padel on one of the resort’s beautiful courts — even though our backhands didn’t quite match the facility.

If you work up a thirst, and appetite, then good: the resort has 18 fabulous bars and restaurants.

The Mirador Champagne Bar was the perfect place for us to sit and watch the sunset with a glass of fizz and bowls of salty snacks before dinner.

We kicked off our first evening at lively steakhouse Piri Piri, one of the Algarve’s top spots for meat lovers, with gourmet cuts from all corners of the globe.

We enjoyed fillet steak and fresh lobster salad with local wines and ended the night with a glass of Amarguinha, a local almond liqueur which was dangerously delicious.

On our second night, we went to seafood restaurant O’Pescador, where guests choose their catch from the tank before having it grilled on the barbecue. For lunch, we loved the Corda Cafe and healthfood spot Zest, where we mixed it up with salads, wraps and pizzas.

Day two was all about recharging in the resort’s Serenity Spa where we were treated to massages before sampling the outdoor Jacuzzi and the saunas, ice pool and steam rooms in the spa itself.

The resort’s health club also features two big gyms, a Pilates studio and an indoor pool.

If you prefer unwinding under the sun, the resort has seven outdoor pools.

There is no adult-only pool but those after a quiet spot should visit the pools near the spa, one of which has a swanky swim-up bar.

Families will find the best areas for kids in the Porto Pirata Children’s Village — the biggest kids’ club in the region.

If you fancy a spot of shopping, there’s a strip of boutiques selling handmade gifts and jewellery or, in the hotel lobby, there are several high-end shops.

Outside the resort, the coastal city of Albufeira is just a 15-minute drive away, with a huge selection of bars, restaurants and nightclubs as well as a pretty old quarter.

But with their clifftop sundowners, world-class dining and golden sands, we were not in a rush to leave our hotel and its glorious grounds and beach.

NEW pictures have been released of the huge new UK water resort featuring three themed areas, promising Brits a tropical escape closer to home.

Set to open in 2029, Therme Manchester is set to cost £500million and will boast 10 pools, 18 waterslides and 20 saunas and steam rooms.

Spread across a 28- acre site in TraffordCity, there will also be outdoor green spaces surrounding the glas-s domed building.

Newly released images show the indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as the wellbeing garden.

There will also be a new public plaza that will connect the resort to the Bridgewater Canal, where visitors can sit by the canal just metres from the resort.

Another image shows the front of the complex, where the tram will run past.

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And a third image shows a central walkway through part of the complex with pools and lounge areas.

As for the green spaces, images show lots of different gardens with raised areas and hundreds of palm trees.

Previous plans included two multi-storey car parks, but these have now been scrapped with parking spread across the entire site to retain views across the resort.

The attraction will be split into three areas – Play, Restore and Relax.

The Play zone will be ideal for families with lots of fun water features, a pool, a beach, lounging areas and family dining experiences.

Then in the Relax zone, which will be adults-only, there’s a focus on “premium wellbeing experiences” with indoor and outdoor pools, waterfall showers, mineral baths, steam rooms and saunas and casual dining.

And then in the Restore zone – the second adults-only area – there will be “industry leading health, nutrition and wellbeing therapies”, “sauna rituals”, experience showers, wellbeing consultations and dining.

Construction on the first pool is due to start next week and once the resort is open, it is expected to attract two million visitors each year.

The resort also recently announced that it was partnering with Marriott International with Marriott Bonvoy members being offered exclusive travel and stay packages linked directly to Therme destinations – which will include Manchester.

Khan Younis, Gaza – A few metres from the sea, near al-Qarara port on Gaza’s coast, Anas al-Shami, 33, is trying to keep his family of six warm and dry in a dilapidated tent. It offers little protection from wind and rain, while the damp seeps into their bedding and belongings at every moment. The swelling waves in the sea also pose a constant threat as winter approaches.

The beach was not al-Shami’s choice of place to live, but the refuge his family took shelter in after being displaced from their home quickly became overcrowded. They can’t afford anything safer than this tent.

Now, he and his family are living in constant fear of a repeat of last winter’s flooding.

Al-Shami and his family were forced to leave Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, when it became part of Israel’s so-called “Yellow Zone” beyond which Palestinians are not permitted to go.

“I searched for land in displacement areas where I could pitch a tent, but overcrowding and high rental costs made that impossible,” he tells Al Jazeera. “I was therefore forced to stay on the beach, despite the dangers facing my family and me.”

Al-Shami recalls last winter, when seawater and rain flooded his tent while the family was asleep. He would wake to find his children lying in water. Their bedding and belongings were repeatedly soaked, leaving him unable to protect them from the cold as the tent turned into a pond.

Despite trying all year, the family has been unable to find anywhere else to go, leaving them facing another winter on the beach.

“My children’s repeated exposure to water, cold and damp caused serious illness which threatened their lives,” he says.

‘I feel helpless in front of my children’

It’s a familiar story along this stretch of coastline.

Ibrahim Abu Tair, 47, whose family has also been displaced from eastern Khan Younis, is sharing a cramped tent with his seven children on the port’s shoreline. The dilapidated shelter lacks any basic necessities and offers little protection from the cold, rain and wind.

“What hurts me most is feeling helpless in front of my children,” he says. “I cannot provide winter clothes to protect them from the cold or even a dry mattress for them to sleep on.”

The strong wind and the sound of the rising waves keep him awake at night, he says, and he is terrified of another flood like last year’s, when water inundated the tent and forced the family to endure the cold in the open. His greatest wish is to find safe shelter where his children can sleep without fear.

Some families have found a makeshift solution to keep the water at bay.

By filling damaged cooking pots with earth, they have forged a barrier against encroaching seawater alongside the tents.

Mayasem Association, an aid organisation which works in cooperation with World Central Kitchen, has seized on this innovation and is now producing these pot-barriers for families in this area close to al-Qarara port.

The initiative reuses large pots rendered unusable by repeated exposure to flames, corrosion and holes. Three pots, donated by World Central Kitchen, are filled with soil and stacked on top of one another, reaching approximately 150 centimetres in height to form barriers that hold back the incoming water and prevent waves from reaching shelter sites.

“The initiative initially involved building barriers to protect the association’s safe space, which hosts its education programmes, school, cultural activities, arts and heritage programmes,” Khalil Abu Lahia, the association’s emergency response coordinator, tells Al Jazeera. “The idea later developed into an attempt to protect the displaced families’ tents along the coastal strip.”

A winter fraught with risk

While this is an example of the innovative thinking which can help families who are destitute and at risk in Gaza, it is nevertheless only a temporary measure which cannot make up for the widespread lack of safe shelter.

The initiative comes amid a warning from Gaza’s Winter Emergency Committee of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, as tents and caravans remain in critically short supply as Israeli authorities continue to prevent their entry into the Gaza Strip, alongside the delivery of critical construction materials and fuel.

The committee has reported that Israeli forces have also destroyed about 70 percent of municipalities’ essential operational equipment and 90 percent of civil defence rescue equipment. The fuel crisis means machinery and generators will soon stop functioning altogether, further limiting the ability to respond to floods, carry out rescue operations and clear roads.

In all, there are about 200,000 dilapidated tents sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced people, including children, women and people with disabilities.

Some 7,800 of them are located in extremely hazardous areas, the committee has warned, including on dry riverbeds which may now flood, rainwater collection ponds and beaches exposed to crashing winter waves. These need to be urgently relocated to safer locations.

About 2,000 cracked buildings are also at risk of collapse, threatening families who have sought refuge inside them. Building materials, caravans, shelter and fuel are all urgently needed, the committee says.

A NEW attraction with an enormous lagoon and bright white sands is set to open a few hours from the UK.

Called Alovera Beach, it’s set to open in summer 2028 and the catch is that it’s nowhere near the coast.

Instead, the company called Crystal Lagoons is hoping to open Europe’s largest man-made beach just outside of Spain’s capital, Madrid.

The project itself that’s 104,000 square metres is being built at the cost of €29million (£24.3million).

At its centre will be a 21,000-square-metre artificial lagoon which will be surrounded by 16,000 square metres of white sand which makes for the perfect sunbathing spot.

The lagoon will be suitable for swimming as well as watersports like kayaking, paddleboarding and aqua fitness classes.

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There will also be children’s attractions, relaxation spaces, food outlets and cafes.

On the sand will be an adults-only beach club with separate lounges to relax in as well as restaurants.

During the summer it’s hoping to hold seasonal events too including concerts, guest celebrations and even business events.

Looking at the details on its website, it looks like entry will be through memberships and daily passes.

Plans for Alovera Beach started back in 2017 and it has just taken a huge step forward with developers signing a formal construction-start document on October 21, 2026.

If all goes to plan, work is set to complete in March 2028 with it opening to the public a few months later in the summer months.

When it does open, the inland beach will be easy for Brits to reach as Alovera is a 45-minute drive from Madrid.

One-way flights are as little as £20 and Brits can get there in less than two and a half hours.

The company has made 1,000 projects across 60 countries including the Evermore Orlando Resort.

It has a range of accommodation including guest rooms and suites to Walt Disney World around two enormous beach areas where visitors can try out kayaking and paddleboarding.

The lagoon here is larger than 25 Olympic-size swimming pools and has has two beach areas.

NOVEMBER in Britain: dark before you’ve left work, washing draped over every available radiator and a coat that hasn’t had a dry week since August.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the world it’s 30C with someone cooking and every drink on the house for you… I know where I’d rather be.

So, I dug through the November holiday data and picked out ten resorts that are up to 34 per cent cheaper than the average price of a hotel stay that month.

Not only that, but I’ve found a fantastic deal for each at some underrated resorts, overlooked by bigger names nearby.

Some are familiar spots, while others you typically might scroll straight past if you’re not in the know.

But they all deserve a look before you write off a week away – here’s where I’d be booking this November.

1. Naama Bay, Egypt (34% below average)

Naama Bay is my pick for anyone who wants to enjoy Egypt beyond the hotel resorts.

You’ve got a big beach, plenty of restaurants and somewhere to head after dinner, so there’s no need to spend seven days orbiting the buffet.

With November temperatures typically around 27C, you can spend the afternoon on the beach and head out for a slap-up meal in the evening.

This is where I rate bed & breakfast: your morning food is sorted, then lunch and dinner are yours to choose.

Falcon Naama Star gives you a cheap base around ten minutes’ walk from the beach.

I found seven nights with breakfast and direct return flights from Belfast for £280pp – that leaves more of your budget for enjoying the place you’ve flown all that way to see.

2. Om El Sid, Egypt (29% below average)

Another Egypt find, Om El Sid suits a week of beach days and evenings spent having a wander and finding somewhere good for dinner.

You’re on Sharm’s southern side, with the Old Market to explore when you’ve had enough of lying horizontal.

November daytime temperatures typically reach around 27C.

That’s proper beach weather, with the added pleasure of knowing someone at home is scraping the car windscreen, so try to be modest with the photos… or don’t.

My hotel pick is Old Vic Sharm Resort & Spa.

It’s inland, but there’s a free beach shuttle, so you can get your beach fix without paying for a beachfront stay.

I found seven nights all inclusive with direct return flights from Liverpool for £350pp.

And because your meals are covered, you can still get out for a nosey around Sharm without having to spend much extra.

3. Patong, Thailand (28% below average)

Thailand can spend years on the “maybe one day” list.

But this Patong deal is a decent reason to move it along: seven nights at Club Bamboo Boutique Resort & Spa for £765pp, with connecting return flights from Manchester and checked luggage included.

Patong gives you Phuket’s tropical heat, a busy beach and plenty going on after dark.

November daytime temperatures are around 31C as the island heads towards its drier season, and this is somewhere I’d opt for room only.

With so much food to try outside the hotel, picking a different place for dinner is part of the holiday.

Club Bamboo’s greener hillside setting gives you somewhere quieter to retreat to after Patong’s bustle.

There are hills and steps to factor in, so it won’t suit everyone.

But for someone who wants to get out and enjoy Phuket, I’d put the money towards the trip rather than a flashier hotel.

4. Agadir, Morocco (19% below average)

Seven nights, breakfast and direct return flights from Manchester for £230pp?

Safe to say Agadir is doing a very convincing job of getting me out of Britain this November.

Typical daytime highs are around 25C, with a big beachfront for lazy afternoons and the souk for a proper browse when you fancy moving.

You can spend a morning exploring, stop for proper Moroccan food and still have time to spend the rest of your day by the sea.

Tulip Inn Oasis is my pick for a handy bed & breakfast base near the beach and within reach of the marina.

You’re paying for somewhere to sleep and something to eat first-thing, with plenty of holiday budget left for getting out and about.

Agadir was even named one of the most affordable holiday destinations earlier this year, so it’s a great bargain option.

5. Nabq Bay, Egypt (18% below average)

Some holidays need a plan, while others just need a sun lounger, a cold drink and your hardest choice of the day being how many plates to get at the buffet for dinner.

Nabq Bay suits the second kind.

This part of Sharm is spread out and centred around the hotels, so the hotel itself matters here.

Typical November daytime temperatures are around 27C so it is another great hot winter destination.

Parrotel Aqua Park Resort gives you all inclusive ease with waterslides thrown in.

And I found seven nights all inclusive with return flights from London Luton for £395pp.

Meals covered, drinks included and no nightly negotiation over where everyone wants to eat.

That’s a week with considerably fewer decisions. My kind of week.

6. Caleta de Fuste, Fuerteventura (14% below average)

Caleta de Fuste makes an easy week away feel exactly that.

There’s a sheltered beach, a flat waterfront for a wander and plenty of places to stop for lunch.

So you can arrive, unpack and get on with enjoying yourself.

Fuerteventura’s November daytime highs average around 24C and a long beach walk here definitely beats standing outside a soft-play centre in sideways rain.

Fuertesol’s bungalow accommodation is my pick for a simple self catering base, so you can sort breakfast in your own time, then head out for the day.

I found seven nights with direct return flights from London Stansted for £235pp.

And if you get restless after a few beach days, Caleta’s position makes exploring north and south really easy.

Just hire a car for a day or two and spend some of the money you’ve saved on seeing the island.

7. Bahia Feliz, Gran Canaria (14% below average)

A separate living area is an underrated holiday luxury – somewhere in your hotel room to sit that isn’t the bed, with space to spread out and breakfast without getting dressed for a buffet.

That’s what I like about the apartments at BlueBay Beach Club.

Its quieter beach-side setting in Bahia Feliz suits people who want room to relax in Gran Canaria, with the busier south-coast resorts there when they fancy a change.

This is one to book for the space and the setting rather than nightlife outside reception.

November temperatures around this part of the island are typically about 24C.

This means plenty of opportunity for a long lunch outside and another chapter in the sun.

I found seven nights self catering with direct return flights from Newcastle for £445pp.

This is my pick for someone who really values a bit of breathing room on holiday.

8. Costa del Silencio, Tenerife (13% below average)

Costa del Silencio gives regular Tenerife holidaymakers a change of scene from Playa de las Americas.

You’ve got volcanic coastline to explore and nearby Las Galletas for a wander around a town.

Southern Tenerife’s November daytime highs average roughly 25C.

That’s still warm for a long day by the pool working on your tan.

Hotel Palia Don Pedro keeps the stay simple, with studios and apartments spread across small two-storey buildings.

I found seven nights all inclusive with return flights from London Stansted for £350pp.

That covers your meals and drinks while you spend a week enjoying a different corner of Tenerife.

9. Nuevo Horizonte, Fuerteventura (13% below average)

A free beach shuttle can make a cheaper hotel location a much better deal.

And that’s the exact detail I love at Elba Lucía Sport & Suite Hotel in Nuevo Horizonte.

The resort sits just north of Caleta de Fuste, but here you get an even quieter base to come back to.

Fuerteventura’s November highs average around 24C, so there’s still plenty of reason to pack the sunglasses.

You won’t have the beach and all of Caleta’s restaurants immediately outside the door here.

BUT the hotel’s free shuttle heads directly to Caleta and the beach area, which can save you paying for taxis every day.

I found seven nights self catering with direct flights from London Stansted for £295pp.

A good fit for someone happy to trade a central location for a quieter stay, with an easy way to reach the beach.

10. Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife (12% below average)

Puerto de la Cruz is my pick for a Tenerife holiday with a proper town to get stuck into.

An old harbour, loads of restaurants and greener scenery give you plenty to enjoy in between cheap beers.

November’s nice and warm in Tenerife, and for a trip built around sunbathing, exploring, tapas and lunch outside when the sun appears, Puerto’s well worth a look.

Coral Teide Mar sits in the residential La Paz area, with shops and restaurants all around you.

That makes self catering a good money-saving choice: breakfast supplies nearby and somewhere different to head for dinner every night.

I found seven nights with direct return flights from Liverpool for £310pp, giving you a cheap week of sunshine and getting out to enjoy the town.

THE highly anticipated Therme attraction coming to Manchester has just announced some big changes.

The first-of-its-kind resort in the UK, has altered its £500million design – but it will still have indoor beaches, waterslides and relaxation zones.

According to reports, Therme has tweaked its layout to create a “more striking design”.

One of the new additions will be a public plaza which will link the resort and the Bridgewater Canal – and it’s adding a 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.

In the updated plans, the two multi-storey car parks have also been removed to “create more open views”.

There will still be parking, but this has been relocated and the number of spaces has been reduced by around 100.

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The new plan’s aim is to have better connections with local transport which includes the Metrolink station at the Trafford Centre.

Everything else about £500million Therme Manchester resort remains the same.

Inside the resort, visitors can expect a large-scale waterpark with more than 25 waterslides as well as a wave pool.

It will be heated to 33C and will have lots of spa and wellness facilities that will be split into three different zones these will eb called Play, Relax and Restore.

In the Play zone will be ‘next-generation’ water fun, a warm water pool, steam rooms, saunas as well as lounging and family dining experiences.

This zone will also have an outdoor beach.

The Relax zone which will be adults-only with a focus on “premium wellbeing experiences”.

It will also have well as indoor and outdoor pools, waterfall showers, mineral baths, steam rooms, saunas and casual dining.

Finally, in the Restore Zone – the second adults-only area – there will be “industry leading health, nutrition and wellbeing therapies”, “sauna rituals”, experience showers, wellbeing consultations and dining.

In August of this year, the Therme Group announced it had reached a milestone of 12 tower cranes being built.

It said the progress marked “the start of an exciting new phase of construction for Therme Manchester.”

The Therme Group also recently announced it would be teaming up with Marriott International.

In terms of booking, Marriott Bonvoy members will be offered exclusive travel and lodging packages linked directly to Therme destinations – which when it opens will include Manchester.

If you’d like to live near the water along the spectacular California coast at some point in your life, you have a number of options.

You can settle in, say, Culver City, which is several miles inland, and wait for rising tides to arrive.

Or, if you just can’t wait that long, I saw a listing you might be interested in. It’s in Capitola, near Santa Cruz, right next to the wharf. The three bedroom, two bath, 1,850-square-foot condo, one of a string of Venetian, pastel beachfront homes, is listed for $3,995,000.

“The beach is your backyard, the cool ocean is your pool,” says the promo.

Given what’s happening right now along the California coast, you might not have to leave that condo to go for a swim. But UC Santa Cruz oceanographer and geologist Gary Griggs, who has seen the thrashing of that row of homes in previous years, is not going to make an offer.

“I’ve got a number of photos,” he said, “that show waves breaking over the top.”

Someone will buy the place, eventually, despite the chance of it becoming a fish tank. California is flush with dumb money and bad judgment, and an insatiable romance with an epic 1,200-mile shoreline.

But it’s time to rethink the relationship.

Last weekend in Long Beach I said a few words at the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act, which has kept our shoreline from looking like Atlantic City or Miami Beach by balancing sensible development with conservation and public access.

“The coast is never saved, it’s always being saved,” I said at the 50th, borrowing as I often do from the late Peter Douglas, hammering home the need for constant stewardship, from one generation to the next.

But in an ironic twist, part of the parking lot was underwater, a tractor had raised a berm to hold back the ocean, and just to the south, homes were being thrashed by waves. The coast wasn’t being saved, it was being reclaimed by the sea.

From there I headed south for a friend’s planned birthday party on the sand in Newport Beach, but city streets had been flooded and beaches were closed. The party was moved indoors.

We have not seen the worst of it, with a fall forecast that includes the possibility of an epic Super El Niño that could coincide with king tides, Kelvin waves and a peak lunar nodal cycle, all of which my colleague Rosanna Xia laid out a couple of days ago.

It’s not going to rain hammerheads and sea horses, I don’t think, but coastal destruction could be dramatic.

“We’re likely going to break a number of water level records,” said Timu Gallien of the UCLA Coastal Flood Lab. “It’s not implausible to see some of the piers wiped out, or breakwaters or jetties.”

“This is a glimpse of our future,” said former California Coastal Commission Director Jack Ainsworth. “This is it. It’s here.”

Some low-lying communities have been warned for years to prepare for rising sea levels, Ainsworth said, but have put off the inevitable.

In some areas, the only sane maneuver is what’s called “managed retreat,” meaning relocation of structures farther inland. But that is fraught with legal and political challenges and resistance.

Look, if you want to live on the sand and can afford to do so, good for you. But the general public should not be on the hook for your losses. Along the entire coast, public infrastructure that we all benefit from is under threat, including roadways, parks and railroad tracks, and that’s where any public investment ought to go.

Among the tools available are sand berms, cobble berms (sand on top of small stones), jetties, dredging and relocating sand, and below-surface breakwaters. Living shorelines, such as those along the Orange and San Diego county coasts, involve piling sand atop boulders or smaller stones and covering the berms with vegetation.

But these projects don’t happen overnight, Gallien said. “Right now we’re seeing reactive responses. OK, let’s throw up some sandbags and plywood.”

Kelsey Ducklow, coastal resilience director for the Coastal Commission, said the agency has awarded millions in grants for local planners to study the threat to their communities and come up with plans. Some locales are further along than others, Ducklow said, but there’s no single strategy that will work everywhere, and one typical response is, “Yeah, we know we need to do something. But where’s the money to do it?”

The three choices we have are mitigation, adaptation and suffering, Griggs said. We’re likely to do some of each, but on the mitigation end of things, sea walls, rock revetments and armored cliffs are temporary fixes.

“In the long run, there’s nothing we can do to hold back the Pacific Ocean,” said Griggs, 83, who has been teaching for 59 years. “Everything we do is a Band-Aid, and comes with different price tags and lifespans.”

Griggs was featured in Xia’s award-winning book “California Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline,” which explores the impact of sea level rise and community responses that range from denial to respectful intervention.

Precious ecosystems are under threat, Xia wrote, “trapped between rising water on one side, pavement on the other.” And multiple Southern California beaches that are “so deeply tied to the state’s heart and soul” could be lost.

I asked Xia what she thought about the rising threat this year.

“So many people think about the coast as a place — a place that doesn’t move,” she said. “But the coast in reality is a living dynamic process that changes every time a wave crashes ashore. That’s the heart of the issue — we’re fundamentally trying to impose permanence onto a space that is meant to be constantly changing.”

We haven’t been the best stewards of the planet, and maybe what’s happening now is a bit of a reckoning. From the first time I saw the California coast as a young lad on vacation from the hot interior, I think I understood that the truest way to love the sea was to fear and respect it.

I now have more fear and more respect.

And maybe, too, a deeper love.

steve.lopez@latimes.com

OUR Spotlight On column suggests what to do and see in the top holiday spots as well as some lesser known regions in the UK and further afield.

This week, we’re looking at Padstow, and, as someone who visits every year, this is THE time of year to visit.

In autumn, the heaving summer crowds have died down and you can actually enjoy the quaint harbour as it once was in its more peaceful days as a sleepy fishing town.

Famous TV chef Rick Stein moved here in his 20s, drawn to the waters from which he could pluck fresh seafood on a daily basis, and now owns four restaurants here.

Rick isn’t the only famous face to fall for Padstow, either – Fern Britton, Kate Hudson and even the royals have all openly spoken about their love for the Cornish region (I once spotted Dame Judi Dench shopping in Boots on the high street here).

Here are some of my other top tips.

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The famous Camel Trail weaves through rural countryside for 18.3 miles, starting at the edge of Padstow leading all the way to Wenford Bridge on Bodmin Moor.

The most scenic stretch, in my opinion, is the 5.5 mile section between Wadebridge and Padstow which follows the Camel Estuary up to the coast.

Walk it, cycle it, run it – take your pick. Bikes can be rented from the Wadebridge end, where there is also a little cafe serving refreshments.

HIDDEN GEM

You’ll likely find a fair few tourist pottering around Padstow’s narrow streets, among the pastel-coloured houses and boutique shops and cafes, but very few make the two mile walk to Hawker’s Cove, a secluded beach with sweeping ocean views and quiet sands.

Make sure to swing by the Rest a While Tea Garden, a makeshift cafe overlooking the sands serving classic Cornish cream teas and home-baked goodies.

At this time of year, you may have the whole beach to yourself.

BEST VIEW

The gorgeous Harbour Hotel in Padstow offers glorious views of the bay from its perch, high on a hill.

Its restaurant and bar terrace is undoubtedly the best spot in summer, with seats positioned to both catch the sunshine and overlook the water.

Order yourself a grapefruit margarita made from El Jimador Tequila, Cointreau, hibiscus, pink grapefruit and lime juice with a pink Himalayan salt rim, and watch the sun set beyond the horizon, behind the town of Rock.

RATED RESTAURANT

Prawn on the Lawn has two venues within Padstow’s central harbour – one slightly larger than the other but both pack a punch.

Make sure to reserve a table in advance of your visit, especially during half terms and school holidays.

Menus of sharing style dishes showcase seafood caught fresh from local waters and prepared by top notch chefs. Porthilly oysters cost from £4.50 each, while larger plates like seared tuna, soy, mirin and chilli cost £15.50.

For coffee and a slice of one of the grandest homemade cakes you’ll ever eat, pop to Cherry Trees Coffee House, whose wondrous desserts, topped with swirls of buttercream, take pride of place behind a glass counter.

BEST BAR

For cocktails that will knock your socks off, head to Ruby’s Bar, part of the Rick Stein chain, which sits behind a rather unassuming door on Broad Street.

It serves up all the classics, but with unusual twists.

The Foraged Martini, for example, is made from Iichiko Shochu (a Japanese spirit), sweet and dry sakes, and locally-foraged gorse flowers with shiitake mushroom oil.

The Old Custom House, on the other hand, is an old-school boozer serving up foamy pints of local ales.

HOTEL PICK

The 4* Harbour Hotel may look a little weathered from the outside (as you’d expect for an old Victorian building sat so close to the sea), but the inside is tranquil and perfectly reflects its seaside location.

Rooms are decorated in cool blue tones accented by white shutters on the windows – many come with fabulous sea views.

Rooms cost from £135 per night. See harbourhotels.co.uk.

IF you’re planning your 2027 holiday already, then you can get ahead of the curve with these 10 destinations.

A new report released by Expedia has revealed the trending hotspots for next year, which have seen a boom in searches.

Along with the soon-to-be-popular destinations, it also looked at other trends, such as set-jetting (destinations popular after being featured in films or TV shows) as well as ‘trip snacking’ which are shorter, sometimes only 24-hour, trips.

Called the Unpack ’27, Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin explained: “In 2027, travellers are being more intentional in choosing their next adventure, seeking experiences that are more personal and purposeful to them.

“We’re making it easier to discover, plan, and book the right trip, so travellers can spend less time managing the details and more time enjoying the moments that matter.”

Here are the 10 destinations set to be big next year.

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South Lake Tahoe, US

The destination that has seen the biggest jump in searches is South Lake Tahoe, up 195%.

This is one for the outdoor enthusiasts, thanks to its beautiful mountain ranges and huge lake.

It is a year-round resort, meaning it is great for hiking in the summer skiing in the winter.

Brits will need to fly to the main Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada, which requires a layover at another US airport.

Hyogo, Japan

Japan is on everyone’s lips right now, but ditch Tokyo and Kyoto for Hyogo.

The prefecture in the Kansai region has seen searches increase by 95%.

It’s main attraction is Himeji Castle, as well as its hot springs too and world-famous Kobe beef.

To get there, Brits can fly to Tokyo or Osaka, then hop on a domestic flight or high speed train.

Punta del Este, Uruguay

Nicknamed the St Tropez or Monaco of South America, searches to Uruguay‘s Punta del Este are up 65%.

This is where the rich and the famous often visit, with luxury beach resorts lining the beach visited by celebs such as Shakira and Naomi Campbell.

While it is mainly known for its resort like, with yacht clubs, casinos and nightclubs, make sure to visit the unusual La Mano, a huge human hand sculpture from the 1980s.

Flights here from the UK will require a stopover, most likely in Madrid or Brazil.

Sedona, US

The desert city of Sedona in Arizona is also booming in popularity.

With searches up 55%, the destination is most known for its huge red rock formations, which have hundreds of walking and hiking trails.

It’s unique landscape means it was also used to film a number of movies (mainly Westerns between 1940 and 1960), leading to it’s nickname of Arizona’s Little Hollywood.

Brits wanting to visit should fly to Phoenix Airport, then rent a car to drive there.

Busan, South Korea

KPop Demon Hunters, KBeauty and new Virgin Atlantic flights from the UK – it’s safe to say Korea is having a moment.

But outside of Seoul, the city of Busan has seen searches up by 50 per cent.

The second-largest city in the country, it is known for its huge sandy beach (best seen from the Busan X the Sky observation deck on floor 100) and the huge Lotte World Adventure theme park.

To get there, fly to Seoul from the UK then take the high speed train to Busan.

Holbox, Mexico

The tiny, car-free island of Holbox has been a popular destination with backpackers wanting to get off the beaten track.

But the Mexican island has since seen a jump in searches, up 45%.

Beautiful soft sand beaches, clean blue waters and colorful streets of graffiti and cheap tacos – what more could you want?

Fly to Cancun Airport, then take a bus and a ferry to get to the island.

Perugia, Italy

The only mainland European destination to make the list, Perugia has seen searches increase by 35%.

Found on the hilltop, the Umbria capital is one for the foodies, being famous for its chocolate (and annual chocolate festival).

There is also Jazz festivals, historic fortresses and beautiful architecture to explore as well.

It is super easy to get to as well – Ryanair have direct flights from London Stansted from £20.

The Tweed, Australia

Most people won’t have heard of The Tweed in Australia,

But searches for the New South Wales region have gone up by 35%, according to Expedia.

It is known for its river trails and national parks, sharing a border with Queensland.

This makes it easier to get to, with Brits needing to fly to Sydney of Melbourne followed by an internal flight.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada

The Ontario town, Niagara-on-the-Lake, has seen searches 35% up.

It is often said to be one of the region’s prettiest towns, and is where Niagara River meets Lake Ontario.

Expect Victorian architecture – it was built by Brits as a military defence – and unique ice wines.

Brits need to fly to Toronto Pearson Airport, followed by a drive to get there.

Chichester, UK

Bizarrely, the English city of Chichester made the list as well.

With searches up 30, the city is known for its 1,000 year old cathedral as well as its even older 2,000 year old Roman history.

It is also the only city in West Sussex, although remains one of the UK’s smallest with just 29,000 locals.

Here are 10 other destinations set to be big next year.