From the wild white sands of Noordhoek to the people watcher’s paradise of St Tropez, our Ultratravel top 10 covers all bases.

Anse Victorin, Seychelles: The sand is white, soft and so fine that it squeaks when you step on it Photo: Getty Images

Gardner Bay, Isla Espanola, Galapagos Islands: The only way to access this mile-and-a-quarter of white sand is with a National Parks ranger

Noordhoek, Cape Town, South Africa: The Atlantic here is strong and cold – but it is a magnificent stretch of sand on which to ride horses Photo: Getty Images

Mnemba Island: Of all the small islands to stay on, Mnemba is one of the most romantic Photo: Getty Images

Fernando de Noronha, Brazil: Set in a marine reserve 200 miles off the mainland, this island has long white beaches that are fabulous for walks Photo: Getty Images

Wineglass Bay, Tasmania, Australia: The trek there and back can take three hours but It is worth it for the pure sand and the pale sapphire water Photo: Getty Images

1 Pink Sands, Harbour Island, Bahamas

Most regular visitors to the Bahamas declare Pink Sands one of their favourite beaches – and our panel of Ultratravel writers and experts voted it the best in the world. The attraction, says Nina Buesing, who photographed wild horses there, is not just its colour – a soft pink that turns salmon in the setting sun, due to the thousands of shells that have been pounded into fine sand. You can also walk for miles without bumping into anyone.

Other bonuses are the water quality (“pristine, like Evian, albeit saltier,” according to Buesing), the gently sloping beach, safe snorkelling and sheltered swimming – plus the two “chic shack” hotels (one by Barbara Hulanicki , founder of Biba; and The Landing, tastefully designed by India Hicks) that pull in A-list celebrities by the boatload.

The Landing (00 242 333 2707, www.harbourisland.com ) is offering rooms from £125; Pink Sands (00 242 333 2030, www.pinksandsresort.com) has rooms from £302, based on two people sharing.

2 Anse Victorin, Fregate Island, Seychelles

The sand is white, soft and so fine that it squeaks when you step on it; the colour of the sea shimmers from aquamarine to diamond, then sinks into a deep inkiness with pockets of turquoise in which to snorkel; and the gently sloping forest behind is alive with tropical birds, including the rare Seychelles black paradise flycatcher.

Best of all, some of the most beautiful boulders on earth are scattered across the dazzling white sand: huge orbs of pink granite, framed by lush palms and tropical skies. This place is almost kitsch in its perfection, and well worth the walk through the forest from the luxury of Fregate’s 16 private villas.

Fregate Island Private (00 49 6102 50 13 21, www.fregate.com); from £950 per person per night.

3 Pampelonne, St Tropez, France

Not much has changed since the days of Colette, the French novelist who rubbed shoulders here with Matisse and the Prince of Wales. “Two hundred luxury cars driving toward the port at five in the afternoon,” she wrote in Prisons et Paradis (1932 ). “Cocktails, champagne on the yachts in the harbour…”

While still oozing sophistication, Pampelonne attracts more flash cash than blue-blooded royalty. Bill Gates anchors his superyacht offshore, while P Diddy and Beyoncé pop corks among bejewelled friends lunching at Le Club 55 . Women in crystal-studded thongs and Gucci flip-flops parade the shores. The sand is clean, the sea is blue – but Pampelonne is more about the scene, and being seen, than it is about scenery.

Hotel Byblos (00 33 4 94 56 68 00, www.byblos.com); rates from £250 per person.

4 Noordhoek, Cape Town, South Africa

This isn’t a swimming beach – the Atlantic here is strong and cold, with monster waves – but it is one of the most magnificent stretches of white powder sand on which to ride horses. There are more than four miles of the stuff, punctuated only by dunes and pieces of driftwood.

The Imhoff Equestrian Centre (www.horseriding.co.za ) leads two-hour rides twice a day on the beach, on which you might pass a couple of dog-walkers or hikers. For the most part, though, the sands are empty – providing perfect galloping conditions.

The most stylish place to ease aching muscles is the newly renovated Hout Bay Manor hotel, decorated with bundles of panache by the local interior design company Cécile & Boyd’s.

Hout Bay Manor (00 27 21 790 0116, www.houtbaymanor.com); rooms from £120.

5 Wineglass Bay, Tasmania, Australia

There are only two ways of getting to this beach in the Freycinet National Park : by boat and on foot – and the foot option isn’t easy. The trek there and back, through the towering Hazard Mountains, can take three hours – with a steep 40-minute climb. It is worth it, however, for the pure sand, the warm, sheltered, pale sapphire water and the birdlife – ranging from white-bellied sea eagles to New Holland honeyeaters.

Camper & Nicholsons (020 7009 1950 , www.cnconnect.com) hires out the 112ft charter yacht VvS1, sleeping eight, from £40,000 a week.

6 Vixen Point, Prickly Pear Island, BVI

Ask serious yachties where in the Caribbean they would like to moor for a day, and they will often say Prickly Pear Island – declared a National Park in 1988. The sand is pale, the natural woodland acts as a windbreak, there are no rip currents, and the gently sloping sand allows bathers to immerse themselves in the sea slowly. Vixen Point is close to Necker, Branson’s island hideaway – the ideal base for a day trip here, if money is no object.

Necker Island (0800 716 919, www.neckerisland.com) costs £24,000 per night for up to 26 guests.

7 Mnemba Island, Tanzania, East Africa

Of all the small islands to stay on, Mnemba is one of the most romantic. It is tiny, taking half an hour to walk around, but it has everything: coral gardens on one side, crashing waves on the other and creamy white sand the consistency of flour. Because the interior is pine forest, you are serenaded by the cooing of doves as soon as you walk off the beach where turtles also come to nest. The only inhabitants are the staff of Mnemba Island Lodge, plus the 20 or so guests.

Mnemba Island Lodge (020 8133 1592 , www.ccafrica.com); from £380 per person, all inclusive.

8 Gardner Bay, Isla Espanola, Galapagos Islands

The only way to access this mile-and-a-quarter of white sand is with a National Parks ranger – and for good reason. The shoreline is home to sea lions, marine iguanas, turtles, pelicans, boobies and 10,000 pairs of waved albatrosses that nest on the island between April and November.

Visitors are allowed to snorkel and swim by day – briefly – before decamping to M/Y Grace, the yacht given by Aristotle Onassis to Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier as a wedding present. It now cruises the Galapagos with up to 20 guests.

Cazenove + Loyd (020 7384 2332, www.cazloyd.com) offers seven nights on board M/Y Grace as part of a 10-day holiday in Ecuador and the Galapagos. Prices start at £3,265 per person, based on two sharing and including flights.

9 Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, South America

Set in a marine reserve 200 miles off the mainland, this island has a strict eco-policy: only a few hundred visitors are allowed each day. Its beaches are lively near the small villages, empty in the surrounding nature reserves. There is an extinct volcano, with cliffs plunging to the sea and sea pools formed from its craters.

The long white beaches are surrounded by waters thronging with barracudas, rays, giant turtles, 14 species of shark and pods of up to 600 dolphins. This is the place for fabulous beach walks – particularly from Praia do Cachorro to Sueste (where footballers and surfers hang out at sunset, caipirinhas in hand) and along the sands of Praia do Leão, where turtles nest.

The charming Pousada Maravilha, with eight rooms looking out to sea, has 40 staff – so you are guaranteed to be looked after.

Dehouche (0871 720 4779, www.dehouche.com) can reserve rooms at Maravilha for £500 a night.

10 Emerald Bay, Pangkor Laut, Malaysia

This island, three miles off the west coast of Malaysia, has pale aqua waters, fine golden sand and emerald-green rainforest rising behind the bay. Its 300 acres are privately owned, so the place is not overrun with tourists – and a real effort has been made at conservation.

The marine reserve nearby supports 3,000 types of sea creature, from hammerhead sharks and stingrays to parrotfish and clownfish, plus 500 species of coral. A bonus is the popular Chapman’s beach bar, for refreshing long drinks such as passionfruit smoothies and fresh coconut juice.

Pangkor Laut Resort (00800 9899 9999 , www.pangkorlautresort.com); room rates start at £163, based on two people sharing.

If you happen to have extra budget, do check out the place… the news is from telegraph.co.uk.

Here is a news about Underwater World Langkawi that I found from the nets.

Walking with penguins
ALAN TEH LEAM SENG
NST, 9 Oct 2007

Apart from the keepers, visitors are rarely allowed to enter the penguins’ enclosure in Underwater World Langkawi. ALAN TEH LEAM SENG is thrilled to be able to walk right up to the birds

THEY look like respectable gentlemen dressed in their best tuxedo suits. And the females are truly lucky for their partners stay loyal for life!

“They” are the adorable penguins in Underwater World Langkawi, housed in a RM33mil building opened two years ago. It is set up with a tropical rainforest, temperate and sub-Antarctic eco-systems. There is also a three-dimensional theatre with seating capacity for 200 people.

Passing Check Points
I was given the honor of entering the penguins’ sanctuary, a privilege indeed as not many visitors were allowed to get so close to these fragile birds. When I entered the enclosure, the African penguins practically ignored me! Perhaps they could tell, instinctively, that I was a stranger. Turning their noses at me, they made a beeline for their familiar keepers instead. They raised quite a loud ruckus while doing so.

“They must be ravenous,” I thought. After all, it was feeding time.

Together with the Rockhopper variety kept in a separate enclosure nearby, these birds are the pride of Langkawi, attracting tourists from all over in droves.

Entering the enclosure was no easy task. I had to pass several “check points” to decontaminate my shoes and then, just when I thought I was “clean” enough, I was told to don special gear, gloves and a facemask.

The procedures are very strict and it seems that every effort has been taken to ensure that these animals are not exposed to micro-organisms that might put their health at risk.

I learned that since they came from another part of the world, exposure to our local germs might prove lethal as the birds lack the necessary resistance to overcome the pathogens.

Once my entire body was covered and considered “clean”, the huge door, resembling the entrance to a deep freezer, swung open and I quietly trooped in behind the keepers.

Feeding Time
It was pure joy to see the birds lining up to get their daily sustenance. I tried handing a fresh sardine to a penguin, but it merely took a sniff and walked away. I tried to tempt another but my efforts proved futile. Defeated, I had to be contented with observing the animals from afar.

After a short observation, it dawned upon me that each bird had its own feeding preference. Some wanted to be hand-fed while others preferred the keeper to throw their food to them, catching the “flying” fish in mid air!

I hurriedly put my newly-acquired knowledge to the test. I threw a medium-sized fish to penguin No. 3 which it skillfully caught in mid air and swallowed in one gulp. I was delighted! A bird then walked close to me and I soon had it eating out of my hand!

Regulations require two handlers to enter the enclosure at feeding time. While one feeds the birds, the other keeps tab on their feeding patterns.

I learned from resident veterinarian Dr Syahar Amir Abd Gani that proper records were kept and the birds put on a strict fish diet to keep them in optimum health. Keepers insert multivitamin pills into the gills of the fish to supplement the penguins’ diet. An adult penguin consumes up to 500g of fish, either sardine or mackerel, daily. Feeding times are at 11am and 3pm daily.

Relaxing, Penguin Style
Once the penguins have had their fill, they would slowly waddle away and dive into the pool for a truly relaxing swim. As I left the enclosure, I turned around for a last glimpse of the wonderful birds before the giant airtight door closed again.

To date, the Underwater World Langkawi has a total of 28 African Penguins. Eleven eggs were laid in-house and the first one hatched on March 17, 2006. Also known as the Black Footed Penguins, these birds breed twice annually, laying two eggs each time.

When To Go
Underwater World Langkawi Sdn Bhd is located in Pantai Cenang, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. Tel: 04-955 6100, fax: 04-955 6103, email: enquiries@edenzil.com, website: www.underwaterworldlangkawi.com.my

The public is not allowed to enter the penguin enclosures but can watch from outside. The best time to be there is at feeding times. The keepers only enter the enclosures twice daily at 11am and 3pm to feed the penguins, unless there is an emergency, like a sick bird. The more often they enter, the higher the risk of contamination, which is something they try and avoid at all costs.

Milestone in penguin breeding There is great excitement as a Rockhopper Penguin egg is hatched here for the first time

AN important milestone was achieved on Sept 9, 2007, when the country’s first Rockhopper Penguin chick was hatched at the Underwater World Langkawi.

Although it had successfully bred 11 African Penguin chicks since last year, its marketing and communications executive, Siti Raudhah Shaari, said the recent achievement is notable as the Rockhopper Penguin is more difficult to breed and successful breeding in captivity is rare.

Two days later, another egg hatched and at the time of writing, the Underwater World Langkawi boasts of two Rockhopper chicks, with more eggs due to hatch in the coming months. Resident veterinarian Dr Syahar Amir Abd Gani attributed the success to good penguin husbandry management practiced there. “We have a very strong team that really cares for the penguins,” he said.

The Rockhopper Penguin is the smallest of the crested penguins, with an average height of 47cm and body weight of 3kg. They live on small islands in sub-Antarctic waters surrounding the vast Antarctic Continent. The Rockhopper Penguins at Underwater World Langkawi came from Tristan de Cunha Island, South Africa.

Unlike the cave-like nest of the African Penguin, Rockhoppers build nests in open spaces — a collection of twigs, coral chips and pebbles with a depression in the centre.

Rockhopper Penguins choose their own mates and are loyal to each other for life! They have one breeding season annually and normally lay one egg. Occasionally they would produce two eggs over three to seven days. During the incubation period, the male sits on the egg while its mate hangs around the nest or swims nearby.

Syahar said they knew the chick was going to hatch as it began to pip a day before and literature mentioned that penguin chicks hatch within 48 hours. “We could see a tiny hole made as it pecked its way through the shell,” he said affectionately.

The newly-hatched chick was active and looked hungry. A thorough check-up conducted by the penguin team found it to be in good health.

Chicks are born black on the dorsal part, white on the ventral part and has a white coloration on its beak. They are completely different from African Penguin chicks which are entirely grey in color.

Syahar hopes the population in Underwater World Langkawi will continue to grow. “We hope to share with others our unique experience in successfully breeding this difficult and rare species in captivity,” he added.