As a child I didn’t have truly good memories of the beaches in Singapore. My sister and I often developed huge painful welts on our upper arms and always thought it was because we were allergic to sea water.
We didn’t realise how polluted our beaches were probably from the oil and refuse dumped by ships that make us a port city. In the 70’s I don’t think rules on pollution were that stringent.
Now that I’ve experienced the beauty of beaches in Australia, I love them so much.
Nothing better than a beach walk in the cool kinder weather.
In Malaysia too, sitting by the shore of the beach and letting the waves just lap over us. Had a wonderful experience with my sweet friend S in Langkawi before the Tsunami ruined the fine sand beaches.
At that time it was zero sun protection and carefree. The only annoying part was sand getting stuck in our swim suits and it was a pain to wash.
It’s why my sister is not fond of beaches even today. She is more keen on shopping, but for me a holiday is not worth the hassle without the joy of nature. My ideal holiday is pure nature, history, museums and unique cuisine. A few trinkets, especially gifts for the little ones is what makes my heart sing. Spas are great too.
I especially seek the serenity you’re hard pressed to find in Singapore.