Travel

10 BEAUTIFUL SHELTERED PLACES TO LOVE RIGHT NOW

Today we are sharing 10 beautiful places that we found where you can visit sheltered coves and caves for a Beautiful Shelter experience right now.

1. COVES OF CARVOEIRO -- PORTUGAL

Carvoeiro Algarve beaches are blessed with beautiful hidden sheltered coves. This quiet stretch of Portugal’s Algarve coast is a treasure. Cliffs rising up from the coves offer spectacular views. And the sunsets here are divine.

2. BENAGIL SEA CAVE -- PORTUGAL

Near Carvoeiro, is the breathtaking Benagil Sea Cave.

Sunlight streams through the collapse roof of the cave, illuminating the sheltered fine golden sand and circular inner grotto. The triple arch of the Benagil Sea Cave is a sight to behold for visiting kayakers and swimmers.

The cave is best accessed from the sea at low tide.

3. THE COVES OF IARAPUNA -- TASMANIA

Bay of Fires, also known as larapuna, sits on the Northeastern coast of Tasmania in Australia. The Bay got its name from English navigator Tobias Ferneaux in 1773, when he spotted the many fires of the Aboriginal campsites in coves along the coast.

The coves are edged with orange-colored granite boulders, thanks to a type of lichen that enjoys living here, further adding to the fiery feel.

The northern section of the bay is part of Mount William National Park; the southern end is a conservation area.

4. ELEPHANT ROCKS BEACH -- AUSTRALIA

Hidden away in Western Australia is the magnificent Elephant Rocks sheltered beach. It is part of the William Bay National Park.

It is named for the remarkable giant rocks that rise out of the sea in cove, which looks like a herd of elephants. Take your pick of a number of pathways where you can hike to see the herd from varied perspectives.

5. MELISSANI CAVE -- GREECE

Melissani Cave, near Karavomilos, Greece, is a unique geological phenomenon, known as a lacustrine cave. And it is a beauty.

The 40 meter wide cave was formed by a series of mechanical and chemical processes called “karstikopoiisi” (dissolution of rocks), where water enters the rocks and erodes them, creating hollows.

The incredible underground Melissanthi Lake, discovered by paleontologist Giannis Petrochilos in 1951, holds spiritual significance and was dedicated to ancient Pan and Nymph Melissanthi.

You can reach the sheltered lake via an underground tunnel by boat. You will be treated to magnificent display of majestic stalactites and blue-green waters.

6. MCWAY COVE -- CALIFORNIA

California’s McWay Cove has crystal blue water and golden sands, of course, but it gets extra kudo for the spectacular 80-foot tall McWay Falls that flows into the sea.

The Cove is part of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Monterey County. Sea otters and elephant seals, and sometimes even grey whales can be spotted hanging out in the mouth of the cove.

7. CALANQUES -- FRANCE

The Calanques are a series of spectacular white limestone and dolomite rock fjords extend over 12 miles between Marseille and Cassis along the France’s southeastern coast. With deep sheltered valleys and hidden coves, the Calanques offer incredible visual drama as well as unique ecosystems and microclimates.

It hardly rains in the Calanques, but moisture rising from the evaporation of salty seawater gives life to over 900 plant species. Among these are Mediterranean oak, Aleppo Pine, wild olive trees, criste-marine (a form of samphire), sea lavender, wild herbs including rosemary, thyme, fennel, and Marseille Astragalus. Rabbits, foxes, the ocellated lizard - the largest lizard in Europe - and Montpellier snake also call the Calanques their home.

The layered strata of the Calanques extends into the sea in the form of underwater valleys. The rock itself has been quarried for centuries and used around the world. The base of the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Suez Canal in Egypt, and lighthouses in Cassis use limestone from the Calanques.

When you need a break from outdoor adventure, check out the beautiful little villages tucked in along the Calanques, and visit the nearby city of Marseilles.

8. VIS ISLAND COVES -- CROATIA

Vis Island is one of the great hidden treasures of Europe. Dimpled with sheltered coves, its beaches are relatively untouched. Palm, pine, carob, and citrus trees add their own shelter to this magical place. The waters surrounding Vis are not overfished, as they are in much of Croatia, making this a wonderful place for scuba diving. You’ll see loads of exotics colorful coral, sponges and fish.

Catch a boat from the fishing village of Komiza to the beautiful Blue Grotto on tiny Bisevo Island. It’s not easy to get to Vis. It requires a long and circuitous drive and ferry ride.

9. NATURAL BRIDGE BAT CAVE -- AUSTRALIA

A river flows through an opening at the top of this shelter -- a bat cave in a gorgeous area called Natural Bridge, near Burleigh Heads, just off the Gold Coast of Australia.

When the sunlight peeks through the cave’s aperture, it reflects off the rich blue water and sheds light on the smooth rock of the cave. The stream lets out into the lush green sub-tropical forests of the Springbrook National Park, making for one of the most marvelous sights in the Gold Coast Region.

10. LULWORTH COVE -- UNITED KINGDOM

Lulworth Cove stands as the prime attraction of England’s Natural World Heritage Coastline. The Cove’s folding rock layers and evocative structure formed through 10,000 years of water erosion.

Enjoy the sheltered beach, but make sure you summon the energy for a fabulous cliff walk above and a stroll through the Fossil Forest.

A motor boat service into Mupe Bay offers you a holistic view of the remarkable coastline.

Enter your own images and ideas about Beautiful Friendships in this week’s creative Photo Competition. Open for entries now until 11:59 p.m. PT on 12.07.2014. If you are reading this after that date, check out the current BN Creative Competition, and enter!