Love Song to Seaside — Ballads of Seaside Towns

In ‘Destination of the Week,’ part of “Pitch by Letter,” the travel newsletter published by Pitch by Pitch, we introduce new or unfamiliar places to travel. For travelers who love the beach, we have picked out six seaside towns from the destinations we have featured so far. They range from hidden corners of Japan to an island that could make your island-life fantasy come true. As you read, you may start to hear the sound of waves in your ears.

Words Pyo Youngso

Looking for a Hidden Gem in Japan? Try the Amakusa Islands

Last year I visited a small island in Japan’s Amakusa Islands (天草). Lying off the western coast of Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu, the archipelago is made up of more than 120 islands, large and small. Its total area is 1,000 square meters, and Kamishima (上島) and Shimoshima (下島) take up the largest share. Nagasaki is usually the first place that comes to mind when people think of Christian heritage sites in Japan, but the Amakusa Islands were also visited by foreign missionaries early on. Western-style churches scattered across the islands stand in contrast to the modest fishing-village scenery of these remote isles, making them an unusual attraction. The waters are also a habitat for wild dolphins, so dolphin-watching cruises are popular, and visitors can enjoy marine activities such as fishing, scuba diving, and snorkeling. Most islanders still make their living from fishing, and the coastal areas facing the calm inland sea are especially active in farming sea bream, yellowtail, and kuruma prawns. The mild climate also makes the islands a major producer of citrus. Kamishima, Shimoshima, and Oyanoshima (大矢野島) are connected to the main island of Kyushu by bridges, and both flights and regular passenger ferries operate. Other islands can be reached by ferry. If you are curious about Goshoura, an island you can reach by water taxi from Minamata Port, pick up Pitch by Magazine Issue 12.

If Singapore Alone Isn’t Enough, Try the Riau Islands

“The 26 Best Places to Travel in August” was one of the headlines in a 2023 article from the British travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler. It introduced hidden destinations around the world, from Zakynthos in Greece’s Ionian Islands to Isla Holbox off the northern Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, and Šibenik, where you can enjoy the charms of Croatia while avoiding the crowds of Dubrovnik. Among them, one place on the list caught my eye as a good match for a trip with Singapore: the Riau Islands (Kepulauan Riau).
Part of Indonesia, the Riau Islands consist of many islands scattered between the Malay Peninsula and Borneo. Bintan, Batam, Rempang, and Galang are the best known. Bintan and Batam in particular are less than an hour from Singapore by ferry, making them favorite nearby getaways for Singaporeans. Prices are lower than in Singapore, and visitors can relax in peace at beach resorts with long stretches of white sand. Travelers also like that they can experience two countries on one trip. If you dream of a more private island holiday, turn your eyes to the Anambas Islands, about 320 kilometers east of Batam. Small islands dotted across the sea, each cradling a turquoise lagoon, are known as places to enjoy marine activities and a tropical atmosphere. In 2013, CNN even named the Anambas Islands the ‘best tropical islands in Southeast Asia.’ They are connected to Bintan and Batam by ferry and by air.

When Wildfire Hits an Active Volcano, Tenerife in Spain

Last year’s wildfires were unusually alarming. As drought and high temperatures persist and strong winds and lightning become more frequent, the number and scale of wildfires are surging around the world. The biggest reason, as tiresome as it is to say, is the climate crisis caused by global warming. More than 1,000 wildfires across Canada damaged an area far larger than South Korea, and the fires on the Island of Hawaii and Maui burned for nearly two weeks.
On Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, an unprecedented wildfire also forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate. Tenerife is the largest and most populous island (about 900,000 people) in the Canary Islands, which lie off the northwest coast of Africa. Thanks to their mild climate and distinctive natural environment, the Canaries are a popular holiday destination in Europe. Teide, the active volcano rising at the center of the island, is the highest peak in Spain and the third-highest active volcano in the world, at 3,715 meters. Teide National Park, which surrounds the volcano, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The island’s main city, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is famous for hosting one of the largest carnivals in the world, and the southern coast, with its long sandy beaches, is crowded with vacationers and packed with bars, clubs, and resorts. The fire, which broke out on the island’s northeast coast, blocked the road to Mount Teide, but the major tourist sites were not greatly affected, and the island’s two airports kept operating normally, which is something to be thankful for. If you are curious what the island’s active volcano looked like before the fire, look up photographer Park Shinwoo’s work ‘Active Volcano of the Canary Islands’ in Pitch by Magazine Issue 9.

A Tourist Tax Is the Measure of a Popular Destination! Olhão in Portugal

As the tourism industry recovers after the pandemic, more and more popular destinations are introducing tourist taxes. Barcelona keeps raising its tax, and Valencia and Venice are reportedly planning to start charging one in 2024. Some destinations introduced a tourist tax for the first time in 2023, and Olhão, a small town on Portugal’s southern coast, is one of them.
Located in the Algarve region, Olhão is a popular holiday spot where you can experience a traditional Portuguese fishing town. A lively waterfront, clean beaches, and restaurants and cafés bustling with locals tempt travelers, and as you wander the old town lined with whitewashed buildings influenced by Moorish architecture, you may be reminded of North African cities across the sea, such as those in Morocco or Tunisia. This year Olhão began charging visitors a tourist tax. It is the third in the Algarve, after Faro and Vila Real de Santo António. From April to October, visitors to Olhão pay 2 euros per night (1 euro between November and March), and the money goes toward making the town cleaner and safer and minimizing the impact of tourism on the local community. If you are willing to pay the tax and spend a night in Olhão, plan your trip to include a weekend. The farmers’ and fish market held every Saturday morning is the best sight in town.

Inishmore, Where Your Island-Life Dream Could Come True

In June 2023, the Irish government announced a policy called ‘Our Living Islands.’ Its aim is to support some 30 island communities not connected to the Irish mainland, making them truly ‘living’ islands. People who relocate to an island can receive up to €84,000 (about 117 million won). There are, of course, a few conditions. Recipients must buy a home built before 2007 that has sat vacant for at least two years, and the money must go toward renovating the property. Still, for anyone who dreams of building a completely new life on a remote island, it’s not a bad opportunity. The candidate islands stretch along Ireland’s west coast, from Toraigh (Tory Island) in the far north to Cléire (Cape Clear Island) at the southern tip. One of them is Inis Mór, the filming location for the eerie film “The Banshees of Inisherin” (2022), set in a remote Irish island village. (Inisherin in the film is a fictional island; the movie was shot at various locations on Inis Mór and Achill Island.) With an area of 31 square meters and a population of about 760, Inis Mór is the largest and most populous of the three Aran Islands in Galway Bay. Many travelers come to see Dún Aonghasa, a prehistoric fort perched on a dizzying 100-meter-high sheer cliff. Would you like to ponder the meaning of life and how to live it, like the film’s two protagonists, against the backdrop of the island’s distinctive landscape of rugged coastline, limestone-covered fields, and low stone walls? You can apply on the website.

Grenada, the Caribbean’s Rising Destination

Have you ever heard of Grenada? It was named one of Condé Nast Traveler’s “Best Places to Go in the Caribbean in 2024.” JetBlue recently launched direct flights from Boston, following New York, and Air Canada has begun operating four direct flights a week between Toronto and Grenada. The first Six Senses resort in the Caribbean is scheduled to open in 2024, and an InterContinental hotel will rise right next to it in 2025. The name may be unfamiliar to us, but in North America it clearly seems to be a destination on the rise.
Made known to the world when Columbus came upon it in the 15th century, Grenada is one of the island nations in the eastern Caribbean, along with Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. It is the world’s largest producer of nutmeg and is known as the ‘Spice Isle.’ Its varied nature, including beautiful beaches, rainforests, mountains, and waterfalls, is the main reason Grenada is also drawing attention as an eco-travel destination. Visitors can enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities and adventures, from diving to hiking. The best time to visit is August, when Spicemas, the island’s biggest event, takes place. During the festival, parades and a wide range of other sights and entertainment fill the island.