Best Unknown Beach Spots

Unknown beach spots have a special charm to them. Of course, some beach vacations are also about nightlife, and for good nightlife you need crowds of revelers. The main charm of the unknown beach spot is exactly the opposite. Instead of seeking revelry, the unknown beach spot vacation is all about thin crowds, peace and quiet. Finding an unknown beach spot isn't easy, since "unknown" means it is a relatively well-kept secret. These four are some of the best unknown beach vacation spots.

1. Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam

Phu Quoc is Vietnam's laid back alternative to crowded Nha Trang. Despite being labeled by ABC News as the cleanest and most beautiful beach destination in the world, Nha Trang continues to be an unknown beach spot track because of the extra effort it takes to get there. The island is off the southeastern tip of Vietnam, and most tourists prefer to avoid the extra flight or ferry ride needed to get there. Visitors to Phu Quoc will find themselves sharing the island with the locals, some vacationing middle class Vietnamese, plenty of examples the local breed of hunting dog, but very few foreigners. The island also offers a mix of budget, mid-range and upscale accommodations, which is unusual for an unknown beach spot.

2. The Corn Islands, Nicaragua

Frommer's described the Corn Islands as "one of the best kept secrets in the Caribbean" and as a place of "unspoiled beaches and vibrant coral reefs, a friendly, low-key paradise that's largely undiscovered by the globe-trotting hordes." All that beauty combined with the lack of crowds comes at a price, however. Accommodations and restaurants are simple and basic, so this is not the place to expect to combine lazing by the beach with a battery of full spa treatments. Still, it is a thinly traveled, unknown beach spot.

3. Porto Covo, Portugal

The problem with European beach vacations is "unknown" usually means "bad." An unknown beach spot is usually in a chilly climate, polluted, and/or marked by dangerous currents. Not so with Porto Covo. The place has the same warm, sunny weather Portugal is famous for, the waters are placid, and the area remains still off-the-map for most of the European beach crowd. The secret is gradually getting out, but it should be several years before the place starts to draw in crowds like the Algarve or Peniche.

4. Koh Tonsay, Cambodia

Koh Tonsay, or "Rabbit Island," is the unknown beach alternative to Thailand or Cambodia's own Sihanoukville. The island is set across from Kep, which before the Khmer Rouge was the getaway destination of Phnom Penh's well-to-do. The King still has a house there, but otherwise it remains a sleepy, unknown beach spot. The problem is that the town beach isn't much to speak of. For that, you need to go to Koh Tonsay. The island itself has beautiful beaches, but accommodations are in thatched huts and therefore essentially like camping. Those who demand more luxury can stay in Kep and travel out to the island by boat, while those who don't mind roughing it can stay on the island itself.

Sources: Personal experience; frommers.com/micro/2010/10-untouched-island-escapes/the-real-deal.html;