Corsica is home to some of the best beaches the Mediterranean has to offer. Vimeo user Emeric’s video highlighting the southern part of the island portrays some of the island’s beautiful landscapes. When it comes to Corsica, I believe that the island’s best features are the unnamed beaches hidden all over the island like little pockets of paradise. Imagine renting a bike and discovering these little gems of seclusion. As always, if you do find a hidden beach, be careful and keep in mind that there isn’t a lifeguard. I mean, c’mon, it’s a hidden beach after all. In case you are in need for a quick beach fix here are some beaches in the southern part of the island to check out:

If you are looking for white sands and clear water the obvious choice for you is Roccapina Beach. Be warned, if you are in Corsica during the high season keep in mind that this beach gets pretty packed.

Corsica’s “signature” beach would have to be Palombaggia. That being said, this beach is very popular and, once again, is busy during the summer months. Then again, to me it is a “must see” simply because of the beautiful palette of natural colors; turquoise water, white sands, green pines in a backdrop of red rocks.

Enough of the popular places already, where can you get all of the above with less people? Rondinara is the beach for you. It is less well known and the shallow waters here are also ideal for families with small children.

If you have access to a boat and are willing to really be blown away, check out the Lavessi Isles which boast some of the best untouched beaches thanks primarily to it being a part of the nature reserve. Outfitters are available to take you out on day trips.

Watch the original video here.

This is a great video of Jellyfish Lake in Palau. I’ve posted about these lakes in the past as they truly are natural wonders in their own right. This video by Vimeo user Sarosh Jacob seems like a video out of some science fiction movie. If you are wondering how he is able to swim with these jellyfish without being stung to death, that is because these jellyfish have evolved without the poison. In an enclosed environment filled with lots of nutrients and ZERO predators, there simply is no need for protection. You can almost think of these lakes as pockets of jellyfish utopia.

Jellyfish Lake by Sarosh Jacob

Notes from the creator – read the original here.

A little information on Jellyfish Lake…

Jellyfish Lake is located on Eli Malk island in the Republic of Palau. Twelve thousand years ago these jellyfish became trapped in a natural basin on the island when the ocean receded. With no predators amongst them for thousands of years, they evolved into a new species that lost most of their stinging ability as they no longer had to protect themselves. They are pretty much harmless to humans although some people with very sensitive skin may get a minor sting from them. If you are allergic to jellyfish you should wear a wetsuit or protective clothing.

These fascinating creatures survive by sharing a symbiotic relationship with algae that live inside of them. At night, the jellyfish go down to the depths of the lake where the algae feed on nutrients. During the day, the jellyfish come back to the surface and follow the sun across the lake in a massive migration. The algae convert the energy of the sun via photosynthesis into a sugar that feeds the jellyfish.

It is not possible to scuba dive in this lake because the nutrient rich layer at around 50 feet and below contains hydrogen sulphide which is highly toxic to humans. If a scuba diver was to swim in that layer, the toxins would enter the body through the skin and that exposure could be fatal. Snorkeling however, is perfectly safe and if you ever find yourself in Palau one day, you should make your way to this special place. The experience of swimming through millions of jellyfish is quite surreal and Palau is the only place in the world where you can do just that!

I hope you enjoy the video and thank you for watching.

Red one-piece swimsuits are no longer reserved for Baywatch / lifeguards.  Make an impact on the beach and check out these variations:

The relatively modest Plunging Halter Maillot by Anthropologie is available for $178. It’s out of my price range but still an interesting take on the Baywatch look. The high cut leg elongates the gams and de-accentuates thunder thighs, and the wrap creates/highlights an hourglass shape.

Plunging Halter Maillot - photo courtesy of Anthropologie

Since when did Victoria’s Secret swimsuits get so expensive?? They were usually the affordable go-to for swimwear. Just saying. This Carmen Marc Valvo – Retro One piece, $167, is super sexy with that neckline. The ruching hides that tummy but the leg… if you have slim hips it will look great but for those with shapelier hips/thighs, it might highlight the very area you want to mask.

Carmen Marc Valvo Retro one-piece - photo courtesy of Victoria's Secret

La Blanca’s Sweetheart One Piece ($122) is simple and sweet.

La Blanca sweetheart one-piece - photo courtesy of South Moon Under

Win! The most affordable clocking in at $88, is j.crew’s ruched and knotted twist front tank.  The removable halter strap, the universally complimentary sweetheart neckline and a normal cut on the leg makes this the overall winner for me.

j.crew ruched and knotted twist front tank - photo courtesy of j.crew

I think this is what inspired this my new obsession with red swimsuits. So cute and retro!

Photo courtesy of Cherry Blossom Girl

1. Make sure your camera is sealed in a watertight case.
2. Use anti-fog droplets on the lens before putting the camera in the watertight case.
3. Shoot parallel to the ground and lower. Don’t point your camera into the light! The light should always be to the side or behind you.
4. Have some kind point of reference so that we can tell where we are. This could be showing a hint of the ocean floor, a reef, the surface of the water above you, etc. Unless your motivation is to make a picture that feels like oblivion.
5. Adjust the white balance (if your camera model has this feature). Without it, the picture will come out very bluey-green. White balancing will tone that down to give you truer colors, which is great if you don’t have Photoshop or any other picture-editing software.

Photo credit: Wiki user Nick Hobgood http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reefscape.jpg

Check out National Geographic’s David Doubilet for some excellent underwater photography.