There’s nothing quite like opening the front door, putting on your flip flops and feeling the sand. A beach vacation is always a great idea, and actually being “on the beach”, or mere steps away takes things to a whole new level. That privilege may be pricey when it comes to hotels, but we spent some time digging around Airbnb, and it turns out that beachfront digs in some amazing destinations aren’t nearly as expensive as you’d think. You just need to know where to go.

Wherever possible, we even stuck to the AIrbnb “Plus” collection, or Super Hosts, which offer hotel style amenities and standards for bedding, etc. Needless to say, these place are stunning, especially for the money. And the beaches… yeah, they’re alright too.

If you haven’t signed up for Airbnb, this link will get you money off your first rental.

Camps Bay, Cape Town, South Africa – $97 Per Night

Link: Camps Bay Studio

How does a big studio less than a minutes walk from iconic Camps Bay beach sound? This Airbnb Plus property puts you in one of the two most desirable Cape Town neighbourhoods close enough to dip your toes in before you’d run out of breath underwater. Oh, and it’s got a pool too…

Santa Monica, Los Angeles, USA – $130 Per Night

Link: Santa Monica 1br with ocean view

There’s nothing like watching the sunset over Santa Monica or Venice Beach. Perhaps it’s knowing that the might Pacific is all you can see in front of you, or the fact that the sun has never looked bigger, but it’s just the best. For $130 a night, you can literally watch the sun set from your own living room, with a place less than 400ft from the sand.

Santorini, Greek Islands, Greece – $143 Per Night

Link: Santorini luxury villa with pool

Ok, when we say beach, that may be a bit of a reach on Santorini, since it’s mostly dramatic and rocky cliffs, but you won’t care. This place has its own pool, is in the best part of Santorini in between the sandy coast and the rocky picturesque cliffs near the Caldera and Oia. Considering that most hotels go for over $500 per night, and give you much less space, there’s a lot to love with this ridiculous pad on Greece’s most beloved island.

Ipanema Beach, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil – $125 Per Night

Link: Rio 4 Bedroom Apartment

Ipanema is the gorgeous beach of Rio with a more low key feel than Copacabana. It’s also a better surf spot. With close proximity to the city’s best restaurants and beautiful walks, it’s an ideal place to stay. This place transforms the “travel is expensive” concept, with $125 per night apartment with not 1,2, or 3 – but 4 – bedrooms. That’s like $31 per bedroom, per night.

Nusa Lembongan, Bali, Indonesia – $69 Per Night

Link: Nusa Lembongan with beach views

Sometimes it’s good to have a reminder of just how reasonable incredible places can go for. Nusa Lembongan is a tranquil, idyllic getaway island just a 30 min boat ride from Bali, where people go to escape the world and enjoy the best of it. The view in the picture above is the actual view from this $69 a night one bedroom villa, but if you want even better, there are plenty more for a fraction of what a Bali hotel with an inferior view goes for…

Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia – $121 Per Night

Link: Bondi beach surf paradise apartment

You can’t beat the good vibes of Sydney, and there’s no district more laid back than Bondi, the place where surfers and rich hippies collide. It’s hard to believe that for $121 bucks per night, you can take in ocean views 24/7, but you can. Better yet, this one has two beds, so you can always split it with a friend. It doesn’t get much more iconic than Bondi, and this puts you on the beach.

Newquay, Cornwall, United Kingdom – $65 Per Night

Link: Newquay beach cottage with view

When people think UK, they think London, but wow are the missing out. The Southwest Coast of the United Kingdom is amongst the most beautiful in the world, with quintessential seaside pubs, world class beaches and Game Of Thrones style cliffs. There’s an abundance of perfect cottages built into the hillsides, and this one for under $75 per night is a perfect reminder (the photos are amazing) of why you should add this part of the world to a UK trip.

Ischia, Bay Of Naples, Italy – $150 Per Night

Link: Ishia seaside home with ocean waves

Ischia is an idyllic island off the coast of Italy, with easy access to Naples and the Southern coast. It’s pretty much heaven on earth, and unlike many other parts of this blessed boot, there are amazing Airbnb’s that won’t break the bank. Take, for example: this one. Two bedrooms, beach views and a totally secluded experience, in a part of the world you can’t help but come back to. Two bedrooms and three beds mean this deal can be even sweeter.

Koh Pha-Ngan, Thailand – $129 Per Night

Link: Thong lang bay amazing villa

You may have heard of Thailands famous full moon parties, and this is the island that made them famous. Yet at the same time, it can be more peaceful, secluded and gorgeous than most places you’ve ever seen. What does $129 a night get you here? How about a villa with 2 bedrooms and a view that feels like it’s worth a lot more. You can even hire a chef to come cook fo you.

Palma De Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain – $122 Per Night

Link: Calvia beach hopping paradise

You may know Majorca from hit TV show “The Night Manager” or has the home of Rafael Nadal. You may not however know it as an absolute bargain of a destination, which is especially true when you go Airbnb. This place has 2 bedrooms, 5 beds and plenty of space to stretch out, not that you’ll want to when you look outside. With these kinda views, it’s hard to stay inside.

Gilbert Ott

Gilbert Ott is an ever curious traveler and one of the world's leading travel experts. His adventures take him all over the globe, often spanning over 200,000 miles a year and his travel exploits are regularly...

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5 Comments

  1. Sorry but the Santorini listing is bogus. I checked many different dates between September thru next summer and the lowest price I got was 389 GBP per night plus, in addition to a cleaning fee, a ‘service fee’ of 190 GBPs. Not sure where you got these numbers from but this property at least is far from your quote.

      1. There is no default date. The site asks us to enter our dates. As stated, I tried many dates between this September through next summer and got nothing near the price quoted here. Not trying to be contentious here – I really want this to work.
        (and sorry but I accidentally created a new comment when what I meant to do was to respond to your response.)

  2. There is no default date. The site asks us to enter our dates. As stated, I tried many dates between this September through next summer and got nothing near the price quoted here.

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