“Only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is merely dust and hotels and baggage and chatter.”-John Muir
People always want to go out of the station on holidays to relieve stress and get away from work for a short period of time but bring everlasting memories with them. Nothing is more memorable than a vacation with family. There are many places to go for a vacation. Where should one go for a vacation? There are many options to choose from.
The most common places people choose taking a vacation are either the mountains or the beaches. Although the beach spots and the hill stations are similar in many ways such as both are family vacation destinations, associated with variety of fun activities, attractive and exciting, with variety of sceneries, and fulfill expectations of a perfect holiday destination, they differ in various aspects such as climate, location, age and personalities of the people who dwell there, foods, flora, and fauna, etc.
Apart from the several differences between vacationing at the beaches or in the mountains, the major difference is the climate. In mountains, where the forestation is extremely thick, the altitude is very high, the air is crisp, and the temperature is often cold, sometimes freezing cold in contrast to warm, often kind of hot, humid weather of the beaches. However, the warm climate is one of the most striking features of the beach due to the endless ocean and low altitude.
“Sun” and “Fun” are two most accurate words that describe the beaches, whereas fresh healthful mountain air along with mighty mist and fantastic fog is responsible for mesmerizing experiences. People usually prefer to have bathing suits and loose fit cotton clothes like shorts, t-shirts, skirts, slipper, sunglasses, etc. during their activity at the beach in comparison to woolen clothes, insulated jackets, thermal wear, snow boot, etc. generally used by people who vacation in the mountains.
The second difference between vacationing at the beach or in the mountain is the location and its beauty. Geographically, mountains are usually found in the northern area of a country in contrast to beaches that are generally located in the southern part of a country. Rocky Mountains of Canada and the great Himalayan Mountains of India are archetypes of hill station holiday, while Acapulco and Cancun beaches are epitomes of the beach holiday. The beautiful landscape, gorgeous mountains, often snow white peaked summit, deep inspiring valleys, freshwater streams, and sparkling waterfalls make mountains perfect holiday destination.
On the other hand, infinite ocean, soft sand, whispering waves, and chilling sun are equally good places at beaches to enjoy. Many travelers write frequently about the beauty of the sunrise from the mountains while the sunset is deemed prestigious on the beaches. Flora and fauna are where the mountains move ahead of the beaches. While beaches offer only marine plants and animals which are often difficult to spot as they are underwater, the mountains have a better visible biodiversity.
The beaches offer marine life such as corals, algae, weed, beautiful fishes, mammals like dolphin, etc., in contrast to mountainous forest with innumerable species of plants and trees, beautiful alpine zone, amazingly beautiful flowers, meadow, Timberline, various trees, awesome avian life and distinct wildlife animals which provide a unique experience for nature lovers. It is uncommon to find seafood in usual multi-cuisine continental dishes of mountains in contrast to beaches where the seafood is extensively and widely available and making heaven for seafood lovers.
Furthermore, introverted, balanced, mature, self-centered, calm, composed, romantic, thoughtful, and peace-loving people prefer mountains, while extroverted, active and highly energetic, socially interactive, carefree and cheerful, materialistic, and adventurous people like beaches. The beach people are extroverts who are more prone towards the hip and happening beach life.
On the other hand, the mountain people are introverts prefer the peace and quiet of mountains and natural surroundings where they can just be themselves. Beach people are generally active and highly energetic in their daily lives, whereas people who love mountain vacations are more of balanced travelers who love to be around nature. As far as social behavior is concerned, a beach person is observed to be more of a social butterfly, in contrast to a mountain person who chooses to be a mountain monk.
While the beach person may be very carefree and cheerful in nature, the mountain person may appear to be very calm and composed. In terms of activities, one can experience mountain climbing, hiking, skiing, etc., on the mountains, while on beaches, people get engaged in activities such as swimming, water sports, playing volleyball, music, nightlife, etc.
To summarize, both the beach spots and the hill stations are perfect family destinations for vacation, but mountain dwellers are introverted, mature, and romantic as well as there is a certain feeling of climate calmness and high biodiversity that beach most definitely lacks. As John Ruskin said, “Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery.” It does not matter what place a person decides to choose. The fun, leisure, relaxation, and everlasting memories are guaranteed. People choose one of these two options to spend their vacations depending on their preconceptions of enjoyment.