Each nation has a government department or office whose job it is to advertise that nation's areas of interest and to provide encouragement and support to potential visitors. When you are researching your beach vacation, visit these offices' web sites or contact them to get fairly comprehensive lists of beaches, accommodations, restaurants, shopping, and other local attractions. National tourism offices will also provide helpful information such as local weather, exchange rates, numbers for local government and law enforcement, and any medical, political or other alerts that travelers should consider. National tourism offices can also be a great resource once you have arrived, usually offering brochures, tour recommendations, and even coupons and other discounts. Do remember, though, that tourism offices exist to market their country, so while their information can be helpful, it is not necessarily objective.
