南帕德里岛，美国得克萨斯州 South Padre Island, Texas (© Jeff R Clow/Getty Images)

南帕德里岛，美国得克萨斯州 South Padre Island, Texas (© Jeff R Clow/Getty Images)

一望无际的天空 An endless stretch of sky

南帕德里岛，美国得克萨斯州

南帕德里岛位于得克萨斯州墨西哥湾海岸的近海几英里处，是该州最大、最长的堰洲岛。像南帕德里岛这样的堰洲岛通常与海岸平行，是大陆抵御风暴的第一道防线。南帕德里岛通过一座大桥和大陆相连，每年都有成千上万的游客来岛上游泳、划船、钓鱼、放风筝，或者惬意地躺在沙滩上晒太阳。另外，岛上还分布着各式各样的精致沙堡，这些引人注目的沙堡由世界各地的艺术家创作而成。

South Padre Island, Texas

Located a few miles offshore on the Texas Gulf Coast, Padre Island is the largest of the state's string of barrier islands. At 113 miles in length, it is also the longest barrier island in the world. Barrier islands usually run parallel to the coast and, as the name suggests, serve as the mainland's first line of defense against storms.

Since the Port Mansfield Channel was built in the early 1960s, Padre Island has been split into two parts, South Padre Island, pictured here, and North Padre Island. Connected by a bridge to the shore, the resort town of South Padre Island draws in thousands of visitors every year for swimming, boating, fishing, or simply lounging on the beach. Others come for the trail of elaborate sandcastles scattered across the island, created by professional artists.