the edit: MONTAUK

Montauk is the last stop on the Hampton Jitney line as one heads east along the south coast of New York's Long Island. The journey takes you past Southampton, Bridgehampton and East Hampton, all of which are renowned as manicured holiday destinations. However, it's not just the irresistible logic of geography that explains Montauk's current renaissance - those in the know have long appreciated the town's unique charms and atmosphere.

With a rugged and authentic country feel, Montauk has been regarded as the antidote to the sleek perfection of the Hamptons, and the excellent Atlantic surfing offered by the town's beach has encouraged a new generation of guys to make it their home over the summer. As such, there's a thriving youth scene, which has in turn inspired Montauk's current popularity among young New Yorkers: to accommodate this crowd hotels such as the Surf Lodge and Ruschmeyer's have opened, and the party scene grows and grows - most notably with the annual summertime Shark Attack Sounds bash, organised by photographer Mr Ben Watts.

The way local resident, surfer and musician, Mr Jimmy Buffett tells it, the town retains a unique appeal. As he explained to the New York Times, "It's still kind of a fishing village. It's the only place where you're riding a big wave and you come in and there's Christie Brinkley greeting you at the beach. That's not a bad place to be when you think about." It certainly isn't.