Is it feasible to rate the nicest beaches in the world? Of course not, because preferences vary depending on facilities, accessibility, swimming and water sports alternatives, safety, sense of place, relaxation, and scenery. Nonetheless, as a well-traveled individual who has walked on the sands of various beaches throughout the world, I give to you my top ten list of the world’s most stunning beaches. It should come as no surprise that the majority of these beaches are found in the world’s top beach resorts, ranging from coral to sandy and long to enclosed.
Unfortunately, these beaches are no longer a secret, and you will have to share their breathtaking beauty with a large number of other tourists. If you’re looking for peace, consider visiting one of the world’s most stunning (semi-)private hotel beaches or staying at one of the world’s most exclusive private island resorts.
Below the slide show, there is further information. Do you think I left one out? Leave a comment with your favorite beaches in the world, or take my poll below!
1. ANSE SOURCE D’ARGENT, SEYCHELLES
The blinding white sands of Anse Source d’Argent, one of the world’s most photographed beaches, stretch across La Digue, one of the 115 islands that make up this idyllic archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The beach sparkles against a backdrop of massive granite rocks that have been weathered by time. The turquoise water is great for swimming because an offshore barrier protects it from ocean waves. Be on the lookout for endangered birds and huge tortoises.
2. POLIHALE BEACH, HAWAII, USA
Polihale is without a doubt the most stunningly magnificent beach in the Hawaiian archipelago. This seemingly desolate 11-kilometer (7-mile) stretch of Kauai, one of the world’s most beautiful islands, is several miles from the nearest town and exudes a sense of enchantment and mystique that is still present in Hawaii today. The beach is only accessible via a poorly defined mud sugarcane road, therefore four-wheel driving is recommended (check with your rental car company for restrictions before heading out).
3. CAMPS BAY, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Not least because of the spectacular beaches on its doorstep, Cape Town is at the top of my list of the world’s most attractive cities. Camps Bay is not only the most popular beach in Cape Town, but it’s also the only urban beach in my top ten. Camps Bay has brilliant white sand set against the spectacular Twelve Apostles Mountain Range and Table Mountain. The water is a little cold due to Atlantic Ocean currents, but that won’t detract from the amazing surrounding landscape and world-famous sunsets.
4. MAYA BAY, KOH PHI PHI, THAILAND
On Thailand’s Koh Phi Phi, Maya Bay is a wonderfully gorgeous, secluded bay. It’s easy to see why filmmaker Danny Boyle chose this beach for the cult classic The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, with a ring of white sand bordered by mangroves and towering limestone walls draped in dense greenery. The bay’s main beach is around 200 meters (650 feet) long, with silky soft white sand and underwater colourful coral and unusual species in crystal clear water.
5. LONG BEACH, VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA
It’s not just tropical beaches that may leave you awestruck with their awe-inspiring beauty. Long Beach, the longest sandy beach on Canada’s Vancouver Island, is the best example, with breathtaking scenery and unrivaled maritime wilderness. Between Tofino and Ucluelet, within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, its 10 miles (16 kilometers) of virgin sand are surrounded by beautiful rainforests and washed by the cool pounding surf. Each spring and summer, 20,000 grey whales migrate up the coast.
6. BAIA DO SANCHO, FERNANDO DE NORONHO, BRAZIL
Baio Do Sancho is located on Fernando de Noronha, an active volcanic archipelago of 21 islands in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 220 miles (350 kilometers) off the coast of northeastern Brazil. The cliffs that surround the sparkling emerald lake and smooth white dunes are covered with vegetation and stand at a height of 250 feet (75 meters). Only a boat or a dirt track through a crevice in a rock wall with a few dozen uneven, slick-sandy steps leads to the beach. The beach is ideal for ray spotting and snorkeling.
7. WHITEHAVEN BEACH, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
The Whitsunday Islands National Park protects Whitehaven Beach, which is located in the center of the center Barrier Reef. Swirls of turquoise, blue, and green waves lap over Australia’s most famous beach, which spans 4.4 mi (7 kilometers). The sand is made up of 98 percent pure white silica, giving it a bright, nearly luminous appearance. You may get to Whitehaven Beach by helicopter or seaplane, or you can take one of the many yacht trips available in the vicinity.
8. GRACE BAY, TURKS & CAICOS
The Turks and Caicos Islands are made up of 40 islands and cays, with Providenciales serving as the principal tourist destination. Grace Bay, a 19-kilometer (12-mile) stretch of sugary sand and clear water flanked by a coral reef system with excellent snorkeling and diving, is located on the island’s northern shore. Unfortunately, in recent years, an increasing number of resorts and condo hotels have sprouted along the beachfront, so you might be better off these days on the more secluded hotel beaches of Amanyara or Parrot Cay.
9. NAVAGIO BEACH, ZAKYNTHOS, GREECE
On the Greek island of Zakynthos, Navagio beach is a small yet stunningly lovely sandy cove. It’s known as the Shipwreck Beach because it’s home to the wreck of the Panagiotis, which is thought to have been a smuggler’s ship. Thousands of tourists visit the area each year because of its towering limestone cliffs, white sand beaches, and beautiful blue ocean. The only way to get to the beach is by boat, but if you stand on the high side of the surrounding cliffs, you can view it from above.
10. TULUM, RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO
Tulum is distinguished by its closeness to some of Mexico’s most beautiful Mayan ruins: it is here that one of the world’s best cultural attractions collides with one of the world’s best beaches. Tulum’s ruins are an ancient walled city perched atop a rocky cliff overlooking a beautiful beach. The region is not quite secluded, with thousands of tourists visiting every day, but the wide expanse of white sand and beautiful turquoise Caribbean waters more than makeup for it.
