From a sublime stretch of remote Scottish coastline to the euphoria-inducing sands of Tulum in Mexico, these breathtaking beaches alone are worth the journey
The elements that determine the most beautiful beaches in the world likely vary by traveler. Some yearn for the sugary sand and crystal waters of the Caribbean, while others seek the unique beauty of lush foliage and water-worn rock formations dotting parts of the Mediterranean coast. No matter your specific beach taste, it’s safe to say that the aesthetics of the landscape play a big role in the enjoyment of a day sprawled on the shoreline. Below, AD travels to 39 of the planet’s best beaches, each possessing unparalleled characteristics that make visiting them a bucket list experience.
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Ora Beach, Indonesia
Located on the island of Seram, Ora Beach stands out among Indonesia’s variety of beautiful beaches for its seclusion and nearly untouched natural surroundings.
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Champagne Beach, Republic of Vanuatu
This popular beach destination is named for the unique shape of its coastline, which resembles a champagne flute. Populated mainly by Australian cruise visitors, the beach is known for its powdery sand and crystal clear waters, perfect for snorkeling.
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Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda
Boasting millennial pink sand and picturesque views, Horseshoe Bay is a photographer’s dream beach. For the adventurer, Horseshoe Bay is also known for its abundance of rock formations and hidden caves ripe for exploration.
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Whitehaven Beach, Australia
Protected by Whitsunday Islands National Park, Whitehaven Beach is 4.5 miles of unspoiled coastline located in the vicinity of the Great Barrier Reef.
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Cannon Beach, Oregon
Aside from a coastline filled with natural rock formations, Cannon Beach also plays host to tufted puffins that nest on Haystack Rock in the spring and summer months.
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La Playa Escondida, Mexico
This majestic hidden beach looks as though the lush grounds of Mexico were peeled back to reveal a small cavern of turquoise water and a white sand beach. The area is only accessible by swimming through an underwater tunnel, making this destination even more special.
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Usedom Island, Germany
While Germany may be a surprising place to find a beach at all, Usedom Island is a sunny spot in the Baltic Sea filled with picturesque seaside towns and naturally wild beaches.
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Hanauma Bay, Hawaii
This protected beach is now a nature preserve and a Marine Life Conservation District, due to the impact of tourist traffic in years past. The area is closed to visitors on Tuesdays to allow fish to feed freely without interruption.
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Race Point Beach, Provincetown, Massachusetts
This quintessential New England beach has been the scene of more than 3,000 shipwrecks. The sandbars that sit several hundred yards off the coast would cause ships to run aground and break to pieces before reaching its destination.
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Driftwood Beach, Georgia
Located on the north end of Jekyll Island, Driftwood Beach got its name from it’s driftwood-filled shoreline, which came from trees that have fallen into the ocean due to erosion. This particular beach is a popular site for photographers looking to capture an eerie image of the “tree graveyard.”
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Pebble Beach, California
Follow the scenic 17-mile drive between Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea to experience the coastal hills and sandy beaches of Pebble Beach.
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Anse Intendance, Seychelles
Set up against a lush mountain backdrop, Anse Intendance is located on the largest island in the Seychelles, Mahé.
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Sardinia Emerald Coast, Italy
Named for its emerald-green waters, the Emerald Coast beaches are the epicenter of any Italian holiday. The area is surrounded by luxurious shops and hotels, but leave time to explore one of Sardinia’s famous stone towers that date back as far as 3500 BC.
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Navagio Beach, Greece
Navagio Beach is nicknamed “Shipwreck Beach” for the rusted ship named Panagiotis that crashed on its shore, which was thought to be smuggling cigarettes. The iconic image of a ship run ashore quickly drew tourists to the stunning coastline.
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Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland
Deviating from the powdery white sand beaches of the Mediterranean, the black pebbly shores of Reynisfjara Beach are accented by the sea stacks towering just off the break.
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Nacpan Beach, El Nido, Philippines
Located on the island of Palawan, Nacpan Beach is a secluded stretch of coastline in El Nido just a stone’s throw from the Nagkalit-kalit Waterfalls. The tropical beach is famous for its cream-hued sand and crystal-clear shallow waters that make kayaking a stunning experience.
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Pfeiffer Beach, California
The famous Keyhole Arch is the most recognizable landmark on the wild shores of Pfeiffer Beach, located in the lush beauty of Big Sur National Park. Though this beach can be hard to find, its seclusion makes it that much more desirable.
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Étretat Beach, France
This rocky beach may look eerily familiar as it served as inspiration for impressionist painters such as Monet, Manet, and Boudin. The beach is best known for its variety of natural rock formations, including the most famous, “L’Aiguille,” meaning “the needle.”
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Zlatni Rat, Brac, Croatia
Often referred to as the Golden Cape or Golden Horn for its unique shape, this Croatian island beach is one of the most popular destinations on the Adriatic Sea for sunbathers. Swimmers should be cautious as the tide is notoriously strong.
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Coffee Bay, South Africa
This beautifully natural beach is seemingly untouched by the surrounding 250-person population. The bay received its name from the plethora of coffee trees that dot the area.
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Essaouira, Morocco
This late 18th-century beach town is as historical as it is beautiful and has attracted creatives since its fortification. Fun fact: Jimi Hendrix is rumored to have written “Castles Made of Sand” about Essaouira.
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Ibo Island, Mozambique
Likely the most remote beach on our list, Ibo Island is often referred to as “the edge of nowhere.” The tiny island has a rich history as a popular Muslim port, which was then fortified in the early 1600s by the Portuguese. Ruins from those times are still present on the beaches today.
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Baía do Sancho, Brazil
While enjoying the luminescent waters and ivory sand beaches, make sure to take notice of the extinct volcano, Morro do Pico, that sits just offshore along with subsequent rock formations.
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Parque Tayrona, Colombia
This national park is a treasure on Colombia’s shores. While frequented by tourists, any local will be quick to recommend it. Parque Tayrona is one of the few protected beaches of the area and is known for its rainforest and palm tree–shaded beach.
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El Castillo Beach, Tulum, Mexico
Surrounded by ancient ruins, Tulum is the ideal destination for a balance of beach perfection and cultural enlightenment. In recent years, the area has become inundated with tourists, so to get the perfect spot under a palm tree, arrive no later than 8 a.m.
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Siorarsuit Beach, Greenland
While the shores of Greenland are not the ideal place to hang out in a bathing suit, the country is home to some of the most spectacular coastline in the world. The dark sand Siorarsuit Beach is located on Disko Island and has a panoramic view of the surrounding flat top mountains.
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White Beach, Boracay, Philippines
True to its name, the shores of White Beach are nearly translucent against the deep-blue ocean waters. Take relaxation to the next level and indulge in an inexpensive hour-long massage right there on the beach.
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Las Salinas, Ibiza, Spain
Located at the southern tip of the island is the vibrant Las Salinas beach, which is perfect for the tourist looking for a lively atmosphere. Should you want to explore your exhibitionist side, there is a quieter nude patch of beach just a short walk away.
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Kaiteriteri Beach, Nelson, New Zealand
The golden coastline of Kaiteriteri Beach is the entryway to New Zealand’s stunning Abel Tasman National Park. Whether looking to spend all day in the sun or mountain bike through one of the park’s famous trails, this beach has something for every visitor.
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Sandwood Bay Beach, Scotland
This remote beach does not have roads leading to its pristine shoreline—visitors have to hike five miles to catch a glimpse of its unspoiled beauty. The beach stretches a mere mile long and is the subject of many local legends due to its seclusion.
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Tapuaetai Beach (Cook Islands)
Nicknamed “One Foot Island,” Tapuaetai is part of the Cook Islands, and one of 22 islands within the Aitutaki atoll. The small islet is known for its powder-white sand beaches, turquoise water, and stunning views of the surrounding lagoon.
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Anse Source D’Argent (La Digue, Seychelles)
Besides gorgeous views, the most notable feature of Anse Source D’Argent is the giant granite boulders that jut out of the sand just inches from the shoreline. The beach is so picturesque that it is often used as a shooting location for advertising campaigns.
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Scoglio di Monterosso (Cinque Terre, Italy)
One of the five villages that makes up the Cinque Terre, Monterosso Al Mare has become increasingly popular among travelers as the only one with sand beaches large enough to spend a day splashing in the sea or tanning in the sun. One of Europe’s most famous beaches, azure blue water complements the colorful umbrellas that dot the landscape, all providing a striking contrast to the massive black rock formation that rises from the sea.
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Tunnels Beach (Kauai, Hawaii)
Perhaps nowhere in the United States is as famous for its beautiful beaches as Hawaii. But when imagining the islands’ stunning natural beauty, many may unconsciously picture Tunnels Beach on Kauai, which is reportedly the most photographed beach in the state. Set on a crescent-shaped bay, the beach is known for its shelling, snorkeling, scuba diving, and other water sport opportunities.
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Glass Beach (Fort Bragg, California)
Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California, demonstrates that even the most unattractive thing can be turned into something beautiful. The site along the Pacific Ocean was once a trash dump, but over time, the bottles and other glassware were broken down into colorful glass “sand.” Though sea glass is still abundant, the supply has diminished significantly over the years as people have taken pieces home, which is technically illegal.
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Ipanema Beach (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Perhaps not as famous as Rio’s Copacabana, Ipanema Beach also received worldwide fame following the hit song “The Girl from Ipanema.” The chart-topping bossa nova record from the mid 1960s is partly responsible for the beach’s far-flung recognition, though the breathtaking natural beauty is also a notable factor.
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Elafonissi Beach (Crete, Greek)
There are certain colors you come to expect to see at beaches: blue from the water, white in the sand, maybe green from nearby palm trees. But at Elafonissi Beach in Crete, make sure to add rosy salmon to the list. The unique pink sand beaches are said to get their distinct coloring from Foraminifera shellfish, which leave behind red shells that are eventually crushed and mixed in with the sand.
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Maya Bay (Phi Phi Ley, Thailand)
Sheltered by 328-foot cliffs, Maya Bay is one of the most popular beaches for a getaway in Thailand. The stunning spot, sparkling with soft white sand and clear blue waters, was also famously used in the film The Beach, which Leonardo DiCaprio starred in.
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The Twelve Apostles (Victoria, Australia)
Though there have only ever been nine limestone stacks—and there are currently only eight after one collapsed in 2005—these unique rock formations in Port Campbell National Park were named the Twelve Apostles for their notable proximity. The dramatic limestone cliffs were formed over millions of years through gradual erosion and are a stunning complement to the golden sand.
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