There’s no getting around it, Costa Rica is the hottest destination to visit right now. Not only does it offer staggering biodiversity, this eco-friendly destination boasts one of the best beaches in the world. This tiny beach is covered in crushed seashells, wrapped around a turquoise bay. Paradise.
The clue’s in the name, really. Think turquoise waters, the softest white sand and sparkling views over Nigaloo Reef, famed for its whale sharks. It’s every bit as beautiful underwater too, with coral gardens teeming with marine life. Spend the morning snorkelling then stretch out in the sun for a truly blissful beach experience.
3. Grace Bay – Turks and Caicos
This pristine beach is the shining jewel of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The entire beach is just over 3km long, with no pollution – just pure, white sand and clean water. A barrier reef found a 1.6km out protects Grace Bay from the ocean swells of the Atlantic, so you can swim with ease.
Famed for its quartz-crystal powdery sand and soft lapping waves, you’ll find it close to impossible to leave this beautiful beach. But when you do, you can enjoy the delights of its lovely, laid-back beach town too and nearby Siesta Key Village.
Holbox has only appeared on most people’s travel radar in the last few years, but we still think its sandy stretches are Mexico’s best-kept beach secret. There are crystalline lagoons, lush mangroves and reams of powdery white sand. It’s one of Mexico’s best spots for snorkelling too.
El Nido is a cluster of 45 islands just off the tip of Palawan, which is famous for its Secret Lagoon. Swim through a hole in the limestone rocks to enter a hidden bay with crystal clear water, white sandy beaches and tropical jungle.
San Fruttuoso might not have swaying palm trees or rolling sand dunes, but it does have a Benedictine monastery. It’s an intimate pale pebbled beach, squeezed between turquoise waters and lush mountains. Like most of the best things in life, you’ll need to put a bit of legwork in to enjoy it though.
G7 put the global spotlight on Cornwall last year and this year the region has seen sky-high bookings. Despite the crowds, Pedn Vounder is still one of the UK’s most beautiful beaches. Combining crystal clear blue water and white sand, it’s proof that you don’t need to hotfoot to the Caribbean for tropical island inspired getaway.
Boulders Beach is more famous for its inhabitants than its sandy stretches. A whole colony of as many as 3,000 African Penguins nest on the beach. The best time to see them is during the summertime. The cool, clear False Bay water and rock pools are an added bonus.
If tropical beaches aren’t your thing, be sure to visit this beautiful black sand beach in Iceland. With enormous basalt stacks that rise out of the sea and unusual black sand, this is an unforgettable beach.
Stretching across 7 kilometres, this brilliant white silica sand beach is among one of the purest in the world. The largest of 74 islands in the Whitsundays, the island is right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. As well as being one of the world’s most unspoiled and beautiful beaches, the sand doesn’t retain heat, so it’s a fantastic place to walk barefoot, even on a hot day.
The Golden Horn is the most spectacular of all Croatia’s beaches. It’s not just its shape that makes it so beautiful and unique. The pebble beach is surrounded by crystal clear sea, that goes from turquoise blue to dark blue in just 10-20 meters.
Puerto Rico is hardly short on powder white sand beaches, but this black sand beach is one of the most dramatic in the world. It’s a short hike to get to this secluded spot but it’s well worth the effort for *those* views.
It’s one of the most photographed beaches in the world, but that doesn’t make it any less magical. Beloved for its shallow warm waters and shimmering sand, you’ll need to walk through the old L’Union Estate coconut plantation to access the beach.
Madeira frequently ranks as one of the world’s most beautiful islands, so it should come as no surprise that it’s home to one of the world’s most beautiful beaches too. This 9km- long golden beach boasts crystal clear, azure warm waters backed by rolling sand dunes.
This Insta-famous beach is all over social media. No one knows quite how the pigs got there since Big Major Cay in the Exumas is uninhabited and pigs aren’t native to the island, but there’s no doubt about it – they’re here now! You can book a day trip boat ride to see this beach’s pristine waters and swim alongside piglets.
Named after the 1983 shipwreck, this secluded cove is one of Greece’s most photographed beaches, for good reason. The remnants of the boat sit in the centre of the huge white sandy beach, lapped by turquoise waters and backed by soaring cliffs. It’s only accessible by boat, with trips lasting 30 minutes.
Hyams Beach is just three hours south of Sydney, but between its pine forests and white sands, it feels worlds apart. It’s an excellent spot for snorkelling, thanks to its gentle waves, and it’s popular with stingrays too. Keep an eye out for playful dolphins for the ultimate photo opp.
Keem Bay is a breathtaking rural and sheltered beach surrounded by cliffs on Ireland’s largest island – Achill Island. Its gleaming white sand rivals tropical islands and the water is superbly clear.
You won’t believe the green of the Sea Grass Bay’s coastline. This jaw-dropping bay at a luxury private resort island in Fiji is on a tropical jungle section of the island, with lush vegetation and wild growing coconuts as a natural backdrop to the white sandy coastline.
