Whether they have blindingly white sands or are situated in the ideal location imaginable, the globe is genuinely home to an astonishing assortment of magnificent beaches, each more stunning than the last. While some may be located amid world-famous cities, others can be discovered on tropical islands or deep within national parks.
These stunning beaches must be seen to be believed, whether they are backed by magnificent rock formations, rocky cliffs, or softly swaying palm palms.
Is it possible to rate the greatest beaches in the world? Of course not, because tastes vary depending on facilities, accessibility, swimming and water sports alternatives, safety, feeling of peace, relaxation, and scenery. Nonetheless, having traveled extensively and having buried my feet in the sand of several beaches throughout the world, we bring you our selection of the world’s most stunning beaches.
1. Anse Source D’Argent
While Seychelles is well-known for its picturesque and luxury beach resorts, one name stands out above the rest: Anse Source D’Argent. On the island of La Digue, it is located. It is one of the most picturesque beaches in the world and has been in several travel publications.
Anse Source D’Argent, one of the world’s best beaches, with a winning combination of big granite rocks dotting the shoreline, pink sand beaches, and coconut trees. With warm Indian Ocean waves lapping at its shores, pristine and unspoiled nature everywhere around you, and exotic birds fluttering overhead, it truly is an island paradise unlike any other.
2. Tulum
Tulum, located on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, has one of the best-preserved Mayan ruins in the country and one of the nicest beaches. It was formerly the main harbor of the Mayan metropolis of Coba.
Tulum had constructed approximately 1200 AD, at a time when the Mayan civilization was already in decline and hence lacked the beauty of certain other notable structures. On the other hand, the tropical beach background makes this one of Mexico’s most popular tourist attractions and a photographer’s or artist’s paradise.
3. Whitehaven Beach
Whitehaven Beach in Queensland, Australia, is often ranked as one of the most beautiful beaches globally, and it’s simple to understand why. It spans seven kilometers and has some of the cleanest sand on the planet, with magnificent blue waves lapping at its isolated coves and lagoons.
The beach receives few tourists due to its secluded position in the Whitsunday Islands. You can relax on the sand, go kayaking, or have a BBQ with no one else around. Whitehaven Beach is only accessible by boat, helicopter, or aircraft and is located in the center of the Great Barrier Reef.
4. Maya Bay
Thailand’s Maya Bay has been one of the world’s most sought-after beaches since it was featured in the 1999 film The Beach. However, due to its popularity, Thai officials were forced to close the beach back in 2018 and constrain the number of visitors to 2,000 per day to safeguard and maintain the ecosystem.
Maya Bay, located on the island of Ko Phi Phi Le in the Andaman Sea, is a must-see. Maya Bay’s white sand beach and welcoming seas are surrounded and protected by high limestone cliffs, making it one of the most beautiful locations conceivable. Kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving are popular activities in the area.
5. Trunk Bay
Trunk Bay is a National Park beach on the island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands. The National Geographic Society has named it one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, attracting throngs of cruise ship tourists. The beach’s amenities include a snack bar, showers and facilities, a lifeguard, and, most notably, an underwater trail for snorkeling its coral reef.
6. Oludeniz
Oludeniz tucked away on the beautifully called Turquoise Coast of southern Turkey, is becoming an increasingly popular beach to visit as news of its tremendous attractions spreads. Oludeniz, which translates as “dead sea,” is known for its excellent snorkeling and scuba diving due to its tranquil, crystal-clear waters and diverse marine life.
While its long sandy beach is ideal for sunbathing, the stunning environment surrounding it is well worth seeing. The spectacular ‘Blue Lagoon,’ for which Oludeniz is famous, is a must-see, and many tourists go paragliding to enjoy the view of the beach from above.
7. Zlatni Rat
Zlatni Rat, also known as the ‘Golden Horn,’ juts into the Adriatic and varies form and length depending on the current, tide, and wind. The white pebble beach is located on the south shore of the island of Brac, just a short distance from the tranquil harbour town of Bol.
Zlatni Rat, which is frequently featured on the covers of travel publications worldwide, is one of Croatia’s most famous tourist attractions due to its spectacular scenery and brilliant turquoise seas. Lonely Planet rated it one of the top ten greatest beaches in the world in 2009.
8. Tapuaetai
Tapuaetai (One Foot Island) is a tiny islet in the Cook Islands’ Aitutaki atoll. It provides visitors with excellent views of the Aitutaki lagoon and, depending on the tide, allows them to stroll on a sandbank a reasonable distance away from Tapuaetai. The beach was selected “Australasia’s Leading Beach” at the World Travel Awards in Sydney in early June 2008.
9. The Baths
The Baths are located on the southern edge of Virgin Gorda, the British Virgin Islands’ third biggest island. Massive granite boulders are piled up on the shore, making beautiful tunnels and grottoes open to the sea and flood during high tide. The sandy beaches are bordered by tropical palms, which adds to the dramatic image.
10. Navagio Beach
Navagio Beach and the brilliant turquoise seas surrounding it are framed by dazzling white limestone cliffs that loom over its sandy coastline. The stunning beach on the Ionian Island of Zakynthos is routinely featured in vacation publications and Greece’s most attractive natural settings.
Despite being dubbed “Shipwreck Beach” because of the rusted shipwreck remnants that lie on its beaches, Navagio Beach is only accessible by boat. Skimming through the glistening seas towards the hidden cove is a wonderful experience; the view improves as you get closer.
11. Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos
The Turks and Caicos Islands comprise 40 islands and cays, with Providenciales serving as the principal tourist destination. On the northern shore, Grace Bay is a 19km (12 miles) paradise-perfect blend of sugary sand and clear water, surrounded by a coral reef system with excellent snorkeling and diving. Unfortunately, a growing number of resorts and condo hotels have cropped up along the beachfront in recent years so that you would be better suited these days on the more secluded hotel beaches of Amanyara or Parrot Cay.
12. Baia Do Sancho, Fernando De Noronho
Baio Do Sancho is located on the lonely island of Fernando de Noronha, an active volcanic archipelago of 21 islands in the Atlantic Ocean about 220 miles (350 km) off the coast of northeastern Brazil. Vegetation-covered 250-foot-high (75-meter) cliffs border emerald ocean and silky white sands. The beach is only accessible by boat or on foot through a dirt route through a crevice in a rock wall with a few dozen uneven, slick-sandy stairs. The beach is ideal for snorkeling and ray spotting.
13. Long Beach, Vancouver Island
It’s not only tropical beaches that may leave you awestruck with their awe-inspiring beauty. The longest sandy beach on Canada’s Vancouver Island, Long Beach is the greatest example, with breathtaking scenery and an unrivaled marine environment. Its 10 miles (16 km) of virgin sand are surrounded by thick rainforests and pounded by cold pounding surf, and it is located inside the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve between Tofino and Ucluelet. Each spring and summer, 20,000 grey whales travel along this coast.
