Calm, clear water and a 225-yard-long Underwater Trail for superb snorkeling are big draws, as are hiking trails up and into the surrounding greenery. Read more.
Australia is known for its spectacular beaches, including this stunning colored beach on Fraser Island. The entire island is World Heritage-listed for being the largest sand island in the world. Read more.
Lopes Mendes is two miles of unspoiled, deserted, powder-white sand that leads to some of the world’s clearest, most crystalline waters. Read more.
Blinky Beach boasts requisite powder-white sand and azure waters. Behind it, you’ll find tall dunes dotted with prickly spinifex and wild daisies. Read more.
Of the 33 pristine beaches on Anguilla, Barnes Bay seems to have the softest sand imagineable (no rocks or shells) and far fewer crowds than at hopping Sandy Ground or resort-heavy Shoal Bay East. Read more.
North of the Sofitel towards the airport, Temae has a famous surf break but is still safe for swimming off one of the widest stretches of sand in all of French Polynesia. Read more.
Horseshoe Bay has a hidden secret – Port Royal Cove – with shallow water perfect for young kids, and dramatic rock formations that compliment wonderfully soft, pink sand. Read more.
Lined with tiny stalls selling shell souvenirs and jewelry under rows and rows of palms, it's relative emptiness and laid-back atmosphere is paradise imagined. Read more.
Jaw-dropping views of the rugged, jungle peaks of neighboring Phi Phi Leh island, great snorkeling, and a laid-back vibe contribute to the overall attraction of Long Beach. Read more.
The mile-long stretch of silky, powder-white sand slopes gently into a shallow emerald lagoon, and is backed by a thick curtain of palms and tropical foliage. Read more.
At the bottom, you’re rewarded with a mile-long black volcanic sand beach bordered by 2000-foot cliff walls and backed by thick rainforest. Read more.
Young, attractive surfers and paragliders make this one of the coolest beaches in all of Brazil, the beach is only 16kms east of the attractive town of Florianopolis. Read more.
A long, thin stretch of perfect sand and crystal clear water in a thousand shades of blue, make this one of the Caribbean's top beaches. Read more.
The beach scene is a bustling one year-round on the mile-long stretch of sea and sand that inspired one of the most famous bossa nova ditties of all time. Read more.
One of the world's best places to watch big wave surfing in winter, the water here becomes as calm as a lake in summer and is a great place for snorkeling. Read more.
Think cumin-colored sand bordered by soaring, vegetation-cloaked cliffs—and, most times, not a soul in sight. Read more.
The beach is long and broad with velvety sand and shocking blue water, and it's fringed with swaying palms and leafy takamaka trees. It’s also framed by enormous granite boulders on either side. Read more.
Known collectively as "The Pearl of the Indian Ocean" Bazaruto is most easily reached by air from Johannesburg to Vilanculos, and then onward by small aircraft or boat. Read more.
With its jet-black shore, lapis lazuli waters and thick, jungle-like foliage, Honokalani Beach is a photographer’s dream. Lie lazily on the “sand”—actually made up of of tiny lava pebbles. Read more.
Set around dramatic limestone formations, El Nido boasts the finest and whitest sand you’ll ever see. The water is so blindingly blue it makes the Caribbean Sea look murky in comparison. Read more.
