Who doesn’t love a beach? Everyone dreams of walking along a powder white beach with the sun beating down on their bodies before relaxing on a lounger and sipping on a cooling cocktail – has anyone shut their eyes yet and drifted off on their dream holiday? Well, if you are wanting to know where you need to travel to in order to make your dream a reality then read on. The world is home to thousands of beautiful beaches so choosing just ten hasn’t been easy and can be slightly subjective depending on what you think is a beautiful beach. My list consists of beaches that are fairly accessible to any traveller and cover most parts of the world but do come in no particular order as that then makes the list even harder to collate.
1. Reethi Rah, Maldives
What a place to start! The Maldives is home to some of the most stunning beaches on the planet and Reethi Rah is no exception. Due to most of the 1,200 islands that make up the Maldives only consisting of one or two resorts on each island, it is not hard to find an empty spot on this pristine white sand shoreline. The private island, only accessible to guests of the One&Only Reethi Rah resort, has its own time zone and sunsets that stretch on forever. The luxury island resort caters for families as well as couples making this the ultimate destination for any beach lover.
2. Whitehaven Beach, Queensland, Australia
Whitehaven Beach is consistently rated as one of the best beaches in Australia and the world. It sits on Whitsunday Island at the edge of the Great Barrier Reef and is accessible only by boat, seaplane, or helicopter. The beach consists of seven kilometres of glittering white silica sand and when the tides are changing it is well worth a look. As the water changes depth, the colours of blue change and swirl around the sand – it makes for a stunning photograph!
3. Miami Beach, Florida
One of the most beautiful beaches in America and famously known worldwide, Miami Beach is the name for 2.5 miles of beach and city located on the barrier island between Miami and Biscayne Bay. At the southern end is South beach which consists of powdery white sand, clear turquoise water, and a hot social scene. The beach itself is not just somewhere you can relax and then cool off in the water, but there are also plenty of water sports to get involved in as well.
4. Matira Beach, Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Surrounded by crystal clear waters, the French Polynesian isle of Bora Bora is what I can imagine paradise to be like. The ultimate honeymoon destination consists of white powder soft sand and turquoise blue waters lapping at the shore. Taking in an evening sunset is not to be missed while on the island either.
5. Shipwreck Beach, Zakynthos, Greece
Everyone has seen the picture, right? It has to be the most famous picture of a European beach there is and to miss it when on this short haul holiday destination would be a crime! Only accessible from the sea, Shipwreck Beach is one of the most gorgeous beaches in Greece. With towering cliffs that extend into the sea, this crescent shaped cove is the perfect location for a day trip. Its name comes from the ship that was wrecked on the beach, and parts remain today, in 1980 when attempting to smuggling contraband cigarettes.
6. Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos
Consisting of eight kilometres of white sand and backed by crystal clear turquoise water, Grace Bay beach is located southeast of the Bahamas. This area is an excellent snorkelling spot as the Bight Reef and Smith’s Reef, just off the coastline, are filled with living coral and tropical fish. Just make sure you keep an eye out for the resident bottlenose dolphin, JoJo. Declared a national treasure on the island, he calls this area his playground and has been known to swim happily with humans in the waters.
7. Nungwi Beach, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Situated on Zanzibar’s northern tip, Nungwi Beach is an intriguing beach destination. It comprises of pale coral sand with warm turquoise seas to finish it off. During the day the area is buzzing with restaurants, vendors, resorts, and water sports enthusiasts but by evening the sunsets here are just perfect.
8. Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
If you haven’t heard of this beach, then where have you been? One of the world’s most famous beaches, Copacabana Beach stretches for three miles and has an ocean on one side and modern skyline on the other. The beach is the main hub of Rio and is where you will find plenty of sunbathers alongside vendors selling food and drink, coupled with the energetic beach volleyball players by day and locals selling their wares by evening.
9. Railey Beach, Thailand
If you are up for a longtail boat adventure, then Railey Beach is definitely somewhere to visit. Only accessible by this mode of transport it is one of Thailand’s most beautiful beaches. Home to powdery, soft, white sand and a picture-perfect turquoise lagoon the beach is surrounded by giant limestone, dense jungle, cliffs, and caves. Very popular with honeymooners that enjoy a little more of an adrenaline filled location, they can rock climb, as well as swim through the underground caves to find secret lagoons.
10. Playa Conchal, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Considered to be one of the most exotic beaches on Costa Rica, Play Conchal is located in the north of Guanacaste province. This wonderful beach is just a stone’s throw away from Playa Flamingo and Tamarindo. The sand here is comprised of hundreds of millions of tiny, crushed shells and is a beautiful beach to visit year-round as it is bathed in sunshine for over 10 hours a day from December to April.
If this list hasn’t got you wanting to get next year’s holiday booked, then I don’t know what will! Whether it’s a quiet secluded beach you are looking for or something livelier where you can join in the activities or spend time with the locals there is a beach holiday location out there for you. If you would like to discuss this with me, please do not hesitate to contact me on 07903 737959 or email me on louisepeddelty@gocruiseandtravel.co.uk.
