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Shipwreck Beach, Zakynthos, Greece
Photograph: Shutterstock

The best beaches in the world

Sun, sea, beach and serenity, what added could you ask for? These are the world’s actual finest stretches of bank in 2023

Written by
Sarah Medina
&
Ellen Himelfarb
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Beaches. What added needs to be said? They’re picture-perfect definitions of paradise, beauteous spots of acreage area the alone appeal is a abode to lie bottomward (and a appropriate bit of sunscreen coverage, of course). There is a accumulation feel to the these places that is readily apparent, but no two beaches are the same. Attributes aloof doesn’t do it like that. Secret coves are every bit as bewitched as added acclaimed contemporaries, arbiter close paradises the according of burghal equivalents. Beaches are arresting things, and these are the best this admirable planet has to offer.

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Best beaches in the world

Shipwreck Beach | Zakynthos, Greece
Photograph: Shutterstock

1. Shipwreck Bank | Zakynthos, Greece

Known as Zante to those in the affair scene, the Greek island of Zakynthos draws crowds every year to its belled Laganas strip. But you'd be behindhand not to aberrate off the band and assimilate some of the best admirable beaches in the world, including Ambush Beach. Alone attainable via boat, Ambush boasts white cliffs, azure amnion and Zakynthos Abyssal Esplanade – home to glace seals and adeptness turtles. 

Discover the best things to do in Greece

 

Hanalei Bay | Kauai, Hawaii
Photograph: Shutterstock

2. Hanalei Bay | Kauai, Hawaii

One of Hawaii's lesser-visited islands, Kauai is home to beauteous beaches. Amid on the island's arctic shore, Hanalei Bay is the better bay in Kauai and offers added than two afar of bendable white sand, a calm bay, and a aerial backdrop. The bank is rarely crowded, and in the summer, the bay offers accomplished ballast for sailboats, angle up paddleboarding and swimming.

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Hyams Beach | New South Wales, Australia
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3. Hyams Bank | New South Wales, Australia

Three hours south of Sydney, the ache backwoods genitalia to acknowledge the quintessential Australian white-sand beach. Snorkelers won’t be pummelled by after-effects as they paddle up to the Hyams Point attractive for stingrays. But they may feel the ripple from a pod of active dolphins. Backpack a barbecue and booty the shady, half-hour White Bank Airing to the barbecue tables at Greenfield Gully.

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Anse Source d’Argent | La Digue, Seychelles
Photograph: Shutterstock

4. Anse Antecedent d’Argent | La Digue, Seychelles

If La Digue, Seychelles’ aboriginal inhabited island, had a penny for every screensaver of Anse Antecedent d’Argent… The prototypal bucket-list bank is the ultimate point of Seychelles travel, with clandestine niches amid the boulders and the clearest baptize on earth. From here, you can backpack over the hills (and through bank surf) to Anse Marron, area accessible buoy-like boulders embrace the cove, creating a pool.

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North Bay Beach | Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
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5. North Bay Bank | Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Grace Bay Bank on Providenciales (Provo for short) is one of those incredible Caribbean beaches that gets bashed on billboards and screensavers akin (and alike gets called the best in the world, depending on the year). You'll acquisition bright water, arenaceous beach and a colourful apricot beach aloof allurement to be explored. Paddleboarding, windsurfing, kayaking, parasailing, jet-skiing, and baptize skiing are all accepted pastimes, but we acclaim aloof adequate on a anhydrate and assimilation in the sun. 

 

Cala Llombards | Majorca, Spain
Photograph: Shutterstock

6. Cala Llombards | Majorca, Spain

Majorca’s rugged bank is a allowance to cliff-jumpers, and this angular southern anchorage has a bouldered plateau at every height. If the abstruse is out, it hasn’t been translated from Spanish. Mostly locals arch here, accepting a blast, whether they’re accomplishing the leaping or artlessly watching from the beach. With all the aureate sand, aureate bean and aureate skin, every #nofilter photo looks ample in sepia.

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El Matador State Beach | Malibu, California
Photograph: Shutterstock

7. El Matador Accompaniment Bank | Malibu, California

Small and bedeviled by bouldered outcrops, El Matador may not fit your archetypal abstraction of a bank day in Los Angeles—but it is far and abroad SoCal’s best admirable beach. Abrasion shoes and don’t accompany too abundant gear; the western Malibu atom is alone attainable via a abrupt abrasive path. And should you access aboriginal or late, you'll be adored with a memorable aurora or sunset.

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Llandudno Beach | Cape Town, South Africa
Photograph: Shutterstock

8. Llandudno Bank | Cape Town, South Africa

If you can’t acquisition a appropriate bank in the fantasy mural of the Western Cape, abashment on you. But you’d be forgiven for missing Llandudno. Biconcave out of the Twelve Apostles abundance range, the atom of beach block surreptitiously amid two attributes affluence south of Cape Town. Back the dusk chasers arrive, backpack your tote and chase the antiquated aisle 30-minutes south to alike added abandoned Albino Bay.

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Marimegmeg Beach | Palawan, Philippines
Photograph: Shutterstock

9. Marimegmeg Bank | Palawan, Philippines

What’s there to do at this aboriginal beach? Dive and, er, dive. It is the Philippines, afterwards all. And added than 100 breed of angle beam about sunset-coloured apricot – forth with acceptable nudibranch and the odd awkward dugong (native molluscs and mammals, to the uninitiated). Angle up with one of the 20 diving apparel stationed forth the El Nido bank for your circadian fix. 

Discover the best things to do in the Philippines

Barafundle Bay | Pembrokeshire, Wales
Photograph: Shutterstock

10. Barafundle Bay | Pembrokeshire, Wales

Wales has some admirable beaches, arguably the best in the UK, and those in the apperceive will point you in the administration of Pembrokeshire for the best of the best. Barafundle takes the accepted biscuit, attainable alone by a attractive half-mile airing and account every bead of diaphoresis expelled forth the way. The calm baptize is safe for bathing, and the tranquillity of it all makes for a absolutely admirable experience. 

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Arco Magna | Calabria, Italy
Photograph: Shutterstock

11. Arco Magna | Calabria, Italy

A blink and you’ll absence it allotment of paradise in Calabria, Arco Magno is appealing abundant as arcadian as it gets. It looks for all the apple like it was corrective by a maestro, an abundantly agreeable amplitude that will accomplish the stresses of the avant-garde apple achromatize abroad in balmy baptize and affectionate seclusion. That bean accomplished is article abroad entirely.

Ipanema | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photograph: Shutterstock/Andre Luiz Moreira

12. Ipanema | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Cariocas are hardcore, and they’re what accomplish this aureate bank such a trip. They bisect the bank into territories: jocks here, surfers there, hippies, gays and exhibitionists in between. Accept your tribe. Aloof accumulate in apperception the bound amenities. If you can’t booty the calefaction after a battery and algid drink, book a auberge abaft the Portuguese-tiled boardwalk.

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Elafonisi | Crete, Greece
Photograph: Shutterstock

13. Elafonisi | Crete, Greece

Yes, that bank is pink. The aflush hue of this attractive bank in southwest Crete has become article of a amusing media superstar, but don’t alike anticipate about actuality contemptuous about that. Elafonisi is so abundant bigger in being that it doesn’t absolutely deserve the discussion, so go advanced and book your flight to Crete already. Accumulate an eye out for the white sea daffodils back you access too. 

Railay Beach | Krabi, Thailand
Photograph: Shutterstock

14. Railay Bank | Krabi, Thailand

A few spa hotels accept tucked themselves amid the approach forests of Krabi, but they haven't baby the agreeableness of Railay Bank – flashier crowds prefer Phuket anyway. The stalactite-dripping limestone cliffs that bookend Railay’s wisp of a bank accomplish it aloof by road, and the bank bay precludes annihilation beyond than a longtail baiter from advancing in. Appoint one from adjacent Ao Nang for abutting to nothing, again get thee to a hammock.

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Siesta Beach | Siesta Key, Florida
Photograph: Shutterstock

15. Siesta Bank | Siesta Key, Florida

As its name implies, Siesta Key is the place to relax. The all-embracing beachfront rarely feels overcrowded, and the accomplished quartz-crystal white beach stays air-conditioned to the touch, so be abiding to dig your anxiety in whilst account your favourite magazine. Backpack your acknowledgment with your developed beverages (no glasses allowed), and should you feel the charge to apply yourself, kayaks and paddleboards are accessible for rental.

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Praia da Rocha | Algarve, Portugal
Photograph: Shutterstock

16. Praia da Rocha | Algarve, Portugal

The Algarve deserves added account from accustomed travellers, and spots like the alluringly aureate Praia da Rocha are a case in point. This is area attributes and breeding amalgamate with arresting results, a beauteous amplitude of acreage that turns into nightlife axial already the sun goes down, partying adamantine from backward at night until shepherd’s delight. Already the affair stops, the bank becomes an arcadian paradise all over again.

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Tortuga Bay | Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
Photograph: Shutterstock.com

17. Tortuga Bay | Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands

The bank at Tortuga Bay has been altogether preserved, so don’t alike anticipate about pond actuality and authoritative a blend of that. You can’t, such accomplishments are forbidden, but any alternative of the world’s best beaches charge acknowledgment the wildlife caricature that is the Galapagos. Tortuga Bay is on Santa Cruz Island and is home to iguanas, crabs, pelicans and the rest. If you actually charge swim, there’s a baby anchorage adjacent area such things are allowed, although accumulate your eyes accessible for tiger sharks. 

Stokksnes | Stokksnes Peninsula, Iceland
Photograph: Shutterstock

18. Stokksnes | Stokksnes Peninsula, Iceland

Stokksnes is a little bit altered to the blow of the beaches on this list, but again that’s par for the advance for Iceland. Afterwards all, beaches don’t charge to be swathed in sunshine to be advantageously photogenic. The jet-black agitable bank of this bank is a afterimage to behold, an initially arrant artful that anon becomes bizarrely soothing. A bank from addition world? Stokksnes is aloof that. 

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Pink Beach | Komodo Island, Indonesia
Photograph: Shutterstock.com

19. Pink Bank | Komodo Island, Indonesia

Your eyes are not artful you, that bank is absolutely pink. That’ll be why it is alleged Blush Beach, right? The hue comes from bags of burst apricot pieces, shells and added materials, giving off a active ablaze that about drags your camera out of your abridged and demands a bazillion photos be taken. There are alone 10 blush beach beaches on the planet and Indonesia has two of them.

Zlatni Rat | Brač, Croatia
© Ievgenii Biletskyi

20. Zlatni Rat | Brač, Croatia

Croatia’s best acclaimed beach? Zlatni Rat ability aloof booty the crown. Begin on the attractive island of Brač (a 50-minute bear from Split), this shapeshifter changes admeasurement and breadth depending on the tide. That is amazing abundant in itself, but all thoughts of accustomed concern tend to abate back faced with the arduous adorableness of it. Get in the adumbration of the ache copse and adore a apathetic afternoon of watching the kite-surfers do their thing. 

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Kynance Cove | Cornwall, England
Photograph: Shutterstock

21. Kynance Anchorage | Cornwall, England

Looking for mermaids? Get yourself to Kynance Cove, pronto. Tucked abroad on the Cadger peninsula at the actual southern tip of the UK, this Cornwall charmer is much-loved and much-loved for a reason, with its across-the-board sands, alpine rocks and hidden coves. Oh, and the mermaids mentioned above, of course. Get your chrism teas at the eco bistro abutting to the beach, and bethink your Cornish etiquette; jam aboriginal on those scones. 

Weligama Beach | Weligama, Sri Lanka
Photograph: Shutterstock/Claudia Norberg-Schulz

22. Weligama Bank | Weligama, Sri Lanka

Make your cruise to Sri Lanka count at this under-visited burst of brown-sugar beach 20 afar from Galle. Pond is safe actuality – calmer and shallower than added south bank beaches. Or coil up in a blind armchair beneath a bender until noon, back the angle berth fires up its barbecue to serve mackerel and prawns that accustomed on longboats at dawn.

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Moshup Beach | Aquinnah, USA
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23. Moshup Bank | Aquinnah, USA

Those in the apperceive actuality arch to Moshup Beach, tucked abroad in the baby association of Aquinnah. Aforetime accepted as Gay Head, the white bank actuality accommodate article of a altar abroad from the crowds at Martha’s Vineyard, although added and added bodies are award this little alcove of admiration with every casual year. Accouterment is optional. 

Punta del Este | Punta del Este, Uruguay
Photograph: Shutterstock.com

24. Punta del Este | Punta del Este, Uruguay

When is the blow of the apple activity to bolt assimilate the majesty of Uruguay? Actually, blemish that, we’ll accumulate it to ourselves a little longer, although the accretion acceptance of littoral cities like Punta del Este advance those canicule aren’t continued for this world. Accept amid Playa Mansa (calm) and Playa Brava (turbulent) while here, and the two names should accord you a acceptable abstraction of what to expect. Accumulate an eye out for the duke sculpture.

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Ocracoke Island | North Carolina, USA
Photograph: Shutterstock

25. Ocracoke Island | Arctic Carolina, USA

The canicule of Ocracoke actuality run by pirates are continued over (or are they?), and the southern tip of the Alien Banks has become one of the arch beaches in Arctic Carolina. Ocracoke has a acceptability for actuality one of the best battery destinations on the planet, although we’re added acceptable to be begin dawdling the day abroad on the stress-free beaches, cutting the breeze with the appropriately stress-free locals. 

Kendwa Beach | Zanzibar, Tanzania
Photograph: Shutterstock.com

26. Kendwa Bank | Zanzibar, Tanzania

If you abutting your eyes bound and try to brainstorm the best arcadian of beaches, there’s a acceptable adventitious that you’re activity to adjure up an angel of Kendwa. White sand, ablaze azure water, angle for days. What added could anyone appetite from a beach? Pond is accessible (nay, encouraged) actuality all day long, and there’s article about a aurora bathe that absolutely sings to the soul.

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Hidden Beach | Marieta Islands, Mexico
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27. Hidden Bank | Marieta Islands, Mexico

Is it accessible for article to be hidden and acclaimed all at the aforementioned time? Ask Marieta Bank in Mexico. Okay, you can’t ask a beach, but still, this analytical cave is one of the best abnormal beaches in the world. It isn’t the easiest to get to (the Marieta Islands themselves are an hour abroad from anywhere), but the adorableness of the alleged Adulation Bank makes it actual abundant account it. Accomplish abiding to get the actual permits afore visiting this eco-paradise. 

Essaouira Beach | Essaouira, Morocco
Photograph: Shutterstock

28. Essaouira Bank | Essaouira, Morocco

Marrakech’s sister burghal has a sun-bleached Moorish exchange and a 500-year-old fort, but the two-mile bank eclipses them both. Aces up a beginning orange abstract at one of the corrective copse kiosks by the old ramparts, again pay for a lounger and umbrella. The air-conditioned agency climbs in the backward afternoon, acknowledgment to the Alizé apprehension – and the shirtless acceptance from the university who appear to comedy football by Bar Miramar.

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Long Beach | Vancouver Island, Canada
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29. Long Bank | Vancouver Island, Canada

For the record, it’s 10 wind-swept miles. But admeasurement doesn’t amount actuality on the bend of Canada, area you’ve already got added wild, whale-inhabited, pine-studded bank than you’ll apperceive what to do with. It’s a five-hour expedition over acreage and sea from Vancouver city, so booty abounding advantage with a rainforest backpack forth Combers Bank Trailhead afore casting your covering at Blooming Point.

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Plage Sainte-Barbe | Brittany, France
Photograph: Shutterstock

30. Plage Sainte-Barbe | Brittany, France

Did somebody bawl ‘fire’? Because this caramel amplitude of Breton bank shouldn’t be this deserted. Well, what the bodies bottleneck the motorway adjoin Quiberon don’t apperceive won’t aching them. Added amplitude for you to practise your surfing abilities on the cranking waves, again cell out adjoin the dunes until the amazing sunset. Aloof accomplish abiding you backpack your own gear, baptize and a bite – there are no amenities for a mile.

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Metsitsim Beach | Tel Aviv, Israel
Photograph: Shutterstock/goga18128

31. Metsitsim Bank | Tel Aviv, Israel

Past Tel Aviv’s acclaimed affair beaches and the gender-segregated areas, you’ll acquisition a clean, amiable fiber alluringly abbreviate on anatomy and boobs – and that’s admitting a active bank volleyball court. Day-drinkers rejoice at accommodating agents bringing bubbling affair to black loungers. Accurate freaks contentment at the aboriginal battery complex. Afterwards your rinse, chase the boardwalk to the farmer’s bazaar by the port.

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