Water occupies 71% of the Earth’s area, so beach lovers can afford any quirk - from crescent-moon beaches with pearl sand to bays, in which azure water splashes fish of all colors of the rainbow. National Geographic Magazine selected the best beaches in the world. In total, 21 beaches are included in the official rating, which will make even experienced travelers hold their breath with delight. All beaches are divided into several categories, so that it is easier for you to choose the most suitable option for a vacation.
Wonderful natural beaches
21. Playa del Armor, Islas Marietas, Mexico
An almost imperceptible passage from the sea provides access to a secret beach. A giant stone hemisphere with a hole through which the sun penetrates inside closes it from prying eyes from above. The beach is located in a national park and can be visited by no more than six people at a time.
20. Cathedral Beach, Ribadeo, Spain
The beach near Ribadeo is surrounded by impressive rock formations, most reminiscent of the columns of a Gothic cathedral. The beach is a favorite place for tourists to walk, but it is worth remembering that during high tide it is completely covered by water.
19. Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue, Seychelles
Fancy-shaped rocks turned by water, turquoise waters, white sand and palm trees - this beach seemed to have come down from an advertising card. It is no wonder that Anse Source d’Argent often takes first place in the ranking of the most frequently photographed beaches on the planet.
Quiet beaches - shelters
18. Tapuaetai, Aitutaki, Cook Islands
When you look at this beach in your imagination, “Robinson” by Daniel Defoe immediately pops up. The island was simply created for the wrecked sailors - it was not for nothing that it was where he shot the 13th season of the American show Survivor, the franchise of which was filmed The Last Hero. “One trace”, which is exactly how the name of the island is translated from Maori, can be bypassed in 15 minutes, but you should not rush.
17. Sunset Beach, North Carolina, United States
The sunset beach got its name for a reason - every evening the setting sun paints the sky and water with fantastic flowers. And there, for about fifty years, there has been a mailbox where many visitors exchanged joys, desires and all that touched their souls on the notebooks inside.
16. Lazy Beach, Rongsanlenm, Cambodia
Reed-covered bungalows, crystal clear waters and silky sand make it so pleasant to wander slowly through palm groves, doze off in hammocks, and let the whole world wait. If the soul asks for something more active, you can jump into a wooden boat in Kampongsaom and go on a two-hour tour of the Gulf of Thailand.
The best beaches for shell lovers
15. Bowman’s Beach, Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
The dream of sea creature hunters! Here they are full - and large spiral shells, and flat small ones, and skeletons of sea urchins, and pieces of limestone with imprints of antiquities - all this is carried in abundance on the beach of Sanibel island in the Gulf of Mexico.
14. Shell Beach, Shark Bay, Australia
On the 14th line of the top 21 best beaches on Earth is a place entirely covered with tiny snow-white shells. In some places, the depth of the shell layer reaches 9-10 meters! The beach is classified by UNESCO as natural objects of world significance.
13. Lime Regis, County Dorset, England
A favorite place of pilgrimage for beginner paleontologists or just tourists who came to see the ammonites and other marine creatures that lived more than 180 million years ago and turned into stone.
Beaches for relaxation with a four-legged friend
12. Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA
In Oregon's coastal zone, stretching over 400 miles, most beaches allow owners to bring dogs with them. It is unlikely that the pet will appreciate the beauty of the solitary mountain Haystack rising above the sea, but he will definitely like the dog show, which is held here every October.
11. City Beach Carmel, California, USA
It is difficult to say who gets more pleasure on the beach - animals frolicking on the border of sand and sea, which can be lowered here from the leash, or their owners.
10. Beach near Noordwijk, Netherlands
Immediately after the tulip fields of South Holland, between Amsterdam and The Hague, the coastal city of Noordwijk arranged a special beach where the owners can relax and swim with their four-legged friends. There are many restaurants and hotels nearby where dogs are allowed.
The most colorful beaches in the world
9. Papacolea, Hawaii
Papacolea beach owes its color to the tiny olivine crystals that the sea washes from the nearby tuff cone of Puu Mahan over 49 thousand years old. Getting here is not easy - you have to walk two miles. But isn't it worth the effort spent admiring one of the few green sand beaches in the world?
8. Reinisfjara, Iceland
On sunny days, this beach looks amazing. It is composed of ink-black basalt sand and shines dazzlingly in the sun. However, swimming is not easy here - the waves are so strong that they can knock a person down.
7. Pink Beach, Grande Island Santa Cruz, Philippines
The Philippines has many stunning beaches, but this one stands out from all its color - the sand on it is mixed with many small fragments of scarlet coral. Those wishing to enjoy nature should remember that the number of tourists who can visit the attraction per day is limited. The beach is one of the 10 most beautiful pink beaches in the world.
Scuba diving
6. Pelicanius Beach, Belize
On the Pelican beach, in just a few minutes, you can reach the coral reef and study its colorful inhabitants in detail - because the bottom is no more than six meters.
5. Blue Bay, Mauritius
In the waters of Blue Bay is a national natural marine park. It covers an area of more than 3.5 square kilometers.
4. Cas Abao, Curacao
The lagoon of Cas Abao beach is surrounded on three sides by reefs. And between them abound representatives of marine life - corals, tropical fish, sponges, sea turtles and many, many others.
The best beaches for walking along the promenade
3. Sleeping Bear, Michigan
The tourist route along the coast of crystal clear Lake Michigan offers views of some of the most beautiful landscapes in America. And a short distance from the beach are Manitou Islands, a favorite place for Americans to go camping.
2. Pisinas Beach, Sardinia
A picturesque and constantly changing place, the main formative element of which is the mistral - a strong and cold north wind, under the influence of which sand is collected in the dunes. Their height can reach 60 meters. Wildness of olive trees, juniper bushes and many rare flowers dilute the uniformity of the sandy surface. Here it is good to indulge in philosophical thoughts, observing the constantly changing world around, the world of sand, clouds and waves.
1. Beach de la Corniche, La Test de Bouche, France
The first number on the beach chart is the best beach in the world for lovers of paragliding. It is located on a spacious (500 meters wide and 2.5 km long) and steep coastal slope (108 meters high) covered with sand. It is surrounded by pine groves, where it is so pleasant to walk, admire the views of the sea and breathe in the clean forest air.
