Top 7 Beaches in the World

As someone who loves spending time by the sea, I’m frequently asked which beaches around the world rank among my favorites. For me, what makes these destinations special goes beyond their appearance. The best ones have a strong sense of place and a meaningful relationship with the surrounding natural environment. Being difficult to reach and relatively secluded certainly makes them even more appealing.

7. Balos Bay, Crete, Greece

I first discovered this beach in 2002 during a family holiday. Back then, unless you happened to arrive by private boat, reaching Balos required driving along a rough, rocky road that was anything but easy to navigate.

Once the road came to an end, the remaining journey was on foot. As I made my way down, the spectacular landscape gradually revealed itself, including an enormous rock formation and a narrow ribbon of pink sand linking it with the mainland.

The most memorable feature was farther out in the blue-green water, where the dark remains of a shipwreck could be seen. Best of all, we had the entire place to ourselves.

When I returned only three years later, things had changed considerably. Tourist boats were bringing visitors to the beach for day trips, and beach chairs and umbrellas had appeared along the shore. It was still absolutely worth seeing, but choosing the right time to visit had become much more important.

6. Aitutaki, Cook Islands

The extraordinary combination of colors at Aitutaki Lagoon is among the most beautiful natural sights I have ever experienced. The striking contrast between the different shades of blue and green is particularly unforgettable.

Aitutaki is a fairly isolated atoll, but the effort and expense required to reach it are completely worthwhile. I was fortunate to visit while traveling aboard the National Geographic Orion on a journey from Rarotonga through Kiribati toward French Polynesia.

We stopped at one of the islands within the lagoon, where the scenery looked almost exactly like a tropical postcard, complete with palm trees. Because the water surrounding the island was so shallow, it created wonderful opportunities for photography. Fish were abundant, and dolphins were also plentiful in the area.

5. Abel Tasman, New Zealand

Abel Tasman offers an exceptional walking experience through an astonishingly beautiful natural environment in a country that is already famous for its scenery.

One option is to use an Abel Tasman water taxi to drop you at one location and collect you somewhere else later the same day. Along the way, you can explore beaches, waterfalls and suspension bridges.

Another possibility is to make the journey into a longer adventure by camping and spending nights along the route. Sea kayaking is also available, and there are beaches to suit virtually every kind of traveler.

With so many ways to experience the coastline, Abel Tasman truly feels like an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Anyone planning a trip to New Zealand should consider making this spectacular stretch of coast part of the itinerary.

4. Tulum, Mexico

Tulum combines an extensive stretch of white sand with powerful waves and a collection of small boutique hotels. Many of these properties feature relaxed touches such as hammocks and bean bags, and my personal favorite is Sueños.

It is an ideal destination for unwinding. However, if you eventually become tired of sipping spicy mezcal cocktails and eating tacos or tortilla soup beside the beach, there are plenty of activities to keep you busy.

Several kitesurfing schools operate along the shoreline, while stand-up paddleboarding is another option. A short drive inland brings you to cenotes, underground freshwater caverns with openings that allow sunlight and snorkelers to enter.

Scuba diving is another activity worth trying, and I highly recommend it. During one dive, I encountered spectacular halocline effects and stalactites. The experience inspired me to begin my cave-diving certification with Bil Phillips of Speleotech, an extremely experienced cave explorer and instructor.

3. Praia do Leão, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Praia do Leão is frequently overshadowed by nearby Baia do Sancho, which receives much of the attention and praise. Yet Praia do Leão has a wilder and more untamed character.

You can reach it on foot from nearby Praia do Sueste, which is itself worth visiting if you want to see baby lemon sharks in the shallow water or spend some time swimming and snorkeling. Alternatively, you can hitch a ride to Praia do Leão.

Swimming is not recommended here, and there are no concessions, so make sure you bring plenty of drinking water.

Instead, find a comfortable place on the sand, watch the waves crashing along the shore, and let your thoughts wander. You may even find yourself inspired to create your own interpretation of Baudelaire’s Man and the Sea.

2. Anakena, Easter Island

Easter Island has an atmosphere unlike almost anywhere else, and Anakena Beach is no exception.

Seven moai statues stand overlooking the pink sand and the naturally sheltered harbor, where the water takes on a beautiful turquoise color.

There can be a considerable number of visitors, but the beach is spacious enough that it rarely feels overcrowded. Several excellent viewpoints can be found nearby, making this an easy place to spend an entire afternoon.

You can simply read, swim, relax and admire the scenery. At the same time, the setting naturally encourages deeper questions about the ancient civilization that created the moai.

Who were the people who built these extraordinary statues? How did they construct and transport them? And why did they do it? These are questions for which we may never discover definitive answers.

1. Aldabra, Seychelles

Aldabra represents true remoteness. There are no permanent inhabitants apart from a small environmental research station, and the atoll can only be reached by boat.

It is the world's second-largest coral atoll and one of the very few places on Earth where giant tortoises live outside the Galápagos. The reason they exist here remains something of a mystery even today.

The tortoises are far from the only unusual creatures you may encounter. Large coconut crabs, displaying shades of purple, orange and yellow, hide among the trees. Beyond the lagoon lies some of the world's finest scuba diving.

Small blacktip reef sharks can often be found in the shallow water beside the white sandy beaches, and they may even swim over to investigate curious visitors.

In this isolated corner of the Seychelles, you can be among only a handful of people for miles around.