people exploring Playa del Amor in Marieta Islands, Mexico
beach of the Cathedrals in Ribadeo, Spain
woman on Anse Source d'Argent beach in La Digue, Seychelles
couple snorkeling on One Foot Picture
pier on Sunset Beach in Brunswick Island, North Carolina
people walking down Lazy Beach on Koh Rong Samloem Island, Cambodia
sunset on Bowman's Beach, Sanibel Island, Florida
Shell Beach in Shark Bay, Western Australia
shell fossil on beach of Jurassic Coast near Lyme Regis, England
people walking on Cannon Beach in Oregon
people and dogs on Carmel City Beach in Carmel, California
two dogs walking up from Noordwijk Beach in the Netherlands
people on the green sands of Papakolea Beach in Hawaii
nightscape in Reynisfjara Beach, Vik, Iceland
coral on the beach of Pink Beach on Great Santa Cruz Island, Zamboanga, The Philippines
red mangroves near Pelican Beach South Water Caye, Belize
Blue Bay Beach in Mahebourg, Mauritius
snorklers with fish at Cas Abao Beach, Curacao
scenic overlook in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan
the Tree of Fairy Tales in Piscinas dunes, Arbus, Sardinia
paragliders on Dune of the Pilat above Corniche Beach in La Teste De Buch, France
1 of 21
Playa del Amor, Marietas Islands, Mexico: A swim through an opening nearly invisible from the sea reveals what locals call the “hidden beach,” encircled by an impressive rock ring forming a natural oculus for the sun and sky. Only six visitors at a time can visit “Love Beach” via approved tour operators such as Punta Mita Adventures.
Photograph by Miguel Naranjo

21 Best Beaches in the World

Find perfection in these places where land meets water.

ByKimberley Lovato
January 18, 2017

Ask true beach lovers to name a favorite swath of surf and sand, and the answer changes with the tides. Luckily our planet is covered in oceans, seas, and lakes, which means there’s a beach to indulge any whim. From pearly crescents covered in shells to turquoise bays teeming with Skittles-colored fish, they’re not all created equal.

(Mysterious Balls of Goo Are Rolling Onto American Beaches)

Here are 21 of the best.

  • National Geographic Expeditions
Travel with National Geographic