The World's Most Beautiful Beaches for Ultimate Relaxation

There’s nothing that brings on that I-need-to-be-there feeling quite like a tropical beach. A getaway to somewhere exotic, like Fiji or Bora Bora, where all that’s on your itinerary is to sip a cocktail and gaze into the turquoise waters ahead sounds pretty blissful.

If you’re seeking a slice of paradise, we’ve compiled a list of the 50 best beaches in the world to put on your bucket list.

Located on Oahu's northeastern shore, Lanikai Beach is one of Hawaii's best beaches. Due to its offshore coral reef, the water is super calm throughout the year, making it ideal for swimming and snorkeling, as well as sailing and windsurfing.

BOOK NOW Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach

BOOK NOW Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club

More: These Are the Most Beautiful Islands in the World

This breathtaking private island is the stuff of travel dreams. From rainforest walking tours to horseback riding right on the beach, there are endless activities to thrill you or chill you out. You'll feel like you've discovered an untouched part of the Earth on your visit here.

BOOK NOW Laucala Island Resort

Located on Florida's Siesta Key, near downtown Sarasota, this stunning strand regularly tops "best of" lists due to its soft white-quartz sand (which stays cool even when the temps soar).

Siesta also has lifeguard stands and a shaded picnic area, both of which make it great for families.

BOOK NOW Hotel Indigo Sarasota

BOOK NOW The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

This hidden beach in Phuket, Thailand is one of the most jaw-dropping destinations you can visit while feeling like you're on a private island. It's secluded, vast, and offers plenty of opportunities to snorkel and swim around in crystal-clear waters.

BOOK NOW Baan LaiMai Beach Resort & Spa

BOOK NOW La Flora Resort Patong

One of the best beaches in New York is the famed Fire Island. Known for being a great summer getaway for beachgoers in the LGBTQ+ community, the island has plenty to offer for every type of traveler.

The tranquility and natural beauty of Fire Island is also unmatched. Whether you're looking for peace or a party, this beach locale has it all.

BOOK NOW The Palms Hotel Fire Island

BOOK NOW Fire Island Hotel & Resort

The island of Bora Bora is famous for its jaw-droppingly beautiful beaches like Matira, which has calm azure waters and shallow lagoons. One of the best ways to experience the lagoons is to stay in a resort that offers fabulous over-the-water bungalows that are popular with honeymooners.

BOOK NOW Conrad Bora Bora Nui

BOOK NOW The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

Widely considered one of the best beaches in the US Virgin Islands, Trunk Bay is the pride of St. John, which was named one of the top Caribbean islands by Travel & Leisure.

Located in Virgin Islands National Park, this spectacular strand is known for its azure waters, soft white sands, and 225-yard-long underwater snorkeling trail.

BOOK NOW Gallows Point Resort

BOOK NOW Hotel Cruz Bay

The beaches of Nassau, such as Cable Beach, are definitely a major draw, especially for those who like to snorkel or go scuba diving. Some of the top diving spots include Trinity Cave and the Blue Hole, a deep natural hole with large schools of tropical fish.

BOOK NOW Atlantis Paradise Island

BOOK NOW Sandals Royal Bahamian

Work on that golden Miami glow during the day in Lummus Park, which is in the heart of South Beach, then party at night. SoBe's clubs attract world-renowned DJs, and the beaches are full of attractive people, making this a hub for both nightlife lovers and beachgoers.

BOOK NOW Beacon South Beach Hotel

BOOK NOW The Betsy — South Beach

If it's a family-friendly vacation you're looking for, consider San Diego's Mission Beach. It has miles of lifeguard-patrolled beaches, and the waters are calm, so they're perfect for beginner swimmers.

On cloudy days, there are tons of other attractions nearby to keep the kids occupied, such as the San Diego Zoo.

BOOK NOW Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine

BOOK NOW La Valencia Hotel

This tiny island, 17 miles off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, doesn't have high-rise resorts or fancy restaurants. But it does have a low-key vibe, empty beaches and some incredible snorkeling on the beaches in Luis Peña Channel Natural Reserve. Keep an eye out for stingrays and sea turtles!

BOOK NOW Hillbay View Villas

Did you know that Alexander Hamilton was born on Nevis? This little-known island has a small museum dedicated to the founding father. It also has plenty of gorgeous strands, including 4-mile-long Pinney's, with just a sprinkling of local businesses, including Sunshine's beach bar, where everyone ends up at some point.

BOOK NOW Four Seasons Resort Nevis

BOOK NOW Montpelier Plantation

Sanibel Island is a low-key spot on Florida's west coast that's known for its abundance of seashells. People come from all over to do the "Sanibel stoop," which is what island dwellers call combing the beaches for one-of-a-kind seaglass finds.

BOOK NOW West Wind Inn

BOOK NOW Sundial Beach Resort and Spa

This Mexican resort town appeals to everyone from couples to spring breakers. They all appreciate that Puerto Vallarta's many bars and clubs are always lively. There are also plenty of water sports, including banana boat rides and parasailing.

BOOK NOW Garlands del Rio

BOOK NOW Hacienda San Angel

Turks and Caicos is known for its world-class fishing. The waters surrounding the island chain are filled with blue marlins, making this a great year-round fishing spot. Long Bay can have rough surf at times, but this also makes it a great place for kiteboarding!

BOOK NOW Grace Bay Suites

BOOK NOW The Oasis at Grace Bay

Hawaii has some of the world's most photographed beaches, many of which are popular with surfers. In fact, some of the top surfers in the world are from Kauai, and Hanalei Bay has some of the best conditions — the surf is consistent, and there are waves for all levels.

BOOK NOW Kauai Shores Hotel

BOOK NOW Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas

Choosing the best beach to visit in Florida may seem like a task, but Pensacola is one of the more affordable towns in the state, and award-winning Pensacola Beach is a quick 20-minute jaunt from the city center. There are also local hangouts to grab lunch nearby.

BOOK NOW SpringHill Suites Pensacola

BOOK NOW Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach

This hidden gem of a beach on the island of Barbados is the perfect place for a secluded day of rest and relaxation. To get to it, you must descend a flight of stone steps that have been carved into a cliff overlooking the sea. Once you arrive, you'll enjoy pure seclusion.

BOOK NOW The Atlantis Historic Inn

BOOK NOW Cobblers Cove

In addition to gorgeous white-sand beaches, Gulf Shores hosts numerous events throughout the year, including the Hangout Music Festival and an annual National Shrimp Festival, so there's plenty to do apart from working on your tan.

BOOK NOW Perdido Beach Resort

BOOK NOW Hampton Inn Gulf Shores

The island of Bermuda is famous for its pink-sand beaches, and one of the most spectacular is Horseshoe Bay, located on the south shore. Expect bathtub-warm turquoise water and pink-hued sand at this crescent-shaped beauty.

BOOK NOW Fairmont Southampton

BOOK NOW Elbow Beach

Crescent-shaped Carmel Beach in Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of California's most beautiful beaches. Dogs are allowed off-leash, there's beach volleyball, and there are even wood-burning fire pits, where you can have cheese and wine as you settle in to watch the sunset.

BOOK NOW Quail Lodge & Golf Club

BOOK NOW L'Auberge Carmel

Located on the Big Island, Punalu'u is the most famous of Hawaii's black-sand beaches. In addition to a long, wide stretch of dark-hued sand dotted with volcanic rocks, you can often see endangered green and hawksbill turtles sunning themselves.

BOOK NOW Hilton Waikoloa Village

BOOK NOW The Fairmont Orchid

Located off the coast of Key West is Dry Tortugas National Park, a small island that's home to miles of untouched beaches (it's only accessible by boat or water plane). At this remote spot, you'll find some of South Florida's best snorkeling.

BOOK NOW The Gates Hotel Key West

BOOK NOW The Marker Waterfront Resort

Rio de Janeiro has several popular beaches, including Ipanema Beach, but the most famous of all is Copacabana Beach. Catch some rays, play a few games of beach volleyball, check out the sand sculptures, and sip a chopp (draft beer) at one of the many beach bars.

BOOK NOW JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro

BOOK NOW Belmond Copacabana Palace

One of Aruba's best beaches, Eagle Beach is known for its sugar-soft white sand. When you feel like being active, you can go kayaking or try stand-up paddle boarding. It's less built-up than neighboring Palm Beach, which is only a quick taxi ride away if you are craving a little more action.

BOOK NOW MVC Eagle Beach

BOOK NOW Eagle Aruba Resort & Casino

Seminyak is one of the best beaches on the island of Bali. More relaxed than Kuta, Seminyak has beach clubs like Hot Potato and Ku De Ta, where you can rent a chair, sip a few Bintang beers, swim in the Indian Ocean, and enjoy amazing sunsets.

BOOK NOW The Oberoi Bali

BOOK NOW Luna2 Hotel

Hawaii's Makena Beach, also known as Big Beach, is just that — a wide, mile-long stretch of golden sand, between two black lava outcroppings on Maui's southwestern shore. Spend the day snorkeling, taking a stroll, or just catching some rays.

BOOK NOW Andaz Maui

Santa Monica Beach is one of Los Angeles County's most beautiful strands, and its iconic pier is a can't-miss attraction. In addition to an amusement park (a ride on the Ferris wheel is a must), you'll also find an aquarium, a historic carousel, and snack stands.

BOOK NOW Wyndham Santa Monica at the Pier

BOOK NOW Doubletree Suites by Hilton Santa Monica

Located on Grand Cayman's western shore, Seven Mile Beach is one of the Caribbean's most celebrated strands. It seems to go on forever (it's 7 miles long), and while you'll find luxury resorts and seafood restaurants, there are also plenty of quiet stretches for peaceful strolls.

BOOK NOW Holiday Inn Resort Grand Cayman

BOOK NOW Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort

Thailand's Krabi province has long been on beach lovers' radars, especially Railay Beach. This photo-worthy strand, reached via long-tail boat from Ao Nang, is framed by stunning limestone cliffs, and it has many secret coves that you can explore by kayak.

BOOK NOW Sand Sea Resort

BOOK NOW Railay Bay Resort & Spa

Ibiza has plenty of must-see beaches, including Es Cavallet Beach, a long, sandy stretch surrounded by sand dunes, where, on a clear day, you can see the neighboring island of Formentera. Keep in mind that Es Cavallet is one of the island's nude beaches!

BOOK NOW Sir Joan Hotel

Located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, Sand Harbor is a super scenic beach within Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park. This lake beach is known for its crystal-clear water and unique rock formations. Nearby are picnic sites equipped with barbecues.

BOOK NOW Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort

Cape Cod has plenty of Insta-worthy sights — two of its best beaches are within the Cape Cod National Seashore, stretching 40 miles along the Atlantic. They include Wellfleet's Marconi Beach (the site where the first wireless signal was sent across the Atlantic in 1903) and Provincetown's Race Point Beach, known for its spectacular sunsets.

BOOK NOW Harbor Hotel Provincetown

BOOK NOW Chatham Bars Inn

The crown jewel of beaches along the French Riviera is Pampelonne, the busiest and longest stretch in glamorous St. Tropez. Bring a towel and stake out a spot in the public area, or spend the day at one of the see-and-be-seen beach clubs like Le Club 55.

BOOK NOW Hotel des Lices

BOOK NOW Hotel Byblos

The Hamptons, the fabled string of charming towns along Long Island's South Fork, has stellar strands. A few can't-miss ones include Southampton's Coopers Beach, East Hampton's Main Beach, and Montauk's Ditch Plains Beach (a popular spot for surfers).

BOOK NOW Baron's Cove

BOOK NOW Gurney's Montauk Resort

This famous Australian beach is just a 20-minute drive from Sydney, making it the perfect day trip. The wide, crescent-shaped strand is known for its surf, which attracts big-time surfers. You'll want to linger over a long lunch in one of Bondi's waterfront restaurants.

BOOK NOW The Grace Sydney

BOOK NOW The Westin Sydney

Some of the best beaches on the East Coast can be found in the Outer Banks, a 130-mile-long barrier island chain off the coast of North Carolina. You'll find pristine strands in the towns of Duck, Nags Head, and Kill Devil Hills, which is where the Wright Brothers took their first flight over the area's sand dunes.

BOOK NOW Best Western Ocean Reef Suites

BOOK NOW Sanderling Resort

It's a fact: Maine's beaches are cold, but that doesn't take away from their beauty. One of the state's top strands is Sand Beach, located within Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. This golden-sand beach is the perfect spot to unwind after a hike.

BOOK NOW Atlantic Oceanside Hotel

BOOK NOW Bar Harbor Inn

More: Stylish Beach Bags For Your Next Tropical Getaway!

Located on the island of Elba, Spiaggia di Sansone, or Sansone Beach, is a stunner of a strand framed by sheer white cliffs and translucent blueish-green waters. It's a great spot for swimming and snorkeling.

Fun fact: Napoleon was exiled to this Tuscan island in 1814.

BOOK NOW Hotel Hermitage

Located near the village of Vik, Reynisfjara Beach is one of the most popular strands in Iceland. This stunning black-pebble beach is known for a pyramid-like rock formation of basalt columns, as well as jagged rocks jutting out from the sea.

BOOK NOW Hotel Holt

BOOK NOW Sand Hotel by Keahotels

One of the best beaches for surfing in California is Huntington Beach, also known as "Surf City USA." Watch surfers glide across the Pacific Ocean's waves from the shore or from the the town's iconic pier (be sure to have lunch at the old-school diner, Ruby's), then cool off by taking a dip.

BOOK NOW Kimpton Shorebreak Hotel

BOOK NOW Paséa Hotel & Spa

Puerto Rico has plenty of secluded strands, but if you're looking for glitzy high-rise hotels, waterfront restaurants, and nightlife, then head to San Juan's Condado Beach. Plus, historic Old San Juan, with its craft shops and imposing historic fort, is just 10 minutes away by taxi.

BOOK NOW Condado Vanderbilt Hotel

BOOK NOW La Concha Renaissance San Juan Resort

Off of the Georgian coast, Jekyll Island is a favorite of nature lovers who appreciate the island's 10 miles of unspoiled shoreline. For many, the prettiest beach is Driftwood, which is lined with ancient tree trunks and large pieces of driftwood — keep your camera ready!

BOOK NOW The Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club

BOOK NOW Hampton Inn & Suites Jekyll Island

Anakena is the best beach on Easter Island, the mysterious Chilean outpost that's home to moai, the ancient large-headed figures carved by the indigenous Rapa Nui people. Anakena not only has a beautiful crescent-shaped beach with fine coral sand and calm waters, but two moai as well.

BOOK NOW Explora Rapa Nui

BOOK NOW Hotel Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa

Cannon Beach is not only one of the best beaches in Oregon, but one of the best in the entire Pacific Northwest (it's less than 2 hours from Portland). The beach has numerous tide pools, and photographers have a field day taking snaps of Haystack Rock, a 235-foot-tall rock formation where puffins often congregate.

BOOK NOW Stephanie Inn

BOOK NOW The Ocean Lodge

One of the loveliest towns along the 130-mile-long Jersey shore, Cape May is a national treasure due to its beautiful Victorian homes (many of which have been turned into charming inns and B&Bs) that are just steps from the shoreline.

BOOK NOW Congress Hall

BOOK NOW La Mer Beachfront Resort

Fans of the BBC series Broadchurch likely know that the stunner of a beach featured in the show is in the charming village of West Bay in Dorset. Known for its massive sandstone cliffs and rust-colored sand, Harbour Cliff Beach, along the so-called Jurassic Coast in southeastern England, is quite the sight.

BOOK NOW The Bull Hotel

BOOK NOW The Green House

One of Costa Rica's most beloved beaches is Playa Manuel Antonio, a gorgeous beach within a national park of the same name. Spend the morning hiking through the park's rainforest (keep an eye out for capuchin monkeys), then take a dip in the warm Pacific Ocean waters of this crescent-shaped beauty.

BOOK NOW Oxygen Jungle Villas

BOOK NOW Los Altos Resort

This black-sand beauty is one of the finest beaches on Santorini. Located on the island's south coast, Perissa is a popular spot for both locals and tourists, and it's lined with hotels and tavernas. You can easily spend the day here swimming in the Aegean and lunching on fresh grilled fish and a feta salad.

BOOK NOW Santorini Heights

BOOK NOW Grace Hotel Santorini

Big Sur's Pfeiffer Beach, reached via unpaved road off Highway 1, is lauded for its purple-hued sand (due to manganese garnet deposits) and the Pfeiffer keyhole rock, where the sun's rays filter through a natural archway, creating a tunnel of light. It's just as mesmerizing as it sounds!

BOOK NOW Glen Oaks Big Sur

BOOK NOW Ventana Big Sur