There are an incredible number of distinctive, beautiful and relaxing beaches in the world. We chose beaches not only for sand and water, but for their island setting, sense of arrival, swimming quality, landscape, and capacity to make the rest of the day unnecessary. Access is not always easy (e.g., Fteri) but that makes the reward upon reaching the objective even greater. Bottom line: this is both a hard and highly subjective choice.
Best by feature:
- Best pure swimming: Grace Bay, Shoal Bay East, One Foot Island.
- Best dramatic arrival: Fteri, Cala Macarella, Entalula.
- Best geological character: Papakōlea and Whitehaven.
- Best quiet atoll mood: PK 9 Beach.
- Best landscape-and-water composition: Anse Source d’Argent.
| Beach | Island / country | Why it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| Entalula Beach | Palawan, Philippines | White sand, limestone cliffs and intensely clear water: a beach that feels both theatrical and remarkably calm. |
| Fteri Beach | Kefalonia, Greece | A dramatic Ionian cove of pale pebbles and electric-blue water beneath white cliffs; the arrival is part of the pleasure. |
| Whitehaven Beach | Whitsunday Island, Australia | A vast, almost unreal sweep of pale silica sand, shifting tidal patterns and access to the wider Whitsunday archipelago. |
| Anse Source d’Argent | La Digue, Seychelles | Granite boulders, shallow luminous water, palms and pink-tinged sand create one of the world’s most distinctive beach landscapes. |
| One Foot Island | Aitutaki Atoll, Cook Islands | The pure lagoon fantasy: white sand, shallow aquamarine water and a sense of physical remoteness that remains unusually intact. |
| Grace Bay | Providenciales, Turks and Caicos | The great Caribbean all-rounder: long, soft sand; reliable swimming; clear water; and an effortlessly polished beach week. |
| PK 9 Beach | Fakarava, French Polynesia | A less crowded, more elemental South Pacific beach: pinkish-white coral sand, lagoon water, palms and the atoll’s immense sense of space. |
| Shoal Bay East | Anguilla | A long, wide, impeccably swimmable Caribbean beach with fine white sand and enough room to retain its composure. |
| Seven Mile Beach | Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands | A highly practical kind of beauty: clear Caribbean water, soft sand, easy swimming, good access and the rare capacity to delight both serious beachgoers and families. |
| Cala Macarella | Menorca, Spain | A Mediterranean cove with pine-cloaked limestone walls, turquoise water, walking access and the civilised prospect of a proper island lunch afterward. |