A great beach is one that you don't want to leave at the end of your holiday. A beach that you dream about when you are back home, working hard and hating routine life. A beach that you will undoubtedly return to.
#10: Anse Lazio in the Seychelles
Anse Lazio features in our list of World's Top 10 Beaches at number 10.
Crescent-shaped, with powdery white sand, and those turquoise waters that you expect a great beach to have,
Anse Lazio is paradise. Over and over again, it's voted one of the best beaches in the world.
Picture-perfect . . . you'll know exactly what that means when you visit Anse Lazio.
Palm trees and lovely shade-giving Takamaka trees create the perfect backdrop. Watch the sun as it goes down over Chevalier Bay. Admire the craggy outcrops of Pointe Chevalier. Indulge in spectacular reef snorkeling.
Anse Lazio is on the northwest shore of the isle of Praslin, one of the Seychelles 115 islands. Don't know where the Seychelles are? Well, "The Republic of Seychelles," formerly a British colony, but now independent, lies the western part of the Indian Ocean. This collection of islands contains some of the
most stunning beaches in the world, of which Anse Lazio always seems to win first prize.
If you've visited Anse Lazio, let us know what you think on the comments section below!
#9: Grace Bay Beach, Turks & Caicos
Grace Bay Beach features in our list of World's Top 10 Beaches at number 9.
A twelve-mile stretch of
pristine white sand, lapped by an ocean that's the bluest blue, Grace Bay Beach curves gently on the northern shore of the island of Providenciales (often shortened to "Provo"), the main island of the 40 that make up Turks and Caicos. Dive, snorkel, fish, stroll along the ocean's edge and look for colorful starfish, or just lie back and let the warm Caribbean breezes caress you.
This more than just a beach; it's a beach destination, boasting some of the
most luxurious hotels and spa resorts in the world. But don't worry, it's not super touristy. There are no high-rises, and the pace is laid back.
Located 930 km southeast of Miami, in the Caribbean ocean, Turks and Caicos is relatively easy to get to, with all international
flights landing at Providenciales International Airport. From Canada, your best bet is to fly to Miami and then take American Airlines. Grace Bay Beach is a short ten- or fifteen-minute ride from the airport-so once you're on the island, paradise is only minutes away.
Have you been to
Grace Bay? Share you comments with us below!
#8: Ipanema Beach, Brazil
Ipanema Beach features in our list of World's Top 10 Beaches at number 8.
Unlike Anse Lazio and Grace Bay Beach,
Ipanema Beach is lively. Sun lovers engage in every sand and ocean sport imaginable. Beach vendors hawk their wares-so you can shop and eat without getting up from your staked out piece of beautiful beige sand.
Trendy, chic, upscale . . . this is how Brazilians and tourists describe Ipanema Beach. What does that mean? Well, it's the beach on which you're bound to see the
most tanned, the most sleek, and the most fashionable beach bodies in the world. Going topless is okay, and there's even a section called "the gay beach."
Ipanema Beach is actually a city beach, located in the neighborhood of Ipanema, in the southern portion of Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil's most famous city. So, getting to Ipanema Beach means flying to Rio. Unfortunately, no airlines fly directly to Rio from Canada, but you can get a connection through a US city on a number of airlines, including Delta Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, US Airways, and United Airlines.
Do you feel Ipanema Beach rates a place on our top 10 list? Let us know in the comments section below!
#7: Pink Sand Beach, Bahamas
Pink Sand Beach features in our list of World's Top 10 Beaches at number 7.
This beach is an expanse of . . . yes,
pink sand. There are several pink sand beaches in the world, but this one truly deserves the name, because it is exceptionally large, at 5 km long and 15 to 30 m wide. The color of the sand is created by a mixture of marine matter that washes ashore. This includes pieces of
coral and the pinkish red shells of one-celled living organisms called Foraminifera.
Because Foraminifera live on reefs, their presence naturally indicates that there are reefs nearby.
Pink Sand Beach is therefore a great destination for snorkelers. And because reefs provide shelter to beaches, this is also an excellent and safe swimming beach. The slope is gentle, as are the waves, so stroll along the ocean's edge and admire the pink color of the sand, contrasting with the aquamarine blue of the ocean on one side, and lush green foliage on the other.
Located on Harbour Island, Pink Sand Beach is about 80 km east of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. You can get to Nassau on
WestJet or
Air Canada, or you can book a package through a tour operator, in which case you'll fly on the charter airline (i.e., Skyservice that the tour operator uses.
What about Pink Sand Beach? Have you had the pleasure of enjoying this stretch of paradise? Post your comments and tell us what you think.
#6: Nikki Beach, Marbella, Spain
It's the
epitome of luxury. Imagine guests lounging on white beds. Imagine waiters delivering cocktails. Imagine white sand and a stunning blue ocean. Imagine a background of elegant white buildings, so characteristic of Spanish resort towns. This is
Nikki Beach, on the Costa del Sol, in the lovely coastal town of Marbella.
This is a beach where celebrities love to hang out, so keep your eyes open for someone famous. The rich love to come here too, to spend some of their wealth. So, you can't beat the people watching on Nikki Beach.
You can lounge around all day, and then party all night, because the beach turns into a party zone at night, with DJs cranking up the volume and encouraging partiers to party even harder. For the young, the young-at-heart, the rich, the famous, and anyone who wants a taste of beach life at its most over-the-top, this is the place.
Nikki Beach is a 15-minute from the centre of
Marbella, and the nearest airport is in Malaga, about 60 km away. No airlines fly direct from Canada to Malaga, but head to any major European city and then fly into Malaga with a large airline such as British Airways and Lufthansa, or with a small, budget airlines such as easyJet and bmibaby. There are plenty of options to get you to the beach you'll likely never forget.
Does Nikki Beach rate a place on our list? If you've been, we'd like to hear from you, so please comment.
#5: Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda
Horseshoe Bay features in our list of World's Top 10 Beaches at number 5.
Everything about
Bermuda is delightful, from the enchanting, pastel-colored buildings, to the businessmen in their Bermuda shorts, to high tea, to Goslings Black Seal Rum. And
Bermuda's beaches are all gorgeous, but
Horseshoe Bay, in the parish of Southampton-yes, Bermuda has parishes like the UK-on the south coast of the island, is likely the best of the best.
About 35 km long, there are plenty of bays and coves to hide away in if you'd like a quiet spot. Snorkeling and diving are big here-after all, Bermuda is completely surrounded by coral reefs. The sand is soft (and of that
pink hue that you also find in the Bahamas), the water is crystal clear, and there are rocky outcrops you can swim too and admire the beach from. If you like, you can rent chairs and beach umbrellas.
Getting to Bermuda from Canada is relatively easy because Bermuda lies directly off Canada's east coast, not in the
Caribbean ocean, as so many people believe. You can fly on Air Canada from major cities in eastern Canada to Bermuda's capital, Hamilton. There are no car rental agencies in Bermuda, so rent a motor scooter or moped for getting around the island. And, put Horseshoe Bay at the top of your beach-hopping list because you won't want to miss it.
If you've been to Horseshoe Bay, tell us if you think it's deserving of a place on our top 10 beach list.
#4: Whitehaven Beach, Australia
Whitehaven Beach features in our list of World's Top 10 Beaches at number 4.
The tide works
magic with the white sand, creating rippling shades of aquamarine and emerald green. The water is
crystal clear. The sand is powdery soft, and actually squeaks when you walk on it, due to its
approximately 98% silica content. Silica is broken down quartz, in case you're wondering.
This is a great beach for watching sea life, as Australia's Great Barrier Reef is home to a richly diverse sea population. So, keep your eye out for stingrays, brightly colored fish, and even baby sharks-and you should be able to see them right from the shore
Seven kilometers long,
Whitehaven Beach is located on Whitsunday Island, the largest of the 75 islands that make up the Whitsundays, just off the coast of
Queensland, Australia's northeastern state. Getting here is a bit of an adventure. You have to take a boat from Airlie Beach on the mainland. And the easiest way to get to Airlie Beach is to fly to the domestic airport in Proserpine, from one of Australia's main cities, such as Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne. From Proserpine, you can take a taxi or shuttle to the boat docks in Airlie Beach.
If you've felt the soft sand of
Whitehaven between your toes, we'd love to know if you think it's one of the world's top beaches. Let us know.
#3: Bora Bora, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Bora Bora Beach features in our list of World's Top 10 Beaches at number 3.
On one of the most beautiful islands in the world, you'll find one of the
most beautiful beaches in the world. It technically doesn't have a specific name; it's simply named after the island, and therefore called
Bora Bora Beach. And all of the beaches on the island are typically referred to as Bora Bora Beach.
The emerald green water provides a stunning contrast with the white sand, and the South Pacific Ocean is a playground for a variety of colorful fish and other sea creatures, like fascinating manta rays.
This is a place of
romance, where lounging on the beach is the favorite activity of most visitors. But, you can try your hand at shark feeding if you like. And of course swimming and snorkeling are popular activities. Stay in an overwater bungalow-some even have glass floors-and you can get out bed and be swimming and snorkeling in seconds.
To get to
Bora Bora, take Air Tahiti from Tahiti's capital, Papeete. To get to Tahiti from Canada, you can fly airlines such as Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Japan Airlines.
Beautiful? A true paradise? If you've been to Bora Bora, post your comments and tell us what you think.
#2: The Maldives beach on the island of Nalaguraidhoo
The Maldives Beach features in our list of World's Top 10 Beaches at number 2.
This is another beach with no name, but maybe something so beautiful doesn't need a name. Located on the island of
Nalaguraidhoo-meaning "
Sun Island"-the image of this beach will stay etched in your mind forever, if you're lucky enough to go there.
Sun Island is very small, 1.5 km long, and 0.5 km side, so it's essentially one beach resort, with dazzling white sand and endless clear blue ocean all around. Add in the lush vegetation, and you have the perfect little paradise. The barrier reef is swimming distance from the edge of the beach, so in minutes you can go from lounging to snorkeling.
Go sailing on a catamaran, parasailing, windsurfing . . . for such a small place, the activity options are surprisingly plentiful.
To get to Sun Island, you'll need to take a seaplane or boat from Male, the capital of the Maldives, a country made up of some 1200 tiny islands, in the Indian Ocean. Airlines that fly to the Maldives-and from Canada it means getting to Europe or Asia first-include Indian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, bmi, and several others.
Have you made the journey to
Nalaguraidhoo to visit this beach? If so, how does it rate in your list of the world's top beaches? Post a comment and tell us.
#1: White Beach, Boracay Island, Philippines
White Beach features in our list of World's Top 10 Beaches at number 1.
Walk on powdery white sand. Watch palm trees swaying in the breeze. Wade or swim in the gentle and warm waters of the
Sibuyan Sea, a small sea nestled among the islands that make up the Philippines. Boracay Island's White Beach is a 4-kilometer stretch of paradise.
Unfortunately, the Philippines are often hit hard by tropical storms, and sometimes the beaches are totally submerged, but nature has given them the remarkable capability of rebuilding themselves. If you plan to visit White Beach and the other beaches on delightful Boracay Island,
check out the weather and beach conditions first, because you want to visit White Beach when it's at its most perfect. You'll want to be able to enjoy beautiful sunsets, engage in watersports, go scuba diving . . .
Boracay Island is about 350 kilometers south of the Philippines' capital, Manila, which is located on the island of Luzon. To get to Boracay, you'll need to fly to Manila and then take a domestic flight on an airline such as Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, or Asian Spirit. You can actually fly direct from Canada to the Philippines on Philippine Airlines. Many other airlines-such as Cathay Pacific , KLM, and Asian Airlines-also fly to the Philippines, but do involve connections. Ah, but getting to
paradise is worth a few connections.
Have you had the pleasure of visiting White Beach? Is it worthy of the number one place on our list? Comment away. We'd love to hear.
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