27 BEAUTIFUL Beaches That Should be on Your Bucketlist

Known as much for its nightlife as it is for its white sands, South Beach is an easy weekend getaway for anyone living on the East Coast.

Cut off from the rest of the mainland of Krabi province by high limestone cliffs, Railay Beach is only accessible by boat, making it one of Thailand's most peaceful and beautiful beaches.

Located in a remote cove on Zakynthos in Greece's Ionian Islands, Navagio Beach gets its nickname — Shipwreck Beach — because of the ship that ran aground here in the 1980s.

One of the U.S. Virgin Islands' finest white sand beaches, Maho Bay is also a great place to go swimming with sea turtles.

The massive sand dunes alone are reason to book a trip to Walvis Bay. But you'll also want to come to this beach on Namibia's Skeleton Coast for the wildlife — you're likely to spot flamingos, seals, whales, and even hyenas here.

Home to the Cinque Terre's only sand beach, Monterosso al Mare is the spot to post up for a long day of sunbathing on the Italian Riviera.

Australia's East Coast is home to some legendary beaches — Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays is particularly heavenly. Over on the West Coast, Turquoise Bay in the Cape Range National Park is equally gorgeous. Just watch out for those sharks.

With the rise of tourism in Myanmar, there are plenty of places to stay in this beach town on the Bay of Bengal — but don't fear that it's lost its charm; it still maintains its sleepy fishing village vibe.

While San Francisco might not be the sunny beach town you would imagine to see on a list like this, Baker Beach is worth visiting for the spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Fair warning: The northernmost end of the beach is clothing-optional.

Large granite boulders line the coast at the southern tip of Virgin Gorda, forming shallow pools that make The Baths an ideal spot for swimming and snorkeling.

The luxe beach houses here might try to overshadow this coastline, but the beach itself is still the most beautiful part of this Cape Town suburb.

Located 200 miles off Brazil's coast on Fernando de Noronha island, Baia do Sancho is only accessible via boat or by hiking down a narrow staircase from surrounding cliffs making it secluded and virtually untouched.

The U.K. has some gorgeous beaches — even if the weather isn't ideal for sunbathing. Rhossili Bay on the tip of Gower Peninsula in Swansea is particularly pretty — just look at those blooms.

With 12 miles of white sand beaches and the clearest water you'll likely ever encounter, there's no question why this beach on the north shore of the island of Providenciales made this list.

If you're looking for untouched beaches, head to southeast Sri Lanka to enjoy the wide open sands of Tangalle Beach.

There are too many beautiful white sand beaches in Seychelles to even count, but Source d'Argent on La Digue is known for being one of the best.

Surrounded by cliffs, this small beach outside of Lagos is one of the most beautiful in Portugal's Algarve region.

An unusual site on the otherwise rocky coast of Easter Island, the white sand beach at Anakena is also home to several Maoi statues carved by the Rapa Nui people.

Located on the southern coast of Brac Island, Zlatni Rat Beach is nicknamed the Golden Horn for its unusual shape that juts out into the Adriatic Sea.

It's hard to pick just one amazing beach in Hawaii, but Polihale Beach on Kauai's west coast is perfect for those seeking a bit of isolation and calm.

Greece and Italy might get more attention when it comes to Mediterranean beaches, but Turkey's southwestern coast is home to some beautiful options including the small sandy cove at Kaputas Beach.

If you're looking to go off the grid, head to this remote white sand beach on Espiritu Santo Island in the South Pacific.

Costa Rica has over 750 miles of shoreline, but Playa Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast is one of the most popular.

Iceland might not conjure up images of a beach vacation, but the black sand beaches of its southernmost town, Vik, are worth exploring.

Also called Tapuaetai, One Foot Island is exactly the place you want to be if you're looking for miles of secluded beaches.

While it isn't the easiest to get to, Cabo San Juan de la Guia Beach in Tayrona National Nature Park is worth the trek through the jungle to get there.

According to Maori legend, the marble-like Moeraki Boulders on Koekohe Beach are the remains of the ancient Araiteuru canoe that crashed into the Otago coast.