As an avid beach goer, I’m often asked to name some of my favourite beaches around the world. What defines these places is not just physical beauty, but also a deeper connection to the surrounding place and environment. And it doesn’t hurt if it’s remote, either.
7. Balos Bay, Crete, Greece
I first visited this beach back in 2002 on a family vacation. At the time, the only way to reach it (unless you were lucky enough to have a private boat) was by car along a very rocky, difficult to navigate road. When the road ended, you could hike down, the beauty of the giant rock and thin strip of pink sand connecting it to the mainland coming into view. Most striking of all, in the distance the darkened remains of a shipwreck marked the otherwise blue-green water. And best of all—we were alone.
When I went back just three years later, there were tourist boats taking daytrippers to the beach, complete with beach chairs and umbrellas. Still very much worth visiting, but you’ll have to time your visit right.
Balos Bay, Crete, Greece
6. Aitutaki, Cook Islands
The array of colours and sharp contrasts between the blues and greens was among the most beautiful I’ve ever seen in nature at Aiutatki lagoon. It’s a relatively remote atoll, but worth every penny to get to. I was lucky enough to visit while on board the National Geographic Orion from Rarotonga via Kiribati to French Polynesia. We visited one of the islands in the lagoon, featuring the kinds of palm trees typically seen on postcards. The shallow water surrounding the island made for stunning photographs, and fish and dolphins were plentiful.
Aiututaki, Cook Islands. Photo credit: Jay Dickman
5. Abel Tasman, New Zealand
Abel Tasman is a rewarding hike through a spectacular stretch of nature in what is already one of the world’s most beautiful countries. You can opt to have Abel Tasman water taxi services drop you off and pick you up elsewhere the same day as you hike through and stop at waterfalls, beaches and suspension bridges en route, or you can also do a similar trip camping with overnight stops. Sea kayaking is also available, and there’s a beach for everyone—truly an adventurer’s paradise. This stretch of coast is a must-visit for anyone planning a trip to New Zealand.
Abel Tasman, New Zealand
4. Tulum, Mexico
A long stretch of white sand beach and crashing waves dotted with small boutique hotels (my personal favourite is Sueños) featuring hammocks and bean bags, Tulum is the ultimate relaxation getaway. But should you tire of drinking spicy mezcal cocktails and stuffing yourself with tacos or tortilla soups on the beach, there are plenty of activities to keep you occupied. Several kitesurfing schools line the beach, and stand up paddleboarding is also available. A short drive away are cenotes, or underground freshwater caverns with openings through which sunlight and snorkelers stream in. Scuba diving is also available (and highly recommended). One such dive, studded with the effects of halocline and stalactites, convinced me to start my cave diving certification with Bil Phillips of Speleotech, a highly experienced cave explorer and instructor.
Tulum, Mexico
3. Praia do Leão, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
This beach is often overlooked in favour of the neighbouring Baia do Sancho, which garners all the accolades. Praia do Leão is its wilder cousin, reachable either by walking from the nearby Praia do Sueste (also worth a visit to spot baby lemon sharks in the shallows or for a swim and snorkel), or hitching a ride. It’s not suitable for swimming, and there are no concessions, so bring plenty of water. Have a seat on the sand, watch the waves pound away at the surf, and contemplate writing your own version of Baudelaire’s Man and the Sea.
Praia do Leão, Fernando de Noronha, Brasil
2. Anakena, Easter Island
Easter Island is a special place, and this beach is no exception. Seven moai statues overlook the pink sand and natural harbor with turquoise water. There are a fair number of people, but the beach is large enough that is doesn’t feel crowded. There are several nice vantage points nearby, and it’s an easy place to while away an afternoon reading, swimming and enjoying the views. And of course to wonder, who was this ancient civilisation who built the moai, how, and why? And other questions that we may never have answers to.
Anakena beach, Easter Island
1. Aldabra, Seychelles
Aldabra is as remote as it gets, uninhabited save for a small environmental research station, and reachable only by boat. It is the second-largest coral atoll in the world, and the only place besides the Galápagos where the giant tortoise roams—a mystery to this day. The tortoises have plenty of company, with large coconut crabs in various hues of purple, orange and yellow hiding in the trees, and some of the best scuba diving in the world just beyond the lagoon. Small black-tip reef sharks like hanging in the shallows of the white sand beaches and may curiously check you out. You’ll be some of the only humans for miles in this remote part of the Seychelles. Need I continue?
The Seychelles
A giant tortoise on Aldabra in the Seychelles