Travel tips: Where are the best beaches?

I am a real beach lover. Most of my trips are to islands, exploring the worlds best beaches.

Photo collage: Various beaches around the world

“So tell me, where are the best beaches?”

My friends know I have traveled to many beaches and they keep on asking me "so tell me, where are the best beaches?". I begin by explaining that there is no such thing as "the best beach". This simply does not exist. What is "best" depends on your preferences. And what is the "beach" is very subjective.

What is the "beach"?

This might sound like a silly question. But think about it for a moment, what exactly is the "beach" for you?

The stretch of sand or stones?

The water and its sea floor?

The vegetation and landscape around?

The underwater life?

To me the "beach" is all together. A place to lie down, a place to swim, a place to see underwater life - and surrounded by vegetation. For each of us, the definition of what the "beach"is, influences very much what we perceive as the "best beach". So make up your mind what is important to you and if it is all of the above, like for me, check out my personal Top 10 beach destinations below.

What makes the "best beach"?

The finest sand or a stoney beach?

The whitest sand or black sand?

The bluest or clearest and most turquoise water?

The highest waves or calmest sea?

The one easily accessible or the remote one?

The one with facilities or the untouched one?

What is the "best beach" depends on what YOU like most.

We talk about not only one characteristic when describing the "best beach", but several things together. The finest white sand doesn't make the best beach if the water is muddy or has poor visibility. The clearest and most turquoise water doesn't make the best beach if you're walking on rocky ground full of sea urchins to go for a swim. The nicest water and sand doesn't make the best beach if full of construction or located next to a busy street.

In the following list, you can find my personal Top 10 beach destinations. My personal beach preferences are typical white sand beaches, turquoise clear waters and green tropical plants in the surroundings. To me, a beach must be natural, without much construction and I don't mind remote ones. While indeed I gave those beach destinations a ranking for the reasons below, to me, there is not one absolute favourite beach or beach destination. All of them are gorgeous. All of them are worth a visit.

My personal Top 10 beach destinations

1. Seychelles

The finest white sand, the most turquoise water, the gorgeous hilly landscape and untouched lush green vegetation make the Seychelles my absolute number 1. Less than 10 hours flight from Europe, this is the most mesmerising beach getaway.

My favourite beaches are:

Anse Coco on La Digue
Grande Anse on La Digue
Anse Source d'Argent on La Digue
Anse Georgette on Praslin
Anse Intendance on Mahé

There are many more beautiful beaches in Seychelles, but the ones listed above, to me, beat them all.

2. Cook Islands

Large shallow lagoons, different shades of blue and turquoise, fine white sand, coconut trees everywhere - this is the pure island paradise coming second on my list of the best beaches worldwide.

My favourite beaches are:

One Foot Island with its sandbank
Motu Tekopua
Motu Akaiami
Motu Ee
Honeymoon Island

These beautiful beaches are all on the island of "Aitutaki". The main island called "Rarotonga" has one beautiful beach called "Muri Beach" located in the tourist town with the same name, but it really cannot compare to the beauty of Aitutaki.

Check out our drone pictures of Cook Islands!

3. French Polynesia

Although one can find finer white sand beaches (with less corals) somewhere else, no other place can compete with the beautiful lagoons of French Polynesia. With up to 7 shades of blue, the waters are one of a kind and together with the gorgeous volcanic mountain landscape and the many motus (small islands surrounding the main island), French Polynesia is indeed a dream. Simply gorgeous!

My favourite beaches are:

Terei'a Beach (on the island of Maupiti)
The many motus surrounding the island of Taha'a
Beach of Tema'e (on the island of Moorea)
The beaches of Tetiaroa (atoll North of Tahiti)

The downside of French Polynesia is that many of the beautiful beaches are on islands with hotel properties such as "Le Taha'a Resort & Spa" or the beach of the "Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa". That makes them often inaccessible for visitors not staying in those hotels. Only for some of the hotels, one can buy day passes when eating in the restaurants or booking a spa package.

4. Philippines

By now, Philippine beaches are world renowned. Not every beach in that extraordinary country with its more than 7000 islands is remarkable, but when you explore a bit, you will find many with white sand, turquoise water and an abundance of surrounding nature - and dare I say, as beautiful as in Seychelles or in French Polynesia!

My favourite beaches are:

Entalula Island (El Nido, Palawan)
Daku Island (Siargao)
Puka Shell Beach (Boracay)
Kalanggaman Island (Cebu, Leyte)
Bohol Beach Club (Bohol)
Blue Lagoon (Ilocos Norte, Luzon)

To experience Philippine beaches in a very special way, I highly recommend to book the Tao Tour. You will spend several days on a boat, allowing you to explore remote islands not usually accessed by day trippers. I have done the tour a few year ago and can confirm: It truly is a once in a lifetime experience!

5. New Caledonia

Large stretches of fine white sand without pieces of corals, crystal clear waters and the beaches for yourself most of the time. Seldomly one can find such untouched paradise off the beaten track. A real little secret among beach lovers, New Caledonia is not on many travellers' bucket lists - but undeniably worth the visit!

My favourite beaches are:

Baie de Kuto (Ile des Pins)
Plage de Kutéma (Ile des Pins)
Plage de Luengoni (Lifou)
Peng Beach (Lifou)
Kiki Plage (Lifou)
Plage de Mouly (Ouvéa)

Check out our drone pictures from New Caledonia!

6. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Not all beaches are remarkably nice, but those in the Southern Grenadines rank among the best in the Caribbean - white sand, turquoise water, hilly islands with untouched vegetation.

My favourite beaches are:

Tobago Cays
Carnash Bay (on the island of Mayreau)

The island of Bequia is pretty and has nice beaches to spend a day or two, but they do not compare to those of the beaches mentioned above. The sand and water colour of Bequia's beaches are beautiful, but by far not as white and turquoise.

Check out our drone pictures from St. Vincent and the Grenadines!

7. US Virgin Islands

What makes the beaches in the US Virgin Islands so special is because everything comes together: Amazingly clear and turquoise waters, fine white sand and most of all the hills full of green Caribbean plants and trees - extraordinary are the beaches in the National Park of St. John.

My favourite beaches are:

Lindquist Beach (St. Thomas)
Trunk Beach (St. John)
Little Cinnamon Bay Beach (St. John)
Hawksnest Beach (St. John)

Check out our drone pictures from US Virgin Islands!

8. Maldives

Everyone knows the paradise-like pictures from the media. And it's true, Maldives beaches are one of the best in the world. What's probably the best ever is the underwater life. What I dislike a bit is that there is basically no elevation - the islands are all flat.

My favourite beaches are those on:

Fulhadhoo Island
Fehendhoo Island
Innafushi Island
Rahkairifinolhu sandback

These places are all in the Goidhoo Atoll and do not belong to big hotel chains. The islands of the Goidhoo atoll are local islands and can be visited in an independent way.

Check out our drone pictures from Maldives!

9. Dominican Republic

I haven't discovered many beaches in the Dominican Republic, but the one in Bavaro has surpassed my expectations. Yes, the beach is mostly full of resorts, but the strecth of sand is so fine and large, plus the azure waters are unbelievable, so Punta Cana made it in my Top 10. Tip: The beach towards the north of Bavaro (right next to the Hard Rock Hotel) is still unspoiled - simply amazing!

Check out our drone pictures from Dominican Republic!

10. Bermuda

Off the beaten track, especially for European tourists, I would say that Bermuda is a special place to visit. Less than 3 hours flight from New York and still far from the Caribbean, Bermuda's beaches are in no way less beautiful. Fine white sand and amazing clear turquoise waters with mostly natural surroundings.

My favourite beaches are: