Unique beaches around the world

Bioluminescent Beach, Maldives

The beach in Mudhdhoo Island (also called Vaadhoo Island) is famous for being ‘glow-in-the-dark’. Resembling a sci-fi event or fairy tale, its bioluminescence is a spectacle when millions of planktons group together by the edge of the water, creating a magical glowing effect. The tiny organisms produce the light using a chemical called luciferin to ward off predators. The best time to spot the plankton is mid-summer to winter.

Pink sand beach, Bahamas

Harbour Island’s beaches with sands of soft pink hue are a hit with tourists. The pink colour of the sand comes from microscopic shelled animals called foraminifera, which live on the undersides of the reefs lining the shore. They are continuously washed up ashore by the wave, where their tiny shells impart the pink colour to the sand.

Hidden Beach, Mexico

This stunning beach at the Islas Marietas, off the coast of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s western side, owes its origin to the 1900s when the Mexican government used it as a military testing site, blasting a huge hole on the canopy of the grotto. Officially called Playa De Amor, or Beach of Love, it is accessible only through a long water tunnel that links the beach to the Pacific Ocean.

Dead Sea, Israel

To reach this sea, head to the lowest point of elevation on Earth. The lake’s high salinity makes it easy to float in the water, which has been a big draw for Dead Sea tourism. And many locals and visitors claim the mineral-rich mud from the salty lake helps relieve the symptoms of various ailments, like psoriasis, sinus infections and arthritis.

Neill Island, India

Neill Island is one of India’s Andaman Islands, in the Bay of Bengal. At only a little over 5 square miles, Neil Island is small and considered quite laid-back, but it packs in a lot of splendour, including the Howrah Natural Bridge (pictured).

Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda

The pink-sand beach at Horseshoe Bay is the most popular in Bermuda, and Horseshoe Bay Cove (pictured here) is a shallow pool that’s popular with families.

Coffee Bay, South Africa

Legend has it that Coffee Bay got its name because of a shipwreck that lost its cargo of coffee beans off the coast. The beans germinated, and the name stuck (though none of the trees have survived).

Camps Bay, South Africa

Just 10 minutes from Cape Town, beach lovers flock here for white sand beaches and dozens of hiking trails. The Twelve Apostles Mountain Range forms the beach’s dramatic background.

Legzira Beach, Morocco

Though this beach in Morocco is windy and rocky, it has been an attraction because of its to huge stone arches. In late 2016 one of the arches collapsed, leaving only the one pictured standing. The sea will wear away at the sandstone from which this arch is formed, and it will eventually collapse as well.

Playa Roja, Peru

The red sands of this beach in Peru’s Paracas National Reserve get their colour when waves crash against the nearby cliffs of Punta Santa Maria and pick up fragments of the red rock that makes up the cliff.

Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA

Sea stacks like these are found in many spots along the Oregon coast. Many stacks were formed by lava flowing to the sea. Once cooled, the lava became hardened basalt that was buried for millions of years. As the sea level receded, the rocks were revealed and parts were worn away by wind and water.

Boiler Bay, Virgin Islands

This beach in St Croix is protected to provide nesting locations for endangered sea turtles. The turtle populations are protected and monitored each year from July to December during nesting season.

This location is also as far east as you can go in any part of the United States and its territories, if you’re measuring by direction of travel.

Pfeiffer Beach, California, USA

This beach near Big Sur is accessed by an unmarked windy narrow road. Keyhole Rock (pictured) is a natural arch at the beach that is particularly beautiful at sunset. At the north end of the beach is unique purple sand that comes from manganese garnet rocks in the cliffs.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

As the southernmost city on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas is home to some of the most stunning stretches of sand. Tourists can simply laze on one of the many beaches here or indulge the thrill-seeker in them by swimming or snorkelling in the turquoise waters or getting up close to whales in a whale-watching expedition.

, Portugal

The historic town of Sintra is home to a number of breathtaking beaches, including Praia da Ursa, Praia da Adraga and Praia Grande. Sintra sits at the westernmost point of continental Portugal, and is one of the top destinations among tourists seeking crashing waves, majestic cliffs, stretches of sandy beach, surfing opportunities and delectable seafood.

Beach, Portugal

Imposing, awe-inspiring cliffs preserve this beach’s untouched beauty and add to its remoteness. You can catch splendid views of the beach from the top of the cliffs, then access the sandy coastline using a steep ramp. Next to the ramp is a fossilised dune, which is a designated geological monument.

Bay, Madagascar

This remote bay is one of the largest in Madagascar, and the beach here is surrounded by lush tropical forests. Teeming with around 140 fish species, the bay serves as a mating and nursery ground for a number of marine species such as sharks and humpback whales.

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