1. Dreamland Beach – Bali Indonesia
This once-hidden cove located on the Bukit peninsula was first “discovered” around the 1970s and has since become a top destination for surfers thanks to its great shore breaks. Though it has grown in popularity in the last 40 years and new Beach Resorts have cropped up, it still retains its hang-ten vibe with small shops and beach shack cafes like Kelly’s Warung, known for its fresh juices, wraps, and smoothies.
2. Horseshoe bay – Bermuda
Although one of the most popular beaches on the island, Horseshoe Bay has a hidden secret: Port Royal Cove (pictured), which has shallow water perfect for young kids and dramatic rock formations that complement wonderfully soft, pink sand. Nearby Spicelands Equestrian Centre even offers trail rides down to the private cove, which is located in part of South Shore Park in Southampton Parish.
3. Harbour Island – Bahamas
Although one of the most popular beaches on the island, Horseshoe Bay has a hidden secret: Port Royal Cove (pictured), which has shallow water perfect for young kids and dramatic rock formations that complement wonderfully soft, pink sand. Nearby Spicelands Equestrian Centre even offers trail rides down to the private cove, which is located in part of South Shore Park in Southampton Parish.
4. Bathsheba Beach – Barbados
Rugged, wild, and untouched are just some of the words used to describe this shoreline, where both photographers and surfers flock to catch the best waves and watch the “Soup Bowl,” a name for when the waves crash into the white sand and huge boulders to create a scenic (and foamy) natural phenomenon. It’s less of a swimming locale, but you’ll have plenty of shots to post on Instagram.
5. Waipio Valley Beach – Hawaii
This beach in Waipio Valley is one of the hardest to get to in Hawaii—you must hike or drive down a treacherously narrow, steep road to reach your destination. But it’s well worth the trek: At the bottom, you’re rewarded with a mile-long black volcanic sand beach bordered by 2,000-foot cliff walls and backed by thick rainforest. If that weren’t scenic enough, the Kaluahine and Waiulili waterfalls cut into the cliffs at the south end of the beach, and are accessible via a boulder-strewn trail along the surf.
6. Lindquist Beach, St. Thomas
Part of a protected 21-acre area called Smith Bay Park, this white-sand beach has shallow, calm turquoise water ideal for everyone in the family to enjoy a swim. After a dip, head to either the right or left side of the shore, where you can enjoy a packed picnic of conch chowder in the coconut grove or under the sea grape trees. Typically quiet during the week, the beach becomes livelier on weekends, as locals tend to throw small parties.
7. Matira Beach – Bora Bora
Matira is perhaps the most famous of Tahiti’s beaches, and for good reason: The mile-long stretch of silky, powder-white sand slopes gently into a shallow emerald lagoon, and is backed by a thick curtain of palms and tropical foliage. Added bonus: It’s one of the only public-access beaches in Bora Bora, so you won’t need to pay five-star resort prices to enjoy its beauty. Come early to stake out a spot.
8. Palm Beach – Aruba
The two-mile-long strip on the northwest side of the island is filled with activities to keep you busy all day and night. Try your hand at parasailing or snorkeling before sitting down to enjoy a barefoot lunch at Pelican Pier Bar during the day; then, head to the nearby casinos, restaurants, and nightclubs at night to make your lazy day a bit more lively.
9. El Nido- Philippines
Shockingly, Palawan remains steadily under the radar, even though it continues to rank highly in our Readers’ Choice Awards. El Nido alone is home to around 50 white sand beaches it’s impossible to choose just one all of which are set around dramatic limestone formations and boast the finest and whitest sand you’ll ever see. The water is so blindingly blue it makes the Caribbean Sea look murky in comparison. And the sunsets? Well, they’ll ruin you for life. Consider yourself warned.
10. Honopu Beach – Hawai
Also known as Cathedral Beach, Honopu—like Waipio Valley—is quite difficult to reach. For starters, it’s not accessible except by water, so to get there, you must swim from an offshore boat, or from neighboring Kalalau Beach (a quarter-mile swim). But the trouble is worth it: Think cumin-colored sand bordered by soaring, vegetation-cloaked cliffs—and, most times, not a soul in sight. Fun fact: It’s served as a location on such films as Six Days, Seven Nights, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and King Kong.
HAPPY TRAVELING WITH ABOVE-5.COM
