Top 10 Most Famous Beaches in The World

Imagine this: You’re lying back on a beach towel with your eyes closed, and relaxing. The sound of waves lapping up at the edge of the shore creates a sort of monotone rhythm, with only the sound of seagulls overhead squawking occasionally to break up the noise. You can feel the sun bearing down on you, warming you up as you start to sweat, and feel the ground beneath you shift as a breeze blows off of the ocean and onto you.

The sweet scent of salt and water fill your nostrils; clean and welcoming.

It’s a nice vision, isn’t it? Luckily, for a lot of people going to a beach is well within their reach. After all, Beaches are everywhere as long as water beats onto shorelines and create sand!

For a lot of people though, a simple beach just won’t do. For real worldwide trekkers, and explorers, and adventurers, there’s a lot more out there to see and experience. A lot of people want to go where other like-minded people go, and see what kind of famous beaches are out there and what the world has to offer.

Luckily, that’s what we’re going to be discussing with this article. Bringing up all of the most Famous Beaches of the world, and discussing where they’re at, what they look like, and what you can do at them. For some, these beaches are a haven for parties. For others, quiet areas of contemplation. Some still, are a mixture of both that offer fun and exploration. Some are just perfect for what they are: being beautiful places to swim and relax.

Now, let’s talk about some of those beaches huh? Don’t want to get too far behind when we have a lot to cover.

1. Santa Monica Beach, California

The first beach on our list to talk about has to be something a bit closer to home if you’re living in the United States. Santa Monica Beach is perhaps one of the most beautiful, and iconic, beach that’s in the United States, and certainly one of the top beaches in the world! Its beachfront spans over 3.5 miles all along the beautiful Californian coastline, and hundreds, if not thousands of people can be seen visiting it year round. In fact, Santa Monica Beach is so iconic of Famous Beaches that just mentioning the word “beach” conjures images of skateboarders, rollerbladers, bicyclers, runners, workout junkies, and beach bums who come to the beach shore in search of fun and sun.

What’s there to do here besides all of the mentioned above? Lots actually! If rollerblading, boarding, surfing, swimming, and tanning aren’t your thing there are dozens of food vendors that line the streets, either in the form of food trucks, food carts, or restaurants. If food isn’t your thing, there’s, of course, the famous Boardwalk that juts out of the sand on a large wooden platform. Said boardwalk includes carnival games, small rides, and the ever famous Ferris wheel. Certainly, you can’t go wrong visiting this famous beach, considering how there’s literally an endless supply of fun to have while out there!

2. South Beach – Miami Florida

Here’s another Famous Beach that’s close to home if you’re in the United States, that’s just on the other side of the country, far and away from California. South Beach is a beach that also has an iconic look that conjures up all sorts of imagery to the imagination, mostly seen from movies and television. Palm Trees, warm breezes, people in bikini’s walking around, and an endless parade of parties that go on from dusk to dawn. It doesn’t help that South Beach has a healthy nightlife that surrounds it, with various restaurants, bars, and clubs that dot the 2 miles of bright white sand and endless summer fun.

Of course, if partying isn’t your thing, then you’re in luck! Not only does South Beach has an active party life for adventuring souls, but there are a lot of Art Deco museums as well, with the American Riviera being the most famous. If you’re the sort of person who loves art history to go along with your dancing and music in between relaxing on a gorgeous sandy beach then South Beach is perfect for you.

3. Waikiki – Honolulu Hawaii

Here’s one that’s still technically in the United States, but is a little bit harder to get to that takes a lot more than a weekend drive to get through if you’re in the United States. Waikiki, however, is the very picture of what it takes to be considered a Famous Beach however, considering the majestic view that it commands. From mountains that encircle the entire island state, to the massive city that spans behind it with towering skyscrapers that reach up and touch the sky. Not only that, but its location as well makes it warm year round, so there’s always a crowd of people that come to bask in the warm air, and warm blue waters of Hawaii.

For those, though that want to know what sort of fun a vacationer can have on this Famous Beach, there’s actually a surprisingly large amount of activities that you can do. Of course, there are the standard beach activities of tanning, swimming, surfing, and relaxing, but aside from that, any beachgoers can enjoy the myriad of night clubs, shops, and the multitude of live music events that tend to go on at the beach. There’s always something going on during the day at the beach, and always something going on at night.

For those that want to get away from the surf and turf though? There’s the Diamond Head crater that people can climb, or hang gliding that goes off on the mountain ranges, or just taking in traditional Hawaiian culture and food.

4. Mosquito Bay – Vieques Puerto Rico

This is one beach that you can’t swim at (as it was forbidden some time ago), however, don’t let that fool you into thinking that there’s nothing out here to do. There’s a good reason for the no swimming rule actually.

That’s because Mosquito Bay is one of the few places in the world where the water LITERALLY lights up at night, creating a beautiful patchwork of glowing blue algae that illuminate the night. Heralded by the Guinness Book of Records as one of the brightest beaches in the world, it leaves little to the imagination on WHY it’s that way. Not only that, but Mosquito Bay is also considered one of the most romantic locales in the world, and is why it’s considered a World Famous Beach.

Plus there’s quite a lot of other activities that one can do while on the Island of Vieques as well for those that want to see more than just a light show. Picnics locations that nestle along the shoreline, small communities, and a nature preserve, and more make adequate entertainment for those that wait for the right time at night to see what natures gifts look like.

For those that are especially serious about getting the most out of their beach-going experience at Mosquito Bay, there’s also a moon calendar available that show when the best time to go is so people can plan accordingly. The lights that show typically differ, depending on the cycle of the moon. New Moons and Full Moons especially are considered the best time to show up.

5. Spiaggia Grande – Positano Italy

Here’s perhaps one of the most amazing, artistically inspired beaches that’s in the world right now, and deserves its place on the list of Most Famous Beaches in the world. Imagine the setting; Beautiful green hills that surround a beached coastline that stretches several miles. A city of pastel colored brickwork buildings that dot the hills and landscape behind it for miles, teeming with life and energy. Old churches that date back to the medieval and renaissance era, and a healthy mix of modern architecture, music, and energy that mixes well with both old and new?

If all of that sounds beautiful to you, then you’re not alone. Celebrities, the Wealthy, and the vacationing all come to Spiaggia Grande year-round to either make a temporary home or spend a week relaxing. It’s hard not to see why either, what with all the delicious Italian Food that the Italians are known for, all the music festivals that tend to take place down on the beach, and the history that fills the place. In fact, history is often one of the prime motivations for a visit, considering the tours that go on to show off the military bases (some foundations that stretch back to the Roman Empire).

6. Bondi Beach – Sydney Australia

Some people think that Australia must be one large beach, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. While there is a lot of beach front property in Australia, a lot of it is in places that are just inhabitable. However, of the beaches that are centered around major metropolitan areas? Some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world. In fact, Bondi Beach is one such beach that deserves its place on the list of Most Famous Beaches, mostly due to its sheer beauty and atmosphere.

A lot of other beaches that have been presented so far tend to be more or less a magnet for parties, and it’s not hard to see why. Warm sun, warm water, warm sand, and good food attract the sort of people that want to spice up their evening with a bit of excitement once the sun goes down and the sand and water gets a bit chillier.

What makes Bondi Beach so exciting however is that it’s one of the most laid back beaches in the world, that has a little bit of something for everyone looking for a bit of fun. Want to just spend your day lounging beneath the sun working on your tan in relative quiet? It has that.

Want to take a long stroll along its shoreline from Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, and admire nature? There’s that too. Want to just eat good food and enjoy local cuisine? There are various different local restaurants that focus on the local food Australia is known for. Want to learn to surf? There are a lot of surfing schools that teach newcomers how to surf.

From farmers markets to swimming clubs, and luxury hotels, Bondi Beach has it all for everyone that wants to just get away and think about never returning.

7. Bathsheba Beach – Barbados

Here’s another World Famous Beach that’s great for viewing, but not great for swimming. What makes Bathsheba Beach so wonderful is that it shows the true power of the Atlantic Ocean with its powerful waves that constantly crash upon the shoreline, washing away rock and debris alike, eroding the coastline and bathing it all in a layer of heavy, foamy water.

Which is why that the Beach is great for viewing (and surfing) but not swimming in. It’s teeming with sharp rocks, coral formations, and other rocks that dot the landscape, but the powerful waves that wash and crash on the shore make it less idealistic for relaxing swimming – unless struggling to not be swept out to sea and smashed on the shoreline constitutes a fun time.

Still, don’t let that detract you from the beauty of the beach itself! Clean, warm air, invigorating sun, rugged terrain, hills to climb and explore, and history that stretches back centuries all await any vacationer looking for a fun time to just go and be close to one of the most famous sights in the world.

Best of all, the people that live off of the Beach are known to be some of the friendliest in the world. With small villages and communities rich in history, fishing, and more that welcome guests to the various inns, taverns, and hotels. Not to mention the ever famous local rum that’s produced from all the local breweries. If you really want a spot that’ll be a focal point of your family’s photo album, be sure to stop at Bathsheba Park for a picnic. It’s a sight you’ll never forget.

8. The Bahamas – All of it.

So this choice isn’t boiled down to just one general location. When you think of the word “Bahama”, most people have a similar thought that comes to mind. White sand, blue sky, warm air, Pina Colada’s on the beach, and a breeze that enhances the quietness.

The entirely of the Bahama’s is, in itself, a World Famous Beach. There are over 700 islands that dot the ocean of the Bahama’s, with some of them being as large as a city itself, to as small as an acre or three of prime beachfront property. All of them share one thing in common though; being surrounded by beaches as far as the eye can see.

In fact, it’s even really hard to describe WHAT you can do here in the Bahama’s as a vacationer. There are some islands heavily devoted to a party life with massive resorts, clubs, and food while some islands are privately owned and used for private citizens.

However, there are a few places that generally welcome visitors of all kinds and do have different activities for you to do. If you wanted to settle down against an unnatural sand color, then relaxing and swimming at the Pink Sand Beach on Harbour Island will leave you with one heck of an interesting memory. If swimming is more of your thing, then there are Wild Pigs that like to swim in the Exuma’s and are generally pretty human friendly. If exploration is something that excites you, then there are a myriad of different underwater caves, grottos, and more at the Gold Rock Beach at the Lucayan National Park.

Just whatever you do, always make sure that you come expecting an adventure.

9. Navagio Beach – Zakynthos Greece

A lot of the Famous Beaches that have been mentioned on this list tend to be surrounded by cities. Cities, resorts, restaurants, clubs, and more than entice beachgoers to get out of the water, off the sand, and into their buildings for drinks and excitement.

So what sets Navagio Beach apart from all of those?

The simple fact that this Famous Beach is not nestled up against any major cityscape. In fact, this beach is almost completely isolated and is more or less a cove nestled into the rocky, limestone cliffs off of the Greek island of Zakynthos.

To most people, that might seem like a negative quality. What’s the point of going to a beach if there aren’t any sort of beach activities to be had out there? A lot of people prefer the sun, fun, music, food, and atmosphere of a busy beach that they can enjoy. However, the positives of this isolated beach is that with it being where it’s at, you get almost the pure, distilled joy of quietness that comes with making your trek there.

So what sort of activities can you find here? Aside from hiking up the cliffs and trying to rock climb up the limestone rocks that surround you, there’s also a bustling business of extreme sports, such as hang gliding, wingsuit jumping, and more. Plus, there’s a reason that Navagio Beach is also nicknamed “The Shipwreck Beach”. Not too far is the wreck of a ship called Panagiotis that dates back centuries, and is supposedly a smugglers ship, when the Cove had a less than reputable reputation.

Be sure to bring sunscreen, because there’s plenty of clear blue water, white sand, and sunshine

10. The Baths – British Virgin Islands

The Baths is perhaps one of the most striking beaches in the world and have definitely earned its spot in the title of World Famous Beach. What separates the baths from all the others on the list is the sheer amount of variety that comes with this beach. Most of the beaches on this list typically are just one long stretch of sandy real estate that hugs the edge of the ocean water, and the land it occupies, with most of the beaches straddling important metropolitan area’s (aside from 2 others on the list).

What the Baths has, is separate different areas that are separated by Boulders, Rock Formations, Underwater Caves, and a Bay Area that looks much more traditional and in line of what we think of as a beach.

The most beautiful part of all of this is that the Baths was formed through a series of volcanic activity that happened eons ago. Because of this, large granite boulders dot the landscape, and time and water have smoothed away all of the boulders to give them a bright sheen.

Full of grottos, pools, tunnels, and more, it’s almost impossible to take a bad picture at this beach – which is one of the main reasons tourists like to come to the area. Swimming, Snorkeling, sunbathing, and general relaxation are mostly what you’d find here. While not as overtly exciting as saying, Santa Monica or the Bahama’s, the Baths are known for their ethereal quality that enchants any visitor.

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So that honestly concludes the Top 10 Most Famous Beaches in the World, and what an exciting list it is. For the jet setter who likes to explore every facet of Earth, and see every beautiful quality, it’s a small list really, as there are thousands of beautiful beaches that line the world today. Some of them steeped in history, some of them indulgent in activities that range from the fun and hip to the slow and steady. Thousands yet more that hug mountains that dip down into the ocean, and even some that cover freshwater sources (such as on the great lakes region in North America).

However, what makes the Top 10 Famous ones above… well… be famous is the sheer fact that they draw people to their location, and will continue to do so for the year to come. As long as there are people who love water, sunlight, and fun, there will be people who go, leave, and return.

So be sure to pack your sunscreen, your favorite beach towel, and a pair of sunglasses and have fun.

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