Crystal-clear water in a myriad of blue-green shades. Pristine white beaches with towering, shady palms. A piña colada in a glass with a little umbrella. These are probably the first images that come to mind when the summer heat hits — so where is that long-awaited vacation?
In the middle of summer, it’s always nice to take a moment, close your eyes, and dream of white sand, coconut palms, and turquoise water. Thoughts of an upcoming vacation don’t just pull us out of the daily grind — they lift our mood and can put a smile on our face just in anticipation of a well-deserved rest.
To put you in that vacation mood, even for just a few minutes, AdmiGram.com has rounded up ten of the most stunning and unusual beaches on the planet. Each one is exotic in its own right — and each has something that makes it truly one of a kind. Perfect spots for relaxing… and for the occasional Instagram photoshoot.
The Most Beautiful and Photogenic Beaches in the World
Hyams Beach, Australia
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This beach has entered the Guinness World Records as home to the whitest sand on Earth. Its secret? The sand is made of pure quartz, which also gives it a pleasantly squeaky feel underfoot.
Hidden Beach (Playa del Amor), Marietas Islands, Mexico
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The Marietas Islands, off Mexico’s Pacific coast, became a national park in 2005 and were designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2008. Hidden Beach sits inside a cave with an opening at the top, resembling a giant natural swimming pool — and the only way in is through a water tunnel.
Glass Beach, Fort Bragg, United States
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Those sea-glass pebbles look beautiful, but they’re actually decades’ worth of trash, smoothed and polished by the ocean over time. Equal parts sad and stunning.
Taha’a, French Polynesia
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Its famous neighbor, Bora Bora, gets most of the attention for its overwater bungalows — but some of the most beautiful beaches in French Polynesia are found on quieter, less-visited Taha’a. If there’s a paradise on earth, this vanilla-scented island might just be it.
Ko Phi Phi Le, Thailand
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Towering cliffs and lush tropical forest wrap around a hidden bay here, home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the region — and the setting for the movie The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, The Bahamas
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Miles of pale pink sand meet crystal-clear water, making this one of the world’s top beach destinations. It’s at its best in the soft light of sunrise and sunset, when the whole shoreline seems to glow pink.
Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays, Queensland
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As the tide shifts, sand and turquoise water swirl together here, especially near the famous Hill Inlet lookout, creating patterns that look almost hand-painted. The beach’s fine quartz sand doesn’t hold heat the way ordinary sand does, so it stays cool underfoot even at midday — walking barefoot is pure pleasure.
Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue, Seychelles
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With powder-white sand and giant granite boulders lining the shore, this beach is easily one of the top spots in the Seychelles — and one of the most photographed beaches anywhere.
Baa Atoll, Maldives
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Simply the Maldives. Simply paradise. Also, quite possibly the most popular honeymoon spot on the planet.
Diamond Beach, near Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
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The perfect beach for those who don’t love the heat. Just across the road from Jökulsárlón, the glacier lagoon, lies Diamond Beach — named for the icebergs that break off a nearby glacier, drift through the lagoon and out to sea, and eventually wash up on the beach’s black volcanic sand, glittering like scattered diamonds.
image on top: harbourislandbahamas via Instagram
