Discover 25 of the world's best beaches

27.08.2024 - 18:51 / lonelyplanet.com / Leonardo Dicaprio

Aug 26, 2024 • 19 min read

From fabled golden bays to little-known coves,  no shell has been left unturned during our hunt for the world's best beaches.

We have sent our writers everywhere in search of sublime, surf-pounded shorelines and remote pockets of hard-to-reach paradise for Lonely Planet's new book Best Beaches in the World. From Albania to Yemen and everywhere in between, our team has swam, snorkeled, slugged cocktails and hiked through rainforests, to create the definitive beach bible. 

Here are 25 of the 100 that were selected as our pick of the best beaches in the world.

When the swell is good, The Pass has a right-hand point break that turns this stretch of pinkish-cream, pillowy-soft sand into a surfer’s paradise. Located at the most easterly point on mainland Australia, Cape Byron, it doesn't matter if you're a pro or a novice with the board, the bay has something for everyone, including lessons for beginners. (Please note that if you want to surf The Pass, a 2023 law requires you to use a surfboard leash.) Even if you’re not in the mood to surf, The Pass lets you explore everything from local Aboriginal history, to koala spotting and scenic hiking along the area’s trails, some of which are wheelchair-accessible.

Getting there: The beach has limited paid parking. Either arrive early or walk from central Byron (20 minutes; the foreshore has a wheelchair-accessible path). Alternatively, neighboring Captain Cook and Clarkes beaches also have limited parking.

Renowned for some astonishing sunsets that the locals applaud, Rio's Ipanema Beach stretches for 1.9 miles (3 km). Local subcultures use its numbered lifeguard chairs to designate special areas of this famous Brazilian beach. For example, Posto 9, located off Rua Vinícius de Moraes, is the go-to spot for the fashionable crowd, attracting both the young and beautiful, alongside artists and hippies. Praia Farme, situated in front of Rua Farme de Amoedo, is where the gay community gathers. Posto 8 is where kids from the favela come together. Between Ipanema and Copacabana, Posto 7 is popular with surfers, and Posto 10 is where you'll find games of volleyball, soccer, and futevôlei (footvolley) going on.

Getting there: Ipanema Beach is in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro. Avenida Vieira Souto runs alongside the beach, and the closest Metrô station is General Osório.

At just 49ft-wide (15m) and 820ft-long (250m), Ao Maya is a slip of a Thai beach hidden by limestone cliffs. Yet it caught the eye of film director Danny Boyle who used its ombré turquoise waters and fine white sand as the setting for The Beach, the 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Unfortunately, all that popularity led to overtourism and heavy pollution, but new rules (including