This Black Sand Beach Was Just Named the Best Place in the World to Propose

You’re madly in love and you’ve found the perfect ring, but where will you propose? If you’re a couple who likes to spend time at the beach, a proposal on the sand is a no-brainer with a backdrop of the sea and the sounds of the waves gently lapping the shore. 

While you probably envision a beach in the Caribbean or the South Pacific with the quintessential swaying palms and pristine white sands, you might want to consider something a bit different.

The world’s best beach for a proposal isn’t necessarily in the tropics. The warmer you’re thinking, the colder you’re getting from what may be your perfect beach. In fact, that’s your biggest clue. What you’re looking for is much further north in Iceland: Diamond Beach. It was ranked by Condé Nast Traveler among the top spots across the globe for a wedding proposal. Of course, if you were making your choice based on the name alone, as the publication notes, this one would be hard to beat, but it offers much more than a perfect moniker. 

For couples who like to be different from the rest while enjoying outdoor adventures among some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery, there’s really no better spot than Diamond Beach. Located along the famous Ring Road along Iceland’s South Coast, you won’t find any actual gems that can be cut and polished to create an engagement ring here, but the diamonds on this black sand beach look like works of art. 

A dazzling work of Mother Nature, the crystal-clear gems on Diamond Beach come from the icebergs that break off a glacier, crashing into Jökulsárlón Lagoon. The iceberg bits drift through a short river into the sea, where the waves turn some of them back onto the beach, leaving them scattered across in all sorts of shapes and sizes. It’s an otherworldly, fantasy-like setting that can be found anywhere else. 

November through March is the best time for a proposal on Diamond Beach, as there will be more glacial activity, including frequent calving events and more icebergs washing ashore, but ice is present year-round. That said, if you’re here during the optimal months, you’ll also have the chance to see the Northern Lights dancing overhead, adding to the magic of any proposal. As the skies will need to be clear and aurora activity present, if luck isn’t on your side, sunset provides an enchanting alternative for a surreal and romantic backdrop.