The World’s Most Beautiful Beaches to Visit in 2026

When it comes to the best beaches in the world to visit in 2026, for many, it’s more about originality than opulence, with destinations that blend authenticity with breathtaking beauty. For these top picks, I’ve thrown in a few bucket-list stretches that should be on your list if you haven’t visited them yet, but the vast majority are beaches that, while stunning, aren’t the kind that you immediately think about when planning a beach vacation.

Sure, there are plenty of spectacular beaches in the Maldives, Tahiti, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. But for me, one of my favorite parts about traveling involves discovering places that the entire world hasn’t heard about just yet. Whether you’re looking to check off one of those Insta-famous beaches or find a less-visited, beautiful beach that isn’t jam-packed with crowds, these are sure to inspire ideas for your beach trips in 2026.

Playa Balandra was a hidden gem not long ago, but the word got out after it was named the most beautiful in Mexico by multiple publications. Living nearby, I recently included it on a list of the best to visit for escaping the cold of winter. That said, if you haven’t visited, you should put it on your priority list as you’d be hard-pressed to find more. 

There’s no accommodation in the immediate area, but the city of La Paz is only about a 25-minute drive away. Balandra is in a remote location, tucked around Balandra Bay, looking like a big natural swimming pool. The water is crystal-clear, turquoise, and shallow, generally not more than waist high. You can even walk across the soft, sandy bottom to reach its iconic mushroom rock formation, occasionally floating around while surrounded by the beauty and total serenity. 

Facilities are limited, although the main part of the beach is lined with palapas, and you’ll find a couple of bathrooms along with the occasional food truck, paddleboard and kayak rentals. Because Balandra has become so popular, you’ll need to choose a morning or afternoon time slot and arrive at least 30 minutes prior, with your options being either 8 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. However, there’s another option that mostly only locals know about. You can park at Playa Tecolote, just five minutes away, and walk over the hill. At the top, you’ll enjoy the perfect vantage point for photos too. 

Stiniva Beach has been making waves in the travel world, but many haven’t been let in on one of the best-kept secrets when it comes to Mediterranean beaches. That may soon change as it was recently named among the world’s most underrated on Intrepid Travel’s “Not Hot List” for 2026. Located on unspoiled Vis Island, you’ll be surrounded by tranquility here. This destination has just barely been touched by tourism development, having been closed off for 40 years while used as a military base. It’s also the furthest island from the mainland, helping to keep the crowds away.

To get to this eye-popping stretch sandwiched between two high cliffs and lapped by water in hues ranging from deep emerald to aquamarine, you’ll need to join a boat tour or scramble up and down the goat paths. Of course, beaches that are a bit harder to reach are often well worth the reward for those seeking seclusion. Stiniva is also an ideal vantage point for watching the sun go down with the colorful sky reflected in the water of the protected bay.

Crete is one of my favorite islands in Greece, in part because it offers some of the most stunning and diverse soft sandy beaches in the country. That includes Elafonissi on the southwest coast, which has a unique pink hue thanks to the tiny red organisms that grow on dead coral reefs, mixing with crushed shells. But as it’s often featured on lists of the world’s best beaches, it can get quite crowded. If you’re looking for more serenity with your beach beauty, consider Balos. Just nine miles north of Kissamos, it’s well-known, but more difficult to access, and by arriving early like I have, you might even have it all to yourself. 

Reaching it by car requires five miles of driving on a bumpy, dirt road (though no four-wheel drive is needed). Once you get to the parking area, you’ll have about a two-thirds of a mile hike down a rocky path. It begins with a panoramic view of what awaits below, and once there, you can swim in the calm, turquoise lagoon. If you want to spend the day here, there are plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas along with a beach bar selling drinks and snacks.

Reynisfjara, sometimes simply referred to as the “black sand beach,” is made up of midnight black volcanic sands, located on Iceland’s south coast near the small village of Vik. It’s particularly renowned for its basalt columns and dramatic sea stacks like the Trolls of Vik, which rise from the waves, providing countless photo ops. The towering hexagonal columns along the cliffs were formed by cooling lava, creating an awe-inspiring backdrop for the black sands that are strikingly contrasted by the blue of the ocean that laps them. 

This beach also has a reputation for very powerful waves, frequently found on lists of the world’s most dangerous stretches. But by following the advice of the warning signs posted here, and using common sense, you can enjoy a safe visit. That includes never turning your back on the ocean and maintaining a significant distance from its edge as sneaker waves can surge unexpectedly. Before or after capturing photos and strolling the sands, you’ll find many iconic attractions to explore nearby, including Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls.

While Poipu and the beaches in the surrounding area are heavily trafficked, if you head to the end of the road along Kauai‘s north shore, you’ll find secluded Ke’e Beach, which even boasts a dramatic view of the colorful Na Pali Coast. Many take boat or flightseeing tours to see it, but you’ll be privileged to admire its emerald pinnacles and rich red and rust-hued volcanic rock right from this beautiful stretch of sand. It also offers access to the Kalalau Trail if you’re up for an adventurous trek along this iconic coastline, but you can simply enjoy a picnic with the views, swim, or snorkel among sea turtles with a vibrant reef just offshore.

Located in Gros Morne National Park, on the west coast of Canada’s easternmost province, Shallow Bay Beach stretches for over three miles, with powdery white sands and vast dunes, while the water is calm and shallow. In fact, it’s even warm enough for swimming in the summer, something rare to find at a beach in the North Atlantic. It’s also a great place to fly a kite, sunbathe, build sandcastles, and picnic. Nearby in the town of Cow Head, the Shallow Bay Restaurant serves outstanding fresh seafood. 

Of course, while you’re here, you’ll want to explore more of the park, home not only to beaches but the Long Range Mountains, dense forests, waterfalls, and even a freshwater fjord. Taking the Western Brook Pond tour will allow you to cruise through for views of towering billion-year-old cliffs with waterfalls cascading into the park’s largest lake.

A bucket-list beach if there ever was one, Anse Source d’Argent is one of the world’s most photographed beaches. It’s been used to represent the Seychelles in many tourism advertisements, and it’s even been a filming site for iconic movies like 2000’s “Cast Away” starring Tom Hanks. Located on La Digue Island, it’s renowned for its dramatic granite boulders, soft powdery sands, and shallow, crystal-clear water for swimming and snorkeling. Even families with little ones can enjoy it with the water around knee-high. If you don’t want to don a mask and snorkel, you can easily spot turtles and tropical fish just by looking down. 

Do keep in mind that you will have to pay a fee to access this beach, as it can only be reached via L’Union Estate Park, a privately owned plantation. But for less than $11 (150 Seychelles Rupees), you’ll also be able to see free-roaming Aldabra giant tortoises, the largest type of tortoise in the world, and the Plantation House, one of the Seychelles’ oldest examples of French colonial architecture.

Playa Mann is just a small beach, and while picturesque, it’s not the world’s most beautiful. But it is the most famous on the island of San Cristóbal in the Galapagos because you can stroll among sea lions lounging right on the beach. It’s among the best on the planet for wildlife enthusiasts as a rare place to get close to these animals (though not too close, especially when the babies are around—they’re often curious about their human visitors and want to play, but touching sea lion pups can cause their mothers to abandon them). While pups can be seen year-round, the highest number can be seen between August and December. I visited in November and they were everywhere! 

Snorkeling can also be enjoyed right from shore, where you might find yourself swimming alongside sea lions, turtles, and all sorts of colorful fish.

My favorite beach in the Orkney Islands, you won’t find Rackwick packed with people soaking up the sun. This is a remote stretch that most people randomly stumble upon, as it’s the starting point of the trail that leads to the dramatic sea stack known as the Old Man of Hoy. But its beauty is surreal. Making it well worth spending at least a bit of time here. The towering sandstone cliffs at its southern end rise to over 656 feet, while the beach is made up of fine golden sands, edged by brilliant turquoise waters. It’s a great place for beachcombing and cooling your toes in the gentle waves. Just behind the beach is the Radwick bothy, where the adventurous can take advantage of free accommodation. 

There are only a handful of beaches in the world that have cotton candy-hued sands, and the Pink Beach on Padar Island, part of Komodo National Park, is one of them. To access it, you’ll need to take a day tour by boat from the port town of Labuan Bajo, or visit as part of a liveaboard cruise.

Once here, you can relax with a jaw-dropping view and capture photos of the beach with its distinct hue, the result of deep-red corals that were broken down over time, mixing with fine, white sands. It’s also a great place to snorkel with a wide range of tropical fish inhabiting the reef. Afterward, enjoy food and drink in one of the simple beach huts along the shoreline.

If you aren’t from California, you might envision the state’s beaches to be filled with sunbathers, but the farther north you go, the wilder it gets, especially along the Lost Coast. This is one of the most awe-inspiring, remote stretches in the state. Black Sands Beach is one of the most impressive, spanning over 20 miles along the Lost Coast Trail. Take tranquil walks along the shore while enjoying the sounds of the waves and the isolation from the chaos of the world. 

Trunk Bay Beach is another one of the most stunning stretches you’ll ever lay eyes on. A crescent-shaped beach with powdery white sands and vivid aquamarine waters, it’s the most photographed on St. John Island, and also one of the world’s top spots for snorkeling. The underwater snorkeling trail is one of the most unique attractions in the USVI, introducing visitors to an enchanting world with many sea creatures that depend on the coral reef. Underwater signs describe the marine life that you can expect to see, including angelfish, parrotfish, sea turtles, stingrays, squid, and much more.

One of the most visually dazzling beaches on the planet, Eagle Beach is renowned for its long span of fine, chalk-white sands and water that reflects the color of the nearly always bright blue skies. It’s also a nesting site for sea turtles and home to Aruba‘s most photographed Fofoti tree, growing out toward the sea with a uniquely twisted trunk. Plus, the shallow, clear water is invitingly warm and ideal for swimming. Despite its beauty, it remains less crowded compared to the more commercialized beaches on the island, although you will find some low-rise hotels and beachfront dining venues.

While Grace Bay Beach in Provo tends to steal the spotlight in Turks and Caicos, North Bay is another stunner and the largest on Salt Cay at around three miles long, providing a quieter alternative. As it’s on the north side, it’s sheltered from the eastern trade winds that cause ocean swells, offering calm turquoise water with a pristine sandy bottom. Enjoy the beauty, frequently all to yourself, while keeping an keep an eye out for humpback whales that pass by during the winter.