Discover the softest sands and prettiest water our little blue planet has to offer.
The area is especially popular with surfers in the winter when the waves pick up size and speed.
Plus, the adjacent town scores extra points for its quirky personality.
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About a 90-minute drive from Portland, Oregon, you’ll find undeniable beauty onCannon Beach.
After you visit Cannon Beach, set up a picnic nearby at Hug Point or Ecola State Park.
ItsUNESCO designationand several government protections help to keep it and the entire Fernando de Noronha archipelago pristine.
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Facilities are limited to palapa-covered sun loungers and a handful of tavernas for fresh seafood.
If Elafonissi is too packed, try Balos Lagoon, about a two-hour drive away along the northern coast.
Its nine-mile span contains little but golden dunes, an immense sandy beach, and rolling teal waves.
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Reliable trade winds dimple the desert-meets-ocean landscape with vast tidepools and low-tide lagoons.
Nature-preserve status keeps crowds in check, and visitors can walk along the headland for even more secluded beaches.
Between June and September, prospective beachgoers mustpre-book and pay an entry fee online.
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These regulations help to prevent overcrowding so everyone can enjoy La Pelosa’s bone-white sands and shimmering clear shallows.
An Aragonese stone watchtower on neighboring Asinara island completes the scene.
The contrast of the snow-white stone cascading down to the blue-green Mediterranean is a photographer’s dream.
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At least you’re free to still appreciate them from afar via a public viewpoint.
Visiting in March meant fewer crowds and having secluded beaches all to ourselves.
Its white sand pitches gradually into the clear-as-glass water like a real-world example of a zero-entry swimming pool.
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Despite the island’s well-deserved popularity, Radhanagar Beach feels every bit a remote escape.
At night, the blazing sunsets are intensified by their reflection in the ripply, receded tide.
Its isolated location and boat-only access merely help to dial up Railay’s unique beauty.
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Neighboring Phra Nang Beach is pocked with caves, one of which houses a fertility shrine.
Head to the other side of the isthmus for a happening bar scene.
One big exception is Camps Bay Beach, located right in vibrant Cape Town.
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The current can sometimes be strong here, so swimmers should take caution or stick to the tidal pool.
Safaris, famous vineyards, whale-watching, and shark-diving all make easy day trips.
The sheltered lagoon waters stretch to the horizon and the kitesurfing conditions are perhaps the best in the world.
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For dramatic effect, the nearby Le Morne Mountain looms large.
For a bird’s-eye view, hike the 1.8-mile, wildflower-strewnFrenchman Peak Trail.
To reach this paradise, fly into the Hamilton Island Airport and take a ferry to the Whitsunday Islands.
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Matira is Bora Bora’s biggest public beach, yet its scene is mellow and subdued.
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