The Top Beaches in the World

Ras Nungwi|Salvador Brazil|The Seychelles|Vancouver Island|The North Norfolk Coast| Cape Santa Maria Bahamas|

The Top beaches in the world can be argued over forever, and this article is a subjective look at our choice for top beaches in the world, plus where to stay when you get there.

In no particular order we go first to Zanzibar for one of the top beaches in the world

Ras Nungwi Beach is located right at the northern tip of Zanzibar where you will find such fine powder white sand it goes to putty between your toes when you walk ankle deep in the blue turquoise crystal clear water  Zanzibar is an island you must visit anyway with its history of spices and the slave trade, and the narrow streets of Stonetown are joy to explore. The island with around 30 beaches  has some of the best beaches you will find anywhere, and Nungwi has to be the best. The slope is very shallow, and stretches for miles, indeed at low tide you can almost walk or wade out to the protective reef. At high tide the beach almost vanishes, but remains a thing of great beauty. There are numerous tiny fishing villages scattered along the beach, and the whole feel is one that the 21st century has passed by leaving everything untouched. There is an excellent hotel on Nungwi Beach called the Ras Nungwi which is a delightful collection of well furnished chalets featuring fantastic food in a great position.For more information about Ras Nungwi CLICK HERE

For the second of the top beaches in the world we go to Brazil

Porto Da Barra Beach is in Salvador which is  Brazil's oldest city. Amazingly a west facing beach which is very rare in Brazil, the sunsets are quite incredible. Its location is quite beautiful with a small white fort at one end a reminder of Brazil's colonial past and at the other end on a hill is a small whitewashed church. The beach actually sits at the entrance of almost the biggest bay in Brazil called the Bahia de Todos os Santos. The great thing about the beach is the calm water because it is in a bay, and it is also very clean, and the water very clear which is quite surprising as it is right next to Brasil's third largest city. All this makes it perfect for swimming, although you will not be alone, because it is a popular beach with a lot going on, from small fishing boats unloading to kids diving off the old harbour walls, and all sorts of games on the beach with obviously football being very popular. The Place to stay here is the highly recommended Pousada Estrela do Mar which is right by the beach.For more information about the Pousada Estrela do Mar CLICK HERE

 We go now to the Seychelles for definitely one of the top beaches in the world

Petit Anse Beach on La Digue and Le Domaine de L'Orangeraie Petit Anse is rated by many as the number one beach in the Seychelles and by more than a few the best beach in the world. Not that easy to get to, you first need to take a boat to la Digue and then ask for Grand Anse beach, hire a bicycle and cycle. Be warned the road is steep as it is hilly, but the view slowly unveiled of the stunning turquoise sea is reward enough. At Grand Anse you need to face the sea and go to your left where there is a low ridge. It is a bit of a scramble over rocks and through the bushes, but your reward after a few minutes struggle is possibly the finest soft shimmering white sand beach, the turquoise blue  ocean and white waves you will ever see. This is Petit Anse Beach. As an added bonus it will almost certainly be deserted. Just be careful the waves and the sea are very dangerous so tempted and hot you may be, don't dive in. You really need a place to stay on la Digue, even just to overnight when you visit Petit Anse beach, and for this, even better to stay longer is Le Domaine de L'Orangeraie with 45 villas a quite superb resort.For more information about Le Domaine de L'Orangeraie CLICK HERE

The top beaches of the world don't have to be powder white sand, but Vancouver Island in Canada facing the Pacific Ocean must be on any list of the top beaches of the world.

Long Beach and the Long Beach Resort. Long Beach is a simply beautiful 20 kilometre stretch of beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island between the villages of Tofino and Ucluelet. It is hugely popular with surfers as the next stop on the Pacific Ocean is Japan so the breakers are spectacular. Beaches do not have to be tropical to be the best, and wet suits are very necessary for surfers here. Long Beach is situated amongst absolutely spectacular scenery, and whilst it is a most popular tourist spot and is on the hugely popular Pacific Rim hiking trail it is never ever busy. It is a wonderful place because you get this feeling of romantic isolation, and it is very much all about the elements here. The wind, the rain, the sea, the tides, and the fact that everything here is on a grand scale. You can spend days here just walking, communing with nature, perhaps if you get lucky even seeing a sealion. Long Beach isn't the kind of place you can come to for a few hours, you need to stay around to immerse yourself in what is an area with a huge amount of history. One of the best places to stay is the Long Beach Lodge Resort in Tofino where you will be so well looked after, great food, great views, great accommodation, very definitely a five star property. You will also get fantastic advice about the beach and the whole of the Pacific Rim National Park that surrounds the beaches. For more information about Long Beach and the Long Beach Resort CLICK HERE.

We now cross the Atlantic for the next of the top beaches of the world to the East Coast of England

The North Norfolk Coast Beaches are a selection of magnificent beaches on the south edge of the Wash at the top end of the big bulge in the English coast called East Anglia. It starts at Old Hunstanton and runs almosy unbroken apart from a few harbours, marshes for dozens of miles. What you will find here are huge stretches of beach, and almost empty of people even in the summer. the sand is clean, soft and yellow, and when the tide goes out the beach seems to stretch for ever. For many people a visit to the North Norfolk beaches in the winter when they are absolutely deserted is one of the great experiences. Start at Old Hunstanton, then Holme-next-the Sea all the way to Weybourne, it is just a seeming to stretch forever beach. It has it all, from sand dunes for picnics, sand pools for safe paddling, but be careful in the sea as there can be strong currents. There are famous beaches such as at Holkham, often seen in the movies, mostly deserted as are the dunes at Brancaster. All of this comes with fishing ports, and inland  delightful countryside with villages bypassed by time. It's no coincidence that places like Brancaster and Burnham market are invaded by the Chelsea set who know a thing or two about great beaches worldwide but choose North Norfolk. A great base would be The Old Coach House in Thornham. To find out more about The North Norfolk Coast Beaches and The Old Coach House in Thornham CLICK HERE

The Bahamas is our last port of call for what is unarguably one of the top beaches in the world

Cape Santa Maria Beach on Long Island is a paradise for those who believe a world class beach has to have soft white sand, turquoise sea, a blue sky and heat. The beach here goes on for mile after mile, and is unspoilt powder soft, backed by casuarina trees, it really is heart stopping. Add to this the fact that it faces west, so the sunsets are not to be missed. The words quiet, peaceful, and remote just about sum up Cape Santa Maria. Put another way if you want seclusion and few people around you then there is nowhere better, but if you need people restaurants and bars you should go somewhere else. When it comes to accommodation then the place to stay is Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort and Villas. This resort caters for families, with comfortable quality accommodation, and it is recommended you take the meal plan because of the lack of alternative places to eat. For more information about the Cape Santa Maria Beach resort CLICK HERE 

You certainly won't agree with our selection of the top beaches of the world, but hopefully it is thought provoking. Take a look at some other selections of worldwide vacation spots below: