The best beaches in the world, 2026 edition
These are twelve beaches that earn their reputation for a real reason โ a geological quirk, a color of water that doesn't look real in photos, or simply being far enough from a road that they've stayed quiet. One per country, so wherever you're already headed on Loris8, there's a beach worth building a day around.
| Destination | Beach | Why it's worth the trip |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand | Railay Beach, Krabi | No road reaches it โ boat-only access past limestone cliffs that rise straight out of the sea. |
| Indonesia | Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida | A dramatic, T-Rex-shaped cliff frames a hidden cove; the viewpoint alone draws a crowd before you even reach the sand. |
| Greece | Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach, Zakynthos | A rusted shipwreck sits on white sand inside a cliff-walled cove of impossibly turquoise water. |
| Croatia | Zlatni Rat, Bol (Braฤ) | A pebble spit that visibly shifts shape with the current โ one of the few beaches that's genuinely different every visit. |
| Portugal | Praia da Marinha, Algarve | Golden cliffs, sea caves, and arches carved by the Atlantic โ regularly ranked among Europe's best beaches. |
| Spain | Playa de las Catedrales, Galicia | Cathedral-like rock arches that only reveal themselves at low tide โ time your visit around the tide table, not the clock. |
| Italy | Spiaggia dei Conigli (Rabbit Beach), Lampedusa | Powder-white sand and Caribbean-clear water, on an island that stays far quieter than the mainland coast. |
| Vietnam | An Bang Beach, Hoi An | A relaxed stretch a short bike ride from the old town, with fresh seafood shacks right on the sand. |
| Mexico | Playa Paraรญso, Tulum | Cenotes and Mayan ruins within walking distance โ few beaches double as a history stop. |
| Dominican Republic | Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana | A reef offshore keeps the water calm; the beach is wide enough that quiet stretches still exist past the resorts. |
| Malaysia | Perhentian Islands, Terengganu | Clear, current-free water made for snorkeling, with regular turtle sightings just off the beach. |
| Egypt | Ras Mohammed, Red Sea | Coral reef starts just meters from the shore โ one of the few places you can snorkel a world-class reef without a boat. |
A handful of these are tide- or season-dependent โ Playa de las Catedrales is only walkable at low tide, and Southeast Asia's beaches are best in the NovemberโApril dry season. Check the specific country guide before you build a whole day around one beach.
Questions people actually ask
Which country has the best beaches?
It depends what you're after. For dramatic cliffs and cave-like formations, Portugal's Algarve and Spain's Playa de las Catedrales stand out. For calm, clear water made for swimming and snorkeling, the Dominican Republic, Malaysia's Perhentian Islands, and Egypt's Red Sea coast are hard to beat. For sheer visual drama, Zakynthos's Navagio Beach and Bali's Kelingking Beach are the two most photographed on this list.
What's the best time of year for a beach trip to Southeast Asia?
Roughly November through April is the dry season across Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia โ the most reliable window for calm seas and sunny days. Outside that window you can still get good weather, but afternoon rain becomes more likely.
Are all of these beaches good for swimming, or just photos?
Most are genuinely swimmable โ Railay, Kelingking's cove, An Bang, Bavaro, the Perhentians, and Ras Mohammed are all reliably calm. Playa de las Catedrales is tide-dependent rather than a swimming beach, and Zlatni Rat's current means it's better for wading than long swims.