A mecca for big wave riders, Nazaré, Portugal, is heralded as a top European surf destination. In fact, in 2022, the beach notched a Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed — an 86-foot wave that German surfer Sebastian Steudtner successfully rode. He broke a previous record for largest wave surfed, also achieved in Nazaré.

Tourists flock to the Greek island of Santorini for its iconic whitewashed, blue-roofed buildings that look out over postcard-perfect sunsets over the Aegean Sea. But the island is also home to a rare red-sand beach. Aptly named Red Beach features sand with a distinct reddish hue that comes from the eroded volcanic rocks around the beach.

Contrary to its name, Ninety Mile Beach is only about 55 miles long. According to legend, the beach was named by early European settlers, who estimated their horses could travel up to 30 miles a day — it took the horses three days to travel the length of the beach. The beach lies on the northwestern coast of New Zealand's North Island and is officially called Te-Oneroa-a-Tōhē.

Krabi province, on southern Thailand’s Andaman Coast, is home to some of the country’s most remarkable scenery, and breathtaking Phra Nang Beach — accessible only by boat — is near the top of that list. Visitors from around the world come to relax on its palm-filled sands, snorkel and kayak in the emerald waters, climb the dramatic limestone outcroppings, and explore the honeycomb of caves that dot the coast.

As its “Jurassic Coast” nickname might suggest, Dorset Beach on the English Channel is an incredibly rich source of fossils. The 96-mile coastline stretching from Dorset to Exmouth in southern England features rock formations from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods — covering 250 million years of geologic history. Dorset Beach became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

Routinely listed among the world’s most beautiful beaches, this stretch of Seychellois shoreline on the southwest coast of La Digue island in the Indian Ocean earns its rank through a mix of powdered-sugar sands, epic boulders, and curvaceous palms. Hollywood has taken notice, too: Anse Source d’Argent has starred in paradise-evoking films from 1988’s “Crusoe” to 2000’s “Cast Away” starring Tom Hanks.

Wasaga Beach covers 8.7 miles on the shores of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada, making it the longest freshwater beach in the world. The area was the site of the Battle of the Nancy in the War of 1812 and today is a popular tourist attraction and part of the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park.

The Whitsunday Islands form a 74-island, mostly uninhabited archipelago near Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Lying just north of the Queensland coast, the Whitsundays are a popular tourist destination — visitors are drawn to idyllic white sand beaches such as Whitehaven Beach. Due to the Great Barrier Reef’s protection, the islands’ waters are largely calm, making them perfect for snorkeling, scuba diving, and sailing.

Located in a Cape Town suburb, Boulders Bay is the only place in the world to encounter endangered African penguins up close. You can splash near (but not touch) the tuxedoed flightless birds who hang out on the sands here. Started from one breeding pair in 1982, the protected colony now numbers between 2,000 and 3,000, in all their waddling glory.

On the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of St. Martin, the beach is natural but the attraction is 100% human-made. Maho Beach is adjacent to Princess Juliana International Airport, close enough to the runway that beach goers can be blown about by the jet blast. This up-close-and-personal proximity makes the beach popular with aviation buffs from around the world.

At the Baths — on the island of Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands of the Caribbean — gigantic boulders sit in shallow, crystal-clear water, forming numerous bath-like pools. Located in a national park, the area is perfect for snorkeling, sunbathing, swimming, and exploring. There are even hidden caves to swim through; Cathedral Room, a pristine natural pool encased by slanted rock, is one of the most famous.

Beach culture reigns supreme in Australia, which is no surprise considering the country is home to more than 10,000 beaches along its 37,000-mile shoreline. One of the country’s most visited beaches is Bondi Beach, located less than five miles from Sydney’s Central Business District. It’s popular for surfing, tanning, leisurely strolls, and the Icebergs swimming club, with a scenic lap pool that juts out above the coastline.

Bermuda’s Horseshoe Bay is actually more crescent than U-shaped, but either way, it’s one of the island’s must-visits. Located in Southampton Parish, the expansive beach is famous for its pink-hued sand, the result of crushed coral and seashells. The pink of the shoreline contrasts the area’s crystal-clear turquoise water.

Known in Hawaiian as Leahi or “brow of the tuna,” Diamond Head is one of Oahu’s most recognizable landmarks, towering behind Waikiki Beach. The volcanic crater reaches 760 feet high and stretches 3,520 feet across. Diamond Head was named by British sailors who believed they had found diamonds in the crater, but the minerals they came across turned out to be calcite crystals.

There aren’t many places on Earth where you can walk on a black-sand beach, but Reynisfjara beach in Vik, Iceland, is one such location. The black, volcanic sand is caused by eroded basalt and lava, and at one end of the beach is a cliff consisting of geometric basalt columns. You may also recognize this beach from its famous cameo in the TV series “Game of Thrones.”

With gleaming white sand, turquoise waters, and dramatic cliffs, Maya Bay, Thailand, was an ideal filming location for the 2000 movie “The Beach,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. However, after the film’s release, the area saw a huge uptick in tourism that threatened the beach’s coral and wildlife. Thai authorities closed the beach in 2019 and it reopened to visitors in early 2022.

Heading west to get your kicks on Route 66? Your final destination will be Santa Monica Pier in Southern California. The historic highway begins in Chicago, Illinois, and its original terminus was actually in downtown L.A. But as most travelers continued on to the Pacific Ocean, the highway was later extended to Santa Monica. A sign on the Santa Monica Pier indicates the historic route’s official stopping point.

The art deco style of architecture played a major aesthetic role in the city of Miami's development, and today, Miami Beach’s one-square-mile Art Deco District is home to approximately 800 historically significant art deco buildings, including many hotels. That represents the largest concentration of art deco architecture from the 1920s and 1930s in the United States.

The beaches of northern France’s Normandy region were the site of the Allied invasion that led to the end of World War II. On June 6, 1944, known as D-Day, approximately 155,000 troops stormed a 50-mile stretch of beaches in the largest seaborne invasion in history. Today, over a million people arrive on the shores of Normandy annually to take in the area’s history and scenery.

Covering a three-mile stretch of waterfront in Rio de Janeiro, Copacabana Beach is one of the world’s most recognizable beaches. The Brazilian hot spot has been attracting sun worshippers and partygoers for years, particularly for the famous Carnival celebrations held each February. Copacabana Beach is also famous for its annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display.