The best beaches in the world according to National Geographic

71% of the Earth's surface is occupied by water, so that beach lovers can afford any fad - from crescent beaches with pearly sand to the bays, in the azure water of which the fish of all colors of the rainbow splashes. National Geographic magazine selected the best beaches in the world .In total, the official rating included 21 beaches, which will make even experienced travelers hold their breath for delight. All the beaches are divided into several categories, so that it is easier for you to choose the most suitable option for recreation.

Wonderful natural beaches

21. Playa del Armor, Islas Marietas, Mexico

Almost unnoticed passage from the sea opens access to a secret beach. Above it, a giant stone hemisphere with a hole through which the sun penetrates penetrates the curious eyes. The beach is located in the national park and can be visited by no more than six people at a time.

20. Beach-Cathedral, Ribadeo, Spain

The beach next to the town of Ribadeo is surrounded by impressive rock formations, most reminiscent of the columns of the Gothic cathedral. The beach is a favorite place for tourists, but it is worth remembering that during the tide it is completely covered by water.

19. Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue, Seychelles

Whitewashed rock formations, turquoise waters, snow-white sand and palm trees - this beach seems to have come down from an advertising card. No wonder that Anse Source d'Argent often ranks first in the rating of the most frequently photographed beaches of the planet.

Silent beaches - shelters

18. Tapuetai, Aitutaki, Cook Islands

When you look at this beach in the imagination, the "Robinson" of Daniel Defoe immediately pops up. The island is simply created for the wrecked sailors - it's not for nothing that the shooting of the 13th season of the American show Survivor took place, the franchise of which was filmed "The Last Hero.""One track," which is how the name of the island is translated from Maori, can be bypassed in 15 minutes, but there is no need to hurry.

17. Sunset Beach, North Carolina, USA

The sunset beach got its name for nothing - every evening the setting sun paints the sky and water with fantastic colors. And there for about fifty years now there is a mailbox where, on the inside of the notebooks, many visitors exchanged joys, desires and all that touched their soul.

16. Lazy beach, Rongsanlenm, Cambodia

Covered with reed bungalows, crystal clear waters and silky sand - it's so nice to wander slowly over palm groves, doze in hammocks, and let the whole world wait. If the soul asks for something more active, you can jump into a wooden boat in Kampongsaoma and take a two-hour tour of the Gulf of Thailand.

Best beaches for fans of shells

15. Bowman's Beach, Sanibel Island, Florida, USA

Dream of hunters for sea creatures! Here they are full - and large twisted shells, and flat small, and skeletons of sea urchins, and pieces of limestone with prints of antiquities - all this is abundantly carried to the beach of the Sanibel Island of the Gulf of Mexico.

14. Shell Beach, Shark Bay, Australia

On the 14th line of the top-21 best beaches of the Earth there is a place entirely covered with tiny snow-white shells. In some places the depth of the shell layer reaches 9-10 meters! The beach is listed by UNESCO as a natural object of world importance.

13. Lyme Regis, Dorset, England

A favorite place for pilgrimage of beginner paleontologists or simply tourists who came to see the ammonites and other marine creatures that lived more than 180 million years ago and turned into stone.

Beaches for recreation with a four-legged friend

12. Cannon beach, Oregon, USA

In the Oregon coastline, which extends more than 400 miles, most beaches allow owners to bring dogs with them. It's unlikely that the pet will appreciate the beauty of the single mountain Haystack towering above the sea, but he will definitely like the dog show that is held here every October.

11. Urban beach of Carmel, California, USA

It's hard to say who gets more fun on the beach - animals frolicking on the border of sand and sea, which can be lowered from the leash, or their owners.

10. Beach near Noordwijk, Netherlands

Just behind the tulip fields of South Holland, between Amsterdam and The Hague, the coastal town of Noordwijk has built a special beach where the owners can relax and take a dip with their four-legged friends. There are many restaurants and hotels nearby, where dogs are allowed.

The most colorful beaches of the world

9. Papakolea, Hawaii

The Papakolea beach owes its color to the tiny olivine crystals that the sea is washing away from the nearby tufa cone of Puu Mahan, which is over 49 thousand years old. It's not easy to get here - you have to walk two miles. But is not it worth the effort spent looking at one of the world's few green sandy beaches?

8. Reinisfjara, Iceland

On sunny days this beach looks amazing. It is composed of inky black basalt sand and dazzles in the sun. However, swimming here is not easy - the waves are so strong that they can knock a person off their feet.

7. Pink beach, Grande Island Santa Cruz, Philippines

There are many amazing beaches in the Philippines, but this one stands out in all its color - the sand on it is mixed with many small fragments of scarlet corals. Those wishing to admire nature should remember that the number of tourists who can visit the landmark per day is limited. The beach is one of the 10 most beautiful pink beaches in the world.

Diving lovers

6. Pelicani beach, Belize

At Pelikani beach in just a few minutes you can reach the coral reef and explore its multi-colored inhabitants in detail - after all to the bottom no more than six meters.

5. Blue Bay, Mauritius

In the waters of Blue Bay, there is a national natural marine park. It covers an area of ​​more than 3.5 square kilometers.

4. Cas Abao, Curacao

The beachfront Lagoon of Cas Abao is surrounded on three sides by reefs. And between them in abundance are found representatives of marine life - corals, tropical fish, sponges, sea turtles and many, many others.

Best beaches for hiking along the waterfront

3. Sleeping Bear, Michigan

On the tourist route along the coast of the crystal clear Lake Michigan, you can see some of the most beautiful landscapes in America. And at a short distance from the beach are the Manitou Islands, a favorite place for Americans for hiking.

2. Pishinas Beach, Sardinia

Picturesque and constantly changing place, the main formative element of which is the mistral - a strong and cold north wind, under the influence of which sand is collected in the dunes. Their height can reach 60 meters. The monotony of the sandy surface is diluted by wild olive trees, juniper bushes and many rare flowers. Here it is good to indulge in philosophical reflections, watching the ever changing world around, the world of sand, clouds and waves.

1. Beach de la Corniche, La Teste de Buch, France

The first number of the beach chart is the best beach in the world for lovers of paragliding. It is located on a spacious( 500 meters wide and 2.5 km long) and steep coastal slope( 108 meters high), covered with sand. It is bordered by pine groves, where it is so nice to walk, admire the views opening at sea and breathe clean forest air.