Photos of Unique Beaches All Over the World
Photos of Unique Beaches All Over the World
If you thought all beaches were the same, think again. Sure, they all share a couple of common components—say, water and some type of shoreline—but the variables are enough to make your head spin. There are beaches with distinctly-colored sand, beaches that are hidden from plain sight, and beaches that are so bizarre in their makeup, that you might not even identify them as beaches initially. In this gallery, we'll explore some of the most uniquely breathtaking beaches the world has to offer. From the Bahamas to Wisconsin—yes, Wisconsin—these remarkable landscapes are picture-perfect.
Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach (Maui, Hawaii)
This beach is named Waianapanapa, Hawaiian for "glistening water," because of what rolls into the shore in winsome waves, but what makes this lovely Maui location so striking is its black sand—which is a product of the island's volcanic genesis. Located in Waianapanapa State Park, this beach also features natural stone arches, caves, and crustacean-filled tidal pools.
Pink Sand Beach (Harbour Island, Bahamas)
This island paradise is pretty in pink with sand that sets itself apart from that of your typical beach thanks to its composition of finely crushed coral, calcium carbonate, and Foriminifera --an extremely tiny organism that boasts a blushing shelled exterior.
Scala Dei Turchi (Agrigento, Italy)
With a name that translates to "Turkish Steps," you may not be surprised to see a grand staircase leading to the Mediterranean Sea. The white limestone background, sculpted by swirling winds, is a striking Sicilian sight.
Matinloc Island Hidden Beach (El Nido, Philippines)
White sand disguised behind colossal cliffs, this beach can be accessed by swimming through an opening in the rock formation—which likely explains why Hidden Beach is also known as Secret Beach. Luckily, you can also appreciate its beauty from overhead without having to traverse the turquoise waters.
Driftwood Beach (Jekyll Island, Georgia)
Serving as a barrier to mainland Georgia, Driftwood Beach bears the brunt of harsh Atlantic Ocean storms and it shows. With weathered driftwood and native trees mangled by erosion strewn about the sand, this beach is a haven for wildlife and spectacular sunsets.
Pig Beach (Exumas, Bahamas)
Yes, Pig Beach is home to surf-loving hogs, but it also has white sand, crystal-clear water, and—okay, yeah, the swimming pigs really are the stars of the show. The pigs aren't native to the island, but this has been their home for a while, so they definitely know their way around this heavenly habitat.
Palm Jumeirah (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
You won't find the skyline of a major city looming over any other of these beaches, that's for sure. Conceived by developers, Palm Jumeirah, which is shaped like a palm, began construction in 2001. With the shadows of Dubai in the distance, this is a luxury resort riposte to the desert heat.
Glass Beach (Fort Bragg, California)
It's a nice treat to spot a piece of sea glass along the shoreline, but an entire shoreline of sea glass? That's something only MacKerricher's Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California has to offer. Despite an old fisherman's tale about the glass being "mermaid tears" that washed to shore, the abundance of shiny, smooth treasures is actually the result of the beach's proximity to an old dump. That's right, smooth. The tumultuous ocean waves and whipping winds render the sharp shards nice and smooth.
Praia As Catedrais (Ribadeo, Spain)
The cathedral-sized slate arches crafted by centuries of aquatic activity reveal themselves when the tide is out, but, even when the beach is obscured by seawater, Praia As Catedrais is an absolute wonder. These Cantabric cliffs are simply awe-inspiring.
Moeraki Boulders (South Island, New Zealand)
Home to almost perfectly spherical boulders, this beach resembles a carton full of stone eggs. Formed roughly 65 million years ago, these calcite boulders are legendary. No, really, they're central to a Maori legend of a disastrous canoe voyage.
Anjuna Beach (Goa, India)
Arjuna Beach in Goa, India is typically a bustling seaside spot with plenty of nightlife in addition to places to lay out in the sun, but what separates it from other beaches on this list is the addition of cows. Considered sacred in the locally prevalent Hindu faith, these cows are free to do as they please on the beach until sunset, when they return inland.
Shell Beach (Perth, Australia)
Shell Beach boasts billions of shells blanketing the beach. That's right, shells...not sand...or even pebbles. What the beach has in shell quantity, it seems to lack in variety. Most of the beach is made up of shells from the Shark Bay cockle.
Hopewell Rocks Park (New Brunswick, Canada)
Every day, the Bay of Fundy rises and falls 48 feet. That conceals and reveals a lot of interesting beaches. When the tide is out, the receding water uncovers the massive Hopewell Rocks, which were carved by the water. When the tide is in, the natural structures are still marvelous and perhaps even a little mysterious.
Schoolhouse Beach (Washington Island, Wisconsin)
With clear water and limestone pebbles lining the shore, Schoolhouse Beach is a gem of the shores that surround Lake Michigan. The pebbles are so smooth, they practically skip themselves across the placid lake.
Zlatni Rat Beach (Brac Island, Croatia)
Unlike the aptly named Pig Beach, Zlatni Rat Beach is not home to a beloved colony of rats. Part of what makes Zlatni Rat Beach special is its uniquely-shaped coastline, which juts like an elbow—or "Golden Horn" (as it's also referred to) out into the Adriatic Sea. Ranging from clear to deep, deep blue—with a turquoise transition—the water is as gorgeous as the coast is crooked.
You've never seen beaches like this before.