Pansy Island is a tiny, tree-less sandbank 30 minutes from Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago. Surrounded by the Indian Ocean with its crystal blue waters, you’ll be able to bask in the sun on its powder white sandy beaches, covered in rare and beautiful pansy shells.
A 30 minute flight from Salvador in northern Brazil, the isolated Marau Peninsula is renowned for its excellent surfing, colourful coral reefs, tiny offshore islands and natural swimming pools. The long stretches of white sand are bordered by palm forests providing the ultimate setting for some relaxing downtime.
Reynisfjara, a unique volcanic beach in southern Iceland, is covered with black sand and flanked by huge cliffs, making it a rock climber’s paradise. Puffins nest on the basalt stacks that resemble a church organ and caves line the cliff walls making this the perfect spot to explore Iceland’s stunning volcanic scenery.
Papafragas is a beautiful beach, hidden in the north of the island of Milos in Greece. The tiny sliver of sand lies at the end of a fjord flanked by sheer white cliffs, and to reach the open ocean you have to swim down a narrow channel and pass through a small cave. Talk about remote relaxation.
The Curonian Spit is a 61 mile (98 km) long, soft-powdery sand peninsula that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. With such a vast expanse of pristine sand dunes, it looks more akin to the Sahara Desert than the Baltic. Explore the fragrant pine forests nearby, home to wandering elk and deer, before taking a dip in the cool calm waters of the lagoon.
Tortuga Island is an uninhabited island, floating in the gulf of Nicoya in North West Costa Rica. The shallow turquoise water makes for great snorkelling and scuba diving, whilst the pristine white sugar sand beaches are perfect to sink your toes into. The perfect desert island escape? We think so.
Bisevo is a tiny, hilly island steeped in the Adriatic waters. It’s made mostly of limestone rock so you’ll find plenty of caves to explore. Engulfed by the limestone cliffs is Porat Beach, a long sandy beach with azure blue waters and a single beach bar serving freshly caught fish. The perfect spot to catch up with some of the locals.
Located amongst the Raja Ampat islands off the West Coast of Papua, Batbitim Island is a tiny island surrounded by a stunning blue lagoon. Batbitim is fringed with soft white powder sand beaches, live coral reefs and abundant tropical marine life. Quite possibly the ultimate place to take your snorkel and flippers for a spin.
[The list above was originally posted by Blacktomato.co.uk‘s Alistair Malin on Glenfiddich Explorers]
Let me add another hidden beach: West Bay on Roatan Island (photo below).
Beach at Roatan Island, Honduras
Want to know more about Roatan? Check out my Roatan, Honduras travel guide filled with personal tips on where to stay, what to do and where to eat on this lovely Caribbean island. Roatan and the beaches listed above are perfect for people who want a very relaxing holiday or for couples going on a honeymoon.
About the author
Esme Vos is the founder and editor-in-chief of Mapplr.com, a travel site devoted to ideal holidays, adventure travel, and distinctive accommodations around the world. Since 2007, Mapplr has been providing discerning travelers with advice on which airlines to use, where to stay, where to eat and what to do. Mapplr’s sister site, Shopplr, publishes shopping recommendations around the world.
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About Esme Vos
