With summer comes the promise of at least one day of relaxation, bliss, and beautiful scenery: The Beach Day. We’ve compiled a list of beaches that are sure to make your beach day breathtaking as well. Here are some of the most unique beaches from around the world. You’ll need to dig your toes in the sand of each of these at least once!
Hot Water Beach, New Zealand
What could be better than a cross between a beautiful beach and a soothing Jacuzzi? The waters on the east coast of New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula reach up to 64° C. Even adults dig deep into the sand and watch the water rise into a mini hot tub!
Best time to visit: December-February, two hours before or after low tide when it’s easiest to dig your private hot tub.
Pink Sands, Bahamas
Perhaps one of the most glamorous beaches on our list, Pink Sands in the Bahamas appears pink because of the broken (but soft!) coral that lines the three mile beach. The water is warm and lazy and there are plenty of cabanas and shops nearby for every kind of tourist.
Best time to visit: Any time of year
Papakolea Beach, Hawaii
One of four green sand beaches, Papakolea on Hawaii’s big island gets its coloring from olivine grains left behind from an eruption 50,000 years ago. Papakolea is a beach for the adventurous, it takes a 5.3 mile hike to get there, and swimming is possible only when the surf isn’t too rough.
Best time to visit: Any cool-weather day of the year.
Jökulsárlón (Glacier Lagoon), Iceland
Ice chunks from the largest glacier in Europe have come to rest on the waters and sands of Jökulsárlón in Iceland’s famous glacier lagoon. While you won’t want to jump in the cold water here with the local seals and dolphins, the reflective ice makes this perhaps one of the most beautiful places in the world and certainly the most dazzling place to catch the Northern Lights.
Best time to visit: November-March around 11 PM, when the Northern Lights are strongest.
Miho-no-Matsubara, Japan
While Japan may not be the first country you think of for beautiful beaches, it is home to perhaps one of the most unique: Miho-no-Matsubara. With a view of Mt. Fuji across the water, an ancient tree with the robes of a legendary swimming maiden, and three kilometers of pine forest just feet from the sparkling blue ocean, this beach’s scenery can’t be beat. While there’s a spot for swimming up the coast, many bike on a trail between the trees and black sand.
Best time to visit: On a clear summer day, offering the best view of Mt. Fuji.
