REVEALED: WORLD'S BEST BEACHES (AND BONDI MAKES THE LIST .... TWICE!)
Some of Australia's most famous and much loved beaches are included in a captivating collection of the world's most breathtaking and unexpected coastal gems.
Researched by a team of Lonely Planet authors hailing from diverse corners of the globe, the new Lonely Planet book Best Beaches showcases every conceivable type of beach experience.
Whether it's a secluded cove, an Instagram-worthy urban shoreline, an off-the-beaten-path locale, a rocky and forested Pacific Northwest coastline, a distant expanse of orange sands in Iceland or a mesmerising palm-fringed island oasis-this book guides you through a sandy odyssey.
And Australia's Bondi Beach is named twice - as the best beach to people watch, and the best beach to go even if it's crowded.
Bell’s Beach, Cable Beach, Wineglass Bay, Squeaky Beach, Tangalooma Beach, Lucky Bay and Whitehaven Beach were also named as Australia’s best.
The book revealed:
TOP BEACHES TO WATCH THE SUNSET:
Maremegmeg Beach, Philippines
Punta Rata Beach, Croatia
Pfeiffer Beach, USA
Playa de Famara, Spain
Cable Beach/Walmanyjun, Australia
TOP FIVE REMOTE BEACHES:
Radhanagar, India
Rauðasandur, Iceland
West Beach, Scotland
Haukland Beach, Norway
Gardner Bay, Ecuador
TOP 5 BEST BEACHES TO SNORKEL
Trunk Bay, USA
Ta’ahiamanu Beach, French Polynesia
Radhanagar, India
Pink Beach, Indonesia
Sugar Beach, St Lucia
TOP 5 BEST BEACHES TO SEE WILDLIFE
Lucky Bay Kepa Kurl, Australia
Playa Tortuga/Turtle Beach, Puerto Rico
St Andrews Bay Beach, South Georgia
Playa Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Assateague Island National Seashore, USA
TOP 5 MOST UNEXPECTED BEST BEACHES:
Qalansiyah Beach, Yemen
Keem Bay Beach, Ireland
Dueodde, Denmark
Fuwairit Beach, Qatar
Lalomanu Beach, Samoa
TOP 5 BEACHES WORTH THE CROWDS:
Bondi Beach, Australia
Ipanema Beach, Brazil
Ao Maya, Thailand
Tulum, Mexico
Sarakiniko, Greece
TOP 5 BEACHES TO SEE NATURE:
Tangalooma Beach, Australia
Secret Beach, Thailand
Chesterman Beach, Canada
Cabo San Juan del Guía, Colombia
Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles
TOP 5 BEACHES TO PEOPLE WATCH:
Bondi Beach, Australia
Ipanema Beach, Brazil
South Beach, USA
Platja Illetes, Spain
Venice Beach, USA
TOP 5 FAMILY FRIENDLY BEACHES:
Playa Balandra, Mexico
Playa Norte, Mexico
Elafonisi, Greece
Punta Paloma, Spain
The Pass, Australia
Lonely Planet Senior Director Chris Zeiher said the book challenged what people might define as a best beach.
"There’s such diversity here, and hidden, unexpected beaches you might otherwise not have known about in places you may not have expected.," he said.
"They’re all beautiful and magical and almost unbelievable and lets you see beyond the beachy beach—though those are in here too!
"Each beach has a sort of identified characteristic, too, so you know why we chose it for the book.
"Ultimately, we wanted to show the vast diversity of beaches, from Antarctica to Madagascar, from swirling sand to wild horses.."
Highlights include the 98% pure silica sands and swirling aquamarine waters of Whitehaven Beach in Australia, hailed as one of the country's most phenomenal and photogenic natural icons, Brazil's Baía dos Porcos, with its golden sand, azure waters, and volcanic rock backdrop, Radhanagar Beach, nestled in one of India's most secluded corners, Gardner Bay on the Galapagos Islands and the famous Venice Beach in Los Angeles.
Best Beaches by Lonely Planet $49.99 AUD; Available where all good books are sold or see www.booktopia.com.au or www.whitcoulls.co.nz
