Whether you’re seeking a sandy stretch that feels like it’s your alone, hidden bays on tropical islands or buzzing party spots, we have all the top spots on this year’s list of the 12 most beautiful beaches around the world:

Ngapali Beach — Ngapali, Myanmar

Myanmar has some incredible beaches that are unspoilt, but Ngapali (pronounced ‘Napoly’) on the Bay of Bengal coast is a real highlight. Palm trees line the long, white stretch of sand that’s surrounded by fishing villages.

Glass Beach — California, USA

This is no ordinary beach — Glass Beach gets its name from the smooth colourful glass pieces that make up its shore. Once a local dumping site, the glass has become pretty pebbles over the years and the beach is now a protected spot.

Amanohashidate -Kyoto, Japan

While beaches aren’t the first thing that spring to mind when you think of Japan, this beautiful pine-covered sandbar is a little jewel in northern Kyoto. Its name roughly translates to “bridge in heaven”.

Champagne Beach — Vanuatu

One of the world’s most picturesque beaches, this spot has clear blue waters and sparkling sand. At Champagne Beach you will also find fresh fruit stalls, freshly prepared crab and lobster and cute beachside shacks.

Belle Mare — Mauritius

If powder-white sand and coral reefs are your thing, then Belle Mare beach is heaven. It’s on the south coast of the island and is surrounded by unspoilt nature, with only a few hotels and luxury villas. The coral reef offshore creates a lagoon, so the water is perfect for swimming.

Agiba Beach — Marsa Matrouh, Egypt

Agiba Beach is one of the most beautiful virgin beaches in the world; roughly 40 metres long, the clean sand and waters of the beach are tucked between cliffs. Climb up one of the cliffs for an astonishing view of the Mediterranean, or simply splash straight into the water.

Praia do Camilo — Lagos, Portugal

Make your way down the 200 wooden steps which wind along the orange cliffs to reach this golden, sandy beach. You’ll see the Ponta da Piedade nearby, a landmark rock formation with grottoes and rock arches.

Palombaggia Beach — Porto-Vecchio, Corsica

This is the most famous beach on the island, and we can see why. The beach at Palombaggia is one of Corsica’s finest, with fine white sand. It faces gorgeous blue seas, and is lined with beautiful pine trees, with the Cerbicales islands in the distance.

Sunset Beach — Oahu, Hawaii

Sunset Beach is known as one of the longest stretches of rideable surf in the world, with a wide, sandy stretch to relax on. In the winter months, you can watch big-wave surfing with swells up to 30 feet tall, along with the world’s premier surfing competitions.

Matira Beach -Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Matira Beach is actually the only public beach on the main island, and it just so happens to be the most beautiful one. With white sands and gorgeous lagoon waters, it’s pure paradise.

It’s postcard-perfect — especially when the sun starts to go down as you watch from a waterfront bar.

Whitehaven Beach — Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Whitehaven Beach stretches over 7 km and boasts brilliant white silica sand that is among the purest in the world. It’s right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, and is one of the world’s most unspoiled and beautiful beaches. Because of the silica, the sand doesn’t retain heat, so it’s a fantastic place to walk barefoot, even on a hot day.

Zlatni rat (Golden Horn Beach) — Brac, Croatia

The Golden Horn is the most spectacular of all Croatia’s beaches. It’s not just its shape that makes it so beautiful and unique. The pebble beach is surrounded by crystal clear sea, that goes from turquoise blue to dark blue in just 10–20 meters.

Use XcelTrip to visit any or all of these 12 most beautiful beaches around the world and make memories that last a lifetime.