Top 10 beaches of the world

guardian.co.uk

1. Las Islas Cíes, Galicia, Spain

Mention Spanish beaches and most people instinctively think of the Mediterranean. Yet the wilder, stunning Atlantic coastline of Galicia, just north of Portugal, has far more dramatic praias – with far fewer people on them. One of the jewels of this coast is on Las Islas Cíes, a 40-minute boat trip from the pretty town of Baiona. Once a pirates' haunt, Cíes is now an uninhabited and pristine national park, open to the public only in summer. Galegos come here to spend long, lazy summer days on the Praia das Rodas, a perfect crescent of soft, pale sand backed by small dunes sheltering a calm lagoon of crystal-clear sea.

Locals call this their "Caribbean beach", and the water is turquoise enough, the sand white enough to believe the comparison … until you dip your toe in the water. Then it feels more like Skegness. You can sleep in an idyllic campsite, shaded by tall pine trees, with a view over the ocean. And, this being Spain, there's even a proper restaurant serving great seafood.

Where to stay: Camping Islas Cíes is open Easter week and June-September.

2. Tayrona national park, Colombia

I've never been as instantly impressed by a beach as I was the moment I set eyes on Tayrona. After a 40-minute hike through the forest, I was expecting to see a classic Caribbean beach, all white sand and calm turquoise water, perhaps a few cabanas for the tourists. Instead I was greeted with a wild sea crashing on to rocks the size of houses that are dotted along the untamed and semi-deserted beach. In a country with a "healthier" tourist industry Tayrona would undoubtedly be a major resort, but as it's in Colombia the virgin rainforest cascades down the mountainside right on to the sand. And there was no one on it save a small community of backpackers who sleep in open-air hammocks.

On arrival I wandered along it, marvelling at the raw beauty and remoteness of the place but after just 10 minutes I quite literally walked into my friend Jim! It was the unlikeliest spot for a "you'll never guess who I bumped into" travel story, and made for the best beach holiday I've ever had. I gather it's become more popular in the ten years since I was there, but thanks to its national park status the developers have been kept at bay.

Where to stay: Under the stars in a hammock strung between two palm trees.

3. Porto da Barra, Salvador, Brazil

Sydney has Bondi, LA has Venice, Rio has Copacabana and Ipanema - town beaches that are both world famous and a microcosm of their city itself. I lived in Salvador, Brazil's oldest city, for several years and Porto da Barra was where I would come for an early morning swim or a cold beer in the late afternoon. The location is stunning, at the entrance of the magnificent Bahia de Todos os Santos, with a small, white colonial fort at one end and a whitewashed church sitting up on a hill at the other. There's always something going on here: small fishing boats unloading their catch, young lads diving into the sea off the old stone harbour walls, older boys eyeing up girls, beach volleyball, football and tennis. As the beach is in a bay the water is calm and also (given that it is right in the heart of Brazil's third-largest city) incredibly clean and clear, so it's perfect for swimming. And in a country with over 7,000km of east-facing coastline, the Porto is one of the few facing west, so you can watch some fabulous sunsets.

Where to stay: Pousada Estrela do Mar

4. Anywhere on Palawan, the Philippines

Although Alex Garland's backpacker odyssey The Beach is set in Thailand, he took much of the inspiration for the location from the Philippines. The reason? As anyone who has been to Thailand in the last decade will tell you, the chances of finding your very own deserted island paradise in a country that has become synonymous with the backpacker superhighway are close to nil. The Philippines, on the other hand, has over 7,000 islands, a fraction of the tourists and so many deserted beaches that it's easy to hire a fishing boat, sail off into the sun and create your very own "Beach".

The western island group of Palawan, which even Filipinos describe as their country's last frontier, is inconceivably exotic and tropical. It's an archipelago of jagged limestone islands with underground rivers, rocky coves, virgin rainforest and, of course, sugar-white sandy beaches. Honda Bay, which has several islets including Cannon Island, Bat Island and Starfish Island, is one of the most popular but the fun in Palawan is in discovering your own deserted stretch of sand.

Where to stay: For isolation and some of the best wreck-diving in the world, Sangat Island Reserve. For luxury, El Nido resorts.

5. Nungwi, Zanzibar, Tanzania

The beaches of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania are the only ones I've ever walked on where the powder-white sand is so fine it literally squeaks between your toes. The island of Zanzibar is the jewel of the east-African coast, with its spice trade, labyrinthine old Stone Town and, of course, around 30 beaches, nearly all of which are to die for. One of the best is Nungwi, near the northern tip of the island. The coastline has a shallow slope so the sapphire water, white sand and coral build-ups forming a calm sea which stretches for miles and is home to thousands of marine animals. Dotted with tiny fishing villages that have barely changed in centuries, the Zanzibar coastline has a dreamy timeless air.

Where to stay: The Zanzibar tourist board has further information on accommodation.

6. Arambol, Goa, India

"There ain't nothing worse than some fool lying on some third world beach wearing spandex, psychedelic trousers, smoking damn dope pretending he's gettin' consciousness expansion," sang Alabama 3 on their hilarious Ain't Going to Goa. Indeed Goa certainly divides opinion. For some it is the holy grail of hippy hedonism for others it represents the worst excesses of modern travel. Arambol, the state's northernmost beach has its share of ageing hippies and seasonal expats, but the spectacular, sweeping stretch of sand is so beautiful it wins over even the most jaded and cynical of travellers. It is so vast that it´s easy to find your own private corner of sand. Around the rocky headland there is another beach where you can walk for miles without coming across a soul, or hang out at the freshwater lake backed by a small jungle. Old-timers will tell you the original hippies would sometimes get a nasty surprise here from the odd wild tiger.

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7. Whitehaven, Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, Australia

There are dozens of candidates for the mantle of Australia´s best beach, but for picture-postcard, sheer drop-dead gorgeousness Whitehaven is pretty special. Imagine super-fine, white silica sand surrounded by warm, clear, azure waters sandwiched between tropical forest with various islands dotted around in the distance. Just make sure you come for longer than a day (the preferred option) as once the day cruisers have left you can walk around here or curl up under the shade of the forest and feel like you have this uninhabited piece of paradise all to yourself. It´s quite a trek getting to Whitehaven, the surf isn´t up to much and for half the year you have to wear a stinger suit to swim in the sea - but these are small prices to pay for such beauty.

Where to stay: The only way to stay near the beach is to camp: a permit is needed from Airlie Beach town on the mainland.

8. Shell Beach, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset

This probably isn´t the most beautiful beach in the UK, but it´s my favourite. There's something about getting on the old chain ferry at the brash millionaires' playground of Sandbanks and jumping off, just three minutes later, directly on to the sand of a completely unspoilt beach (thank you the National Trust). Although the Isle is actually a peninsula, there is a real feeling you have left the mainland.

For me Purbeck marks the point when the scenery gets really wild and interesting heading south or west out of London. There is a huge expanse of sand backed by miles of dunes. In summer I can happily spend the whole day here watching the boats – everything from small yachts to mega ferries heading to France - sailing in and out of Poole harbour. Near the entrance to the chain ferry the Shell Bay Bar and Restaurant has a lovely view of the harbour. It's the perfect spot for a late afternoon beer or, if you´re pushing the boat out, great seafood in the restaurant right on the water.

Where to stay: Purbeck District Council has a list of accommodation and agencies.

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What makes many beaches so special is their isolation - which is the main reason that, for most of us, the world´s finest remain something we can only dream about. These two are top of my wish list.

9. Sinclair´s Bay, Caithness

Just eight miles south of John O'Groats in Scotland but - when the sun comes out - the white sand and sparkling blue sea of Sinclair's Bay look more like the Caribbean than Caithness. Framed by a 16th-century castle at each end and with a spectacular array of wildlife including plovers, dunlins, porpoises and occasionally orca - both on and off shore, Sinclair´s Bay has the lot.

Where to stay: Ackergill Tower, a 15th-century castle next to the beach.

10. Aroa, Aitutaki, One Foot Island, Cook Islands

It takes forever to get to this coral atoll necklaced by an azure lagoon, but the snorkelling, fishing and scuba-diving make this hidden paradise one of the best beaches in the south Pacific.

Where to stay: More information can be found from Cook Islands tourist bureau.