For some it's the solitude of palm trees swaying gently in the whitest sand. For others it's great surfing or fabulous cocktails at sunset; beach perfection is definitely a subjective quality. To help you find your sand, sea and sun paradise, we've chosen our favourite romantic, fun, picture-perfect, undiscovered and eco-friendly beaches.
If anywhere's worth the journey to get there - plane, taxi and boat from Nassau, it's this Bahamian heaven. Stretching the length of the tiny and laid-back Harbour Island, Pink Beach positively radiates romance.
Wide and lined with towering palms, the beach gains its name and stunning colour from specks of coral combined with powdered shell. But you don't just get one shade for your money, as the Caribbean sun moves over the sand during the day, it changes its hue from pink to apricot to a translucent mauve – you'll never want to leave. But when the sun finally comes down, Harbour Island's town is the perfect compliment to its beach, picturesque colonial architecture and relaxed Bahamian hospitality - somewhere where holding hands just seems right.
If you're the sort of person who gets bored after a couple of days sunbathing and starts frantically scanning the shore for something more diverting, Myrtle Beach is for you. For all ages, the South Carolina vacationing hotspot is a winning combination of an expansive, clean and safe beach with entertainment galore thrown in.
The beach stretches along the Grand Strand – a 60-mile crescent of wide, pale sand and home to as much fun as you can cram into your vacation. Amusements along it range from the grand old Myrtle Beach Pavilion theme park, to the reptile park at Barefoot Landing in the north of the beach, to the world record-breaking 47 mini-golf courses along its length. And for the simpler things in life, the quieter Wetland stretches of the Grand Strand are a haven for nature-lovers, whilst the recently reclaimed dunes are perfect for picnicking.
Another beach that more than rewards you for the trek to get there, Anse Source d'Argent is on the small island of La Digue, a short boat or helicopter ride from neighbouring Praslin. It's nestled along a coastline pot-marked with a series of stunning pink sand nooks and coves, separated by gigantic granite boulders. Adding to its straight-out-of-paradise feel, the beach is sheltered by a reef, making its calm waters ideal for snorkelling. And thanks to its off-the-beaten-track location, Anse Source d'Argent is often deserted. In fact, often the only other people to share this idyll with are the magazine photographers who occasionally pop up. After all, being voted on numerous occasions as one of the world's best beaches, it's naturally one of the most photographed. A beach that seriously takes your breath away.
www.ladigue.intoseychelles.com
It might not be the first brochure you pick up, but Northern Ireland wasn't recently voted as one of Lonely Planet's top ten destinations for nothing. Portrush, on County Antrim's dramatic craggy coast, embodies why it won the accolade.
Portrush features a clean, sandy beach and numerous pretty coves and dramatic arches, but so much more too. For one, it's just a gentle cliff top walk from one of nature's true marvels, the massive hexagonal columns of the Giant's Causeway. It's also home to some of northern Europe's best surfing, particularly around the East Strand and Whiterocks beaches, with surf ranging from gentle swells to board-beating barrels. A stunning beach, but without the hoards.
If carbon footprints mean as much to you as footprints in the sand, then this Greek beach should tick the boxes.
On the southeastern tip of the Greek Ionian island of Zakynthos, Gerakas is as beautiful as it is ecologically sound. The beach, which rolls out gently into the Ionian Sea, is at the very epicentre of the nesting ground of the endangered Loggerhead sea turtle. Committed volunteers stand at the entrance informing beach-goers of its ancient inhabitants, and ensure Gerakas is a haven for both sun-seekers and egg-layers alike. For the former, it's one of the cleanest and safest beaches in Europe (it won last year's Times newspaper award for best international beach for kids). For the latter, the nesting areas are clearly marked amongst the deckchairs and sandcastles.
Go brown, keep green.
Andrew Morris is a UK-based freelance journalist, travel writer and editor who has been published internationally in both newspapers and magazines as well as online.
© Andrew Morris 2007
