D-F: Most Incredible Beaches Around The World

Here in the UK the school summer holidays are coming to an end; for some, they ended a while ago. With the busy autumn term ahead, the memories of fun family beach days will fade as the evenings draw in and the temperatures drop. But we’re not ready to say goodbye to summer just yet. Oh no! We want to embrace every last sun-kissed wave, every last sunset over a calm sea, every last sandcastle, shell hunt and ocean swim that made our summer holidays simply the best ever!

This A-Z, over 9 days, showcases the very best, most incredible, add-to-bucket list beaches around the world – according to my travel blogging friends. Today we cover letters D to F, showcasing beaches from Iceland, Barbados, Myanmar, Greece, El Salvador, Australia, Puerto Rico and the Maldives. Kick off your flip flops, pop on your sunglasses, relax on your lounger, and drink in these heavenly contributions …

D – Diamond Beach, Iceland

If you are looking for white-sand beaches in Iceland, then you have been slightly misinformed. That being said, Iceland has some stunning beaches that are well worth a trip. My favourite beach is called Diamond Beach. It is located just next to the famous Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. It’s actually a black sand lava and it’s often dotted with big chunks of ice that come from the nearby glacier.

In my experience, Diamond Beach is most magical in winter when you’ll find big icebergs scattered all along the coastline – as far as an eye can see. And if you visit it at sunset, you can see how the ice sparkles against the black sand background. That’s when you’ll understand why it’s called the Diamond Beach. A magical place!

Submitted by, and thanks to, Full Suitcase

D – Dover Beach, Barbados

Barbados, a beautiful Island country, located in the eastern region of the Caribbean. The Island consists of the most gorgeous beaches, friendliest people and great food! Dover beach is located in the middle of the popular St. Lawrence gap, and although it is in a popular tourist spot, the beach still remains breathtakingly beautiful. The sand is perfect to walk along, the water is clean and picturesque blue. The beach has perfect swimming conditions, as the water is active but safe to swim in, with the added bonus of snorkeling possibilities! The water temperature is ideal year round – with an average yearly water temperature of 27 degrees celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit). During the day the beach is quiet and peaceful. The atmosphere does pick up late afternoon, with locals and tourists coming down to watch a dreamy sunset, eat the local dishes and enjoy a drink. Highlights of my time at Dover beach included, the ideal swimming conditions, the gorgeous weather, swimming alongside sea turtles!! And meeting with the lovely Bajans.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Wanderlust by Kelleyy

D – Dawei Beach, Myanmar

Dawei is a dreamy little town in the South of Myanmar. Since the Southern part has just recently been opened to tourism, this area of the country feels much more rural than the rest. And this is basically the reason why we loved the Dawei Beaches so much. They are not as crowded as many other beaches in Southeast Asia, like, for instance, the beaches in Thailand. The only people we met while we relaxed in the white sand of the Dawei Beaches were locals.

The Maungmagan Beach is the most popular and easiest to access of the Dawei Beaches. Here, you can find a bunch of affordable restaurants directly on the beach. But if you drive a little bit further, you can find even more remote beaches in the Dawei area.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Vicki Viaja

E – Elafonissi Beach, Crete, Greece

As colourful as the history of Crete, Elafonissi Beach is one of the most vivid beaches in the world. The combination of azure Mediterranean waters and pink sand shores would make you feel like you’ve stepped into a highly saturated postcard photo. If you are feeling adventurous, you can put a mask and a snorkel and explore the jet black jagged rocks nearby, it’s often a hiding place for sea urchins and octopuses.

Consistently voted among the best beaches in the world, Elafonissis’s shallow and clean waters make it perfect for a family day trip from the nearby town of Chania.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Global Castaway

E – El Tunco Beach, El Salvador

Playa El Tunco is a gorgeous black sand beach on the west coast of El Salvador. There are many reasons to love this unique beach, from the fabulous surfing and chilled out locals, to the cool beach bars and stunning cliffs. But it’s the incredible sunsets and oddly shaped rock that looms over the shore that makes El Tunco so special. Every night locals and tourists gather on the beach to watch the sky turn bright orange as the sun drops behind the black rock. We’ve never seen anything like it.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Gumnuts Abroad

F – Fairy Cove, Wilson’s Promontory, Australia

We are a little spoilt for choice in Australia when it comes to beaches. There are hundreds of spectacular beaches to enjoy. Many of them are sparsely populated and you just may have them all to yourself.

What makes Fairy Cove special then?  Is it the glistening blue sea or the white squeaky sand? Is it the beautiful smooth grey boulders for climbing or the secret coves waiting to be discovered? It is all these things, but the top reason why Fairy Cove is one of my favourite beaches is that you need to hike to it. 2.5 kilometres to be exact. Hidden away, there are no cars, no buses, no shops. This beach is just for the hikers.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Adventure and Sunshine

F – Flamenco Beach, Culebra, Puerto Rico

Flamenco Beach is one of the most pristine and beautiful beaches you can find in the world and is regularly ranked as such.  What makes Flamenco Beach unique is that limited transportation to Culebra that keeps the beach quiet. Each day, most people get to the island of Culebra by taking a ferry over.  Unfortunately for some, there are not too many ferries, causing people to wait in line early in the morning for hours to get a ticket. Once the ferries are booked, many people are forced to return home.

Instead of waiting in line you can get reservations by booking a snorkeling excursion on the island. After snorkeling, you can find your way to the beach and enjoy the clear waters. I recommend staying an extra day on the island before returning to the main island of Puerto Rico.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Honeymoon Always

F – Fulidhoo Island, Maldives

Fulidhoo is one of the local islands in Maldives and arguably the best. Its bikini beach is what you’d expect from postcards – fine white sand, clear baby-blue water. It reminded me of a movie I’d seen once where the beach just goes on and on and on.

Unlike other islands in the country, Fulidhoo is relatively quieter and underdeveloped. In fact, there are only a handful of accommodations and restaurants here. There are no water bungalows or loud parties at night. Instead, what you’re guaranteed is days of lazing in the beach. You can also go fishing or sign up for a snorkeling trip or island hopping trip in other islands nearby. Fulidhoo Island can be reached from the airport in Maldives via ferry or a speedboat on selected days.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Tara Lets Anywhere

Thank you to all our fabulous contributors. We hope you’ve enjoyed our trip around the world to some amazing beaches. Please come back tomorrow for our next instalment, G-I, that will visit The Philippines, Portugal, Turks and Caicos. Hawaii, Australia, Ireland, and Brazil. You can read yesterday’s post here.