M-O: 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 M to O, showcasing beaches from Portugal, Sri Lanka, Panama, South Africa, Australia, the USA and Turkey. Kick off your flip flops, pop on your sunglasses, relax on your lounger, and drink in these heavenly contributions …

M – Marinha Beach, Algarve, Portugal

The Algarve is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and, of those, Praia da Marinha is one of the most beautiful.

In 1998, it was awarded the Golden Beach award by the Portuguese Ministry of the Environment and it is often used in tourism literature promoting Portugal’s beaches. Since 1998, Praia da Marinha has won countless more awards and has been mentioned in numerous publications like Condé Nast Traveler and Vogue. TripAdvisor users have voted it as one of the best beaches in the world on numerous occasions, ranking it alongside beaches in Brazil, Seychelles, Greece, and Costa Rica. It is simply just a great beach. It has beautiful clean sand and inviting waters and, for those that want to keep fit while they’re in the Algarve, there are several clifftop walks that go in opposite directions of the beach. If you’re visiting the Algarve, make sure to visit this beach.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Portugalist

M – Mirissa Beach, Sri Lanka

One of the most beautiful beaches is Mirissa beach on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. The beach is very wide and long and therefore perfect for stroll as well as for some relaxing beach days after exploring Sri Lanka. There are several restaurants and cafés along the beach, however, I haven’t had the feeling that the area would be extremely overrun by tourists.

If you’re visiting Mirissa beach, make sure to climb on the Parrot rock on the east end of the beach. This huge rock directly at the beach will offer you wonderful views of the coastline. This is also the perfect place for you to watch the sunset!

Submitted by, and thanks to, German Backpacker

M – La Miel Beach, Panama

Surrounded by the Darien Gap, La Miel is a gorgeous white-sand beach and palm trees nestled between lush vegetation and the Caribbean sea.

Funny fact, the beach La Miel is accessible from the Colombian town of Sapzurro only. Travelers have to climb the 95 steps to arrive at the checkpoint. There, militaries sit peacefully under a tiny shelter made of wood and concrete. They will check your passport, but you won’t get a stamp despite the fact your enter in Panama. Indeed, there is no road after La Miel. Hence, every beach lover has to walk back to Sapzurro before 5 pm.

But before going back, I recommend you to check out the Duty-free shop. They sell delicious and cheap Chilian wine 😉 Santé!

Submitted by, and thanks to, Tom Plan My Trip

N – Noetzie Beach, Knysan, Garden Route, South Africa

There are many beautiful beaches along the coast of South Africa, one of our favorite beaches is Noetzie beach near Knysna, on the Garden Route. It’s a hidden gem of the coast, not many people know about the beach. Noetzie is a wide sandy beach surrounded by lush green hills and rocky cliffs. It is a perfect place to come for a picnic or a relaxing beach walk though the way to the beach is quite a steep walk down the stairs from the parking spot. The beach is famous for its castles, the Noetzie castles are three massive castles in the hills that border the beach, the beautiful castles are in fact holiday houses that are for rent.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Stingy Nomads

N – Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island, off Cairns, Queensland, Australia 

Don’t be put off by the name, Nudey Beach is not a place to ditch your swimmers and go au naturel, it’s a secluded coral beach on Fitzroy Island where white sands meet the crystal clear blue ocean. It’s also one of the few areas in the world where the tropical rainforest meets the reef – and you can snorkel the Great Barrier Reef straight off the beach. And it’s not just my opinion – Nudey Beach has made some of the top lists of worldwide beaches, including making number one this year of Australia’s Best Beaches.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Coasting Australia

O – Oscoda Beach, Michigan, USA

Beautiful beaches don’t have to be saltwater. The Great Lakes have miles of gorgeous sandy beaches and Oscoda (pronounced oss-COH-duh), a small town on Lake Huron in Michigan, has an amazing stretch of sugar white sand. With typically small, gentle waves, it’s the perfect place for a swim. I’ve had friends mistake photos of it for Florida beaches thanks to its perfect sand and shimmering blue water. Plus, it has the added bonus of being freshwater so you don’t end up with saltwater in your mouth. With brilliant blue water stretching past the horizon, you won’t even miss the ocean. Oscoda is located in the northeast part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and taking US 23 along the coast north of Saginaw Bay.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Nomad By Trade

O – Oludeniz Beach, Turkey

After seeing photos of the gorgeous Turkish coast and spending some time in Bodrum I just knew I had to get to Oludeniz Beach. Just 14 km from the town of Fethiye is a beautiful lagoon in the Aegean Sea. This is one of Europe’s blue flag beaches. It’s completely pebble and a great place to come to lay out for the day and soak up the sunshine. The water is calm and warm and perfect for swimming. Be prepared for crowds though as it frequently makes the list of best beaches in Europe.

The area is well developed and caters to a large influx of tourists especially in the summer seasons. There is no shortage of restaurants and hotels ranging in all price ranges.

Submitted by, and thanks to, The World Pursuit

O – Orange Beach, Alabama, USA

Orange Beach is a wonderful small town on the Gulf Coast USA and it has some stunning beaches. The beaches here have beautiful, barefoot worthy white sand and they are big.  Lodging, restaurant and food choices are plentiful and so are places to rent a beach chair.  I prefer to aim for the less populated spots and visiting during off season so we’re more likely to have a spot of paradise to ourselves. The waves can range from glass-like calmness to surf worthy (although that perfect wave is not that common).  When the waves are low the water can be a spectacular shade of green.  If large beaches and miles of white sand are your thing – give Orange Beach a look.

Submitted by, and thanks to, Fitz5onthego

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, P-R, that will visit Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Lanzarote and Spain. You can read yesterday’s post here.