Worlds Most Luxurious Beaches




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Huge black lava formations flank the fine golden sand of Wailea Beach on Maui Island in Hawaii, making it the perfect place for serene swimming or sunbathing. The waves are clear and big enough for experienced surfers without being intimidating for beginners, and the sunsets here are famous. Best of all, several luxurious properties have direct access to the beach, including The Four Seasons Resort and The Grand Wailea.

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A three-mile beach with truly pink sand is the most famous feature of Harbour Island in The Bahamas. The second-most famous is Pink Sands, a luxury resort comprised of 25 pastel-colored cottages dotted along the coast. Incorporating Moroccan, Indian and Balinese architecture, the cottages are located in an official bird sanctuary and have teak furniture and private baths overlooking the ocean. Repeat beach-goers include Robin Williams, Susan Sarandon and Keith Richards.

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Located close to the Furama Resort Danang, Vietnam's first luxury resort, China Beach is enjoying a resurgence in tourist travel. Once upon a time, the beach was used by the Viet Cong as a base for military action; they practically hollowed out the nearby Marble Mountains with secret hideaways and underground tunnels. The Danang People's Committee has launched a concerted effort to rid the area of panhandlers, and today the beach is one of Asia's prettiest--and most historic. The yellow sand stretches for almost 20 miles, and the traditional round Vietnamese surf boats are one of the best ways to ride the waves.

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Located on Australia's east coast, Bondi Beach's proximity to Sydney makes it one of the most popular beaches on the continent. A series of annual activities keeps Bondi Beach hopping year-round, including Flickerfest, a short film festival in January, World Environment Day in June, and the City to Surf Race in August, a marathon that drew over 60,000 runners last year. The beach itself offers great surfing and coastal hikes, while some of Sydney's poshest hotels are a stone's throw away.

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Plage de Pampelonne is one of the most celebrated beaches in Southern France, and for good reason. Traditionally a nude beach, it's fringed with bustling bars, cafes, hotels and clubs, including the long-running Club 55, founded in 1955 when Bridget Bardot arrived to film And God Created Woman. While bikinis have crept back onto about 50% of the beach's population in recent years, the northern-most tip of the beach, Plage de Tahiti, is still famous for attracting celebrities and inveterate topless tanners.

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Here to celebrity-watch, surf, swim or sunbathe? Main Beach has something for everyone, no matter your age, sex or inclination towards water sports. If you work in Manhattan and use the word "summer" as a verb, you already know that there are many reasons to make the Hamptons your summer destination of choice--and Main Beach is one of them. Parking on weekdays is $15, but on weekends and holidays you must have an East Hampton town parking permit. The Fourth of July is one of the best times to visit, as the East Hampton Fire Department puts on an amazing fireworks display.

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The Albufeira coastline of the Algarve in southern Portugal is among the most picturesque in Europe, where brightly colored fishing boats manned by local fisherman make day trips from the region's many cliff-sheltered beaches. Hidden alcoves and swimming areas abound among the sandy-colored cliffs; just don't get caught when the tide comes in. Castelo beach features some of the most dramatic rock formations in Albufeira, and the cove provides a natural haven from the wind and swirling sand which can ruin other, more exposed, Portuguese beaches.