Normally we experience beaches by sitting on the sand and marveling at the power of the ocean, but they take on a whole new beauty when considered from a bird’s-eye view. These aerial shots of celebrated beach destinations around the world showcase the visual majesty of the meeting of land and sea.

A small L-shaped island in the Andaman Sea, Koh Lipe is renowned for its multiple white sand beaches. The crystal clear waters that surround the island and abundance of nearby coral reefs make the area well-known for diving and snorkeling.

Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch in Dorset, made all the more striking by an adjacent stretch of sand and shingle beach, surrounded by dramatic chalk cliffs. This part of the shoreline, known as the Jurassic Coast thanks to the ancient fossils lurking in the rock formations, was England's first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rügen in the Baltic Sea is the largest island in Germany and home to a number of beach destinations, including the resort town of Sellin. Its pier (or Seebrücke Sellin) juts straight into the sea, with a restaurant and diving gondola at the end.

 

Located in northwest Florida, near Pensacola, this beach on the Gulf of Mexico is much quieter than the bustling scene on the state’s Atlantic shore. The beach itself is on a narrow strip of island that borders a state park, giving it a particularly isolated and relaxed feel.

Sitting on the west side of Canada’s Vancouver Island, the coastal town of Tofino feels like it truly is at the edge of the world. Its most popular beach is Chesterman, a long sandy stretch filled with tide pools which sea stars and anemones call home. Outside of the water, there's a great variety of birds found on the beach all year long.

Grace Bay sits on the Providenciales (Provo), part of the idyllic Turks and Caicos archipelago. Even though it’s lined with hotels, the more than 12 miles (20km) of powder-soft sand is open to the public, allowing visitors to walk as far as they’d like and swim in the warm shallow waters.

Few things top the feeling of swimming in a natural ocean pool. The half-moon of turquoise water at Mar Chiquita on the north coast of Puerto Rico is almost fully surrounded by limestone rock, with a small gateway that allows the ocean water to calmly settle in.

 

One of the most famous beaches in the world, Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro is the epitome of Brazilian beach culture. The famous Copacabana promenade runs alongside the sand for 2.5 miles and features a distinctive Portuguese-inspired pavement mosaic with swirling black and white geometric designs.

Also known as Turtle Beach, Papaoneone Beach is less famous than other Oahu beaches like Waikiki or Lanikai, but it’s just as beautiful. The beach gets its English name from the green sea turtles that feed on the seaweed that grows on nearby reefs. The mountain in the background is Mauna Lahilahi which offers a picturesque backdrop to this pretty white sand beach.

Liking this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

This beach in New South Wales offers a wide swath of sand, but the relatively rough waters make it too dangerous for casual swimmers. Instead Bombo is known as a surfers’ beach or a place for locals to take their dogs for a seaside run.

Sitting on the southern tip of Antigua, Galleon Beach is located at Freeman's Bay. The pristine golden sand is ideal for taking a stroll or simply lazing around. Snorkelers can explore the sea life that lurks in the reef which sits around 72 feet from the shore.

A popular spot on Germany’s North Sea coast, St. Peter-Ording is known for its natural sulfur spring, but it’s also the site of an incredibly wide 7-mile beach. The beach is surrounded by forests and dunes, attracting nature lovers and adventurers, as well as spa-goers.

Officially known as Ölüdeniz, it’s no wonder that this shoreline in Turkey is most commonly referred to as the Blue Lagoon. The deep blue water is part of Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, where the Aegean and Mediterranean seas meet. The wind coming off the water usually makes the area a hot spot for paragliding.

 

Getting to Honopu Beach on Kauai isn't easy. This beach is so secluded that even paddle boats are not allowed to land on this patch of sand on the Nā Pali Coast – visitors have to swim to it. But those who make it are rewarded with an idyllic spot complete with a stunning natural arch, majestic cliffs and a waterfall.

The Seychelles is an archipelago of more than 100 islands in the Indian Ocean – with no shortage of spectacular beaches. Silhouette Island is the country’s third largest isle, known for its breathtakingly clear waters and intimate white sand beaches.

 

These chalk cliffs, known as the Seven Sisters, are some of the most famous geographical features of the English seaside. Visitors can enjoy a quiet stroll along the cliffs with easy access to the beach via a walking trail.

Sandbanks Provincial Park is the site of some of Canada’s most stunning beaches and a paradise for nature lovers. There's a great variety of birds here including endangered piper plovers. Beloved, late Canadian author Farley Mowat also called the area home for a good portion of his life.

 

A small islet off of Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, Sveti Stefan is occupied by a ritzy 5-star resort. The public beach on the mainland is this extraordinary site’s main attraction, where sunbathers can lie on pink pebble sand and gaze upon the luxurious accommodations.

Icelandic black sand may not be the most pleasant to sunbathe on but it sure is spectacular to look at. Situated on Iceland’s south coast, this otherworldly black sand is the product of volcanic ash which is particularly plentiful here. The beach is made all the more dramatic thanks to nearby sea stacks and the ever-present roar of the Atlantic ocean.

This arresting triangle-shaped beach is the pride of Brač, one of several Croatian islands in the Adriatic Sea. The beach gets its pointed tip from the accumulation of fine pebbles that have collected on a deep underwater reef. Its position in the sea also makes Zlatni Rat a popular destination for surfers and kite flyers.

The Mayan Riviera is one of Mexico’s most famed vacation spots for good reason: this section of the Yucatán Peninsula in Quintana Roo enjoys the warm water of the Caribbean and relaxed sandy beaches. Playa del Carmen is also near the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second longest coral reef in the world.

The Oregon coast is known for its raw natural beauty and the ferocity of its Pacific waves. Cannon Beach is a charming resort town on the northern end of the coast, famous for the Haystack Rock sea stack. The coastal winds also make it a prime spot for kite flying.

 

Hot Water Beach certainly earns its name – every day in the two hours before and after high tide, visitors can see thermal hot springs bubbling from the sand. When the springs are covered by the tide the beach is much quieter, but is still a lovely place to watch the waves roll in and soak up the magnificence of New Zealand’s coast.

At more than 12 miles in length, Long Beach is indeed long. Located on the west coast of the island of Phú Quốc, it includes sandy stretches as well as commercial areas and luxury resorts. Visitors can also find fishing villages and pearl farms along the beach, and snorkel or swim in the water.

This beach in Whitstable, Kent may not be sandy but it still has plenty of English seaside charm. The long shingle beach is broken up by wooden groynes to prevent erosion and lined with beach huts and weatherboard cottages. Oysters are farmed in the waters off the beach and are usually readily available at stalls and restaurants on the seafront and around town.

 

This Canary Islands beach may look too perfect to be natural – and it is. But the fact that Playa de las Teresitas is man-made doesn’t make it any less spectacular to sunbathe on. The original beach on Tenerife was covered in rocks and volcanic sand but around the 1970s it was replaced with imported golden sand from the Sahara Desert as well as a breakwater for safer swimming.

At around 590 feet long, this beach in Phuket isn't huge but it’s relatively isolated. The water in this little cove is remarkably clear, making it a nice spot for a refreshing swim followed by a rest under the shade of the surrounding trees.

 

If there was ever a picture-perfect beach, it’s this shipwreck-laden cove on Zakynthos, an island in Greece. Since it’s nestled underneath some very steep cliffs, the beach itself is only accessible by ferry but once there, visitors can swim, play in the sand and marvel at the abandoned ship stranded on the beach.

 

Cape May doesn’t jibe with most people’s ideas of New Jersey, which is why this charming locale is such a treat. Billed as America’s oldest seaside resort, the pristine beaches are some of the nicest in the country and the quaint Cape May Historic District boasts one of the country's largest collections of 19th-century framed buildings.

One of Australia’s great natural wonders, the Twelve Apostles are a series of striking limestone stacks that rise out of the ocean. Located on the shore of Port Campbell National Park, off the Great Ocean Road, there are actually only seven stacks despite their name.

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Now discover more of Australia's natural beauties