The World’s 40 Best Beaches
White sand is only the beginning. From granite-framed coves in the Seychelles to the bright shallows of the Caribbean and Australia’s vast island shores, these 40 beaches offer very different ways to meet the sea. Our countdown brings together secluded bays, extraordinary rock formations and coastlines worth slowing down for.
40. Maya Bay | Phi Phi Leh, Thailand
Maya Bay’s cliffs surround a beach made internationally familiar by The Beach, but its later story is as much about conservation as cinema. On Thailand’s Phi Phi Leh, visitor pressure prompted restoration and controlled access. That history makes the landscape more meaningful, not less beautiful. Check current park rules and respect restrictions on entry and water activities; a celebrated bay is still a place that needs recovery and care.
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