Top World Beaches

The world has thousands upon thousands of beautiful beaches, but a few have been given the distinction of being known as the best beaches in the world.  The world's five top-ranked beach resorts are described below.

Top World Beaches 1.      Ka'anapali, Hawaii, USA

Maui is one of the most magnificent of the string of Pacific pearls comprising the Hawaiian Islands, and Ka'anapali is one of Maui's most popular beaches. 

A true tropical paradise and beautiful enough to be the long-lost Garden of Eden,  Ka'anapali is located on the western side of the island, about two miles north of Lahaina, a historic whaling village.  Surrounded by a number of elegant hotels and condominiums, Ka'anapali's beach is about three miles long and offers a wide variety of exciting beach activities, including snorkeling, jet-skiing, windsurfing, parasailing and even ocean kayaking. 

Swimmers should be advised that the offshore waters are deep, so Ka'anapali might not be the best beach for young or inexperienced swimmers.

A towering 300 foot-high cinder cone called the Black Rock (Pu'u Keka' in the native Hawaiian language) divides Ka'anapali into two separate stretches of beach.  The coastline near the Black Rock is rugged lava and delivers some outstanding snorkeling - some of the best on Maui.  The waters are crystal-clear and generally safe for swimming throughout the year, but the high surf typically seen in the winter means swimming might be best during other seasons.

Top World Beaches 2.      Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA

Myrtle Beach offers about 60 miles of clean, sandy beaches and some of the best water sports and sea fishing in the country.  The region's soft wide beaches give visitors ample opportunities for beach volleyball, swimming, sunbathing, surfing, para-sailing and beach-combing.

While the area's big draws are its beaches, Myrtle Beach has hundreds of other outdoor and indoor attractions for visitors of all ages to enjoy.  The Grand Strand (of which Myrtle Beach is a part) features an assortment of amusement parks and shopping malls, varied restaurants (including some serving truly delicious fresh seafood), a vibrant nightlife and a wide variety of adventure sports. 

In addition to its many other virtues, this beautiful beach-oriented resort area offers more than 100 well-manicured championship golf courses, a NASCAR-sanctioned racetrack, minor league baseball, tennis, a wildlife sanctuary featuring boat tours where you might spot alligators, deep-sea fishing expeditions departing from eight different piers, and coastal tidewater fishing up and down the streams and creeks feeding into the Atlantic. 

Top World Beaches 3.        Cancun, Mexico

Once just a tiny backwater fishing village, Cancun has evolved into a bustling beach resort with a population near half a million. 

Gorgeous white sand beaches and the Caribbean's turquoise waters have made Cancun an extremely popular destination with tourists.  Some are even saying Cancun has become the vacation spot for the 21st century, and more than two million people per year seem to agree.

Cancun has something for visitors of all ages, including beautiful beaches for day-long fun, world-class resorts, hotels, malls, restaurants, clubs and a calm, isolated island.  Located fairly close to Miami, Cancun offers a wide variety of activities, including jet-skiing, scuba diving, golf, parachuting and even topless sunbathing.

The city features two distinct sections:  the "zona commercial" downtown district, which is the city's shopping and residential center, and its "zona hotelera", a narrow beach around Cancun Island, laden with hotels and tourist amenities and connected to the mainland by causeways.

Its huge lagoon, modern beachfront hotels, wide range of activities and lively nightlife make Cancun a perfect getaway for travelers.  It also serves as a primary gateway to much of Mexico's scenic Yucatan Peninsula.

Top World Beaches 4.       Montego Bay, Jamaica

Yes, beautiful Montego Bay is ranked among the world's top five beaches.  Known for its long sandy beaches and offshore reefs, Montego Bay is Jamaica's second-largest city.  Nestled amid the gentle hills of Bogue, Kempshot and Salem, Montego Bay stretches about ten miles long, from suburban Reading on its western edge to Ironshore's and Rose Hall's resort hotels and posh villas on the east.

Like Cancun, Montego Bay has two distinct sections:  the downtown district and Gloucester Avenue, which is now referred to as the "Hip Strip."  Luxury hotels dot the entire length of Montego Bay's coastline, but three public beaches offer several water sports and various amenities.  Travelers seeking white sandy beaches but a quieter ambiance should head for the Caribbean Beach Park, located east of Ironshore.

In addition to sunbathing, swimming and other beach activities, Montego Bay provides an impressive array of sporting, dining and entertainment activities, including catamaran rides, fishing boat charters, adventure sports like whitewater rafting, and, of course, delicious food.

Top World Beaches 5.        Phuket, Thailand

Phuket is the perfect place to lounge on the beach, wriggle your toes into the soft sand, look out over the beckoning azure waters and enjoy the stunning tropical sunsets of Southeast Asia, all while sipping a refreshing beverage. 

Its superb Asian hospitality includes some remarkably affordable accommodations, but Phuket is really known for its soft sand beaches, diving in the Andaman Sea, championship golf courses, vibrant nightlife, and eco-adventures in Phuket's forest.  Travelers are also able enjoy a scenic cruise around Phang Nga Bay and exhilarating speedboat rides to nearby islands.

This Pearl of the Andaman is actually a substantial island in the Indian Ocean that features forested hillsides along with lovely beaches.  Strong Chinese and Portuguese influences have caused the town to feature some particularly interesting and quaint architecture, and the marine life in the waters surrounding the island is richly diverse.

So there they are: the top world Beaches....and one is in Jamaica!

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