1. Capo Sant'Andrea, Elba, ItalyIt's hard to imagine why Napoleon ever wanted to leave. At this inlet, the water is clear enough to see the seabed even in the deepest sections. Chestnut trees sweep right down to the coastline.
Highlight: The inlet's golden beaches are framed by softly sloping granite blocks -- natural sun beds that are taken over by sunbathers during summer.
2. Plage de Piémanson, France
2. Plage de Piémanson, FranceFor sheer scale, gloriously unspoiled wilderness and nude bathing, Plage de Piémanson ranks among the finest. Part of Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue, the obscure beach has tawny sand that stretches forever.
Highlight: To get here, you drive through colonies of pink flamingos and might spot Camargue horses, an ancient breed of white horse that roams wild in the reserve.
3. Punalu'u, Hawaii, United States
No sugary sands and idyllic swimming conditions, but you will find a dramatic black basalt shore and might spot green and hawksbill turtles, as well as dolphins and whale sharks, if you snorkel off this Big Island beach.
Highlight: Getting here involves a 20-minute trek through a wooded dirt trail, underlining the remote and undeveloped beach.
Highlight: The entire area is basically an enormous water sports arena -- divers, snorkelers, fishermen and shallow-water splashers will all find it hard to leave.
4. Los Roques, Venezuela
OK, this isn't one beach, more like several hundred, but it's impossible to pick from the more than 350 islands in the Los Roques archipelago. Whichever island you're on, from the large Cayo Grande to the diminutive Gran Roque, you'll have blinding white sand and shallow, tropical waters just a few powdery footsteps away. Highlight: The entire area is basically an enormous water sports arena -- divers, snorkelers, fishermen and shallow-water splashers will all find it hard to leave.
5. Kaiteriteri Beach, Nelson, New Zealand
With golden sand and the most sunshine hours in New Zealand, Kaiteriteri Beach is at the top of New Zealand's South Island and the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park.
Highlights: Penguins, seals and dolphins are common.
6.Skagen Beach, Denmark
7. Pulau Derawan, Indonesia
Highlight: Beidaihe's restaurants offer simple pleasures, mostly good seafood and cold beer.
9. Akajima, Okinawa, JapanThe islet of Akajima is popular among Japanese day-trippers during summer, but foreign travelers are a rare sight. It retains a sequestered charm even during peak season. The beaches are spotless, usually dotted with just a handful of surfers. Highlight: Further inland, a quaint Ryukyuan heritage house is open to visitors.
10. Phra Nang Beach, Railay, ThailandWith Dali-esque limestone structures, hundreds of cliff-climbing routes and Tiffany-blue waters, Railay is the seasoned rock climber's dream. Stalactite-rimmed cliffs that tourists can jump from flank Phra Nang, the area's main beach.
Worth knowing: Although Railay is accessible only by longtail boat from Krabi and Ao Nang, it can get crowded during tourist seasons.
11. Little Corn beaches, NicaraguaLow key, undeveloped and languid, Little Corn Island was, sometimes still is, a stop for pirates. These days it's more frequently used as a vacation spot for those looking for a few days of rustic, five-star-free living.
Worth knowing: A great spot for diving and snorkeling.
6.Skagen Beach, Denmark
The shore at Skagen, an artists' colony in the 19th century, is a 40-mile-long sand ribbon within a landscape of milky white dunes, fairytale forests and wind-blown beaches.
Highlight: If Skagen's waters are too cold for swimming there are other attractions -- an annual midsummer's eve bonfire on Skagen Sonderstrand, the Bolcheriet candy factory and Råbjerg Mile, the largest sand dune in northern Europe.7. Pulau Derawan, IndonesiaTourist accommodations are no-frills here, and that's what makes the place special. Most visitors will be able to spot turtles wading about on the island's spotless silvery beaches.
Highlight: The waters surrounding Derawan are known to be a home to manta rays and green turtles.8. Beidaihe, China
Beidaihe has been pleasing China's upper crust for decades. A few hours from Beijing, Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping hashed out national policies in private villas here. The area remains popular among Russian tourists -- a reminder of erstwhile Sino-Soviet ties.Highlight: Beidaihe's restaurants offer simple pleasures, mostly good seafood and cold beer.
9. Akajima, Okinawa, Japan10. Phra Nang Beach, Railay, ThailandWorth knowing: Although Railay is accessible only by longtail boat from Krabi and Ao Nang, it can get crowded during tourist seasons.
Worth knowing: A great spot for diving and snorkeling.
