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Open Travel Guide

Beaches guides

Beach guides by destination

Coastal guides organised by destination, covering when to go, what the water is like and how each shoreline is reached.

A beach is a seasonal proposition. Air temperature is the least useful indicator; sea temperature, prevailing wind and the local rainy season matter far more, and they can differ sharply between two coasts of the same country. Tropical destinations often have a wet season that arrives on one side of an island months before the other, while Mediterranean and Atlantic shores swing between calm summers and unswimmable winters.

Compare shorelines on their physical character rather than their reputation. Sand or shingle, shelving or shallow, sheltered bay or open ocean with a shore break: these determine whether a beach suits swimming, small children, snorkelling or surfing, and no photograph reliably conveys them. Access is the other variable, as some of the most rewarding stretches involve a steep path, a boat, or a walk back from parking that is a long way in afternoon heat.

Safety information is worth seeking out before arrival. Rip currents, jellyfish seasons, tidal ranges that cut off a cove, and the presence or absence of lifeguards vary by beach and by month, and flag systems differ between countries. Facilities follow a similar pattern: shade, drinking water, toilets and food may be plentiful on a resort beach and entirely absent a headland away. Local rules on drones, fires and overnight stays are commonly enforced.

Beaches guides by destination

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Andorra

Angola

Antigua And Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia And Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cabo Verde

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Colombia

Comoros

Congo

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Democratic Republic Of The Congo

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Eswatini

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Latvia

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Moldova

Monaco

Mongolia

Montenegro

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

Nauru

Nepal

Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

North Korea

North Macedonia

Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts And Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent And The Grenadines

Samoa

San Marino

Sao Tome And Principe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Serbia

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

South Korea

South Sudan

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Suriname

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

Timor Leste

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad And Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Vatican City

Venezuela

Vietnam

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe