The 9 Best Beach Destinations to Visit in 2027
From Indian Ocean sandbars to Pacific surf towns, these are the beaches worth building a year around, chosen for water you will actually want to swim in and a sense of place beyond the sand.
Last updated June 22, 2026
Explore El Nido's stunning karst landscape with lush greenery and blue seas, showcasing the beauty of Palawan, Philippines. · XT7 Core
A beach holiday lives or dies on details: whether the water is clear and warm, whether there is something to eat worth crossing town for, and whether the place has any character once you peel yourself off the sand. This list skips the over-photographed resorts that look the same in every brochure and leans toward beaches with a strong sense of where they are.
These nine span continents and budgets, from barefoot Indian Ocean islands to a temperate surf town where you wear a fleece at sunset. Several are best in specific months, so the entries flag when to go and who each one suits. Pick by the trip you want: a do-nothing honeymoon, a snorkeling obsession, a family week, or a road trip that happens to end on the coast.
Use the getting-there notes to gauge effort versus reward, and book the harder-to-reach spots (the Maldives, Palawan, the Seychelles) well ahead for 2027, since the best small properties fill first.
1
El Nido and PalawanWestern Philippines, Palawan province Google
Palawan is the Philippines at its most cinematic: jagged limestone karsts rising straight out of jade lagoons, with white-sand coves you reach only by boat. El Nido is the launchpad for island-hopping tours through the Bacuit Archipelago, where you swim into hidden lagoons and snorkel over coral walls. Further north, Coron offers dramatic shipwreck diving and the impossibly clear Kayangan Lake, while the long sweep of Nacpan Beach is the place to do nothing at all. It is a longer journey than most beach trips, but few coastlines on earth pay it back so well.
- Big and Small Lagoon island-hopping tours from El Nido
- Snorkeling the WWII wrecks at Coron
- Kayangan Lake's mirror-clear water
- Sunset and a cold San Miguel at Nacpan Beach
Best for: snorkelers, adventurous couples, island-hoppers
Getting there: Fly Manila or Cebu to El Nido (about 1.5 hours) or to Puerto Princesa, then a 5-6 hour van transfer
2
The Maldives (Baa and Raa Atolls)Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka Google
The Maldives is the benchmark for barefoot luxury, but the Baa and Raa Atolls are where the marine life justifies the airfare. Baa Atoll is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and from roughly May to November, Hanifaru Bay draws huge aggregations of manta rays and the occasional whale shark to feed. You do not need a five-figure overwater villa to enjoy it: the local islands of Dharavandhoo and Thulusdhoo have guesthouses, bikini beaches, and house-reef snorkeling at a fraction of resort prices. Choose a resort for total seclusion or a local island for value and a glimpse of Maldivian life.
- Snorkeling with manta rays at Hanifaru Bay
- House-reef snorkeling straight off the beach
- A seaplane transfer over the atolls
- Budget guesthouse stays on Dharavandhoo
Best for: honeymooners, snorkelers, splurge seekers
Getting there: Fly to Male, then a domestic flight to Dharavandhoo plus a short speedboat, or a seaplane direct to resorts
3
ZanzibarOff the coast of Tanzania, East Africa Google
Zanzibar pairs proper tropical beaches with one of the most atmospheric old towns in the Indian Ocean. Start in Stone Town, a maze of carved doors, spice shops, and Swahili-Omani history, then head to the powder-white east coast at Paje and Jambiani, where kitesurfers ride the lagoon and the tide pulls out to reveal seaweed farms. Nungwi and Kendwa in the north have the calmest swimming and the best sunsets, plus dhow trips out to sandbanks and snorkeling at Mnemba Atoll. Time a visit around a spice-farm tour and a plate of grilled seafood at Forodhani Gardens.
- Wandering Stone Town's alleys and waterfront
- Kitesurfing the Paje lagoon
- Dolphin and snorkel trips at Mnemba Atoll
- Forodhani night food market
Best for: culture-and-beach combiners, kitesurfers
Getting there: Fly into Zanzibar (Abeid Amani Karume) via Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, or Doha; ferries also run from Dar es Salaam (about 2 hours)
4
The AlgarveSouthern Portugal Google
The Algarve is Europe's most reliable summer coastline: golden cliffs, sea caves, and dozens of cove beaches tucked below the rim. The stretch around Lagos is the showstopper, with the honeycomb of sandstone arches at Ponta da Piedade and the much-photographed Praia da Marinha near Carvoeiro. Out west toward Sagres the crowds thin and the surf picks up, while inland towns like Silves offer Moorish castles and good wine. It is easy to reach, walkable, and excellent value compared with the French or Italian coasts.
- Kayaking the sea caves at Ponta da Piedade
- Cliff-top walking to Praia da Marinha
- Surfing and seafood near Sagres
- Grilled sardines and a vinho verde in Lagos
Best for: families, road-trippers, value seekers
Getting there: Fly into Faro, then 40 minutes to 1 hour by car or train to the western beaches
5
Tulum and the Riviera MayaCaribbean coast of Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula Google
Tulum delivers the Caribbean's turquoise water with a Maya ruin perched directly above the sand, a combination nowhere else can match. Beyond the famous clifftop ruins, the region is honeycombed with cenotes, freshwater sinkholes like Gran Cenote and Dos Ojos that are dreamlike for snorkeling and diving. Day trips reach the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and the colorful lagoon town of Bacalar to the south. Tulum town itself has become busy and pricey, so base yourself thoughtfully and go early to the ruins to beat the heat and the crowds.
- The clifftop Tulum Maya ruins above the beach
- Snorkeling Gran Cenote and Dos Ojos
- The seven-shade lagoon at Bacalar
- Sian Ka'an boat tours
Best for: couples, divers, design-hotel fans
Getting there: Fly into Cancun or Tulum (Felipe Carrillo Puerto) airport, then 1.5-2 hours by car or ADO bus from Cancun
6
The Seychelles (La Digue and Praslin)Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar Google
The Seychelles has a fair claim to the most beautiful beaches on the planet, sculpted granite boulders framing pink-tinged sand and shallow, glass-clear water. On tiny La Digue you get around by bicycle, and Anse Source d'Argent is the most photographed beach in the country for good reason. Neighboring Praslin holds Anse Lazio and the Vallee de Mai, a primeval palm forest where the giant coco de mer grows. It is a splurge, but island-hopping by ferry between Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue stretches the budget and the scenery.
- Cycling to Anse Source d'Argent on La Digue
- Anse Lazio on Praslin
- The Vallee de Mai palm forest
- Giant tortoises and granite snorkel coves
Best for: honeymooners, photographers, slow travelers
Getting there: Fly into Mahe, then inter-island ferries to Praslin (about 1 hour) and La Digue (15 minutes)
7
Lombok and the Gili IslandsIndonesia, just east of Bali Google
Lombok offers the Bali experience of a decade ago: emptier beaches, lower prices, and a quieter pace. The south coast around Kuta Lombok has wide, sweeping bays like Selong Belanak that are ideal for learning to surf, with the dramatic headland viewpoints of Mawun and Tanjung Aan nearby. Just off the northwest coast, the three car-free Gili Islands range from party-leaning Gili Trawangan to laid-back Gili Air, all ringed by snorkeling reefs and turtles. Pair beach time with a sunrise trek up Mount Rinjani if you have the legs for it.
- Learning to surf at Selong Belanak
- Snorkeling with turtles off Gili Air
- The viewpoints above Tanjung Aan
- Sunset on car-free Gili Trawangan
Best for: surfers, backpackers, value-minded beach lovers
Getting there: Fly into Lombok (Praya), or take a fast boat from Bali to the Gilis (about 1.5-2.5 hours)
8
Phu QuocGulf of Thailand, southern Vietnam Google
Phu Quoc is Vietnam's tropical island escape, a place of soft sand, fish sauce factories, and pepper farms that has grown fast but still has quiet corners. The northern beaches and the wilder, undeveloped stretches in the national park reward those who rent a scooter and explore. Sao Beach in the southeast is the postcard, all powder sand and clear shallows, while the Hon Thom cable car (one of the longest sea-crossing cable cars in the world) runs to a string of southern islets. Eat at the Dinh Cau night market, where the seafood is hauled in that afternoon.
- The white sand at Sao Beach
- Hon Thom sea-crossing cable car
- Dinh Cau night market seafood
- Sim wine and fish-sauce tastings
Best for: first-time Southeast Asia travelers, families, foodies
Getting there: Fly direct to Phu Quoc from Ho Chi Minh City (about 1 hour) or Hanoi, plus regional international routes
9
TofinoWest coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada Google
For a beach trip that swaps tropical heat for raw Pacific drama, Tofino is unmatched in North America. Long, mist-wreathed beaches like Chesterman and Long Beach draw surfers year-round (yes, in wetsuits), backed by old-growth rainforest in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Summer brings warm enough days for beach fires and tide-pooling; winter draws storm-watchers to ocean-view lodges. It is also a serious food town for its size, with First Nations culture, whale-watching, and bear-spotting tours rounding out the trip.
- Surfing or beachcombing Long Beach
- Storm-watching from an oceanfront lodge
- Whale and bear-watching boat tours
- Rainforest boardwalks in Pacific Rim National Park
Best for: surfers, nature lovers, a cool-weather alternative
Getting there: Fly to Tofino-Long Beach from Vancouver (about 1 hour), or drive from Nanaimo (about 3 hours) via the island highway
Good to Know
When to go Match the season to the place: the Maldives and Zanzibar shine roughly May to November for marine life and dry skies, the Algarve and Tofino peak in summer, and Southeast Asia (Palawan, Lombok, Phu Quoc) is generally best December to April.
Book the hard-to-reach spots early Small properties in the Maldives, Seychelles, and El Nido sell out months ahead for 2027. Lock in flights and your first night's accommodation before fine-tuning the rest.
Budget realistically The Seychelles and Maldives reward those who mix a splurge with local guesthouses or self-catering; the Algarve, Lombok, and Phu Quoc deliver great beaches at far lower cost.
Pack for the reef and the sun Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard for long snorkel sessions, and water shoes for rocky or coral-strewn entries. In Tofino, swap all that for a wetsuit and a warm layer.
The best beach trip is the one that fits the holiday you actually want, whether that is manta rays in the Maldives, surf lessons in Lombok, or storm-watching in Tofino. Pin down your dates and the season that suits your top pick, then build the year around it. Wherever you land, 2027 is a good year to get your toes back in the sand.