The beach is great, but not so much if there’s a large crowd and you can’t even find a spot to lay out your towel. Luckily there are quite a few secret beaches around the world. Many of them are hideaways that mainly locals and only a few tourists know about.
Lord Howe Island, Australia
This tiny island, located in the Pacific Ocean, only allows 400 tourists at a time. This makes for some very uncrowded beaches. Most people get around the island by way of bicycle. The Old Settlement Beach is popular among tourists. Turtles can be seen sunning themselves on the sand and there is a coral reef lagoon for snorkelers to view.
Muriwai Beach, New Zealand
This beach is about a half hour drive from Auckland’s popular, Piha Beach. One of the most unique things about this beach is that it has black sand. It can be hard to find a comfortable spot to sit at since most of the coast is rugged, so it’s a good idea to bring a beach chair rather than trying to sit on a towel.
Cabo Polonia, Uruguay
This is one of those beaches that’s off the beaten path so to speak. It’s located several hours off of a main highway and can only be accessed by 4-wheel drive vehicles or horseback. If you do plan to visit here, keep in mind that there are only rustic hotels or bungalows that are lit by candle mostly, although a few may have generators. There are grills or gas stoves to cook though. The modest accommodations are well worth it for those that want to enjoy the undeveloped beach.
Carova Beach, North Carolina
Visitors here can enjoy 11 miles of unspoiled beach. One of the unique things about it are the wild Spanish mustangs that can often be seen running up and down it. There are few rental homes and restaurants, which helps keep the area fairly quiet. In addition to the beach, visitors can take a hike through the maritime woods and collect whelks.
Koh Lanta, Thailand
This destination tends to be quite affordable in terms of dining and accommodations. It’s located about an hour from the Krabi Airport. The west side of the island can have a lot of tourists, but the further south you go, the more secluded it gets. The waters tend to be warm and at least 80 degrees year round. It’s a great place to check out the fishing villages and the stilt houses.
