5 BEST BEACHES IN THE WORLD

5. SARAKINIKO, MILO ISLAND, GREECE.

This beach on the north coast of the island of Milo, in the Cyclades archipelago, owes its worldwide fame to the ways that wind and water have carved into the volcanic rock and that have given rise to its famous nickname of «beach lunar". Milo is just one of the more than 200 Cyclades islands, in the middle of the Aegean Sea, which also include Naxos, Paros, Mykonos and the imposing Santorini. All of them house unforgettable beaches, some protected by cliffs, others smelling of thyme and guarded by blue-domed churches.

4. CALA MACARELLETA, MENORCA

The southern coast of the Balearic island brings together some of the best beaches in Spain: white sand coves embraced by pine trees that overlook the water from the rocks. Cala Macarella and her little sister, Macarelleta, are an excellent example of this Mediterranean landscape. They are located 14 kilometers from Ciutadella, following a road flanked by dry stone walls that, after winding between uncultivated fields, descends through a torrent until almost reaching the sand. To thoroughly enjoy a day on these beaches it is essential to wear goggles and snorkel.

3. PALOMBAGGIA, CORSICA (FRANCE)

The southern tip of the long island of Corsica brings together beaches that, like Palombaggia, exemplify the purest Mediterranean. Under the shade of the pines the light games that the sun creates on the rocks and the foam of the waves are discovered.

The cove is located within the term of Porto Vecchio, an old fishing town now dedicated to tourism and with a lively port. Another attraction of Palombaggia is its proximity to the Cerbicale Islands, a natural reserve inhabited by a multitude of seabirds.

2. DIGUE IT, SEYCHELLES

Large blocks of granite are scattered across the sand and the shore of the beaches of this teardrop-shaped island. Dominated by the hill of Nid d'Aigle (300 m), La Digue is located half an hour by catamaran from the island of Praslin, it only has one paved road and there are hardly any motor vehicles. The calm is, therefore, assured, especially if the day is dedicated to Anse Source d'Argent, the beach with the most amazing rocky moles. Almost away from the shore and equipped with diving goggles, corals and tropical fish are seen.

1. COOK AND WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS

The coral islet of Tapuaetai ("the one-foot island" in Maori) is home to the most famous beach in this South Pacific archipelago.

The largest of the hundred islands of the Whitsunday archipelago, off the eastern Australian coast, is an excellent first contact with the Great Barrier Reef. In 1770 Captain James Cook landed briefly in his arena and certified his beauty in the logbook of the expedition. Unlike other islands in the Queensland region, the interior is mountainous and covered with lush vegetation, while dwarf palm trees grow on the beaches and, among the sand, pointed fossils emerge.