Can you recognise these famous beaches when seen from above?

Beach beauties

Normally we experience beaches by sitting on the sand and marvelling at the power of the ocean, but they take on a whole new beauty when considered from a bird’s-eye view. These aerial shots of celebrated beach destinations around the world showcase the visual majesty of land meeting sea.

Read on to see the world's beautiful, empty beaches from above...

Koh Lipe, Thailand

A small L-shaped island in the Andaman Sea, Koh Lipe is renowned for its multiple white sand beaches. The crystal clear waters that surround the island and the abundance of nearby coral reefs make the area well-known for diving and snorkelling.

Durdle Door, Dorset, England

Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch in Dorset, made all the more striking by an adjacent stretch of sand and shingle beach, surrounded by dramatic chalk cliffs. This part of the shoreline, known as the Jurassic Coast thanks to the ancient fossils lurking in the rock formations, was England's first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sellin, Germany

Rugen in the Baltic Sea is the largest island in Germany and home to a number of beach destinations, including the resort town of Sellin. Its pier (or Seebrucke Sellin) juts straight into the sea, with a restaurant and diving gondola at the end.

Navarre Beach, Florida, USA

Located in northwest Florida, near Pensacola, this beach on the Gulf of Mexico is much quieter than the bustling scene on the state’s Atlantic shore. The beach itself is on a narrow strip of island that borders a state park, giving it a particularly isolated and relaxed feel.

Chesterman Beach, Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

Sitting on the west side of Canada’s Vancouver Island, the coastal town of Tofino feels like it truly is at the edge of the world. Its most popular beach is Chesterman, a long sandy stretch filled with tide pools which sea stars and anemones call home. Outside of the water, there's a great variety of birds found on the beach all year long.

Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos Islands

Grace Bay sits on the Providenciales (Provo), part of the idyllic Turks and Caicos archipelago. Even though it’s lined with hotels, the more than 12 miles (20km) of powder-soft sand is open to the public, allowing visitors to walk as far as they’d like and swim in the warm shallow waters.

Twelve Apostles, Victoria, Australia

One of Australia’s great natural wonders, the Twelve Apostles is a series of striking limestone stacks that rise out of the ocean. Located on the shore of Port Campbell National Park, off the Great Ocean Road, there are actually only seven stacks despite their name.

Cape May, New Jersey, USA

Cape May doesn’t jibe with most people’s ideas of New Jersey, which is why this charming locale is such a treat. Billed as America’s oldest seaside resort, the pristine beaches are some of the nicest in the country and the quaint Cape May Historic District boasts one of States' largest collections of 19th-century framed buildings.

Mar Chiquita, Puerto Rico

Few things top the feeling of swimming in a natural ocean pool. The half-moon of turquoise water at Mar Chiquita on the north coast of Puerto Rico is almost fully surrounded by limestone rock, with a small gateway that allows the ocean water to calmly settle in.

Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

One of the most famous beaches in the world, Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro is the epitome of Brazilian beach culture. The famous Copacabana promenade runs alongside the sand for 2.5 miles (4km) and features a distinctive Portuguese-inspired pavement mosaic with swirling black and white geometric designs.

Papaoneone Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, USA

Also known as Turtle Beach, Papaoneone Beach is less famous than other Oahu beaches like Waikiki or Lanikai, but it’s just as beautiful. The beach gets its English name from the green sea turtles that feed on the seaweed that grows on nearby reefs. The mountain in the backdrop is Mauna Lahilahi which offers a picturesque backdrop to this pretty white sand beach.

Bombo Beach, Kiama, New South Wales, Australia

This beach in New South Wales offers a wide swathe of sand, but the relatively rough waters make it too dangerous for casual swimmers. Instead, Bombo is known as a surfers’ beach or a place for locals to take their dogs for a seaside run.

Galleon Beach, Antigua

Sitting on the southern tip of Antigua, Galleon Beach is located at Freeman's Bay. The pristine golden sand is ideal for taking a stroll or simply lazing around. Snorkellers can explore the sealife that lurks in the reef which sits around 72 feet (22m) from the shore.

St. Peter-Ording, Germany

A popular spot on Germany’s North Sea coast, St. Peter-Ording is known for its natural sulphur spring, but it’s also the site of an incredibly wide seven-mile (12km) beach. The beach is surrounded by forests and dunes, attracting nature lovers and adventurers, as well as spa-goers.

Blue Lagoon, Fethiye, Turkey

Officially known as Oludeniz, it’s no wonder that this shoreline in Turkey is most commonly referred to as the Blue Lagoon. The deep blue water is part of Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, where the Aegean and Mediterranean seas meet. The wind coming off the water usually makes the area a hotspot for paragliding.

Honopu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii, USA

Getting to Honopu Beach on Kauai isn't easy. This beach is so secluded that even paddle boats are not allowed to land on this patch of sand on the Na Pali Coast – visitors have to swim to it. But those who make it are rewarded with an idyllic spot complete with a stunning natural arch, majestic cliffs and a waterfall.

Silhouette Island, Seychelles

The Seychelles is an archipelago of more than 100 islands in the Indian Ocean – with no shortage of spectacular beaches. Silhouette Island is the country’s third largest isle, known for its breathtakingly clear waters and intimate white sand beaches.

Seven Sisters, Sussex, England

These chalk cliffs, known as the Seven Sisters, are some of the most famous geographical features of the English seaside. Visitors can enjoy a quiet stroll along the cliffs with easy access to the beach via a walking trail.

Sandbanks Provincial Park, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Sandbanks Provincial Park is the site of some of Canada’s most stunning beaches and a paradise for nature lovers. There's a great variety of birds here including endangered piper plovers. Beloved, late Canadian author Farley Mowat also called the area home for a good portion of his life.

Sveti Stefan, Montenegro

A small islet off of Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, Sveti Stefan is occupied by a ritzy 5-star resort. The public beach on the mainland is this extraordinary site’s main attraction, where sunbathers can lie on pink pebble sand and gaze upon the luxurious accommodations.

Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland

Icelandic black sand may not be the most pleasant to sunbathe on but it sure is spectacular to look at. Situated on Iceland’s south coast, this otherworldly black sand is the product of volcanic ash which is particularly plentiful here. The beach is made all the more dramatic thanks to nearby sea stacks and the ever-present roar of the Atlantic Ocean.

Zlatni Rat, Brac, Croatia

This arresting triangle-shaped beach is the pride of Brac, one of several Croatian islands in the Adriatic Sea. The beach gets its pointed tip from the accumulation of fine pebbles that have collected on a deep underwater reef. Its position in the sea also makes Zlatni Rat a popular destination for surfers and kite flyers.

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico

The Mayan Riviera is one of Mexico’s most famed vacation spots for good reason: this section of the Yucatan Peninsula in Quintana Roo enjoys the warm water of the Caribbean and relaxed sandy beaches. Playa del Carmen is also near the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-longest coral reef in the world.

Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA

The Oregon coast is known for its raw natural beauty and the ferocity of its Pacific waves. Cannon Beach is a charming resort town on the northern end of the coast, famous for the Haystack Rock sea stack. The coastal winds also make it a prime spot for kite flying.

Hot Water Beach, New Zealand

Hot Water Beach certainly earns its name – every day in the two hours before and after high tide, visitors can see thermal hot springs bubbling from the sand. When the springs are covered by the tide the beach is much quieter, but is still a lovely place to watch the waves roll in and soak up the magnificence of New Zealand’s coast.

Long Beach, Phu Quoc, Vietnam

At more than 12 miles (20km) in length, Long Beach is indeed long. Located on the west coast of the island of Phu Quoc, it includes sandy stretches as well as commercial areas and luxury resorts. Visitors can also find fishing villages and pearl farms along the beach, and snorkel or swim in the water.

Whitstable Beach, Kent, England

This beach in Whitstable, Kent may not be sandy but it still has plenty of English seaside charm. The long shingle beach is broken up by wooden groynes to prevent erosion and is lined with beach huts and weatherboard cottages. Oysters are farmed in the waters off the beach and are usually readily available at stalls and restaurants on the seafront and around town.

Playa de las Teresitas, Tenerife, Spain

This Canary Islands beach may look too perfect to be natural – and it is. But the fact that Playa de las Teresitas is man-made doesn’t make it any less spectacular to sunbathe on. The original beach on Tenerife was covered in rocks and volcanic sand but around the 1970s it was replaced with imported golden sand from the Sahara Desert as well as a breakwater for safer swimming.

Banana Beach, Phuket, Thailand

At around 590 feet (180m) long, this beach in Phuket isn't huge but it’s relatively isolated. The water in this little cove is remarkably clear, making it a nice spot for a refreshing swim followed by a rest under the shade of the surrounding trees.

Navagio Beach, Zakynthos, Greece

If there was ever a picture-perfect beach, it’s this shipwreck-laden cove on Zakynthos, an island in Greece. Since it’s nestled underneath some very steep cliffs, the beach itself is only accessible by ferry but once there, visitors can swim, play in the sand and marvel at the abandoned ship stranded on the beach.

Portobello Beach, Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh might be best known for its annual arts festival, but it is also home to Portobello Beach. Just moments from the bustling city centre it offers two miles (3.2 km) of sandy beach making it perfect for sunbathing and swimming. Having won many awards for cleanliness, water quality and visitor facilities, it unsurprisingly draws large crowds during the warmer months.

Nobbys Beach, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Nobbys Beach is a favourite swimming spot for families and those learning to surf. Local dolphins also drop by on a regular basis. When you’re finished with the watersports, a stroll along Nobbys break wall underneath the iconic Nobbys Lighthouse is a must for visitors.

Five Finger Strand, Ireland

Five Finger Strand is regarded as one of the most impressive beaches in the county of Donegal. Ruggedly beautiful, it gets its curious name from the five narrow sea stacks that protrude from the water on the north side of the beach which, to some at least, resemble fingers. Its 5,000-year-old sand dunes can be up to 98 feet (30m) tall making them some of the highest in Europe.

The Silver Sands of Morar, Scotland

The enticingly named Silver Sands of Morar are a series of beautiful white sandy beaches near the village of Morar in the Highlands of Scotland. They’re a popular spot for walkers who enjoy the clear azure waters and spectacular views out to the Small Isles of Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna.

Vieux Phare Beach, La Tremblade, France

Vieux Phare Beach, near the small town of La Tremblade in western France, is known for its fine white sands and crystal clear waters, which take on a wholly new, almost alien appearance in this stunning aerial image of waves crashing onto the beach.

Now check out the world's most incredible photos taken from above