05 March 2026
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Whether your ideal beach vacation means moving only between a lounger and the sea with a novel in hand, or packing your days with snorkeling excursions and ancient ruins, the best beaches in the world deliver both escape and experience. But for travelers who plan their getaways around exceptional food and unforgettable stays, sand alone isn’t enough.
From private-island hideaways in Turks and Caicos to restored fincas in Majorca and design-forward resorts along Central Vietnam’s coast, these destinations pair spectacular stretches of shoreline with MICHELIN Guide restaurants and standout luxury hotels.
Consider this your guide to beach holidays where the setting is sublime — and the dining and stays are just as memorable.
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1. Riviera Maya, Mexico
Why go: For postcard-perfect white sand
Stretching nearly 100 miles along the Caribbean coast, Mexico’s Riviera Maya checks all the boxes of a beach vacation: soft white sand, spectacular snorkeling, hotels that are a destination in themselves. And the cuisine? Arguably some of Mexico’s best seaside fare thanks to celebrated chefs like Jorge Vallejo, who is adding a modern spin to the Yucatán Peninsula’s traditional plates — with a standout selection of Mexican wines to match — at restaurants like Bu’ul at One-MICHELIN-Key hotel Chablé Maroma.
Riviera Maya runs south of Cancun down to Tulum, covering a wide swath of shoreline, but Maroma, near the bustling beach town of Playa del Carmen, is an exclusive enclave that claims some of the country’s most luxurious hotels. Chablé Maroma’s design-forward villas embrace the aesthetic of indoor-outdoor living, with private plunge pools looking out at the surrounding jungle.
From the untouched beach (where palm trees double as umbrellas), you can hop on a boat and set off to snorkel the world’s second-largest barrier reef, which sits right offshore. If you’d rather sleep directly on the beach, Hotel Esencia — the only one in Riviera Maya to claim Three MICHELIN Keys — features palapa-topped bungalows with wraparound terraces perched on the sand.
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2. Central Vietnam
Why go: For a culture fix
Some of the most unforgettable escapes are often the ones that require a journey as epic as the destination. Case in point: Zannier Bãi San Hô, a 73-villa sanctuary tucked away on a private peninsula in the Dak Lak province, sandwiched between paddy fields, floating fishing villages and the aptly named “Sea of Cliffs,” Da Dia Reef. Start your beach-hopping trip through Central Vietnam at Four Seasons Resort, The Nam Hai, where you can get a crash course on the local culture during a food-and-temple tour of ancient Hoi An before sprawling on the resort’s private stretch of China Beach — considered one of Vietnam’s most beautiful.
Then it’s off along the straw-colored coast via vintage train to Zannier Bãi San Hô for hikes along the coastal cliffs, paddle boarding on clear-as-glass water and sampling locally caught seafood at thatched-hut beachfront restaurant Làng Chài. Here, it's all about toes-in-the-sand dining — part of the resort’s private-island feel. For fine dining, save a few days for Ho Chi Minh City’s Starred restaurants, like Australia-born Chef Sam Aisbett’s Akuna or French-influenced CieL, housed in an intimate two-story villa with a tasting menu influenced by Chef Viet Hong Le’s stints at acclaimed spots like Disfrutar.
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3. Majorca
Why go: For a taste of the Mediterranean
It’s hard to play favorites when it comes to beaches in Majorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, where the mountains dip down to the sea. You’ll find everything from swanky beach clubs and sprawling waterfront resorts to shallow, family-friendly beaches and secluded coves sporting some of the island’s best seafood restaurants (and swimming). On the northwestern coast, tucked into the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tramuntana mountain range, 810-acre estate Son Bunyola Hotel and Villas revolves around a restored 16th-century finca — now a 27-room MICHELIN Key-awarded hotel.
Sleep in the turrets of the main building in the three-floor Tower suites, where you’ll have 360-degree views over the mountains and sea from your private roof terrace. Days are spent lounging poolside, hiking down to the beach or cruising in a classic sailboat around the coastline. For a taste of the pioneering spirit of Majorca’s thriving culinary scene, reserve a table at the only Two-MICHELIN-Star restaurant in the Balearic Islands: Voro, where the whimsical tasting menu riffs on Majorca’s traditional dishes, infusing touches of the Mediterranean with Chef Álvaro Salazar’s native Andalusia.
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4. Greek Islands
Why go: For beach-hopping
Athens is often seen as the gateway to the Greek Islands, a stopover before Santorini and Mykonos. Things are changing thanks to the country’s only Three-MICHELIN-Key hotel, Four Seasons Astir Palace on the upscale Athens Riviera. Now you’ll want to split your beach holiday in two and spend the first half holed away on this 75-acre resort — home to three private beaches and 10 restaurants and bars, including MICHELIN-Starred Pelagos, whose menu is an homage to the Mediterranean Sea.
Set off from the hotel’s jetty on a boat tour to the ancient sites on the island of Aegina or zip to the Saronic Gulf islands of Hydra and Spetses for lunch at a local seafood taverna, snorkeling the crystal-clear water and shopping around the harbor’s boutiques. When you’re ready for part two, another MICHELIN Key-awarded hotel awaits on the island of Kefalonia, where the 12-villa Eliamos Villas Hotel & Spa offers a romantic respite from Athens’ bustling streets with private outdoor saltwater pools overlooking the sea.
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5. Miami Beach
Why go: For a glamorous getaway
Miami Beach is in the midst of a renaissance as iconic art deco hotels are debuting head-to-toe renovations and luxe new arrivals prove that not only does this city never sleep, it shows no sign of slowing down. The neon-clad restaurants lining Ocean Drive still shine brightly, but venture a few streets further and you’ll come across one of the city’s most innovative chefs, Jeremy Ford, whose locally inspired tasting menu at Stubborn Seed is redefining Miami’s cuisine: Most of what’s on your plate is grown in the team’s own organic farm.At maximalist Faena Hotel Miami Beach, the flagship of the eight-block Faena District, eye candy starts the moment you walk in: Gold-leaf ceilings and gorgeous mosaic floors open up to a retro-chic pool and expansive beach lined with oceanfront daybeds and chaise lounges — plus beach butlers catering to sunbathers’ every whim.
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6. Sardinia
Why go: For a rustic retreat
Sardinia’s Emerald Coast is known for yacht-filled Porto Cervo, a popular spot on the European jet-set circuit, but there is still a wild side of this stretch of northern Sardinia that’s dotted with archaeological ruins tucked away on vineyards and family-run farms and olive groves.At the all-suite Cascioni Eco Retreat, private patios open to heated plunge pools overlooking the island’s dramatic mountains in the distance. From the estate’s lagoon you can kayak out to the sea or cruise the coastline’s hidden coves and the nearby Maddalena archipelago — considered the “Caribbean of the Mediterranean” thanks to its gorgeous white-sand beaches and turquoise water — via the property’s sailing yacht.
When you’re ready to indulge in a decadent dinner, One-MICHELIN-Star Italo Bassi Confusion Restaurant is a mainstay of Porto Cervo’s marina — and the views are equally as impressive as the perfectly executed menu of locally inspired cuisine.
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7. Koh Samui
Why go: For nonstop nightlife
Thailand’s palm-fringed island didn’t need The White Lotus to skyrocket it to international stardom — although it certainly helped. Koh Samui has been doing just fine on its own thanks to the handful of over-the-top resorts that capitalize on the island’s hilltop views with villas suspended over the sea. If you want the frenetic nightlife that Thailand is famous for, Chaweng Beach’s main drag stretches along the coast and has everything you need for an evening out: clubs and restaurants, fire shows and a street food-filled night market.When you’re ready to trade DJs for the sound of the waves, Six Senses Samui, a Two-MICHELIN-Key hotel secluded on the north tip of the island, is a welcome departure from the island’s high-energy party scene. Wake up to views of the Gulf of Thailand on cinematic display right from your bed — or, better yet, from your private infinity pool — or soak up 270-degree vistas over the sea from one of the expansive teak-and-bamboo terrace decks built right into the rocks. Ingredients here are as fresh as the hilltop farm and garden.
For a no-frills experience on the sand, locally loved Jun Hom, an open-air Bib Gourmand restaurant, doles out generous portions of Southern Thai classics like coconut crab curry.
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8. Turks and Caicos
Why go: For a private island sanctuary
For true privacy and relaxation, what could be better than a private island? And we’re not talking the far-flung kind in the Maldives that take a full day (and multiple planes) to reach. In the Turks and Caicos, on the archipelago’s main island of Providenciales, the Grace Bay Beach, with its sugar-soft sand and unreal shade of turquoise, holds a permanent place on lists of world’s best beaches.MICHELIN Key-awarded Grace Bay Club’s oceanfront suites sit steps from the sand — there’s no better way to wake up than with this view of the water — but if you want something more secluded, hop on a boat to nearby COMO Parrot Cay. The private island paradise sprawls across 1,000 acres with bike trails weaving through tropical forests and 4 miles of white sandy shores to call your own.
Despite being on an island, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to cuisine, from laidback Mediterranean-inspired bites on the beach to elevated contemporary Asian at Lotus — considered a standout in the Turks and Caicos.
Hero Image: COMO Parrot Cay in Turks & Caicos has 4 miles of powder-white sand beaches, making it one of the best beach destinations in the world. © COMO Parrot Cay
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