Fodors Travel

15 Best Beaches for 2014

Every traveler has a different fantasy about their ultimate beach vacation. Adventure-seekers want beaches that are both beautiful and close to exciting attractions, like exotic jungles or a historically important port city. Honeymooners, on the other hand, gravitate toward deserted islands with palm-fringed beaches of the softest sand on Earth. Meanwhile, a family may be looking for fun-filled beach towns that have boardwalks lined with amusement rides and food stalls hawking saltwater taffy and corn dogs. No matter what ;your definition of the perfect beach vacation, you're sure to find inspiration on our list of the 15 best beaches to explore in 2014.

1. AMBERGRIS CAYE, BELIZE

The beauty of Belize just got closer with Delta's new non-stop weekly service from Los Angeles to Belize City. Delta joins a variety of carriers that already offer non-stop flights from places like Houston, Dallas, Newark, Atlanta, and Miami. The ease of getting to this striking Central American nation is helping to boost Belize’s status as one of the most compelling getaways for nature-lovers. The country is home to the massive Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System-the largest reef in the Atlantic Ocean-as well as the awe-inspiring Blue Hole. Many travelers peg Ambergris Caye as their home base. Its Belize's largest island and it's situated in the northeast, surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. The mangrove island is 25 miles long and one mile wide with white-sand beaches ringing the atoll. Visitors spend lazy days on the beach, bird watch, bike, golf, and take a variety of tours in the Caribbean Sea to fish, snorkel, dive, windsurf, or sail. Those interested in Mayan culture can take day trips to Lamanai Ruins, or Tikal in the Petén district of nearby Guatemala.

2. SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA

Honeymooners have long understood the allure of Soufriere, a small but vibrant town on St. Lucia's west coast. Formerly the domain of French plantation owners in the 1700s, today Soufrière is the epicenter for tourism on the island. People come here for both luxurious and laid-back resorts, gorgeous beaches, and other natural attractions like The Pitons, the now-dormant volcano Qualibou, Sulphur Springs, dozens of waterfalls, and the expansive St. Lucia Rainforest. In welcome news for those on the East Coast, United Airlines recently launched nonstop service from Newark to St. Lucia’s Hewanorra International Airport (UVF).

3. CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA

If you haven't gotten around to visiting Cartagena, don't delay much longer. As the country's government and economy stabilize, more and more travelers are heading to this diverse destination in South America. The historic walled city on the coast is a study in Spanish colonial architecture and monuments to both military and religious figures. The city is now also home to all types of restaurants, chic art galleries, and trendy bars.

4. CORSICA, FRANCE

The island of Corsica in the Mediterranean may be part of France but it has a vibe all its own. Where else can you find a beach retreat that’s both hip and chic (it's a favorite summertime vacation spot for Parisians) while retaining its old-world charm and culinary traditions? Best-known for being the birthplace of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1769, his ancestral home -Maison Bonaparte- in Ajaccio is now a museum. While hikers consider Corsica's mountains a Mecca, its coastline consists of nearly 200 beaches that should not be missed. You'll find powdery white sand, coarse golden grains, and beaches strewn with pebbles polished by the sea. Some of the best beaches can only be accessed by boat or a hike.

5. CORFU, GREECE

If you've only visited Corfu for the day while your cruise ship was in port, you're missing out. This lovely island in the Ionian Sea played an important role in the development of the Greek Isles but was also home to Venetians, the French, and the British throughout the years. You can see layers of those influences in the iconic palaces, monuments, and fortresses that still stand on the island today. Corfu Town, with its narrow, shop-lined streets and outdoor cafes, is the most-visited part of the island but sun worshippers also head south for sandy beaches or north for beautiful, but more pebbly, options.

6. HVAR, CROATIA

To Sua Ocean Trench is a clear water pool located in Lotofaga village. To Sua means "big hole" and has been converted into a large swimming area. A ladder is installed on side for visitors to access this 30 meters deep pool.

7. OCEAN GROVE, NEW JERSEY SHORE

Thousands of travelers flock to the Jersey Shore every year but it's more important that you plan a visit in 2014. The fact is, tourism to New Jersey's shore communities-with 130 miles of beautiful beaches-still hasn't fully rebounded after October 2012's category 3 Hurricane Sandy. The towns have rebuilt and are better than ever and that's one reason the Jersey Shore is on Fodor’s 2014 Go List.

8. RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Soccer fans are busy planning their Rio de Janeiro vacations for this summer when the city hosts the IFA World Cup from June 12-July 13, 2014. But, don't stick to the soccer fields and pub! Explore the city, visit the nearby Amazon rainforest, and check out a few of Rio's chic beaches.

9. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

Lists of “best beaches” often gloss over the ones that are suitable for families, but if that’s what you're looking for you can't do better than La Jolla, a cool neighborhood in Southern California's San Diego. La JollaShores offers safe swimming and snorkeling right from the beach and is a point of embarkation for kayakers who paddle to nearby La Jolla Cove. Caves have been carved out of the cliffs by the might of the Pacific Ocean's waves over the years. When you tire of the beach, explore the nearby hillsides, go into town to check out some shops and galleries, and have a bite to eat at any of the restaurants that line La Jolla Village.

10. TETIAROA, FRENCH POLYNESIA

Tetiaroa-a gorgeous atoll 33 miles northwest of Tahiti in the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia-used to be the playground for Tahitian royalty. To this day, locals believe the island is a sacred place. Famous Royal Navy captain William Bligh is said to be the first European to visit the atoll, in 1789, while searching for the mutineers that commandeered HMS Bounty. Over the years the island changed hands until actor Marlon Brando bought Tetiaroa in the late 1960. He, ironically, was visiting the island while scouting locations for the movie Mutiny on the Bounty. The island with its 12 islets is known for untouched white-sand beaches and a healthy coral reef that is home to a large population of sea turtles and 167 different species of fish from spotted eagle rays to blacktip sharks to parrotfish.

11. PENINSULA PAPAGAYO, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

The Gulf of Papagayo on the north Pacific Coast of Costa Rica makes for the ultimate beach vacation while throwing in access to dense tropical forests where you'll spy howler monkeys and squirrel monkeys, Guanacaste Mountains for hiking, and national parks for day-long treks. But, most people come here for the crisp, white-sand beaches that glisten as the sapphire waters lap the coast. A new and expansive terminal was recently added to the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, which greatly increased incoming and outgoing flights. Now is the time to visit Costa Rica.

12. PLAYA DORADA, PUERTO PLATA, DOMINICAS REPUBLIC

The best news about Playa Dorada, the best stretch of golden sand along the Dominican Republic's Amber Coast, is that the region still offers a range of accommodations from budget to super deluxe. It's also easy to get here from the United States with flights from a variety of major and budget carriers. In fact, Delta just increased service from New York's JFK to both Santiago and Santo Domingo.

13. EMERALD COAST, NICARAGUA

Central America's Nicaragua may not initially spring to mind when you're planning your next beach vacation but it should. It's got coastlines along the Caribbean Sea in the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Now is the time to visit before the country comes into vogue. It's known for eco-friendly accommodations, active adventures on land and at sea, and impressive colonial architecture in its cities.

14. TOKORIKI ISLAND, MAMANUCA ISLANDS, FIJI

“Bula” is the Fijian word for “welcome” and islanders are getting ready to greet a new beach retreat on the southwestern corner of Tokoriki Island in the nation's Mamanuca Islands chain. Sheraton Fiji Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Islands opens on May 3, 2014 on the northernmost island of this archipelago of volcanic atolls off the western coast of Nadi. It's just a 12-minute helicopter or seaplane ride from the airport in Nadi or a one-hour, high-speed catamaran voyage from Denarau Marina. Tokoriki is known throughout the South Pacific for its palm-fringed beaches of powdery soft sand and its reef that astounds divers and snorkelers who are especially interested in sneaking a peek of a Fijian Giant Clam. The new resort will offer 101 rooms and suites, including Family Suites and Tokoriki Retreats that feature private plunge pools. The 35-acre complex will offer what you’d expect from a luxury resort, including a spa with four treatment rooms, a 38-seat movie theater, boutique, kids club, fitness center, tennis courts, and pool.

15. KOH SAMUI, THAILAND

The quietest and most peaceful beach on this list has to be Chaweng Noi Beach (to the north of the much more boisterous Chaweng Beach). It fronts the recently opened Vana Belle in Koh Samui. This Luxury Collection resort is set along a secluded cove with an impossibly soft white-sand beach. The suites and villas-each with private pools and terraces-are tucked amid native foliage that keeps things cool and cozy. Vana Belle's proximity to Chaweng and other more populated areas means it's easy for you to explore the area, check out local restaurants, and go on shopping sprees.