The vibe
Honeymoon beaches
Gorgeous enough to justify the flights, quiet enough that nobody photobombs the proposal shot.
Portugal · The Algarve
No. 4
Ponta da Piedade
Worth a detour.
Ponta da Piedade is the rocky headland by Lagos, with sea-cut caves and little coves below the cliffs. The boardwalk gives you the grand entrance; a boat gets you closer to the rockwork. There is a lighthouse, a long staircase to the boat landing, and enough scenery to make the rest of your camera roll look underfunded. Come for the headland. Portugal's environment agency says not to bathe at nearby Praia do Camilo; pedestrian access is closed.
Best: Choose a clear day for the clifftop walk →
Australia · Whitsunday Island, Queensland
No. 1
Whitehaven Beach
Sand that is 98 per cent silica, and worth every minute of the boat.
Whitehaven's sand is 98 per cent silica, which Time Out says makes it whiter and softer than pretty much anywhere in the world. It runs along Whitsunday Island, reached only by boat, seaplane or helicopter from Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island; the boat takes 30 to 60 minutes, and most day trips also stop at Hill Inlet. There are toilets at the Hill Inlet Lookout and near the South Whitehaven campground. Yachts anchor, seaplanes land and the crowds come ashore together. Queensland Parks lists warnings for crocodiles, marine stingers and sharks across the national park. Lonely Planet and Wikipedia give it as 7 km; the stretch we measured is 5,517 metres.
Best: January (29.0 °C), then December and November →