1. Sydney, Australia
   Puglia, Salento, Italy
2. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
   West Somerset, England

On Italy's boot-shaped map, Puglia is the heel and Sicily is the toe. Hidden beaches, baroque architecture and fine Primitivo wine are the main draws of this rocky seaside city. The Salento peninsula is filled with olive groves and small hamlets.

1. Biarritz, France
   Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
2. Saint-Tropez, France
   Kerala, India

Cabo San Lucas might seem like a United States appendage, but the beach city is a Mexican territory. Known for its natural beauty, Cabo San Lucas offers visitors a variety of sightseeing tours, as well as sporting activities, such as snorkeling, surfing and scuba diving.

1. Cannes, France
   Bali, Indonesia
2. Agadir, Morocco
   Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

Remnants of a 16th-century kasbah lie just outside of Agadir, Morocco. Sunshine-drenched Agadir boasts cosmopolitan shopping centers and daily markets, where vendors peddle everything from rare herbs and spices to fine leather goods and carpets.

1. Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States
   Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
2. Raglan, New Zealand
   Tel Aviv, Israel

Located approximately 30 miles from Hamilton, Raglan is home to New Zealand's best ocean breaks. For the world's elite surfers, Raglan is a sanctuary of waves. Regular visitors have the opportunity to learn the sport at one of the local surf shops.

1. Bar Harbor, Maine, United States
   Catalonia, Spain
2. Boracay, Philippines
   Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, United States

Recognized as the cruise ship hub of the Philippines, Boracay Island is also home to luxury amenities and fine dining. A white sandy coastline borders the island's crystal clear blue waters.

1. Sopot Beach, Poland
   Beirut, Lebanon
2. Barcelona, Spain
   Bolata Cove, Bulgaria

Sopot is a famous beach resort city in Poland located between Gdansk and Gdynia. Gothic-styled Gdansk is lined with narrow, curvy streets. Gdynia, a former fishing village, features more the modern architecture of the '20s and '30s.

1. Sydney, Australia
   Brighton, United Kingdom
2. Cannes, France
   Faro District, Portugal

Located two miles from downtown Lagos, Praia de Dona Ana, or Dona Ana's Beach, of Faro District, Portugal, is a quiet beach town that boasts beautiful grottoes. The beach's rock formations emerge from emerald green water.

1. Cape May, New Jersey, United States
   Glamorgan, United Kingdom
2. Rarotonga, Cook Islands
   Carlsbad, California, United States

Of the 15 Cook Islands, Rarotonga is the biggest and most accessible. Up until the 1970s, fishing and agriculture were the basis of the region's economy. Tourism boomed after a runway in Rarotonga was extended in 1974 to accommodate large aircraft.

1. Constanta, Romania
   Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States
2. Nice, France
   Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Spanning some six miles long, Mamaia of Constanta is one of the largest beach resorts in all of Europe. Romania's summer destination was established in 1906 when the country erected tourist spots along a stretch of land between Lake Siutghiol and the Black Sea.

1. Chatham, Massachusetts, United States
   Seychelles
2. Clearwater Beach, Florida, United States
   Cocoa Beach, Florida, United States

Tourism generates one quarter of the annual gross national product of Seychelles, which is located approximately 1,000 miles east of mainland Africa. The flora-drenched island destination only allows 150,000 visitors per year in an effort to attract the most affluent travelers.

1. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
   Changi Village, Singapore
2. Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
   Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Changi Village is an old fishing village 10 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Singapore. The area, which offers a combination of beach and city activities, accommodates a large influx of Chinese travelers every year.

1. Cape Town, South Africa
   Eilat, Israel
2. Encinitas, California, United States
   Folly Beach, South Carolina, United States

Cape Town, South Africa, was established on a bay where two of the world's largest water bodies, the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, merge. On the Atlantic side, Llandudno Beach is one of South Africa's top surfing destinations.

1. Galveston, Texas, United States
   Istanbul, Turkey
2. Malaga, Spain
   Jakarta, Indonesia

There are more than 20 museums in Malaga, Spain, a beach town that showcases a mix of ancient ruins and 21st-century structures. The walls of Alcazaba, built by Arab monarchs around 711 A.D., are the area's most famous marker.

1. Kailua, Hawaii, United States
   Antalya, Turkey
2. Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, United States
   Papeete, Tahiti

Tourist dollars from the United States make up 50 percent of Tahiti's total tourism revenue. Located 10 minutes from the airport, Papeete is the capital of French Polynesia and home to roughly 24,000 inhabitants.

1. Abu Dhabi, United Arb Emirates
   Kerala, India
2. Bali, Indonesia
   Zanzibar, Tanzania

Zanzibar is Tanzania's premier tourist hub. In former times, the Sultans of Zanzibar ruled most of East Africa's territories. Zanzibar was one of Africa's major trading ports where goods were transported to Arabia, Europe and the Americas.

1. Biarritz, France
   Phuket, Thailand
2. Laguna Beach, California, United States
   Los Angeles, California, United States

In 2015, Phuket Thailand attracted 12.5 million tourists and generated more than $9 million U.S. China has been a tremendous source of travelers to the region. In particular, Chinese students have been attracted to Phuket's visa-friendly policies and affordability.

1. Alanya, Turkey
   Marmaris, Turkey
2. Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico
   Cancun, Mexico

Turkey's civil unrest has slowed growth in the country's tourism sector, yet investors have expressed interest in available real estate. Seaside resort towns, such as Alanya, Patara and Cirali offer visitors assorted holiday experiences, including resort-style and boutique hotel accommodations.

1. Cancun, Mexico
   West Somerset, England
2. Monaco
   Providenciales, Caicos Islands

Providenciales, also called Provo, is the go-to vacation spot of the inhabited islands of Turks and Caicos. Provo is a relaxation zone, as nightlife and shopping are not as popular as the area's white powdery beaches and deep blue tranquil waters.

1. Narva, Estonia
   Netanya, Israel
2. Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
   Nha Trang Beach, Vietnam

Recognized as the tourist capital of Bangladesh, Cox's Bazar is lined with a beach that stretches for nearly 75 miles. The destination features hillocks, Buddhist temples and decorative pagodas.

1. Caye Caulker, Belize
   Paia, Hawaii, United States
2. Patong Beach, Thailand
   Asturias, Spain

Walking and bicycling are the two main ways of getting around Caye Caulker, a modestly developed Belize locale where houses are painted in bright colors. Experienced divers access underwater caves at Blue Hole, a limestone sinkhole not too far away.

1. Vancouver, Canada
   Playa del Carmen, Solidaridad, Mexico
2. Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States
   Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

The non-slip access pathways are called Mobi-Mats and have been installed at area beaches, such as Kitsilano Beach and English Bay Beach in Vancouver. Kitsilano is where the environmentalist organization Greenpeace was launched.

1. Punggol Beach, Singapore
   Quy Nhon Beach, Vietnam
2. Hong Kong, China
   Charente-Maritime, France

Tranquil waters and white grains of sand distinguish Hong Kong's Repulse Bay Beach from other area beaches, such as Stanley, Sheko-O and the Lido. Honk Kong reopened many of its beaches in 2018 after the completion of necessary repair of facilities that were damaged by a typhoon.

1. Saint-Tropez, France
   San Clemente, California, United States
2. San Juan, Argentina
   Ayia Napa, Cyprus

Located on the southeastern region of Cyprus, Ayia Napa has nightclubs that stay open past sunrise. Ayia Napa is named for a 16th-century monastery that's embedded in the middle of the party city.

1. Santa Barbara, California, United States
   Noumea, New Caledonia
2. Santa Monica, California, United States
   Sembawang, Singapore

Capitan Cook stumbled upon New Caledonia in 1774; some say that the mountainous landscape reminded him of Scotland. New Caledonia's capital of Noumea is a resort town located on a dry peninsula at the southwest coast of Grand Terre, New Caledonia's main island.

1. Brittany, France
   Siloso Beach, Singapore
2. Durban, South Africa
   Miami, Florida, United States

Brittany's seaside sights include the old town of Concarneau, the pristine beaches at Ploumanac'h and the Crozon Peninsula. Brittany's annual music festival at Quimper is a highly anticipated event.

1. Stinson Beach, California, United States
   Queensland, Australia
2. Lombok, Indonesia
   Swansea, United Kingdom

Considered one of the world's best halal tourism destinations, Lombok has a 90 percent Muslim population. Hindu-dominant Bali is not too far away from Lombok, where practically every building has a prayer room.

1. Gulf Shores, Alabama, United States
   Trinidad, California, United States
2. Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa
   Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

The Alabama gulf shore caters to family-oriented vacation activities. A large flock of birds calls the white sandy beaches of this southern beach locale home. Further along the coast, at the opening of Mobile Bay, is Fort Morgan, which has served as a defense citadel during wartime.

1. Vancouver, Canada
   Westport, Washington, United States
2. Capitola, California, United States
   Cumbria, United Kingdom

Capitola's "tile wall" is comprised of hundreds of ceramic tiles painted by residents. Established in the 1860s, Capitola, California, is a surf town with a Mediterranean vibe. The beach forms at the mouth of Soquel Creek.

1. Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
   Monterey, California, United States
2. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, United States
   San Diego, California, United States

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, began as a Methodist retreat locale. Today, all types of festivals, ranging in theme from film and jazz to chocolate and gumbo, attract a plethora of visitors throughout the year. The celebrated Sea Witch Festival happens every autumn.

1. Cox's Baxar, Bangladesh
   Sanibel Island, Florida, United States
2. Caye Caulker, Belize
   Hong Kong, China

According to area residents, the "Sanibel stoop" is the posture of visitors who bend to search for seashells along the island's beaches. Eleven miles of the beach strip at Sanibel is private access only. The island's public beaches are Lighthouse Beach Park and Bowman's Beach.

1. Ayia Napa, Cyprus
   France, Brittany
2. Noumea, New Caledonia
   Tybee Island, Georgia, United States

Tybee Island is the closest beachfront to Atlanta. A road was installed in the 1920s connecting the island to mainland Georgia. The island pier is the main attraction where most of the vending takes place.

1. Ogunquit, Maine, United States
   Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
2. Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States
   Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States

Ogunquit, Maine, features two miles of flat and wide beach coastland. To help deter harassment of the plover bird population, there is a no dogs policy at the New England beach from April 1 to September 30.

1. Tel Aviv, Israel
   Bar Harbor, Maine, United States
2. Ocean City, Maryland, United States
   Catalonia, Spain

Founded more than 140 years ago, Ocean City, Maryland, includes a wide range of activities beyond its 2.25-mile boardwalk. Stretching for 14 miles, the city's carnival offers water slides, miniature golf, jet-skiing and other thrills.

1. Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, United States
   Saugatuck, Michigan, United States
2. Beirut, Lebanon
   Barcelona, Spain

Considered a top tourist destination since the early 1900s, Saugatuck sits on the freshwater coast of Lake Michigan and the Kalamazoo River. A 600-foot-tall dune called Mount Baldhead is one of many mounds in the area.

1. Bolata Cove, Bulgaria
   Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, United States
2. Sydney, Australia
   Brighton, United Kingdom

Wrightsville Beach is just minutes away from Wilmington, North Carolina. Wrightsville has a strong lifeguard presence to protect visitors who trek gently sloping sandy beaches, or swim and surf the waters.

1. Cannon Beach, Oregon, United States
   Cannes, France
2. Cape May, New Jersey, United States
   Glamorgan, United Kingdom

Cannon Beach, Oregon, is a four hour drive from Seattle. Safeguarded as an Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Marine Garden, Haystack Rock is the town's famous landmark, posted 235 feet from the coastline's edge.

1. Carlsbad, California, United States
   Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States
2. Block Island, Rhode Island, United States
   Nice, France

Located 12 miles off Rhode Island's coast, Block Island has been a tourist favorite since the 19th century. The area receives some of the best migratory bird populations in New England.

1. Charleston, South Carolina, United States
   Chatham, Massachusetts, United States
2. Isle of Palms, South Carolina, United States
   Clearwater Beach, Florida, United States

Isle of Palms, South Carolina, is half an hour from Charleston. Between the two tourist destinations, visitors spend a bulk of their time doing any number of activities, including golfing or visiting the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier at Patriots Point.

1. South Padre Island, Texas, United States
   Cocoa Beach, Florida, United States
2. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
   Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Horseback riding, bird watching and golfing are just a few of the activities offered at South Padre Island. Blue Gulf of Mexico waters collide with the island's white sand beaches facing east.

1. Quy Nhon, Vietnam
   Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2. Eilat, Israel
   Encinitas, California, United States

Prior to 1945, the wife of feudal ruler Bao Dai, Queen Nam Phuong, enjoyed total seclusion while vacationing at Quy Nhon. These days, the beach town is the go-to destination for travelers who prefer a less-frequented vacation zone than other area hot spots.