The best beaches on the planet

 Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman spends a lot of time with his head in the sand. But that’s what happens when you’re Dr. Beach.

Leatherman, a.k.a. Dr. Beach, assembles a list of America’s Top 10 beaches each year and destinations from Florida to Hawaii pray they’re on it because a wave of curious tourists usually follows.

The good doctor has written several books on the subject and has appeared on many television shows directing people to what he believes are the 10 best.

However, we’d advise Dr. Beach to get out more often. The United States is not the only country with great beaches. In fact, any warm climate country with a coastline has great beaches.

According to Dr. Beach, to make his Top 10 list a “great” beach must have things like sanitary washrooms; kid’s playgrounds; etc. – 50 criteria in all must be met during the good doctor’s examination before a beach makes the grade.

Here at  Travelife.ca we have just ONE criterion that beaches must meet before making our Top 10 list – they all have to be natural beauties.

Let’s face it, beaches in undeveloped places like Africa and Asia, and even some in Europe, can’t come close to matching America for sanitary conditions. But that doesn’t make their beaches any less worthy of recognition.

So, without further delay; the envelop please – Travelife's Top 10 world beaches:

Copacabana Beach

1 - Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Life is a beach in Brazil and especially Rio. There are dozens of gorgeous pure white beaches located along Rio’s lovely coastline and any one could qualify for this list. However, none come close to Copacabana, which could also top our Top 10 fun beaches around the world. Copacabana’s 4 kilometer-long stretch of sandy real estate may be the most famous beach in the world, as well. Here, every New Year’s Eve, over 2 million people gather to bring in the New Year with samba parties and world renowned entertainers. But why wait for New Year’s? There’s a party on Copacabana every night, it seems. During the day, the spotless beach is crowded with “unemployed” Brazilians – why work when you can play on Copacabana all day? Soccer and volleyball games are fun to watch, mostly because of the scantily clad competitors. Don’t come here looking for naked beauties, though – we discovered first hand that why Brazilian bathers wear nothing more than a wash cloth to cover their bodies, very few, if any, parade around topless,  as has been portrayed in many Hollywood movies. Being a devout Catholic country, the naturally bronzed Brazilians are reluctant to go naked – but they come close! A word of caution - some undesirables hang out on Copacabana Beach and petty theft occurs on a regular basis. So don’t bring any valuables with you. Copacabana is usually very crowded by noon so if you’d like a little more privacy, head over to neighboring Ipanema – the secluded beach they write songs about. Many hotels along the beach have private sections of Copacabana that are attended and guarded. That doesn’t stop the local hawkers from trying to sell their wares – a bit bothersome after a while,  but it’s all part of the fun here.

2 - Intendance Bay Beach, Mahe Island, Seychelles

There are 115 islands that make up tiny Seychelles, the former slave colony that sits in the middle of the Indian Ocean off Kenya. So, as you’d expect, there’s plenty of beaches and they’re all natural beauties. What we liked most about Intendance Bay, and why we made it No. 2 on our Top 10 list, is because of its remote location on the northern side of the island. Here you can sunbath in the nude or go skinny dipping in the azure waters  and the only audience you’ll have are the giant turtles that crawl ashore. Intendance Bay sits behind the amazing Banyan Tree Resort, a luxury 5-star property that fits very nicely onto our Top 10 hotels in the world as well. The talcum powder beach is lined with drooping palm trees that have been shaped by the mild breeze that blows in off the tranquil Indian Ocean. This beach has often been described as Paradise and the fact the “original” Garden of Eden is believed to have been located on a sister island, tells you what beauty awaits you here. There are more shades of blue and green offered in Seychelles’ waters than anywhere else in the world and they blend perfectly with the spicy African lifestyle offered here. Many European film and advertising companies use Intendance Bay for photo and movie shoots and the beach is also a favorite with honeymooners.