Amazing Secret Beaches You Wish You Discovered

Image via Complex Original

Location: Puerto Carrillo, Costa Rica

South of Samara Beach, this little-developed beach is home to fishermen rather than beachfront properties. Calm waves provide swimmers with a warm-water retreat, right next to gorgeous reefs filled with various underwater creatures.

Location: Grand Haven, Mich.

With a two and a half mile boardwalk, and 19th century lighthouses, this beach has a classic, old-time feel. The water here, located near the shores of Lake Michigan, is warm and the sand is of such high quality that it has prompted the nickname as the Midwest Mecca of beach volleyball.

Location: St. John

A far-cry from the luxurious and resort-heavy Caneel Bay, this cobblestone beach will find locals among the visitors. Snorkelers will be happy to explore Beehive Cove; a mix of caves, tunnels, coral and sea sponges.

Location: Mendocino, Calif.

Bypass the "closed trail" sign and walk down past a driftwood fort to discover this beach on the southern Mendocino coastline. The tide gets very low, revealing plenty of large, round sandstone boulders. Plan to be by your lonesome, the beach doesn't attract many visitors, but can be a rewarding location for a quiet walks near the water.

Location: Kauai, Hawaii

100-foot sand dunes surround this white sand beach with views of the Na Pali cliffs. This secluded beach, accessible only by a long drive down a scenic dirt road near Princeville and Koloa, has currents that are too strong from snorkeling or surfing. Expect to primarily see and explore on the cliffside on this westernmost end Kauai.

Location: St. Martin

A not-so-easy buf brief hike is what visitors will have to brave before coming upon this small beach on the French side of St. Martin, just north of Friar's Bay Beach. It is known as a sunbather's beach, and nudity is tolerated for those who want bare all (however, it's not a nudist beach, and visitors should expect that fellow beachgoers will be clothed).

Location: Goa, India

The '90s made this area a raver's paradise, but this area has grown extensively more relaxed since. A palm tree-lined beach is accompanied by fierce current that calls for surfers only (as the waves are considered too rough for swimming). The surrounding area does have its resorts, but this beach is a simpler, more isolated destination.

Location: Central Visayas, Philippines

It's going to take an hour long flight and 25 minute drive across a 19th century causeway in order for you to come across this gem hidden in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines.

Location: Big Island, Hawaii

A small town that happens to have an amazing beach, Puako is nestled between the Kona airport and Big Island's coastal resorts. Protected sea turtles, known as "honu," keep company next to the variety of surfers and kayakers that visit the beach for its winter waves.

Location: Baja California Sur, Mexico

An hour south of Laguna Beach favorite vaction spot Cabo San Lucas, Todos Santos is a quiet artists colony that is home to cooler Pacific temperatures. Strong breezes off the ocean provide heavy surf conditions, and its recommend that swimmers stay on the sand if the winds are not calm.

Location: Palm Beach, Barbuda

Antigua holds many boisterous hotels and yacht races, but it's sister island Barbuda, accessible by a 20-minute plane ride, is far more secluded. Pink sand beaches will accompany the island's quiet demeanor.

Location: Olimpos National Park, Turkey

Developers have left Cirali Beach realtively alone thanks to the endagered loggerhead sea turtle population that nest there. Azure waters, rocky, high-top views and a natural gas flame (known as the the Chimaera) are all things to discover on this Turkish beach.

Location: Krabi, Thailand

This island is found either a van or speedboat ride away from Krabi Airport. Sunsets here are famous for being particularly gorgeous, and the warm Andaman Sea (coming in around 80 degrees all year) invites beachgoers to stay out long enough to see them.

Location: Salema, Portugal

While the area around Salema has been under resort development, Salema remains realatively untouched, nestled between two cliffs and housing a small fishing village.

Location: Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

The Isles of Scotland are home to some beautiful beachfronts, more for picturesque views than actual swimming. Luskentyre, tucked north in the midst of the Herbrides on the Isle of Harris, will grant visitors company with deer, otters, and dolphins. Kite-surfers can also cherish the strong winds found on the coast.

Location: Orosei, Sardina, Italy

A 15th century village, Orosei is filled with a small population stashed in small stone houses.This beach maintains a small crowd, primarily due to the area's limit on cars daily resulting in a two-mile walk alternative in order to get there.

Location: Corsica, France

Due to locals who dislike outside intervention, the island of Corsica as a whole remains very lightly developed. With crstyal-blue waters, the former wine region of Ortolo Valley is a placid area with small beach coves near a compound of rennovated shepard villas.

Location: Hana, Maui, Hawaii

A salt and pepper sanded, crescent moon of a beach, Hamoa Beach is set into volcanic black lava cliffs on the island of Maui in Hawaii. A genetle surf makes this an ideal location for beginning surfers and bodyboarders. The long drive from the highly-touristy Souther Shore keeps a high volume of visitors away.

Location: Ecola State Park, Ore.

Hidden within Ecola State Park in Oregon, at the end of a trail surrounded by spruce trees, Indian Beach is an open space with a horseshoe-shaped beach. The beach is tucked into a cove, which blocks large amounts of the breeze, making surfing ideal.

Location: Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam

Residing closer to mainland Cambodia than Vietnam, there is a slight military presence on the island. However, the population is under 100,000 residents on the entirety of the island, and the creamy-white sand beaches are rarely utilized and often untouched. For those looking to enjoy some exceptional Vietnamese cooking, this island is also home to what is known as the country's best fish sauce, a central ingredient in a number of dishes.

Location: Côte d'Argent, France

On the Côte d'Argent (or "silver coast" in French) this beach rests near a large stretch of monsterous sand dunes, something the region is famous for. The most famous dune, which garners attention from hikers worldwide, is the 350-foot Dune of Pyla.

Location: Manacor, Mallorca, Spain

This beach is only accessible by a boat or traversing a rock-filled footpath, and is surrounded by forests of pine trees. The water is swiming pool-blue and, if you're the explorative type, nearby cliffs yield to roughly a 1/3 of a mile network of caves going over and underwater.

Location: Lord Howe Island, Australia

If you're lucky enough to head to this secluded island off the coast of Sydney, you'll realize there aren't many other tourists with you on the island. This is because the island caps visitors at 400 people; the pinacle of #exclusive. Bicycles are the main form of transport here, and moving off the island would prompt at least a two hour plane ride. Beachside, expect your company to be turtles and kingfish, and the volcanic origins of the beach allow for excellent snorkeling and coral-reef vistas.

Location: Skåne, Sweden

After a light hike, you'll come across this beach found in southern Sweden's Kullaberg Nature Reserve. The beach is cornered by high rocky cliffs and oak trees, which prompts more of a secluded presence. Historically, Ransvik was Europes's first co-ed beach, but you can expect crowds to be a lot smaller and quieter than they were then.

Location: Ibo Island, Mozambique

Turquoise waters (just like you pictured) and mangrove forests populate this island in the Quirimbas Archipelago. Shipwreck snorkling and deep-sea diving are as common as the dhow sailboats in the sea water, and visitors can take in the island's historic Arab, Indian, and Portugese trading influences.