With their dramatic rock formations, the beaches of La Digue Island frequently top magazines' lists for being among the best in the world, but it's hard to go wrong with any of the beaches in the Seychelles.

The Phi Phi Islands in Thailand have an almost ridiculous beauty. When the producers of the Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach sought the perfect beach for filming, they chose the Phi Phi Islands.

Although the Whitsunday Islands have some of the best diving and snorkeling in Australia, our vote goes to Bondi Beach because of the "sea-and-be-scene" atmosphere.

Catalina Island, located off the coast of California, boasts 48 miles of coastline as well as a lost-in-time quality. There's only one town, Avalon, no chain stores and very little traffic.

Fijians are legendary for their friendliness as well as natural beauty and Fiji features white-sand beaches, lagoons, palm trees and world-class scuba diving. Some travelers consider Natadola Beach, located on the main island of Viti Levu, to be the most beautiful beach there, but visitors can't go wrong with any of the beaches.

When thinking of the Greek islands, most people think of the twin dens of debauchery, Mykonos and Santorini. For a different type of Greek beauty, try Corfu. Located in the Ionian Islands of Greece, the island boasts craggy rocks, silvery olive tress and untouched beaches.

Finding a secluded, private beach in the Caribbean is getting harder and harder, as resorts are gobbling up all the best property. St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which include Mustique and Petit Martinique, are not nearly as built-up as surrounding islands. St. Vincent, which is closer to South America than anything else, is one of the most remote locations in the Caribbean.

The island of Kauai in Hawaii is known as the Garden Isle for its lush tropical beauty. Its picture-perfect landscape has been featured in Jurassic Park and South Pacific, as well as in the opening shot of Fantasy Island. Poipu is hands down the best beach on the island and is actually a series of three curved beaches.

The Canary Islands, just off the African coast but technically a part of Spain, have long been a favorite haunt of sun-seeking Europeans. Some of the best sun and sand is found along Playa de las Americas, a series of beaches in the towns of Arona and Adje on the south shore of Tenerife Island, the largest island in the archipelago.

The tiny Maldives are just 1.7 times the size of Washington, D.C. and most the land is barely 1 meter above sea level. The archipelago consists of 1,190 coral islands and only 200 are inhabited. The Maldives are most people's idea of a tropical paradise, with crystal-clear lagoons, palm trees and coral reefs. Some of the best diving in the world is here.