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Miami, USA -

A Miami city neighborhood, South Beach is celebrated for its endless ribbons of golden sand and the glamorous, celebrity-soaked atmosphere and glittering nightlife this part of town is known for.

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Dubrovnik, Croatia -

A number of pocket-sized beaches sit either side of enchanting Dubrovnik, most within easy walking distance of the historic Old Town district.

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Cape Town, South Africa -

Cape Town's rugged coastline is studded by some truly impressive beaches set in three regions: False Bay, Atlantic Seaboard, and West Coast—popular with surfers and kite-surfers.

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Lisbon, Portugal -

The Portuguese capital is complemented by several nearby beaches, including Praia de Carcavelos. This vast swathe of sand, popular with surfers and families, is easily reached via the Lisbon-Cascais railway.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -

Copacabana, Ipanema... the names alone conjure up an exciting tropical setting, beautiful bronzed bodies, and endless powder-white sand.

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San Sebastián, Spain -

The enourmous crescent beach that flanks scenic Concha Bay has made San Sebastián one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

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Sydney, Australia -

Sydney's Bondi Beach is one of Australia's most iconic beaches. Besides soft, golden sand and great surf, Bondi is appreciated for its glitzy bars and cafés, markets, boutique street stalls, and scenic walking trails.

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Barcelona, Spain -

Barcelona is blessed with several beautiful beach locations, each with their own distinctive character. Barceloneta Beach is arguably the most popular, but the quieter Nova Icaria is a favorite with families.

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Honolulu, USA -

Waikiki fronts the south shore of Honolulu and is another world-renowned beach—and forever associated with Hawaii's enviable surfing scene.

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Biarritz, France -

Biarritz, an elegant seaside town on southwestern France's Basque coast, is fronted by its Grande Plage, a huge beach overlooked by plush hotels, casinos, and some excellent restaurants.

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Perth, Australia -

Perth, in Western Australia, is lined with beaches of white sand that embellish the suburbs. Pictured is delightful Cottesloe Beach.

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Athens, Greece -

Athens' beaches are spread all along the southern and northeastern side of the Attica peninsula. The closest to the city center is Edem Beach.

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Los Angeles, USA -

Celebrated for its free-spirited bohemian atmosphere, LA's Venice Beach woos with its funky boutiques, street performers, and foodie hotspots. You might even spy the odd film star now and again, dressed down on the boardwalk to dodge the paparazzi.

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Brighton, England -

The city of Brighton and Hove, set in East Sussex on the south coast of England, features the charming resort of Brighton, which attracts beachgoers from across the United Kingdom.

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Tel Aviv, Israel -

Tel Aviv's beaches span from Jaffa in the south to Tel Aviv Port in the north. Frishman Beach (pictured) and Bograshov Beach are in the center of it all.

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Istanbul, Turkey -

Büyükada is the largest of the nine so-called Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul. Its beaches are unspoiled and provide a welcome break from the clamor and chaos of the city.

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Singapore City, Singapore -

Sunny Sentosa Island is set off Singapore's southern coast just 15 minutes from the city center. Besides miles of sandy beaches, the destination is lauded for its spas, themed attractions, and the lush rain forest that embroiders the landscape.

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Nice, France -

The stunning seven-kilometer (4.3 mi) Promenade des Anglais helps define this historic Mediterranean city. It overlooks an equally long beach and the famous Bay of Angels.

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Santa Monica, USA -

Santa Monica State Beach is in fact a designated California State Park. The beach is famous for its landmark pier, itself the official end of the road for the legendary Route 66.

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Ostend, Belgium -

Citizens of Ostend and nearby Bruges gather on this vast beach to swim and soak in the sun. Ostend is known as the "Queen of Seaside Resorts" with the Klein Strand, located next to the pier, the most coveted stretch of sand.

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates -

Dubai's pristine beaches are as famous as the skyscrapers that define this luxury vacation destination. Al Mamzar Beach Park and Jumeirah Public Beach are two favorites.

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Cádiz, Spain -

Cádiz doubled up as Havana in the 2002 James Bond movie 'Die Another Day.' Everybody recalls Halle Berry's character Jinx Johnson emerging from the ocean in that bikini! Pictured is the beach she turned heads on.

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Hong Kong -

The beach at Repulse Bay on Hong Kong Island is one of the longest in Hong Kong. Popular with locals and visitors alike, the beach makes for wonderful early morning or late afternoon strolls. The destination itself is one of the most expensive residential areas in the world.

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Faro, Portugal -

The capital of Portugal's sunny Algarve province boasts some beautiful nearby beaches, in fact huge sand dune islands that even in high season remain relatively secluded. Pictured is Ilha do Farol, or Lighthouse Island.

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Chicago, USA -

Chicago's beaches are lapped by Lake Michigan and are situated in the city's Gold Coast historic district, and the North Side and Lincoln Park areas.

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Copenhagen, Denmark -

Amager Strandpark, a seaside public park in Copenhagen, offers a generous 4.6 km (2.9 mi) of beaches. The area attracts runners, swimmers, kayakers and, of course, sunseekers.

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New York City, USA -

Located on a peninsula in the southwestern part of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City, Coney Island has served as a retreat for New Yorkers since the mid-19th century.

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Cannes, France -

The French Riviera's most glamorous beach fronts some of the most expensive real estate in the southern Mediterranean.

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Vancouver, Canada -

Kitsilano Beach, also known as Kits Beach, faces out onto English Bay and is by far Vancouver's most popular stretch of sand. The beach is home to the longest swimming pool in Canada, the salt-water outdoor Kitsilano Pool.

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Venice, Italy -

Visiting Venice is far more than just admiring canals and Renaissance treasures. For something different, head for Lido di Jesolo, the beach area of the city.

See also: Responsible tourism: Simple ways to travel more ethically

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