REVEALED: WORLD'S BEST BEACHES (AND BONDI MAKES THE LIST .... TWICE!)

Some of Australia's most famous and much loved beaches are included in a captivating collection of the world's most breathtaking and unexpected coastal gems.

Researched by a team of Lonely Planet authors hailing from diverse corners of the globe, the new Lonely Planet book Best Beaches showcases every conceivable type of beach experience.

Whether it's a secluded cove, an Instagram-worthy urban shoreline, an off-the-beaten-path locale, a rocky and forested Pacific Northwest coastline, a distant expanse of orange sands in Iceland or a mesmerising palm-fringed island oasis-this book guides you through a sandy odyssey.

And Australia's Bondi Beach is named twice - as the best beach to people watch, and the best beach to go even if it's crowded.

Bell’s Beach, Cable Beach, Wineglass Bay, Squeaky Beach, Tangalooma Beach, Lucky Bay and Whitehaven Beach were also named as Australia’s best.

The book revealed:

TOP BEACHES TO WATCH THE SUNSET:

1. Maremegmeg Beach, Philippines

2. Punta Rata Beach, Croatia

3. Pfeiffer Beach, USA

4. Playa de Famara, Spain

5. Cable Beach/Walmanyjun, Australia

TOP FIVE REMOTE BEACHES:

1. Radhanagar, India

2. Rauðasandur, Iceland

3. West Beach, Scotland

4. Haukland Beach, Norway

5. Gardner Bay, Ecuador

TOP 5 BEST BEACHES TO SNORKEL

1. Trunk Bay, USA

2. Ta’ahiamanu Beach, French Polynesia

3. Radhanagar, India

4. Pink Beach, Indonesia

5. Sugar Beach, St Lucia

TOP 5 BEST BEACHES TO SEE WILDLIFE

1. Lucky Bay Kepa Kurl, Australia

2. Playa Tortuga/Turtle Beach, Puerto Rico

3. St Andrews Bay Beach, South Georgia

4. Playa Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

5. Assateague Island National Seashore, USA

TOP 5 MOST UNEXPECTED BEST BEACHES:

1. Qalansiyah Beach, Yemen

2. Keem Bay Beach, Ireland

3. Dueodde, Denmark

4. Fuwairit Beach, Qatar

5. Lalomanu Beach, Samoa

TOP 5 BEACHES WORTH THE CROWDS:

1. Bondi Beach, Australia

2. Ipanema Beach, Brazil

3. Ao Maya, Thailand

4. Tulum, Mexico

5. Sarakiniko, Greece

TOP 5 BEACHES TO SEE NATURE:

1. Tangalooma Beach, Australia

2. Secret Beach, Thailand

3. Chesterman Beach, Canada

4. Cabo San Juan del Guía, Colombia

5. Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles

TOP 5 BEACHES TO PEOPLE WATCH:

1. Bondi Beach, Australia

2. Ipanema Beach, Brazil

3. South Beach, USA

4. Platja Illetes, Spain

5. Venice Beach, USA

TOP 5 FAMILY FRIENDLY BEACHES:

1. Playa Balandra, Mexico

2. Playa Norte, Mexico

3. Elafonisi, Greece

4. Punta Paloma, Spain

5. The Pass, Australia

Lonely Planet Senior Director Chris Zeiher said the book challenged what people might define as a best beach.

"There’s such diversity here, and hidden, unexpected beaches you might otherwise not have known about in places you may not have expected.," he said.

"They’re all beautiful and magical and almost unbelievable and lets you see beyond the beachy beach—though those are in here too!

"Each beach has a sort of identified characteristic, too, so you know why we chose it for the book.

"Ultimately, we wanted to show the vast diversity of beaches, from Antarctica to Madagascar, from swirling sand to wild horses.."

Highlights include the 98% pure silica sands and swirling aquamarine waters of Whitehaven Beach in Australia, hailed as one of the country's most phenomenal and photogenic natural icons, Brazil's Baía dos Porcos, with its golden sand, azure waters, and volcanic rock backdrop, Radhanagar Beach, nestled in one of India's most secluded corners, Gardner Bay on the Galapagos Islands and the famous Venice Beach in Los Angeles. 

Best Beaches by Lonely Planet $49.99 AUD; Available where all good books are sold or see www.booktopia.com.au or www.whitcoulls.co.nz