White powdery sand and a coral fringed lagoon, a sweeping stretch of golden sand and the shade of gently swaying palm fronds – whatever your image of the perfect beach location, we have hand-picked a selection of our favourite tropical beaches.

Asia and the Indian Ocean offer some of the worlds’ best beaches, from the stunning limestone seascapes of southern Thailand to the boulder sentineled stretches of talcum powder sand in the Seychelles and the coral turquoise lagoons of the Maldives. There may be some surprises in here too.

Africa offers superb beaches in Mozambique and Zanzibar in particular and dramatic coastlines along South Africa.

Costa Rica's beaches are a great complement to wildlife and rainforest whilst Colombia's Caribbean beaches are a great option for those looking for somewhere up and coming.