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What do you see, dear readers, when you look out the window? Here in Hamburg we see: gray. And not just since today. So why not dream a little about sun, beach and sea? The Lonely Planet publishing house recently published the corresponding book: “Best Beaches” . Number one:
Byron Bay
(New South Wales, Australia), a paradise for surf fans.
Photo: SaintM Photos / iStockphoto / Getty Images
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Two of the most famous beaches in the world can be found in Rio de Janeiro. Copacabana in the east – and next to it:
Ipanema
. Hippies, the It crowd and families alike head here for what the locals would probably say are the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
Photo: Buda Mendes / Getty Images
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Hidden behind limestone cliffs lies
Maya Bay
. After the global success of the film “The Beach,” tourists overran the beach on the Thai island group of Ko Phi Phi, leaving their trash behind, and tour boat anchors damaged the coral reef. Since then, the beach has been closed several times, and strict rules now apply there for visiting paradise.
Photo: DoctorEgg / Getty Images
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The island of
Mnemba
off Tanzania is just ten hectares in size - with a reef that, according to Lonely Planet, is second to none: dolphins, turtles and more than 600 different coral fish cavort there. However, the atoll is only accessible to guests of the local luxury resort.
Photo: Thomas Pommerin / iStockphoto / Getty Images
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Sunbathing on the moon? No, these are the volcanic rocks of
Sarakiniko
on the Greek island of Milos. For centuries, wind and waves have carved out caves for exploring and alabaster cliffs for jumping into the rock formations.
Photo: SHansche / iStockphoto / Getty Images
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Vancouver Island is considered Canada in miniature. And Tofino in the west of the island as a hotspot for surfers. But
Chesterman Beach
has so much more to offer: "From the hazy morning when the fog lifts off the soft sand to the fiery evening sky when the sun sinks beneath the cedar trees, you can spend the whole day here," they write Travel experts.
Photo: Christopher Morris - Corbis / Getty Images
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Surrounded by rainforest and lined with palm trees,
Cabo San Juan del Guia
offers perfect photo opportunities. But to get there, you have to complete a two-hour hike through Tayrona National Park in Colombia.
Photo: maphke / iStockphoto / Getty Images
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Speaking of perfect photo opportunities: What looks like it could only have been created by a computer is the
Anse Source D'Argent
beach in the Seychelles. Here, too, the journey itself becomes an adventure, and yet the beach is no longer an insider tip. It's best to come early in the morning - and of course at sunset.
Photo: alxpin / Getty Images
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The bay at
Playa Balandra
is ideal for children with its shallow waters and tide pools. The beach is located in a protected area surrounded by barren, cactus-covered mountains.
Photo: Alfredo Martinez / Getty Images
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And back to Europe again:
Punta Paloma
between Cádiz and Tarifa offers soft sand, sparkling water and wind-blown dunes against the backdrop of Morocco. For the editors of the Lonely Planet publishing house, this is one of the most seductive beaches in Spain - and number ten in the world.
Photo: Ben Welsh/Getty Images
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