10 Most Secluded Beaches on Earth: Inaccessibility as Preservation
A Quartz article lists ten beaches whose seclusion stems from genuine physical inaccessibility rather than relative obscurity. These beaches require hiking, boat access, or significant effort to reach, which has preserved their natural state. Examples include Kaihalulu Beach (Maui, red sand, unmarked cliffside trail), Playa Escondida (Marieta Islands, Mexico, accessible only by swimming through a tidal tunnel), Navagio Beach (Zakynthos, Greece, boat access only, known for a shipwreck), Maya Bay (Thailand, closed 2018-2022 for reef restoration, now restricted), Tunnel Beach (Dunedin, New Zealand, via a hand-carved 1870s tunnel), Praia do Sancho (Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, cliff descent, UNESCO site), Whitehaven Beach (Whitsunday Island, Australia, 98% pure silica sand, boat/seaplane only), Anse Source d'Argent (La Digue, Seychelles, pink sand and granite boulders, bicycle island), Playa del Amor (Marietas Islands, regulated marine reserve), and Cayo Levisa (Cuba, boat access, minimal development). The article emphasizes that each beach's difficulty of access is the key to its preservation, and visiting requires planning, physical effort, and risk tolerance.
Key facts
- Kaihalulu Beach on Maui has red sand from eroded volcanic cinder cone, no official trail, 20-30 minute hike over unstable terrain.
- Playa Escondida in Mexico is inside a collapsed volcanic crater, accessed by swimming through a tunnel at low tide, regulated by Mexican government.
- Navagio Beach on Zakynthos has a rusted shipwreck since 1980, accessible only by boat, crowded with tour boats in peak season.
- Maya Bay in Thailand was closed 2018-2022 due to coral damage, now has no swimming, capped visitors, seasonal closures.
- Tunnel Beach in New Zealand has a hand-carved sandstone tunnel from the 1870s, accessible only at low to mid tide.
- Praia do Sancho in Brazil is on Fernando de Noronha archipelago, requires descending a cliff staircase or jungle trail, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Whitehaven Beach in Australia has 98% pure silica sand that does not retain heat, accessible only by boat or seaplane.
- Anse Source d'Argent in Seychelles has pink-tinged sand and granite boulders, part of a former coconut plantation, island has no airport and limited vehicles.
- Cayo Levisa in Cuba is reachable by 40-minute boat crossing, has a single small resort, minimal development due to Cuba's tourism infrastructure limitations.
- The article is from Quartz Media, published in 2026.
Entities
Institutions
- Quartz Media
- NASA
- UNESCO
- Mexican government
- Thai government
- Brazilian federal marine park
Locations
- Maui
- Hawaii
- United States
- Marieta Islands
- Nayarit
- Mexico
- Punta de Mita
- Sayulita
- Zakynthos
- Greece
- Maya Bay
- Thailand
- Phuket
- Krabi
- Dunedin
- New Zealand
- South Island
- Fernando de Noronha
- Brazil
- Whitsunday Island
- Queensland
- Australia
- Airlie Beach
- Hamilton Island
- La Digue
- Seychelles
- Mahé
- Praslin
- Cayo Levisa
- Cuba
- Palma Rubia
- Caribbean
Sources
- Quartz —