10 Smallest Beaches In The World

We all love to go to the beach for some sun and fun, but we rarely think about just how many different beaches there are in the world. We have beaches in so many places around the world, and it made me wonder about some interesting pictures I saw not too long ago with some of the world’s smallest beaches.

10 smallest beaches in the world:

Gulpiyuri, Llanes Asturias
Butterfly beach, Goa India
Praia Do Camilo, Portugal
Boca Grande, Florida
Secret Beach, Thailand
Amoglossa beach, Greece
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Neds Beach, Australia
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Cape May, NJ

I love the ocean and places that feel almost undiscovered. Exploring little-known places has always been my dream. I wanted to find out more about some of the smallest beaches in the world. I did a lot of research and found the most amazing small beaches that will take your breath away.

1. Gulpiyuri Beach In Llanes Asturias

The first beach on my list has to be Gulpiyuri Beach in Llanes Austrias; this tiny beach is known as the smallest beach in the world. There is a very strange phenomenon to this beach; it is inverted. The beach area goes towards the ocean, and the ocean area goes towards the rocky shore.

This beach is only 50 meters long, and even though the water ends at the rocky parts of the mountain, there are actually tidal waves.

There is a gap between the rocks where the Cantabrian sea along the Northern strip of Spain gets ocean water from the Atlantic ocean, and this water filters through this gap in the rocks creating tidal waves.

Gulpiyuri beach is based in the village of Naves and is only accessible on foot through the nearby beach San Antolin in the village of San Antolin. In 2001 it was declared a natural heritage site and will thus be preserved for future generations.

2. Butterfly Beach In Goa India

Butterfly beach, or sometimes called honeymoon beach, is situated North of Palolem Beach, and you can only reach it by getting on a ferry from Palolem to Agonda beach. It is a semi-circle beach and offers breathtaking sights such as goldfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and much more at low tide.

The nearby beach offers some of Goa’s best cafes and restaurants, including the Droppadi Bar and Restaurant and Magic Italy Authentic Italian Restaurant and Pizzaria.

The perfect time to visit Butterfly beach is from November to March. It’s is when the sea life is at its peak. You shouldn’t try and visit Butterfly beach in the rainy months as the fairies and boats that travel from Palolem Beach to Butterfly beach don’t travel during monsoon season.

Tips When Traveling To Butterfly Beach

Try to bargain with the boatman when you visit Butterfly beach; you will find they are much more inclined to give you a ride to and from the beach at decent rates.
Don’t forget to get the arrival and departure times of the fairies and boats from the boatman so that you get back on the boat and not get stranded.
Remember, this beach has no vendors or shops, so remember to take all the essentials you might need, like a picnic basket with food and drinks, a blanket, sunscreen, and a mini medical kit.

3. Praia Do Camilo Beach In Portugal

Praia Do Camilo is a stunning beach situated near Lagos in Portugal. To get to this secluded beach, you need to climb down what locals have dubbed ‘the stairway to heaven.’

These 200 wooden stairs might make you huff and puff by the time you get to the bottom, but the beach and its views make the climb worthwhile.

Praia Do Camilo beach is gorgeous all year round, and it makes the best winter beach to visit. When the tide is high, the beach is only half of its already small size. Despite its small size, there are so many different activities that you can do on this fabulous beach.

Things You Can Do On Praia Do Camilo Beach

Besides swimming in the clear blue waters, you can go kayaking and explore the beautiful waters surrounding this beach.
You can explore the underwater wonders, snorkeling and paddleboarding, and beautiful sea life close to the shore.
You can climb on some of the rock formations surrounding Camilo beach; there is a famous rock with an arch going through it. It’s one of the key features of Praia Do Camilo Beach.

4. Boca Grande Beach In Florida

Boca Grande is situated on the island of Gasparilla near the Gulf Coast northwest of Fort Meyers. This beautiful beach has a lot to offer. You can visit one of the best inns on the island. The Gasparilla Inn and Club was built in 1911 and has been beautifully maintained for more than a century.

Amongst all the beautiful sights to see, there are a lot of things you can do when visiting Boca Grande Beach like:

You can visit the art galleries to view the beautiful local paintings and sculptures.
There is a lighthouse historical museum in Port Boca Grande you can visit.
Boca Grande has a newly renovated bike trail that you can traverse.
There is kayaking and snorkeling and all kinds of watersports to take part in.
There is a farm and fish market where you can buy all kinds of local goods
There are paddleboat adventures to take part in, and you can even charter a boat for fishing.

5. Secret Beach Koh Lanta In Thailand

Hidden between Klong Kong and Relax bay is a small beach known only as secret beach. It was secluded on private property for years, and no one knew it existed.

It is still relatively undeveloped, with only one beach bar, but there is a new development in the works as of 2017. It is still called Secret beach and has some of the most breathtaking views.

6. Amoglosso Beach In Greece

Amaglosso Beach is situated northeast of the island of Lefkada. It is opposite the famous ancient castle by the floating bridge. This beach is known for its sandy but rocky or pebbled areas. It is a quiet beach, and even though it is quite popular amongst visitors, it has no real modern-day amenities to speak of.

There are some things you might need to take if you visit this beach for the day:

Blankets, umbrellas, and sunbeds
Sunglasses, sunhats, and sunscreen
Picnic basket with food and drinks
Flip flops for the hot sand
Snorkeling gear if you like to explore the water near the beach
Mini first aid kit in case of an accident

It is the ideal beach to visit if you want peace and relaxation. The best time to visit Amaglosso beach is September-October.

7. Wrightsville Beach In North Carolina

Wrightsville Beach is located about 8.5 from Wilmington and is the most accessible beach in Carolina. It is the beach that never sleeps despite it being smaller than most beaches. National Geographic has dubbed it as one of the best surfing towns in the world.

With a population of fewer than 2 500 people, the beach is one of the smallest but liveliest beaches on this list. It even has a museum that you can visit to learn more about the history of Wrightsville beach.

There is so much to do on this beach:

You can chart a boat and go fishing
You can surf in all the local competitions or just surf for the fun of it
You can jog or walk “the loop” fitness trail
You can visit the waterbird sanctuary
There is a lot of stalls and shops to go shopping
You could visit some of the art galleries
There is waterport galore
Annual festivals make it a wonderful vacation spot

8. Neds Beach In Australia

Neds beach in Australia is also on the not-so-big but awesome list of small beaches. This beach is located on the eastern side of Lord Howe Island. This is the perfect beach if you want fun and sun and fish feeding, of course.

This beach is surrounded by open ocean, and you should take caution when swimming. You can’t go fishing in this area as it is prohibited, but you can take a boat out and feed the fish. Neds Beach is known for its beautiful reefs and ocean life.

If you go snorkeling, you will likely see fan gorgonians, whip coral, black coral, large foliose vase-shaped hard corals, crinoids, colonial ascidians, coralliomorphs, and much more. There are also lots of types of birds to see on Neds Beach, such as the Masked Booby, Tropic Birds, Strom Petrels, Flesh-footed Shearwaters.

9. Cannon Beach In Oregon

This beautiful beach is surrounded by rocky shores and is home to the famous large rock Haystack rock. It is 235 feet out of the ocean and features a vibrant ecosystem of tidepools and birds. Cannon beach is still small even though it stretches from the north to the south of the Oregon coast.

To get to The Haystack Rock, you need to go through the Needle beach access. There you can see puffins nesting and tidepools thriving with life. If you are an enthusiastic bird watcher, then you might like to visit Chapman Park and Bird Rock.

There you will find a dense colony of Murres nesting from spring through midsummer. Many people have seen bald eagles on the rocks looking for a bite to eat.

When visiting Cannon beach, there are a lot of things to do like:

Snorkeling
Swimming
You can visit Ecola State Park, which is full of beautiful marine creatures and sights for you to explore
There are glass blowing art galleries you can visit to see local art
You can visit the local theater that used to be a roller rink
There is a museum that you can visit

10. Cape May In New Jersey

Cape May is located at the most southward tip of New Jersey. This coastline has what many would call the most beautiful beaches on the Atlantic coast. When you visit this beach, you will have to pay a fee. You will get a beach pass, and only then will you be allowed to go on the beach for the day.

It is considered a good way to keep the beach clean and safe. These rules count for residents just like they do for visitors. When you visit this quaint little beach, you will likely drive through a town filled with old Victorian charm. Some of the houses are authentic Victorian houses and are part of the Cape May charm.

But don’t let the history behind this beautiful beach fool you; there are tons of modern-day activities to keep you and your family busy for the whole vacation. Cape May is the oldest seaside resort beach and town and home to the largest commercial fishing ports.

There is a lot to do at Cape May Beach like:

Swimming
Fishing
Kayaking
Walking trails all over town, not just the beach
You can visit the local mall
You can see the animals at the Cape May National Wildlife refuge
There are whale watching tours you could book
You could visit the lighthouse
You can even book a salt marsh safari
There are art galleries and shops to shop at

Not to mention the famous food they have a reputation for serving in Cape May. It is also known to have just the right waves for surfing.

Conclusion

Beaches are some of the most fun and beautiful places in the world to explore. I had no idea there were so many tiny but fun beaches to visit around the world. So whether you want the fun and surf of a big beach without the struggle of finding a spot on a busy beach, or you really want to explore the small beaches, these places won’t let you down.

The smallest of the small is an inverted beach that actually looks like it is backward. The romantic island of butterfly beach is ideal for newlywed couples, and beaches like Cannon beach is ideal for family fun.

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Chrissie Smuts

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