Let’s face it: beaches are the best. If one seriously wants to enjoy themselves whilst on vacation, they seriously need to take into consideration whether their desired location has a plethora of sandy coasts waiting to be explored. One travel agency has you covered.

Canadian online travel website Flight Network has consulted a wide range of journalists and travelers to compile a definitive list of 50 of the best beaches on the planet. Whether you’re going to sunbathe, swim in the sea, or surf, at least one of these beaches is going to be perfect for you.

At the top of the list, you will find the exquisite white sandy beach of Grace Bay. Turks and Caicos is a perfect example of the location blessed with pristine, untouched beaches, and Grace Bay is the very best. It is protected by a colorful reef, making it unpolluted and beautiful.

Its narrow runner-up happens to be in down under. Whitehaven Beach, Australia comes in at number two is a stunning sight, if you are prepared to take a helicopter to this remote location. This was followed by the Seychellois Anse Lazio, one of the most densely populated palm tree beaches in the world.

There were five criteria that Flight Network took into consideration when ranking these beaches: how untouched it was, the quality of its sand and water, its average temperature, how remote it is and how many days of sunshine it gets throughout the year.

You can check out the full list on the Flight Network official website, but here’s The Top 10 for a little taster:

1) Grace Bay – Turks and Caicos 2) Whitehaven Beach – Australia 3) Anse Lazio – Seychelles 4) Pink Sands Beach – Bahamas 5) Navagio Beach – Greece 6) Baia Dos Porcos – Brazil 7) Playa Paraiso – Mexico 8) Hyams Beach – Australia 9) Hidden Beach – Mexico 10) Trunk Bay – US Virgin Islands

Scattered around the world are beautiful and affordable beach cities or towns where you can spend the best days lazing under the sun living in peace and tranquility. Here are some of the best most affordable beach towns.

Tulum, located south of Cancún, is a popular destination for visitors from around the globe who want to behold the Mayan ruins and breathtaking architecture overlooking the blue waters of the Caribbean.

With a mere population of 18,000, you can find luxury condos in newer regions of construction and single or family houses under $100,000.

Malaysia has some of the world’s best beaches. Port Dickson, a coastal town with a population size of about 120,000 is the place where you can still get a beautiful beach home without burning your pocket. It is easy to purchase as a foreigner.

The main requirement is that the property not be priced more than $254,000. The place offers great jobs in Port Dickson. Also, the vibrant cuisine and hospitality of Malaysia is one of the best in Asia.

Life in Cartagena is a dream tropical Caribbean vacation every day you wake up. Nature lovers, party lovers, cultural enthusiasts, history buffs, and outdoor lovers alike will love this spot. The city offers one of the greatest snorkeling and scuba diving experience in the Caribbean and costs about $30 per round.

A basic lunch costs just $7, while the rent for about 900 sq. ft. in the city center costs about $600. The museum of Spanish Colonial heritage and architecture is at the city’s historic center. The harbor is just a stroll away.

Just fly into Panama City, take a rental car, and drive for four hours to reach the tip of the Azuero Peninsula. Pedasí has gorgeous rocks in the vicinity of the warm Pacific Ocean and 1,500 residents. Rents of the beach home cost about $500 per month.

Enjoy a rustic small-town vibe with a diverse ex-pat community and hospitable locals in this Panamanian paradise. One-bedroomed flats cost about $777.38 and regular cappuccino costs $2.94 per cup.

Are you a tech startup whiz kid or someone who can’t live without the internet? Head off to Morocco with its hyper-fast internet connection and close quarters to Western Europe. It is a flourishing destination for entrepreneurs trying to curb their personal costs.

Your monthly rent, plus a cool workspace will cost about $400- $500 combined. Taghazout is one of the greatest North Atlantic surfing towns, where surfers throng carrying colorful surfboards through Middle Eastern bazaars filled with the aroma of sweet buns and fruits.

One of the best surf towns in the South Pacific, especially one that’s drawn flocks of tourists and ex-pats. Artists, entrepreneurs, designers, yoga instructors, meditators, and bloggers call Canggu home, lending the city a youthful charm.

Cafes, souvenir shops, jewelry stores, and juice stands line the quaint streets, and parties happen all through the week. With the vibe of the less populated islands of Hawaii, but at a fraction of the cost. Essentials like milk, wine, etc., cost a little more but the average monthly rents are at around $200.

The Dominican Republic has some most affordable and luxurious oceanfront homes in the Caribbean, with friendly locals and a vibrant ex-pat community. Europeans describe it as the best vacation spot and continue to stay there indefinitely.

Obtain residency and it’s easy to work, start your business, import a car (tax-free), etc. It hosts a mix of people and cultures, and you’re a two-hour flight from Miami if you need a getaway. Meals at an inexpensive restaurant costs just $5.98 and eggs are available under $2.

The coastal community in Mexico is blissful and unbelievably cheap. San Pancho is something different altogether with the feel of a California surf town, majestic cliffs, impressive waves, and restaurants dotted around serving up all delicious and organic things.

A simple dinner for two costs about $30 to $50, compared to more than $100 in California. The city itself is small, but it sits in the middle of Riviera Nayarit and you can easily hop through towns like Sayulita, the Punta Mita or even San Blas.

Granada is a Spanish Colonial town in North America and attracts numerous history-enthusiastic tourists. The tourist community has helped set up tons of fancy restaurants, great nightlife, cool bars, and a chunky ex-pat community that makes living here worth it.

The cost of electricity is a little extra, but an average bill is under $100 per month if you curb air conditioning. The rent is less than $500, and you can buy a pound of chicken for less than $2.

This is one of the most affordable beach towns to live in. The monthly rent for a place near the ocean amounts to about $500 for one-bedroom and $900 for two or three. The weather is warm and pleasant, with the blaring sun soaking the beaches all year round along the coast.

The city combines busy, urban vibes with beach feels, with quick escapes to the inland countryside and plenty of hoards of neighbors to party with. Its easy access to nature makes it a great seaside town.

About 40 miles off the coast of Honduras with warm beaches and pleasant sunshine, it is similar to the Floridian beach towns; feel like a pirate by spending your life here! The isle sports an international airport with direct flight connectivity with the US.

Relaxed Roatán is the biggest Honduras’ three Bay Islands and is surrounded by the Mesoamerican Barrier reef, one of the largest in the Caribbean Sea. Cafes, beach bars, swimming, diving, and snorkeling are favorites here. Mountain meets jungle in this vibrant beach town.

Despite being a buzzing capital of 14 million, Rio still resonates beach life. The gorgeous metropolis is surrounded by towering granite mountains and miles of oceanfront. The four-mile crescent strip is a hotspot for sunbathing and a volleyball training center.

Drinks cost less than $3. Every area away from the beach offers discounts on almost everything. Rio is great for people who want to shift from American busy hustle.

Dotted with resorts that dominate the Caribbean Sea, Grenada is the land of happiness. Dubbed as the “Canada of the Caribbean”, Grenada measures 21 by 12 miles but the dreamy shoreline, lush mountains, picturesque roads, waterfalls, and neat plantations stretch endlessly.

Live calypso bands and upbeat music plays all day long. The native cuisine boasts a coconut-milk-oil grounded stew consisting of breadfruit, prawns, cabbage, sea fish, callaloo, okra, turmeric, etc., costing merely $2.

Salinas is a picturesque city and beach resort lined with condominium houses. With a population of 50,000, the country’s holiday season invites double this number. It’s Ecuador’s most popular coastal resort.

You can go watch a soccer game with the locals or go for a round of swimming, but adventure-seekers may flock to Punta Carnero, near the south of the city, for a great surfing time. A cab ride costs between $2 to $3- crazy cheap! You get a meal for $3 to $5. And home prices are cheap at $230,000!

One of Costa Rica’s warmest surfing spots; foreigners throng this place from around the world. Costa Rica is very friendly to people buying property, with residents and foreigners having equal property and purchase rights in the country. The property taxes are inexpensive.

A basic lunchtime meal including a drink cost just $9 while the monthly rent for a 500 sq. ft. furnished studio in the city centers. It’s a haven for those looking for a relaxed life, with modern amenities like high-speed and reliable internet, electricity, nearby food markets, and affordable restaurants.

Sunny Beach is situated along the coast of the Black Sea. It is now a popular hot spot for European and U.S. property buyers alike. Bulgaria is cheap with a lower cost of living and welcoming to foreign investment.

Most beach homes have a 20,000-euro ($25,000) price point, for either a furnished one or two bedrooms. The basic lunchtime menu, nothing fancy and a drink to go with it cost about $8 in the main business district while rents for a single room may cost $600 monthly.

Not just a honeymoon destination, Phi Phi island is a warm island where couples want to move permanently for the charming waters and private beaches. This little bit of paradise hosts beautiful apartments looking out to the sea at about $720 per month.

The nightlife is vibrant with cheap drinks, partygoers, and loose liability laws. This isn’t a quiet beach home but it’s ideal for the young couples and free people who enjoy interacting with travelers and have fun inexpensively.

Atlantic City and the nearby beach towns have a great deal to offer to someone looking for a vacation getaway or a beach home. Atlantic City boasts some of the finest beaches on the east coast, crazy nightlife, a safe community of locals and tourists, the iconic boardwalk, etc.

The town also offers glitzy nightlife, stunning casinos, cheap restaurants, and year-round events. It’s a perfect place away from home if you need action, adventure, and the calm of a beach town.

Along the coast of Portugal in the south, and amidst its most famous beaches is Praia da Rocha, which offers the largest amount of sunshine in a year, golden beaches surrounded by cliffs, adventurous watersports, buzzing nightlife, and golf courses.

It’s a perfect getaway for all the seasons of the year. It hosts the Hotel Algarve Casino—a five-star hotel complete with slot machines, blackjack, spin wheel, and roulette. Portugal has one of the simplest policies for buying property. Buying property gives you about five years of residency.

Ao Nang is a tiny beach town on the western coast of Thailand bordering the Andaman Sea. You can catch a flight from the Krabi airport or take a boat ride from Phuket.

The island offers cheap rent (about $400 per month), delicious food (for under $6 for a complete meal with a beer can), and exotic beaches where you can sit back and sip on mango shakes all day long in complete privacy. Hop on a boat and go to one of Thailand’s many other adjacent beautiful islands and beaches like Koh Phi Phi or Ko Lanta.

Penang is a city as well as an island off the Northwestern coast of Malaysia. It is located in the Malacca, close to the Thailand border in the South. They have an airport, a convenient location, and the place to catch the next ride, a train or a bus, is just a ferry ride away. Penang island is known for some of the most exotic food in the entire world which are reasonable.

With a blend of Chinese, Malay, and Indian culture, this hidden piece of paradise in Malaysia has much to offer its visitors. The private and quiet, pristine beaches are merely a quick drive or bus journey away. You can spot adorable monkeys frolicking in the trees around the beaches.

On Kefalonia Island at the bottom of Kalon Oros and Agia Dynati mountains lies the pristine sand and waters of Myrtos Beach. The quiet and serene beauty is a perfect place to be away from the noise of city life. No watersports allowed! Surfing, lying in the sun, reading a novel, and enjoying life – these are all that you can do here.

There are affordable properties – detached bungalows or villas – in the nearby villages, not on the beach though. The superb Mediterranean seafood restaurants with the sound of the waves will entice you.

While bigger Vietnamese cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are more popular, neither has much of a beach life. Hoi An, meanwhile, is bordered by spectacular green mountains and endless stretches of sand you’ll have solely to yourself.

The older parts are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a one-bedroomed house or apartment costs about $300 a month, and $500 for furnished ones. Rent a motorbike (about $45 per month), or a scooter to enjoy the experience. You’d be a fool not to!

Imagine living in a region with endless miles of coastline, rustic cobbled streets, and sunshine greater than most European cities. Home to many English speakers and about 100,000 ex-pats from all around the world, this region and its numerous towns are too cheap to be true.

A three-bedroom apartment will cost about $600, but compact ones are available for around $300 in the middle of the city. Milk costs more than $3 a gallon, while bar drinks are found at $2. A meal will cost you under $10. Plus, you can head to Lisbon in just 6 hours!

Blue waters, cool white sand, endless palm trees and private access to the beach, what more can you want at Vietnam’s An Bang Beach in Hoi An, with a population of only 120,000.

Known for its fab restaurants, great tourists, the ex-pat community, surfing, great cultural heritage, and sightseeing locations, it is mesmerizing with lantern-lit alleyways, ancient yellow cottages, and the Thu Bon river bordering it. Traditional villages add to the rustic charm. Lots of two or one-bedroom villas are located meters from the ocean.

This quaint town on the Adriatic Sea is littered with beaches that people from all walks of life and around the world travel to. Drinks are still under $3 in most bars and the monthly rent in the city center amounts to $400.

Tourists throng seasonally. A full-time resident, you have the city to yourself in the months of October to April. Croatia boasts the magic of roaring international resort culture in the summer and sleepy beach vibes in the winter, with a great Mediterranean climate, and fascinating history.

Situated between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama, you’ll locate Mississippi on the Gulf of Mexico. It is a bit more expensive than Central America or Southeast Asia, but overall, it’s amazing, friendly, comfortable and affordable.

The region is often in the new like for the Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the last decade. The rent is cheap, plus the arts, music, cuisine, and cultural scene is thriving. The beaches are warm and aesthetic.

Florida is synonymous with the best beaches in the world, and St. Petersburg is no different. Well-known for its breathtaking beaches; it has abundant sunshine, with about 768 days.

For culture enthusiasts, the city boasts the world-renowned Salvador Dali Museum and other similar cultural heritages. A loaf of bread costs around $3.33 while a carton of eggs is available at $1.81. The median rent is close to $768.60 per month.

La Concha Beach in San Sebastian, a stunning and huge resort town/city is one of the most popular urban beaches in Europe. With a population rising to 180,000, the place features multiple condominiums and apartments in a variety of prices along with most modern amenities.

Located near the Atlantic Coast, La Concha Beach welcomes ex-pats from around Europe, Australia, the U.S., and Canada, thanks to flexible property purchase mechanisms.

Expats are flocking to this beachy heaven located on the coast of Costa Rica bordering the Pacific. Tourists love Tamarindo because of its surfing, water sports, and fitness culture.

People love the outdoor lifestyle in Tamarindo and munch on a meal full of fresh seafood, fruits, drinks, and lots of local fresh produce. All the residents speak English. Health care is super affordable and easy to access.