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A stretch of palm-fringed sand on Fakarava, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve atoll, where stingrays drift past your ankles in water so clear the reef looks painted on. There's no resort infrastructure, no beach club, just a lagoon sheltered enough to stay glassy even when the wind picks up. The World's 50 Best Beaches ranked it 16th in 2026. Snorkelers come for the coral; everyone else comes because nine kilometers from the nearest village turns out to be exactly far enough.
One honor, in evidence:
The record strongest first
- World's 50 Beaches #16 · The World's 50 Best Beaches
One number, weighted & current 91
How we score
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