When we think of the ideal vacation, it’s always a secluded, white-sand beach somewhere, because we like to think of beaches as the image of tranquility. While it’s not necessarily wrong, it isn’t always the case. We’re not here to burst your bubble, but truth to be told, beaches can be quite dangerous. From deadly waves, to sharks and other mysterious sea creatures, some beaches around the world that should be scratched off your bucket list, and the sooner the better!
Cape Tribulation
The name already sounds alarming enough, but if you were still thinking of paying the beach a visit, think again. There are plenty of places worth a visit in Australia, and Cape Tribulation isn’t one of them!
Why, you ask? The legendary Cape Tribulation is home of several sea creatures you don’t want to meet, including stinging jellyfish and crocodiles. Jellyfish aren’t the only stinging obstacle on this beach; it is also crowded by stinging trees and Cassowaries – big birds with dagger-like claws.
Hanakapiai Beach
Deep in the pacific ocean, on the magical Hawaiian islands, lies a hazardous beach. The Hanakapiai beach is known for its exceptionally strong rip currents and high tides, especially during the months of winter.
The warning sign welcoming visitors to the beach marks the tally of 82 drowning victims as of 2014. Since there are no major reefs on the beach, there’s nothing to hinder the strong ocean currents, which partly explains the unusually high number of victims.
New Smyrna Beach
Dangerous beaches aren’t necessarily exotic beaches – New Smyrna Beach in Florida is another beach to stay away from, if you don’t want to encounter a shark. In the past decade, there have been over 80 shark bites reported at this beach.
How shark infested is this beach, you wonder? New Smyrna Beach received the unflattering title of “Shark-Bite Capital of the World.” This summer broke a record, with three shark attacks in only two days.
Fraser Island
While it is one of Australia’s biggest tourist attractions, and for good reason, not many people are familiar with the dangers of Fraser Island. Fraser Island is the home of a large community of dingo, which constitute one of its main dangers.
The Fraser Island dingos rightly feel like they own the island, and so they roam the beaches freely and take whatever they want – they are known to steal food from campsites, and they wont hesitate to attack you if you try to stop them.
Gansbaai
Located in south Africa, Gansbaai beach is known for one main attraction – shark diving. It’s rather safe, as you are put inside a cage and swim around with the sharks, but still, the beach attracts a great amount of sharks, and that can’t be good.
South Africa and Gansbaai in particular are known for their massive population of the Great White Shark, one of the largest species of sharks. Great White Sharks are one of South Africa’s core attractions, but also one of its main dangers.
Uttakleiv Beach
Located in Norway, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Uttakleiv beach is notoriously known for its ice-cold water. For the brave ones among you, the temperature of the water isn’t just cold, but it can cause hypothermia.
The beach is a beautiful place to relax or enjoy a good hike, but it’s recommended to avoid going in the water, especially during the winter time, when the temperature of the water drops to 8 degrees Celsius.
Bikini Atoll Beach
The notorious Bikini Atoll Beach of the U.S Marshall Islands is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but unfortunately it’s accordingly dangerous. On the face of it, it seems like any other beach, but its history reveals otherwise.
Back in the 1950s, during the period of the nuclear paranoia and the cold war, the U.S military needed a secluded place to run its nuclear tests – and this place was the beaches of the Marshall Islands, specifically Bikini Atoll Beach. Thus, to this day the beach has extremely high levels of radiation, making it a hazardous vacation destination.
Playa Zipolite
As the name suggests, Playa Zipolite is located in Mexico. The name, originated from a dialect of the area, is translated into “beach of the dead.” One popular explanation of the name refers to the fatal undercurrents offshore.
Another interpretation of the name stems from an old local legend, according to which the natives of the area offered the bodies of their dead to the sea. One way or another, next time you visit Mexico, you’re advised to find another beach!
Boa Viagem Beach
Boa Viagem Beach, in the neighborhood of Boa Viagem of Brazil, is one of the most populated beaches in the area. However, since the 1990s, the beach have been plagued by sharks.
Not great White Sharks, which are unique to South Africa, but smaller ones – tiger sharks. The sudden rise in shark attacks in the 90s is attributed to the development of the nearby Port Suape.
Reunion Island
Reunion Island is a region of France set in the Indian Ocean. It seems like nothing short of a paradise, but the beaches of Reunion Island have a notable hazard: you guessed it – sharks. There are plenty of breathtaking beaches in Europe, so why risk it with this one?
Due to its tropical location, Reunion Island is rich in wildlife, including sea turtles, whales and sharks. As of 2018, there have been 27 reports of fatal shark attacks.
Kilauea beaches
Many of us know that Hawaii sits on an active volcano, and so it’s no surprise that a great danger on many of Hawaii’s beaches is lava flows. While eruption of volcanoes is very rare, lava flow is not an uncommon phenomena.
The volcano near Kilauea beach spills lava over 6.5 miles, causing the water on the beach to boil (as shown in the above image). Kilauea beach is at high risk of lava spills, making it an incredibly unsafe spot for a vacation!
Staithes Beach
Staithes Beach in Yorkshire, UK, may be extremely picturesque for a good Instagram caption, but it’s not recommended for a swim. You can visit the place and enjoy the fishing village cafes, but if you want to swim or surf – it’s not the right place for you.
Why, you wonder? Staithes beach suffers from dangerously high levels of pollution. I was described by the movement Surfers against Sewage as the most polluted beach in Europe, and thus one of the worst surfing destinations.
Amazon River beaches
The magnificent Amazon River, one of the largest rivers in the world, attracts thousands of tourists each year. Part of its appeal is the varied fauna and wildlife, which includes different kinds of birds and friendly animals.
However, its varied wildlife also includes some of the world’s most dangerous animals. In the Amazon river you can find anaconda snakes, piranhas, electric eels and a rare parasitic catfish.
Second Beach, South Africa
Back to South Africa, the home of the Great White Shark. Second beach is another beach in South Africa notoriously known for its high number of fatal shark attacks. Despite common belief, while shark attacks are scary and painful, they are rarely fatal.
That’s why Second Beach is considered one of the most dangerous beaches in the world – every single one of the shark attacks on Second Beach have been fatal. Though Second Beach isn’t populated exclusively by Great White Sharks, there’s something in the waters that attracts deadly sharks.
North Sentinel Island
North Sentinel Island is part of the Indian Andaman Islands, and is populated by the Sentinelese tribe. It may sound like a legend, but the Sentinelese tribe is one of the few tribes that remain completely untouched by modern civilization.
The Sentinelese remained disconnected from civilization by choice – they reject any contact with the outside world, often violently. Thus, they are considered extrmely aggressive and dangerous.
Dumas Beach
Dumas beach, an urban Indian beach, is one of the allegedly haunted locations in India. Though nothing has ever been proved, locals tell of reports of paranormal and supernatural activity on this beach.
Mostly, the place is haunted by stories of missing people and other disturbing mysteries. Nonetheless, it’s a popular vacation destination for both locals and tourists – if your not one to fall for urban legends.
Darwin
The famous capital of the Northern Territory of Australia is perhaps not as safe as you might think. The Northern Territory is known for its dangerous wildlife, and something we haven’t seen yet: crocodiles and alligators.
See you later, alligator; In a while, crocodile! The saltwater crocodiles infesting the waters (and land) in Darwin are not as sweet as this catchphrase might imply. On the contrary – they are known to be extremely aggressive and dangerous, and they are known to attack humans.
Red Triangle
Extending from the Bodega Bay of San Francisco down to the Big Sur region of California, the Red Triangle of the Pacific Ocean was given this name for a very disturbing reason. 38% percent of all Great White Shark attacks occurred at this area.
This triangle-shaped area of the ocean is home for a large population of marine mammals such as sea lions ans elephant seals, which are prey of the Great White Shark; thus, the intimidating sharks are attracted to this area.
Copacabana
One of Brazil’s most famous beaches is a great destination for your next vacation. The water is perfect for a swim, and you can enjoy the surroundings, including the clubs and nightlife the busy area has to offer.
However, if you visit Copacabana, be aware of the high crime rate the area is known for. Among other things, Copacabana is famous for being a crime beach, with gangs of professional thieves crowd the area.
Cairns
Like most other areas of Australia, Cairns is populated by creatures that you don’t necessarily want to encounter during your holiday. Besides crocodiles swarming the water’s edge, beware of swarms of flies.
Besides mosquitoes and flies on the land, beware of sea stingers when in Cairns – the waters are swamped by jellyfish, which don’t hesitate to sting!
Skeleton Coast
The famous Skeleton Coast of Namibia is a destination for you bucket list. However, it’s for the braver ones among us! The name of the area derives from the whale and seal bones that used to clatter the shore, caused by the massive whaling industry of the area.
Nowadays, however, the animal bones are cleaned for the most part, and the name refers to shipwrecks caught by offshore fog and rocks. When walking on this beach, be careful not to step on any sharp obstacle.
Manaus Beach
Manaus is the Brazilian capital of the Amazonas, and much like Copacabana, the danger in Manaus beach isn’t found in the water, but rather on land. Like many other areas of the country, the beach is characterized by a high crime rate.
Gangs of professional thieves are the main danger of the area, specifically to tourists who aren’t familiar with their strategies. Brazil is notoriously known for its high crime rate, and Manaus beach is just one example.
Cable Beach
Cable Beach in Broome is perhaps one of Australia’s most popular beaches. But like the entire continent, it is characterized by a great variety of animals and mysterious creatures than can be seen nowhere else in the world.
Some of these animals are extremely dangerous, and they infest both the land and the water; these include snakes, spiders, deadly jellyfish and sharks. Australia as a whole is known to be the home of many species of poisonous spiders.
Chowpatty Beach
Chowpatti is perhaps the most notorious beaches of Mumbai, India. Among the locals, the beach is known for hosting the annual celebrations of an important Hindu festival. For tourists, though, it’s not a recommended spot to enjoy a sunny day.
Like many parts of India, Mumbai suffers from severe pollution, and that’s the main reason why Chowpatti beach is one of the world’s most dangerous beaches. In addition to pollution, the shoreline is covered by waste.
Mindanao Beach
The Philippines are famous for their white-sand beaches, and with good reason. However, not all the beaches of the Philippines are safe, and so it’s better to travel to Palawan rather than explore the less-traveled destinations.
In the past years, the magical islands of the Philippines have been rising in popularity, but the island of Mindanao is not part of the celebration. In the past years, it has been the site of war between Muslim militants and government troops, and there have been reports of tourists being kidnapped.
Tamarama Beach
Near the acclaimed Bondi Beach, attracting visitors from around the world to Australia, lies another, quieter beach: Tamarama. There’s a reason why Bondi Beach receives all the praise and Tamarama is left out, though.
Due to its deep water and high currents, Tamarama is considered the most dangerous beach in New South Wales. The depth of water and strong currents are hazardous even for professional swimmers, and each year, the beach sees around 150 rescue missions.
Virginia Beach
What makes Virginia Beach, Virginia, one of the most dangerous beaches in the world is its massive population of wild foxes. What’s more alarming about these foxes, besides their aggressive nature, is that many of them are rabid. Rabid foxes first appeared on the Virginia coast in 2010, and they haven’t left since!
Unfortunately, foxes aren’t the only furry friends to be encountered on this beach; it is also home of raccoons and squirrels. Though they all seem small and harmless, don’t be fooled, these are very aggressive animals.
Schitovaya Bukhta Beach
Much like Bikini Atoll beach of the U.S Marshall, another spot that was utilized for nuclear tests in the past is the Schitovaya Bukhta shore of Russia. Thus, to this day nuclear submarines lie at the bottom of the water, leaking radiation.
As if nuclear radiation isn’t enough, the beach is surrounded by military facilities and equipment.