Ninety Mile Beach

We all love the seaside. We flock there in our droves to find relaxation, sunshine and good times. The world has an endless choice of beaches from palm-fringed idylls to wild inlets. Here’s five of the best beaches that left me with lasting memories. Please share your favourites too!

JOKULSARLON, ICELAND

This isn’t a beach to pop your towel down and sunbathe. Wrap up warm and marvel at the fragments of glacier scattered over black sands, giving it the popular name of Diamond Beach. Chunks of ice pepper the shoreline here on the southern Icelandic coast. A must-see on any trip to Iceland. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE ICELANDIC LANDSCAPES

PRAIA DE CHAVES, CAPE VERDE

A dramatic stretch of sand on the island of Boa Vista in this Atlantic archipelago, with crashing waves on one side and dunes on the other. There’s plenty of warm weather and delicious sunsets. You can explore or simply crumple into a sun lounger. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

KHOR AL ADAID, QATAR

This is a corner of the Arabian Peninsula where the desert dunes meet the sea. The chances are you’ll arrive in a four-wheel drive buggy after some stomach-churning (but fun) ‘dune bashing’. The swathes of sand and bright blue sea will relax you, while picnics and paddling are also options. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

NINETY MILE BEACH, NEW ZEALAND

As the name suggests, this is one heck of a stretch of sand in the far north of New Zealand. With its huge blue skies and wide horizons, this place is a tonic for the soul. You might zoom along the beach in a bus and end up dune boarding. The Kiwis like to relax and exhilarate you in equal measure. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE OF NORTH NEW ZEALAND

PLAGE D’AGADIR, MOROCCO

This Moroccan seaside resort may not have the wow factor of some beaches, but has stuck in my mind as my most recent overseas destination. It’s an admirable stretch of Atlantic sand with plenty of life. It’s surprisingly photogenic and puts on marvellous sunsets. Paddling in the sea or ambling along the corniche make it a worthy destination. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE ON AGADIR

This is a country that may be geographically distant from Britain, but feels a lot like going home.

I made that long journey from Manchester to New Zealand and toured the Pacific island nation from south to north.

The upper half of this land is its population and urban powerhouse, home to largest city Auckland and administrative capital Wellington.

But it’s still an island of wilderness, boasting volcano peaks, geothermal wonders cared for by the Maori people, and vast beaches.

It’s also a rich place for photography with vast, electric blue skies, varied landscapes and intriguing detail. New Zealand is definitely worth the hike.