Nikki Beach, St Tropez
Vibe: Jet-set and brash
Feast your eyes on this small white-sand beach, one of the most exclusive in St Tropez, with a minimalist seaside swimming pool, chic deckchairs and speedboats. Fly in by private jet or helicopter.
See: The Prince of Monaco, Bono and beautiful people with cash to flash
Wear: Patterned cut-out one-piece swimsuits, accessorise with your green, beaded Chloe bracelet bag
Drink: Dom Perignon Champagne

Salinas, Ibiza, Spain
Vibe: Hippy happy meets trendy party
Big rocks and bronzed travellers dot this unspoilt beach in one of the ultimate summer party towns. At the end of the golden strip, you'll find Sa Trinxa (pronounced 'Sa Trincha') bar with the best music and pre-party ambience.
See: Ubercool laid-back beautiful people
Wear: Ponchos, kaftans and carry BIG bags
Drink: Mojito cocktails at sunset as the house music mingles with the sound of crashing waves

Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
Vibe: Serious surfing and extreme tanning in the south, families at play up north
This big and beautiful wide crescent of powdery, golden sand sits just back from the city. After a day of riding waves, dig into a dish of orange roughy fish with linguine and thai sauce.
See: Everyone's invited to this party
Wear: Go topless to show off your golden tan, set off with skimpy Mambo bikini bottoms. Or sport surf gear in the trendy south
Drink: Melted ice cream

Super Paradise, Mykonos, Greece
Vibe: Beach games and overt flirtation while techno blasts from the bar
Burn your feet on the crunchy, golden sand of this cute bay, washed by clear waters and flecked with rusty fishermen's boats. Smell fried calamari fresh from the taverns and the heady scent of dancing bodies.
See: Gay and up-for-it party crowd
Wear: Buttock-moulding shorts and calf-defining boots, or techno gear and a tan
Drink: Red Karpouzi shakers

Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Vibe: Sexy Samba
Long, wide and dazzling white, this beach has as its backdrop the big city and a scattering of verdant mountains. It's the main Rio rendezvous year round. And on New Year's Eve, two million people party here - the dress code is white.
See: Anyone who will wear a thong (boys included)
Wear: Rosa Chá's 2004 swimwear collection
Drink: Caipirinha (lime, Cachaca, sugar and lots of ice)

Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall, UK
Vibe: Sea, sport and sun (when it's not raining)
Take your pick; firm pecs or pink sunburned thighs at this English Cornwall coast favourite. The curve of golden sand, split in two by the headland, is washed twice daily by the strong tides so it's sparkling clean. From here, you can see the pastel pinks and baby blues of Newquay town.
See: Surfers and surfer groupies, stag and hen night parties and the odd, more sober holiday-maker.
Wear: Wide knee-long shorts with Sex Wax in your pocket (it's for waxing your board, silly), wet suits - and big jumpers (when the weather's bad)
Drink: As much beer as much as you can

Anjuna Beach, Goa, India
Vibe: Fluorescent painted palm trees and full moon parties
Bodies sway in abandon, dancing on fine, white sand among the palm trees in this picture-perfect location. Let your free spirit come out to play.
See: Backpackers, hippies, monks and artists
Wear: Tie-dyed, homemade, Buddhist-inspired styles
Drink: Green coconut (a jelly-like substance from, you guessed it, green coconuts)

Railay, Krabi, Thailand
Vibe: Chilled, adventurous and oozing natural beauty
This crescent beach of golden sand is cradled by sheer, sandstone cliffs and lapped by crystal waters. Luxury hotels are at one side, tree-houses for budget travellers on the other. Choose your spot in the sand.
See: Students on their gap year, broke backpackers, rock climbers and luxury travellers
Wear: Thai fishermen's trousers, sarongs and Red Bull (in Thai) T-shirts
Drink: Coke, Red Bull and Sangtip whiskey drowned in ice and whipped up into a cocktail

Miami Beach, USA
Vibe: Merengue and hip-hop with ladies who like to show off their curves
Long, Latin strip of fine, white sand by the buzz of South Beach. The water is pastis green and you can forget you're in a big city, although it's just a step away. Bars and restaurants are nearby but discreet.
See: An exotic many-coloured crowd
Wear: Sophisticated shorts with bright and brash accessories or rapper slouch style
Drink: Rum and Coke

Paris Plage, Paris, France
Vibe: This beach is as fake as your tan
This surreal vision of parasols, palm tress, deckchairs and swim-suited Parisians spreads out its carpet of golden, imported sand on the Right Bank of the River Seine in summer. Concerts and dances keep the ambience festive.
See: Bourgeois-bohemians known as Bobos and city dwellers dreaming of the faraway sea
Wear: Forget you're in Paris - just bring out the glamour of St Tropez
Drink: Rosé wine