Whether it's a flawlessly palm-lined coast, incredible underwater reefs teeming with sea life, or the perfect thatched-roof bar serving an impeccable margarita, we all have our own criteria for our favorite beaches in the world. Take a look at what the experts consider to be some of the very best beaches on the planet, and let us know your favorite in the comments section!

Belize
Belize's entire eastern border runs along the Caribbean Sea, and there are also hundreds of cayes found offshore that are completely surrounded by water. As you might imagine, this kind of setup means that you'll find a good amount of Belize beaches to enjoy. The mainland coastal town of Placencia offers what many consider to be the best beach in Belize. Thankfully, wherever you find yourself in Belize, a nice Belizean beach is never too far off. Read more>

Puerto Rico
Flamenco Beach on Culebra island has been dubbed the "best beach in America" and the "best escape beach" by relevant authorities. A mile or so of striking white coral sand is juxtaposed by turquoise waters and well covered hills. But this beach offers more than the best stretch of coast in Puerto Rico - it offers an atmosphere of solitude. Read more>

Seychelles
With breath-taking sunsets, powder-white beaches, the Seychelles are a tropical paradise like no other. And not just because of the endemic coco-de-mer palm whose startling resemblance to the female form has many believing it to be the biblical forbidden fruit. The main islands of this tiny Indian Ocean archipelago are the only mid-oceanic granite islands in the world. Read more>

South Africa
Addington Beach along Durban's well-known Golden Mile, boasts beautiful golden sands and clear warm Indian Ocean waters. It's a broad, sandy shore line extending way beyond the bathing zone. The waters are protected by the entrance of the harbor making it an ideal swimming spot for those who prefer calm waters and for young ones. Read more>

South America
Jericoacoara stands out for its majestic beauty and perfect conditions for Kite and Windsurfing. Jeri, as locals call it, is one of the longest beaches in the world, surrounded by dunes and fresh-water lagoons, which attract visitors in search of peace and quiet but also offers great winds for sports activities. Read more>

Tahiti
Tahiti covers over two million square miles of the South Pacific Ocean and is comprised of 118 islands spread over five great archipelagos. Many islands are crowned with jagged peaks while others appear to barely float above the breaking waves. Spread over an area as large as Western Europe, the total land mass of all the islands adds up to an area only slightly larger than the tiny state of Rhode Island. Read more>

Thailand
The eleven islands at the heart of the Ko Similan National Park are among the most exciting diving destinations in Thailand. Massive granite boulders set magnificently against turquoise waters give the islands their distinctive character, but it's the thirty-metre visibility that draws the divers. Read more>

Turkey
Ölüdeniz is Turkey's most famous bay. This world-famous azure lagoon has a bright sandy beach surrounded by trees. The Meri is the oldest and most beautiful hotel here, and also the only hotel directly on the lagoon. Read more>

Miami. Home of swimsuits, skin and sun. Three days was plenty of time to soak up the taste of our southern-most beach. Let me start from the beginning...

I live and work in the greatest city in America -- New York. I am surrounded by hustle, bustle and energy 24 hours a day. Come summer time, however, many New Yorkers leave the city to the tourists and seize any opportunity to catch some fresh air elsewhere.

One such opportunity for me this past summer was to tag along with my friend Erica who does sales for a swimwear company. Her company is one of many that participate in Swim Week, a promotional event for swimwear designers to show off their goods while wining and dining potential clients. Who am I to pass up the opportunity to live at the beach for free for a week?

Arriving at the hotel on Collins Ave (one of two major thoroughfares paralleling the beach) it was late in the evening. I was not too enthusiastic about running around the city to find Erica who had flown ahead of me. Fortunately, while hotels in Miami have perfected the art of indoor/outdoor living space, Erica had perfected the art of making friends in our hotel's mixed-space lobby and was not hard to find.

The next morning, bright and early (at about 12:30pm) I woke up. Carpe Diem. I had a date with beach side service that was just waiting to bring me breakfast.

I learned quickly if you are going to stay in South Beach you need to stay at a hotel on the beach. If you are not on the beach, your hotel likely does not have beach service...and it quite possibly is the best thing known to man.

Imagine walking out of the gate to your hotel, facing the bright blue ocean. A golf cart zips you across the sand to chaise chairs set up with fluffy mattresses and towels - then the waiter comes. The only thing really better than the beach was the poolside service -- and only because the hotel's resident DJ played music all day.

In addition to plenty of beach action, we also took time to explore the city. We saw the Versace mansion. We saw Miami's unique form of banner advertising. And went back to see more of the beach.

On my last day in Miami, I tagged along with Erica to a few shows swimsuit shows. Companies had set up tents along the beach, Bryant Park style, and were working the runway. Not wanting to be outdone by the competition during Swim Week, Playboy swimwear created its own version of a runway show. No, Hef was not there. Yes, some of the models were Bunnies. Yes, the show was at a club that did not let me in at first because I was wearing a tank top. Classy.

The next morning I packed up, not forgetting the $14.99 shirt I bought to cover my tank top from the night before, and headed back to the airport. Goodbye Miami, I'll be back again for your beach service, but while sun is fun, New York is home.

Part of the ABC Islands, Bonaire is widely considered to be the best place for snorkelers and divers in the Caribbean. Check out what there is to see and do in this guide fro Lonely Planet.

Even though snow may be on the ground, in Cameroon there's sand, surf and sun! PilotGuides has the ultimate insight into the chocolate-colored sands of Seme Beach and how you can be sinking your toes into the beach in no time.