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5 of the Most Instagrammable Beach Views in the World

Part of the reason why we love the beach life are the picturesque views we get to experience every single day. We’re not ashamed to say that even our personal Instagram accounts are flooded with coastal views and ocean images— they’re amazing, and we can’t get enough! We are firm believers that if you’re going to go on holiday, you’re going to want photos to remember the best vacation of your life. If you’re looking for holiday inspiration (or are dreaming of the beach at work), we’ve outlined our top 5 picks for the most Instagram-worthy beaches all around the world! 

1. Navagio Beach, Zakynthos, Greece

Also known as Shipwreck Beach, this beach has been deemed the most beautiful beach in the world, and it’s clear that it deserves all the hype. This beach is stunning. Don’t believe us? Take a peek at our aerial photography of this beach and all its beauty, and hopefully we can convince you. It’s located on the island of Zakynthos, which is a short flight away from Athens or Santorini, so you can easily fit it into your current Greek holiday plans! The shipwreck that it’s famous for washed onto the beach in 1983, and every day, tourists ride taxi boats to see it up close. From the wreck that you can literally touch to the white sands, caves, and crystal clear water, you can surely capture every beautiful moment here. Vacation goals! 

1. Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, California

This beach is sort of a hidden gem in California. It’s definitely not one of the busier beaches, and honestly, we love that. It features a jaw-dropping rock arch with a little tunnel-like hole in the middle. Our descriptions definitely do not do this view justice, we know (and we apologize!), but you’ll have to believe us when we say that it is one of the coolest things we’ve ever seen. If you go there after it rains, you’ll be able to see the purple sand that it’s known for. We’re unsure of the science behind it, but we love it, and our cameras love it even more. 

1. Huntington Beach, California

Another Californian gem, this beach is one that you’ve probably seen pictures of before. If you’re looking for the breezy, Californian beach backdrop, this is it. This beach has been lovingly named Surf City, USA, and its intense surf culture explains why. This is the beach to go to if you’re looking to surf in California. Whether you’re there to watch other surfers at the Vans US Open of Surfing or you’re looking to learn yourself, you can find something there, and your Instagram feed will thank you. This beach is known for their iconic pier (you’ll know it when you see it, thanks to the countless movies and TV shows it’s been featured in) and its smaller beaches, so while Huntington is a major tourist destination, we’re confident you’ll still be able to find some space for yourself + your selfies. 

1. Bondi Beach, NSW

Another one of the most famous beaches in the world, Bondi Beach is a tourist must-see. It’s perfect if you’re looking for a laid-back holiday and the photos to prove it. This beach is amazing for laying out and working on your (sunscreen-laden) tan! Bondi features numerous festivals throughout the year so depending on when you book your holiday, you might be able to catch one of them! This beach is absolutely beautiful, and the fact that it’s a famous tourist attraction constantly greeting people throughout the day does not take away from that. With the beautiful clear waters and surfers speckled throughout the waves, this beach has one of the most picturesque views in the world. So much so, that we’ve dedicated an entire collection of aerial beach photos to this one beach. We cannot get enough of it! 

1. Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue Island, Seychelles

Don’t get us wrong, this beach might be last on our list but it is definitely not the least beautiful. The Anse Source d’Argent on La Digue Island in the Seychelles is famously known as the most photographed beach in the world, and it’s so easy to see why. This beach is so beautiful, even its name sounds incredibly luxe. This beach almost doesn’t seem real, if we’re being honest. Its boulder-lined shore and white sands kissed by the clearest water we’ve ever seen ranks this beach high on our holiday bucket list. We’ve been told that you can walk about 1km into the water and still be only waist-deep in water, so it’s perfect for water photography and taking advantage of various points of view when taking pictures! 

So, that’s our list of beaches that definitely deserve to go on the ‘gram. We are in love with all of these views and if we haven’t gotten a chance to visit all of them yet, it’s definitely a goal of ours. The beaches we have gone to hold a special place in our hearts, and on display in our homes and our Instagram feeds, and we can’t wait to add more memories to our list. Let us know which beaches you think have the best views! 

What to Pack on a Tropical Vacation (+ Things You Don’t Need)

 

Right now, you’re probably not actively planning a holiday in the tropics (unless you’re blessed enough to live within driving distance of a sandy beach), but what’s that to stop us from planning for next year? We are always dreaming of our next tropical holiday, and since we have so much time before we can actually go on our trips, we’ve decided to outline our packing must-haves on holiday, and some things we can benefit from leaving at home. We’re notorious for over-packing for holidays, so this list is incredibly helpful for us to stay on track, and we hope it could help you as well! 

 

1. Bathing Suit (obviously)

 

You can’t go on holiday to the tropics and not bring a couple of bathing suits. We love to bring at least two, so you can alternate between them while the other dries after a day in the water! Bathing suits are also not bulky, so you can fit as many as you want in your suitcase and show off the summer purchases you made in isolation (*wink, wink*). 

 

1. Sandals + Sneakers + Dinner Shoes

 

I tend to overpack in the shoe department. I always think that I’m going to need 5 pairs of shoes on a 7 day long holiday… but we’re working on it. I have narrowed it down to two or three pairs: sandals or flip flops for the beach, a pair of sneakers if you’re planning on hiking or adventuring around the island or resort, and a pair of dressier shoes for dinner. Sometimes, you can even combine and condense these into only two pairs, or you can leave one out if you know you won’t need it! This is just based on my personal experience.

 

1. Breezy Clothing Options

 

This is important, because depending on where you live, your outfit to travel might not fit the climate of your destination. The worst feeling is having to buy a whole new wardrobe in the middle of your vacation because the clothes you brought with you were too warm for the weather! P.S., you can’t go wrong with light, breathable materials such as linen or a lightweight cotton, and leggings for the flight over! 

 

1. Camera + Cell phone + Chargers + Batteries

 

Depending on the quality of your cell phone camera, you might be able to get away with just bringing your phone— that is, unless you’re a photographer! Also, don’t forget chargers and extra camera batteries! 

 

1. Backpack/ Tote Bag

 

I will usually end up bringing a backpack or oversized tote bag as my in-flight carry-on, and that way, I can fit my toiletry bag, socks for the flight, and my iPad and books, and have them with me on the flight! It also acts as extra storage space if I go on a hike or to bring my beach towel and sunscreen to the water! 

 

1. Personal Hygiene Products

 

This is so important— a lot of beach towns and resort gift shops will have personal hygiene products, but usually at an elevated price. Here are our must-haves when travelling! We love keeping sample-sized bottles from makeup stores to store these in when travelling!

 

• Sunscreen
• Toothbrush + enough toothpaste to last the duration of my trip
• Aloe/Post Sun Care
• A gentle exfoliant
• Moisturizer 
• A deep conditioner for your hair if you struggle with dry hair in warm climates
• Wipes for long flights and to refresh your face throughout the day

 

1.  Advil + something for stomach troubles

 

This is something that’s easily forgotten, but so important to have in your bag when you travel! Pain relievers and anti-nausea medication are so expensive in airports and hotel gift shops, so to save money and the stress of looking for some when you really need it, we suggest keeping a travel-sized bottle of everything you’d possibly need in your carry-on! 

 

1. A good book (or four!)

 

With our busy schedule, we often don’t prioritize leisurely reading in our everyday lives (although we really should). When we go on holiday, we like to make reading for pleasure a priority again. There’s also something about being on holiday and being beach-side that inspires us to reach books we wouldn’t normally read either (cue sappy romance novels). Some of our favorite beach reads include Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, The Nest by Cynthia Sweeney, and if you’re into mysteries, The Woman in the Window, by A.J. Flynn. There’s something about reading a chapter under the sun and taking a midday beachside nap that screams holiday and self-care to us, and we love it. 

 

1. A reusable water bottle

 

There’s nothing we’re more annoyed at than the inflated prices of drinks in airports. We have resorted to bringing our own reusable bottles, keeping them empty during security checks, and then refilling them at a water fountain before our flight! It saves tons of money, and also saves tons of plastic from entering landfills! Airports have also upgraded a lot of their amenities to include water-refill stations, and sometimes, you can even get hot water at some of them!

 

1. Travel Wallet

 

I am a little bit obsessed with keeping my travel documents in one central location when I go on holiday. It’s probably one of my biggest fears to lose a boarding pass or even worse, my passport, while I’m on the other side of the world. Because of that, I’ve become a little bit hyper-organized when it comes to storing my travel docs. Keeping your travel documents in one place is so important, and most wallets don’t have the space to hold every ticket, itinerary, and passport for you and your family. Travel wallets are essentially just larger, tri-fold wallets with extra storage for passports, identification cards, cash, boarding passes, and everything else you’d need to get to your holiday destination! I was able to find mine on Amazon for less than $20, and it’s held up really well over the years! The last thing you need is added stress from losing an important piece of identification on the vacation of your dreams!

Things You Probably Don’t Need

 

1. Electronic hair products

 

I have made this mistake so many times when traveling to the tropics. I always convince myself that I’m going to need a flat iron to tame my wildly curly hair, but every time, it ends up being wasted space. Embrace the coastal hair— you’re on holiday! Don’t make the mistake of realizing halfway through a sticky, sweaty hair-straightening session that you’d rather just rock your natural hair!

 

1. Denim Jeans

 

No… just no. Denim is probably the least breathable material in fashion, and we don’t want you to be uncomfortable on holiday. Denim gets so bulky when folded, so you’d be taking up precious luggage space for jeans that you most likely won’t end up wearing in the tropics. Save the stress of losing packing space and leave them at home! 

 

1. Laptop

 

Honey, you’re on holiday— leave the work at home! It’ll be there when you get back, we promise. Use this time for some much needed self-care and relaxation, because after the year we’ve all had, we know you could use it. Don’t feel guilty about it either! Delete your work email account from your phone, leave your laptop at home, and enjoy yourself on holiday!

If this list doesn’t inspire you to look into booking coastal vacations as soon as it’s safe to do so, we don’t know what will. We hope that this list will help you in the midst of your holiday planning and last-minute packing, because this is what we’ll have in mind when we pack! Let us know what your go-to travel essentials are! 

We have always been in love with coastal, tropical decor in homes and offices. If you couldn’t tell how in love we are with coastal living, take a peek at our name. We’re so obsessed, we’ve created an entire business out of it. Because of our love for coastal living, we’ve managed to do a bit of research here and there to learn about what beachy decor entails...by ‘a bit’, we mean an absurd amount of research over the years. Here, we’ve narrowed down 10 of our favorite, incredibly simple ways to incorporate coastal design into your own spaces. Feel free to incorporate a tiny piece into your home, or use all of our inspirations and turn your entire house into a beach house— we’re here for both of those options! 

P.S: we’d love to see how you use these ideas as inspiration— tag us on instagram! #CoastalCo

Beach Prints + Photos

We may be biased, but this is our go-to when furnishing our homes with more coastal pieces. We are, after all, called Coastal Co. for a reason (*wink*). Adding a fun beachy print to any room will immediately add more of a coastal vibe to the space. If you want a certain beach or holiday remembered, we’re here! We have prints from so many beaches around the world— Bondi Beach, beaches in the Mediterranean, the Maldives, and we’re constantly looking for more beaches to photograph!  This is definitely the easiest way to add a coastal touch to your home, office, or even as a gift for a friend’s space!

Our prints also come with a framing option, and we’ll go deeper into the use of wood adding coastal flair to your space but here’s a teaser: our prints can be framed with a white wooden frame, or a natural timber frame, and both options look absolutely stunning among coastal decor (or even as a statement piece in a room needing a pop of coastal!)

Artwork

Similar to our aerial beach prints, adding other kinds of beach-inspired art pieces, or even abstract pieces with pops of color, add so much to the coastal, beachy theme of a room! You don’t even need to spend a whole lot of money on these pieces- coastal living is about tapping into your inner creative, breezy, simple self! We actually like to DIY a lot of the art pieces in our home! You don’t need any artistic ability, we promise! We’ll simply paint a few shapes and lines on canvas, or find an image on Pinterest that inspires us, and go from there!

Fruit

The most practical way to add a coastal, tropical flair to your home is literally by using fruit. Fruit that most people consider tropical like pineapples, guava, passionfruit, or mangos add the perfect tropical touch to your home! Gather them in a decorative bowl and let them be a (yummy) focal point for guests! These fruits are obviously seasonal, but you can use that to your advantage and take it as an opportunity to feature and try different new fruit as the season goes on! 

Tropical House Plants

My second personal favorite way to incorporate a beach vibe to any space in my house is through houseplants. I’m a sucker for a nice tropical houseplant, but at this point, any plant will do. My favorites for adding a tropical touch to my home are monstera deliciosas (such a popular one!), banana plants, pothos, and snake plants! All of these are incredibly easy to care for and also help increase the air quality in the rooms that they’re placed in! 

Bonus tip: the planters that you choose to place your plants in can make such a difference in accentuating the design of a space. I like to place my plants in planters that either show off a quirky, abstract design, or I’ll put it in a jute basket to elevate the coastal vibe of the room! See which designs and shapes stand out to you next time you’re plant shopping. 

Light, Breezy Textiles + Curtains

This is another incredibly easy and low-maintenance way to add a sense of coastal living to your home. Using light, breezy materials around your home make such a difference in the feel of the space. We love using our linen curtains so that sunlight can get through! This is different for everyone’s taste (I’m talking about you, blackout curtain folks) but if you’re okay with the sunlight streaming in in the mornings, lighter fabric is perfect! If you need complete darkness in order to sleep, consider a breathable sheet set or chic throw blanket! 

Getting rid of thick, bulky fabrics like wool and replacing it with fabrics that don’t necessarily have to be thinner, just ones that seem lighter, will transform the space in the easiest way! If you live in a colder climate but love the coastal vibe, we suggest flannels or 100% cotton. 

Texture

Playing into texture can add so much to your home’s decor, regardless of the overall theme you’re going for! For a coastal vibe, we love adding rope or macrame to add texture to decor pieces. Macrame wall hangings are so trendy this season, and they add the perfect touch of coastal! They’re also incredibly easy to DIY and style to match any room! We’ve also been loving woven baskets lately. These are so functional and so cute! 

Don’t be shy to play around with the textures in your home! Think of the coziness of a beach house or cottage— picture the accent pillows and throw blankets and how the linen pillows contrast against the thick-woven basket they’re stored in. Think of the smooth leaves of a houseplant and how they contrast against the cool porcelain of a trendy planter! There are so many options to play around with when it comes to texture, and we’re obsessed. 

Light Colors

When you think of a coastal holiday, you immediately think of the sunshine, right? Incorporate that into your home! I am a sucker for a monochromatic (usually all-black) outfit, but when it comes to my personal spaces, I am all for light shades of neutral colors and pastels. If I wouldn’t wear the color on holiday, I wouldn’t make it the focal color of my home decor! Lighter colors open up your space, making it appear larger than it is. Having all black and grey furniture, while stylish in its own way, isn’t exactly something we’d consider coastal. You can, however, accent them with lighter textiles and surrounding pieces and decor! Super easy!

Pops of Color

On the idea of lighter colors, pops of color add coastal flair to your space as well! Our “color pop choices” vary with the seasons, but right now, we’re loving pops of green, yellow, and peach around our home! Moral of the story: stay away from too many dark colors when decorating a coastal-themed space!

Natural Light (or Its Artificial Counterpart)

This is something that I make sure is in every home and office I consider when moving. I absolutely love an abundance of natural light in my spaces. I thrive in the sunlight, and I think it’s in my tropical lineage, but I cannot function when it’s dark and gloomy outside. It’s unrealistic to expect floor-to-ceiling windows to allow sunlight in every space and climate, but, when, possible, we like to open the windows to let the sunlight in for as long as possible! On gloomy days when we really need some sunlight, we like to pretend by installing full spectrum light bulbs instead of fluorescent ones, because full spectrum bulbs mimic sunlight! Anything other than harsh, fluorescent lighting is perfect, in our opinion.

Natural Woods and Wood-like Pieces

If we could, we would literally take driftwood off the shores on holiday and find a way to add them to our home decor. Since we can’t do that, we have resorted to finding natural, untinted frames and shelves. Similar to the way that lighter colors add depth to the space and give the illusion of having more space, natural woods brighten the walls that they’re on (if they’re shelves and frames), and add a minimal, beachy touch to any room!

These are just some of the ways that we’ve been trying to incorporate coastal living into our spaces, regardless of the season. Until we can live beside the ocean all year long, we’ll be aspirationally decorating our homes to pretend that we can go outside and enjoy the ocean air every morning instead of the chaos of the city. Coastal living is a whole vibe, and we’re so excited to be able to give you some beachy inspirations! 

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