India is abundantly blessed with beautiful, scenic and sandy coastlines stretching as long as 7517kms. With numerous beaches available, no wonder tourists flock the Indian peninsula in search of relaxing seashores. Here’s a list of 16 Most beautiful beaches in India that will enthrall anyone who appreciates natural beauty.

1. Kovalam Beach, Kerala

Located in Thiruvananthapuram city, the Kovalam beach is popularly known as the paradise of south. With 17km of coastline of Arabian Sea, it comprises of the lighthouse beach, Hawah Beach, and the Samudra beach. While Lighthouse beach offers beautiful sunset, Samudra and Hawah offers clean sand with scenic palm trees.

Best time to visit: November to February

2. Calangute beach, Goa

Goa has many famous beaches; Calangute and Baga are two very famous ones. Situated in close proximity to each other, they offer a mesmerizing view of the ocean and provides many adventure sport activities for the tourists like parasailing, wind surfing, snake boats and more. Enjoy moonlight parties on these beaches during peak seasons.

Best time to visit: November to March

3. Marina Beach, Tamilnadu

Stretching for 13km alongside the Bay of Bengal, Marina beach is the most popular beach of Tamilnadu and also the longest beach in India. It also holds the record of being the second longest beach in the world. Take a morning stroll along side the beach and enjoy the calm sound of waves.

Best time to visit: November to February

4. Hariharishwar Beach, Maharashtra

Densely covered with trees on one side and offering a pristine feel with oceanic view on the other, the Hariharishwar beach is flocked by tourists especially during the weekends. Located in the close proximity are other two famous beaches of Dive agar and Shrivardhan. The scene of sunrise in the morning is a sight to behold at the Hariharishwar beach.

Best time to visit: October to December

5. Radhanagar Beach, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

A trip to Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a trip to the best of water and marine life. With breathtakingly beautiful beaches, it’s hard to pick one, but Radhanagar beach at the Havelock Island beats the rest for being spectacularly beautiful with crystal clear blue water and white sand. It is also awarded as Asia’s best beach by TIMES magazine.

Best time to visit: October to May

6. Puri Beach, Orissa

Also regarded scared by Hindu pilgrims, the Puri beach in Orissa is a perfect choice for beach lovers with its palm tree lining and sandy shore. Witness the amazing sand arts at the annual Puri Beach Festival.

Best time to visit: November to February

7. Kaup Beach, Karnataka

When at kaup beach, it’s hard to imagine, how a beach so beautiful is still less explored as compared to other beaches of the country. The beach has a 19th century lighthouse built on a giant rock boulder adding to its beauty. This is one beach that roars when the sound of its waves touches the rocky shores.

Best time to visit: October to December

8. New Digha Beach, West Bengal

New Digha beach is the most popular of the few beaches of West Bengal. Tourists, specially the locals, come here during weekends to enjoy the sandy coast. It is a major attraction for tourists looking for sunbaths, seashells and souvenirs.

Best time to visit: September to December

9. Devka Beach, Daman & Diu

Devka beach located in the peaceful Daman & Diu is the perfect choice for water sport lovers. Water skiing, jet skiing, surfing and many other sporting activities attracts tourists from various places. Daman & Diu offers many untouched beaches with a serene and picturesque view.

Best time to visit: January to May & October to December

10. Agatti beach, Lakshadweep

The quiet Agatti beach is one of the best loved beaches by swimmers across the world. You can witness the marine life like nowhere else here. Indulge in scuba diving, kayaking, snorkeling along with witnessing coral reefs and coral fishes.

Best time to visit: January to April & October to December

11. Mandvi beach, Gujarat

Located on the coastline of Diu, the Ahmedpur Mandvi beach is the most famous of the fourteen beaches of Gujarat. Enjoy the black sand, beautiful shore and the peace of the beach. The locals around the area are extremely helpful and offer delectable Guajarati cuisine.

Best time to visit: October to March

12. Varkala Beach, Kerala

This beach truly describes the stunning beauty of the sea. The mesmerizing beach has cliffs but is otherwise flat at the shore, which is a unique characteristic. Enjoy paragliding and relax under the sun in peace at this majestic beach.

Best time to visit: October to March

13. Yarada Beach, Visakhapatnam

Sharing the coastline with Bay of Bengal, Andhra Pradesh is gifted with many magnificent beaches. Yarada is one of the best it has. With tranquility and serenity in abundance, this beach is still untouched and non-commercialised, thus, giving the tourists a perfect chance to explore the beauty of this coastline.

Best time to visit: November to February

14. Dhanushkodi Beach, Rameshwaram

Located twenty kilometers out of Rameshwaram, the Dhanushkodi beach is a sight to see with fishing boats sailing in the pristine waters. Once a big village, it was wiped completely in the 1964 cyclone, so now just a beach tourist spot.

Best time to visit: September to March

15. Promenade beach, Pondicherry

One of the major tourist attractions of Pondicherry, Promenade beach also has 27 meters tall lighthouse that adds to its charm. It’s a perfect place to spend some quality time and relax. Don’t miss the beautiful sunrise at the beach.

Best time to visit: October to March

16. Benaulim Beach, South Goa

South Goa has many scenic and beautiful beaches and Benaulim beach is one such exotic coastline. It offers a variety of recreational activities and delectable food in the nearby shacks. Go for a dolphin spotting trip, indulge in paragliding, water skiing or simple lay back and relax.

Best time to visit: November to February

Sea, which covers more than 71% of earth, is bound to be majestic and captivating. But not every country is blessed with pristine sea shores like India. So don’t forget to add these mesmerizing beaches to your travel bucket.