The 13 World’s Most Dangerous Beaches
If your beach holiday plans include reading, relaxing, and getting by, then these places should be crossed off your list.
Hawaii State Beach Hanakapiai
The beautiful two-mile hike to Kauai’s Hanakapiai Beach shows that looks aren’t always what they seem to be. Even though the place may look like heaven, the water has very strong rip currents. The sign on the path keeps track of how many people have died because they didn’t care and went swimming anyway. The Outdoor Project says that the rip currents are so strong because there isn’t a reef in this part of the coast. The 12 best beaches in the United States are better places to go.
Fla.’s New Smyrna Beach
People who go to New Smyrna Beach are more likely to be attacked by sharks than people who go to any other beach in the world. Since 2009, more than 80 bites have been reported at this beach. That may not seem like a lot, but it is a lot more than anywhere else. There are 13 facts about shark attacks that might surprise you. One of them is how often they happen.
South Africa — Gansbaai
Shark Alley is a stretch of water not far from the coast of this family-friendly vacation spot. Shark cage diving, in which people are put in cages that keep sharks out and get close to the animals, makes the place seem a little safer. Digital Nomad, on the other hand, says that every day a “inordinate amount of blood and chum is dumped along the South African shoreline” to get the sharks to come close to the boats. Take a vacation at one of these beautiful beaches with pink sand from around the world.
The Australian Cape Tribulation
Cape-Trib.com recommends wearing a “stinger suit” if you want to swim in the water near the appropriately named Cape Tribulation. This is because the area is full of jellyfish that will sting you. There are also many saltwater crocodiles, and people who live there warn tourists not to swim in the mouths of rivers. If that isn’t enough to keep you from going into the water, here are some more reasons: Big birds that can’t fly called cassowaries have claws that look like daggers and “can disembowel you.” There are also burning trees whose leaves have sharp edges that can really hurt you.
In Mexico, Playa Zipolite
If someone calls a place the “Beach of Death,” you might not want to go there. Playa Zipolite looks like a beautiful oasis, but the water there has strong currents that could kill you. A special lifeguard team has been put in place because the beach is getting too busy, but you might still want to go somewhere else. There is water that is very clear at these 10 spots around the world.
UK’s Morecambe Bay in Lancashire
Strange things in Morecambe Bay, like quicksand, changing channels, and river drainages, make it “a treacherous place,” as The Guardian put it. To get around, locals have used horse-drawn carts and trucks with trailers, but the equipment always sinks into the quicksand and is never seen again.
In South Carolina, Myrtle Beach
A SafeWise study of crimes per capita in 2017 ranked Myrtle Beach as the third most dangerous city in the United States. It may not have as many sharks or as many pollution problems as some of the other places on this list. However, residents disagreed with the ranking. “If you’ve been to Myrtle Beach or live here, it makes no sense at all,” Mark Kruea, a spokesman for the city, told ABC 15 News after the story came out. Check out these 20 great family beaches you could visit this summer for more ideas.
Beach in Chowpatty, Mumbai
Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai is on this list because it is so polluted: The water and shores are cloudy with trash and other things. To make things even worse, a ship sank in the area in 2011 and 60,000 metric tonnes of coal fell into the water. The water isn’t really good for having fun at the beach. In the same way, find out the gross truth about Hawaii’s white sand beaches.
The Australian island of Fraser
People from all over the world come to Fraser Island to go on adventures because it is famous for ecotourism. But the beach conditions aren’t always stable, and attacks by the island’s dingoes have killed people. It is advised that tourists do not run down sand hills or jump into lakes. Because of attacks and safety concerns, the Queensland government had to act in the middle of 2019 to control the island’s dingo population, add ranger patrols, and start a strict education programme along with over $7,000 fines for people who were seen bothering the dingos.
South American beaches on the Amazon
People who like to swim should be aware of the anacondas, electric eels, piranhas, and vampire fish (candiru) that live here. A lot of gang-related crimes, like drug dealing and theft, happen in the area, which is a shame. There are hundreds of small rivers that make it easier for thieves to get away, just like pirates did in the past.
The Northern Territory of Australia
Australia has a lot of dangerous animals, not just land animals. You’ll share the water with hungry saltwater crocs, stonefish, jellyfish, and a lot more in this faraway part of the continent. And because it’s so far away (most beaches don’t have names; the area is called Arnhem Land), anyone calling for help might not get an answer for a long time. Here are the 20 best family spots for more holiday ideas that are good for kids.
UK’s Staithes Beach
Surfers may be drawn to Staithes Beach in Yorkshire for its big waves, but they won’t be so interested in what’s in the water. Because there are so many pollutants at the beach, the EU keeps putting it on its “swimming prohibited” list. The BBC says that farm water dumped into the harbour is the main cause of the high pollution levels. Dominic Shepherd, a water quality manager for an environmental body, said, “Breakwaters make the problem worse because they keep the water in the harbour and stop it from mixing with water from the sea.”
Haleakalč, Hawaii
Kilauea’s black sand beaches look pretty cool, but the nearby active volcano has been spewing lava into the air for 35 years straight. It means that the water can get really hot, up to 110 degrees. Hot! Find out which places made the list of the world’s most dangerous tourist spots that aren’t beaches.
