The 10 Deadliest Beaches on Earth—Would You Dare Visit?
One of the main reasons most people go to the beach is to relax, enjoy great family time, or soak up in the sun after a great swim. But unlike what most of us would like to imagine, not all beaches offer such experiences. While some carry serious risk factors, others could turn your vacation into a survival story.
And the last thing you want is a shark chasing you down while you’re taking a dip in the ocean.
To make sure you plan your beach day more cautiously, we’ve covered the most dangerous and deadly beaches on earth – we hope you don’t dare to visit!
Cape Tribulation, Australia
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Let’s just say everything at Cape Tribulation wants to kill you. This gorgeous yet terrifying beach in Queensland lives up to its name. It’s not just the saltwater crocodiles that lurk in the shallows you should be worried about, but other notorious killers like box jellyfish. And if you thought that was all, this UNESCO World Heritage site is also home to the Southern cassowary, which is a massive bird with dagger-like claws.
Hanakāpīʻai Beach, Hawaii
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This picturesque beach is so dangerous that it can swallow swimmers. It’s basically a trap in disguise. The strong and unpredictable rip currents here have been responsible for over 30 recorded deaths between 1970 to 2010. Even experienced swimmers have been pulled out to sea, never to return.
Playa Zipolite, Mexicos
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With a nickname like “Playa de los Muertos” (Beach of the Dead), you know things aren’t exactly safe. This beautiful beach has the most violent waves and undercurrents. For years, locals and tourists alike have drowned here. It has fairly earned itself a reputation as a surfer’s dream and a swimmer’s nightmare.
Skeleton Coast, Namibia
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The Skeleton Coast is a graveyard for ships, animals, and sometimes, people. This beach is so remote and dangerous that even early explorers referred to it as “The Land God Made in Anger.” And even if you survive the water, the scorching desert behind the beach offers no escape. Oh, and did we mention the great white sharks that patrol the waters?
Fraser Island, Australia
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This nightmare of a beach has an absurd number of ways to die. Swimming here? Watch out for great white sharks. And if you managed to dodge those, don’t get stung by a jellyfish whose venom causes excruciating pain, paralysis, and sometimes heart failure. On land, the wild dingoes have been known to attack tourists, sometimes fatally.
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
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If you have even the slightest fear of sharks, stay far away from New Smyrna Beach. This Florida hotspot holds the world record for the most shark attacks, with over 300 recorded bites since tracking began. Most of these attacks involve bull sharks who mistake surfers and swimmers for prey.
Kilauea Black Sand Beach, Hawaii
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Most beaches offer sunsets and ocean breezes—this one offers lava and toxic gases. Kilauea Beach has one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Eruptions can happen at any time, sending molten rock spilling into the ocean. If you’ve ever wanted to experience the closest thing to hell on Earth, this is it.
Gansbaai, South Africa
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Nicknamed “Shark Alley,” this South African beach has one of the highest populations of great white sharks in the world. Surfers, divers, and thrill-seekers come from all over to cage dive with these massive predators—but accidental encounters outside the cage have been deadly.
Reunion Island, Indian Ocean
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Reunion Island had to ban swimming altogether because shark attacks became too frequent. The island saw 24 shark attacks, 13 of them fatal between 2011 and 2019—a higher percentage of attacks than anywhere else in the world.
Utakleiv Beach, Norway
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It may be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but the waters off Utakleiv Beach in Norway can kill you in minutes. Even in the summer, the ocean temperature rarely rises above 50°F (10°C). You won’t last more than a few minutes without proper gear before your body starts shutting down from hypothermia.
Chowpatty Beach, India
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Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai is out of the list for an entirely different reason—pollution. It is one of the most contaminated coastlines in the world, with industrial waste, raw sewage, and garbage covering the shore and water. Swimming here isn’t just gross—it’s a serious health risk.
Praia de Boa Viagem, Brazil
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This picture-perfect beach is crawling with sharks. Since 1992, it has seen many shark attacks, many of them involving bull sharks. What makes it even scarier? The construction of a nearby port disrupted marine ecosystems, driving sharks closer to shore, where they now hunt in shallow waters.
Copacabana Beach, Brazil – Beauty, Chaos, and Crime
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Copacabana Beach is the perfect example of beauty, chaos, and crime! Tourists are frequently targeted by pickpockets, armed robbers, and even gangs. Adding to the danger, Copacabana’s waves can be unpredictably rough too. Strong rip currents can pull swimmers far out to sea before they even realize what’s happening.
North Sentinel Island, Indian Ocean
Credit: Wikipedia
This beach isn’t dangerous because of sharks, riptides, or jellyfish—it’s dangerous because the people who live here will kill you on sight. North Sentinel Island is home to the Sentinelese, an indigenous tribe that has lived in complete isolation for thousands of years. They have zero contact with the outside world, and every attempt to approach the island has been met with violent resistance.
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands
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This remote Pacific island was once a nuclear testing site for the U.S. military. While the island looks like paradise, the radiation levels are still dangerously high and unsafe for human habitation. But that’s not the only problem—Bikini Atoll’s waters are also home to sharks, shipwrecks, and unexploded ordnance left behind from nuclear tests.