25 Most Dangerous Beaches You Might Not Want To Visit

Located in the heart of Mumbai, Chowpatty Beach is one of India’s most famous beaches. Unfortunately, it is also one of the deadliest beaches in India and the most crowded and polluted in the world too. Considering the enormous amount of garbage left on the beach by visitors, the chances of catching something really bad are very high here.

Situated on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, Hanakapiai Beach is stunningly beautiful…but there is a dark side to it – extremely strong rip currents that can drag even excellent swimmers out to sea with no chance of returning. According to local authorities, more than 30 people have drowned here since 1970.

Found on the southern coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, Playa Zipolite is sometimes translated as “the beach of the dead,” and there is a good reason for that. There are very strong undercurrents in this area that supposedly used to claim about 50 human lives each year, making it one of the deadliest beaches in the world.

A popular tourist resort on the southern coast of South Africa, Gansbaai is considered the “Great White Shark Capital of the World.” Thousands of Great White Sharks gather along Gansbaai’s beaches between April and September. During this time, there is a 99% chance of a tourist spotting a shark right from the beach.

Politically, the Heard Island belongs to Australia, but geographically, it is much closer to Antarctica. One of the most remote places in the world, the island has a beautiful beach surrounded by massive glaciers ,but its extreme location is also why this beach is on the list – the freezing Antarctic climate makes it a very dangerous spot to hang around.

An urban beach along the Arabian Sea in the Indian state of Gujarat, the Dumas Beach has always been shrouded in mystery. Originally a cremation ground, the beach is considered one of the most haunted and deadliest beaches in India. There have been several reported disappearances here, and it doesn’t seem to be the sharks that are doing the taking.

With as many as eight people killed by sharks in just five years, Second Beach in Port St. John’s, South Africa, is one of the world’s deadliest beaches for shark attacks. Most of the attacks are blamed on bull sharks, which are found in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers.

Kilauea Beach is one of many spectacular beaches found in Hawaii; however, it is also one of the most dangerous beaches in the world as it is located right next to an active volcano. The volcano has been constantly erupting since January 3rd 1983, so there’s a little chance of catching it on an “off” day.

Located in North Yorkshire, UK, Staithes Beach is also one of the world’s most dangerous beaches. The coastal spot attracts surfers for its big waves, but it’s been declared one of the worst beaches in Europe as the water is so polluted here that it fails to meet the basic human standards for water sports.

Despite numerous wonderfully beautiful beaches with snow-white sand and warm, crystal clear waters, the Australian island Fraser is extremely dangerous for recreation. The deserted beaches are home to deadly spiders and wild dingo dogs, which often attack people. The sea is also infested with sharks and jellyfish.

Home to an astounding 238 shark attacks, New Smyrna Beach in Florida consistently ranks among beaches with the highest number of shark attacks in the world. However, despite these alarming numbers, there has yet to be a fatal attack at this popular beach; most of the bites are from young bull sharks nibbling for what they think is food.

Located near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, the Bikini Atoll has astonishing beaches and diverse marine wildlife, but it was the site of 23 nuclear tests performed by the US military between 1946 and 1958. Although it has been more than 5 decades since the bombs were dropped on the atoll, the radiation levels are still dangerously high.

The North Sentinel Island is one of the Andaman Islands that belong to India. The island has picturesque beaches and stunning nature, but the natives are extremely hostile and violent toward any outsiders. They reject any contact with other people and have been even known to kill several intruders.

This Russian beach is regarded one of the greatest spots for surfing, but you need to have a surf permit from the local authorities because of the number of restricted military facilities in this area. Also, the peninsula is home to the Russian Navy and their no longer used nuclear submarines. The radiation from these nuclear submarines has already caused several incidents.

Located in the city of Recife, Brazil, the Boa Viagem Beach is a popular vacation spot for both Brazilian and outside visitors, but local waters are infested with sharks that come from a deep trench close to the beach. Over the past 20 years, there have been at least 56 shark attacks out which 21 were fatal, which is an unusually high death rate.

A popular tourist town in Western Australia, Broome has several beautiful beaches, but unfortunately, they are usually infested with box jellyfish (also known as Irukandji). In the last 5 years, there were as many as 159 box jellyfish stings recorded in the town. Stings of these creatures are extremely painful and can even be lethal.

Just like any other Amazon beach, the beaches in Manaus are dangerous mainly because of the creatures living in the river. A swim or paddle in the river means you are sharing the water with piranhas, anacondas, electric eels, and other dangerous animals.

Considered one of the most romantic beaches in the world, the Utakleiv Beach looks really beautiful under the midnight sun; however the local extreme arctic climate of the Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway makes it dangerously cold. The water can cause serious problems even for the most hardened swimmers.

While there have been several shark attacks reported at the iconic Brazilian beach of Copacabana, it is actually the high crime rate that makes this beach dangerous. Thefts and robberies are quite common at Copacabana, so if you want to visit this famous holiday spot, it’s highly recommended that you leave all your valuables at the hotel.

Thanks to its soft sands and turquoise waters, the Lamu Island was once one of Keyna’s most popular beach resorts. Unfortunately, few tourists dare to visit this spectacular place these days because of the threat posed by the Islamic terrorist groups in neighboring Somalia. These terrorist groups have already kidnapped several tourists from local resorts.

From the air, the shoreline of the Skeleton Coast in Namibia looks wonderful – a deep blue sea, lots of great surf, and infinite dunes. From land, however, it’s a different story. This extreme piece of land got its name from whale and seal skeletons, but many people have died here too due to the harsh local environment.

Located just outside the Sydney Central Business District, Tamarama Beach is the most dangerous patrolled beach in the Australian state of New South Wales. The beach is frequented by Sydney-siders as well as foreign visitors, but the strong rip currents often pull even experienced swimmers out to the open sea.

Before throwing yourself into the crystal clear waters of West End, a coastal town located on the Grand Bahama Island, you should check the water for shark fins first. There are abundant shark populations around this beautiful Caribbean island, the largest population being tiger sharks.

Gorgeous sandy beaches, sunny climate, and cheap holiday packages make Spanish coastal regions such as the famous Costa del Sol very popular vacation destinations, but high winds combined with strong rip currents have caused several drowning deaths here, especially at beaches without lifeguards.

Located in Northern Queensland, Australia, Cape Tribulation is a coastal resort with amazing white-sand beaches. However, the area is also home to jellyfish, venomous snakes, crocodiles and cassowaries – large, flightless birds related to emus, that, when bothered, can be very aggressive and may inflict serious injuries.