A beach vacation is meant to be a tranquil break away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The sound of breaking waves, soft sand under your feet, and breathtaking views are what many would consider the ideal relaxing vacation. However, there are beaches in the world that are anything but relaxing.
We’ve compiled a list of beaches where it’s best not to let your guard down. Although the locations vary from the United Kingdom to South America, they all have one thing in common. These are some of the most dangerous beaches in the world. One beach is located next to an active volcano that spews lava into the water. Another is known as the shark capital of the world. At some of these beaches, wildlife threatens, from snakes to jellyfish to dangerous animals that roam the shoreline. Other locales are dangerous due to high crime rates and pollution. Click the gallery above for the 15 most dangerous beaches in the world.
Venice Beach

©Stefano Borsa/Shutterstock.com
- Location: California, USA
- Why it’s dangerous: Crime and pollution
Venice Beach is known for its vibrant boardwalk of funky shops and iconic skatepark. Unfortunately, it’s also known for high crime rates, especially at night.
Amazon River Beaches

©FotoRequest/Shutterstock.com
- Location: South America
- Why it’s dangerous: Wildlife
The Amazon River has several stretches of beautiful sandy beaches teeming with wildlife. However, dangerous creatures are lurking under the surface including electric eels, caimans, and piranhas.
New Smyrna Beach

©iStock.com/Javier_Art_Photography
- Location: Florida, USA
- Why it’s dangerous: Sharks
South of Daytona Beach is a beautiful white sand beach with aquamarine waters. Unfortunately, there are so many sharks swimming in the waters that it’s known as the “shark bite capital of the world.”
Hanakapiai Beach

©MNStudio/Shutterstock.com
- Location: Hawaii, USA
- Why it’s dangerous: Rip currents
One of the most beautiful and dangerous beaches in the world, Hanakapiai Beach is home to powerful rip currents.
Dumas Beach

©PixelSenses/Shutterstock.com
- Location: India
- Why it’s dangerous: Deadly king cobras and mysterious disappearances
This allegedly haunted beach has a population of venemous king cobras. But that’s not all, sometimes people mysteriously go missing while taking a stroll along the beach in the middle of the night.
Cape Tribulation

©iStock.com/Mackenzie Sweetnam
- Location: Australia
- Why it’s dangerous: Wildlife
At Cape Tribulation, you can step out of the rainforest and onto the stunningly gorgeous beach. However, the water is full of deadly jellyfish, venomous snakes, and crocodiles while the land is home to aggressive cassowaries.
Manaus Beaches

©Freedom_wanted/Shutterstock.com
- Location: Brazil
- Why it’s dangerous: Crime
The Manaus Beaches in Brazil are a high crime area and tourists must be wary of pickpockets, robberies, and violent crimes.
Bikini Atoll

©Guadalupe Polito/Shutterstock.com
- Location: U.S. Marshall Islands
- Why it’s dangerous: Radiation
This was the site of nuclear weapons testing done by the U.S. government during the Cold War era. You can visit for the day and go for a swim but don’t eat any fruit grown on the island.
Skeleton Coast

©Lukas Bischoff Photograph/Shutterstock.com
- Location: Namibia
- Why it’s dangerous: Rip currents and wildlife
Hundreds of wrecked boats from the dangerous tides dot the beaches on Skeleton Coast. It’s also home to leopards, hyenas, and cheetahs.
Black Sand Beaches of Kilauea

©Catmando/Shutterstock.com
- Location: Hawaii, USA
- Why it’s dangerous: Active volcano
This gorgeous Hawaiin beach is near Mount Kilauea, an active volcano that constantly spews lava into the ocean.
Gansbaai Beaches

©Light and Vision/Shutterstock.com
- Location: South Africa
- Why it’s dangerous: Great White Sharks
The breathtaking stretch of beaches near the fishing village of Gansbaii has been called the “Great White Shark Capital of the World.”
Chowpatty Beach

©Angel Cristi/Shutterstock.com
- Location: Mumbai, India
- Why it’s dangerous: Pollution
Chowpatty Beach makes the list because the pollution is so high here that it’s not safe for swimming.
Morecambe Bay

©Glen Berlin/Shutterstock.com
- Location: Lancashire, UK
- Why it’s dangerous: Quicksand
The picturesque bay is home to an ever-changing landscape of mudflats, quicksand, river channels, and dangerous riptides.
Fraser Islands

©oxime/ via Getty Images
- Location: Australia
- Why it’s dangerous: Venemous box jellyfish and packs of wild dingoes
If you don’t get stung by the highly venomous, yet tiny, Irukandji jellyfish, you may get attacked by a pack of aggressive dingoes patrolling the beach.
Playa Zipolite

©Lemonpink Images/Shutterstock.com
- Location: Mexico
- Why it’s dangerous: Rip currents
With a nickname like Playa de los Muertos, (translated to the Beach of the Dead,) it’s not surprising to hear these beautiful waters have deadly rip currents.
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