I don't know about you, but I'm already thinking where do I want to spend my next vacation, and these places are definitely on my list! (I can always dream, right?)







North Carolina

There was a fantastic golden glow cast over the dunes by the sun's last rays of the day. As it fell below the horizon, the sky took on an almost painted feel. We are treated to countless amazing sunsets here in eastern North Carolina, and each season offers its own feeling at sundown.







Phi Phi Island, Thailand

Old traditional boats off Phi Phi Island beach near Phuket, Thailand







Long Bay Beach

Long Bay Beach sunset







Ipanema Beach, Rio

People playing with balls at Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There were so many people playing that it was difficult to get to the water to go swimming. (This one is top on my list, I think I don't need to explain why )







Kauai, Hawaii

While shooting in Anahola Bay on the Hawaiian island of Kauai I decided to shoot some waves while in the water. I had never attempted to do this before and just about got killed and almost lost my camera in the process. Luckily Anahola Bay is one of the few sandy beaches on Kauai.







Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

White Bay Beach, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands







Big Sur, California

The winter solstice sun sets in perfect alignment to illuminate this rocky portal at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, California.







Cape Town, South Africa

Home to some of the coldest waters around Cape Town, South Africa, Llandudno Beach provides surfers with a picturesque backdrop of Table Mountain's Twelve Apostles.







Adriatic Coast, Italy

A heavy snowstorm hit Italy's Adriatic Coast in the middle of December and the result was that many beaches were covered in snow, a phenomenon that occurs once every few years. The view is spectacular.







West Bengal, India

This picture was taken at Bakkhali Beach, West Bengal, India.







Sydney, Australia

Sunrise at Coogee Beach, Sydney, Australia







Pranburi Beach, Thailand

Lonely afternoon somewhere on Pranburi Beach in Thailand







Seychelles

Seychelles beach







Bahamas

The blue Caribbean seas of the Bahamas







Maui, Hawaii

This shell was collected in an effort to demonstrate that collecting empty shells is like stealing vacant houses—only this one wasn't vacant! Taken on Big Beach (Makena), Maui, Hawaii.







Cotonou, Benin

Young boy playing on the beach in Cotonou, Benin







Koh Rong Saloem, Cambodia

Lazy Beach is a quiet private beach on Koh Rong Saloem, an island off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia.







Long Bay Beach

Knee deep in Long Bay Beach







Santa Barbara, California

Sunset at Hope Ranch Beach, Santa Barbara, California







Olympic National Park, Washington

Getting to this spot (Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington) was interesting to say the least. A 30-minute walk from the car park, then over dozens of large logs that had washed up on the shore, to arrive at this spot before numerous campers invaded the beach. The light was simply glorious as it caught the sea stacks with wonderful reflections, making the journey more than worthwhile.







Varadero Beach, Cuba

A Portuguese man-of-war, washed up on Varadero Beach, Cuba, after a storm







Waikiki, Hawaii

This picture was taken in Waikiki, Hawaii, just a few days after the big earthquake in Chile in 2010. At that point nobody was sure at what force the tsunami would hit Hawaii, if at all. It seemed that all those people were watching out for the tsunami, enjoying a last night on the beach knowing that if it hit with its full force, Waikiki would be wiped out.







Hermosa Beach, California

Unusual layers of clouds diffuse the sunlight at the end of a winter day in Hermosa Beach, California.







Arrábida Mountains, Portugal

The moon setting behind the Arrábida Mountain range in Portugal, as well as many trails from known stars. Total of 77 minutes exposure.







County Sligo, Ireland

Strandhill Beach at sunset







Cibuaya, Indonesia

Baby sea turtles at Ujung Genteng Beach in Cibuaya, Indonesia







Onslow Beach, North Carolina

Summer at Onslow Beach, North Carolina







Langkawi, Malaysia

Beach in Langkawi, Malaysia







Mexico

Mexican sunrise on the Riviera Maya







Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Sunset photo on the most photographed beach in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain







Sydney, Australia

Surfboards on Manly Beach in Sydney, Australia







Victoria, Australia

Sunset at Pears Beach, Victoria, Australia







Stone Harbor, New Jersey

The day after Christmas a nice snowstorm blew through. This is a shot of a beach path in Stone Harbor. It was windy and cold, but worth it.







Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Playa del Amor, or Lover's Beach, is located in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It can only be reached by water taxi and is considered one of the most popular beaches in Cabo, located next to the famous Arch at Land's End where the Baja Peninsula ends and the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez.