Beaches framed by dramatic cliffs — stunning scenery but often harder to reach
Cliff beaches sit at the base of dramatic rock walls that can tower hundreds of meters above. The surrounding cliffs create shelter from wind, provide natural shade at certain times of day, and make for spectacular photography.
6 beaches found
ModerateThe Kauai beach where Highway 56 runs out, the Na Pali coast begins, and the reef-protected lagoon turns into a swimming pool in summer. The reservation is real, the construction in 2026 is bigger than most guides admit, and the snorkeling window is narrower than it looks.
Hard to ReachHome to Bali's most iconic cliff formation, the T-Rex of Nusa Penida, Kelingking Beach rewards those brave enough to descend with pristine white sand and turquoise water far below the crowds.
ModerateThe iconic Navagio Shipwreck Beach on Zakynthos, Greece, where a rusting smuggler ship sits on white sand surrounded by towering limestone cliffs and impossibly blue water.
ModerateThe Princeville beach 191 steps below the bluff that fronts the resort everyone now calls 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay. Reef-protected swim in summer, dangerous in winter, no lifeguard, no facilities, no roadside parking. The view across to Hanalei is the reason to make the climb.
Easy AccessThe Kauai south-shore beach with the 40-foot cliff Harrison Ford jumped off in Six Days Seven Nights. The cliff is the photo, not the activity. The real reason to come is the Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail that starts behind the sand.
Hard to ReachA dramatic pebble cove hidden between towering cliff walls on Vis Island, voted Europe's best beach.