Stretching seven kilometers through the Whitsunday Islands, Whitehaven Beach is made of 98% pure silica sand so fine and white it squeaks under your feet and stays cool even in the blazing Australian sun. The swirling tidal patterns visible from the air — where pure white sand meets electric teal and blue water — have made this one of the most iconic aerial shots on the planet. It's the kind of place that makes you genuinely angry you didn't visit sooner.