Hint: Bring amusements—there's nothing to do.

SEYCHELLES
Anse Victorin, Frégate Island
Safe swimming, No crowds, Natural shade

Some of the few who have actually gotten to it consider this among the world's perfect beaches.

Wow Factor: Soft sand; clear, tranquil water; a backdrop of palms and cliff; and a crescent beach 230 steps from end to end—a paradise which is all that, and often yours alone.

Best Bed: There is but one resort, Frégate Island Private (49-6102-50-1321; fregate.com; doubles, $2,400, all-inclusive).

Fair Warning: The resort's tariff, as much as Frégate's remoteness, keeps away all but the most determined sybarites.

AUSTRALIA
Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef
No crowds, Hotel, Cafés/bars, Natural shade

More than 20 beaches of all shapes and sizes ring this quietly luxurious 40-unit single-resort island of great charm, 18 miles off Queensland's coast.

Wow Factor: All guests get motorized dinghies so they can search for their favorite beach or reef. The kitchen is outstanding, and the huge marlin mounted in the main restaurant celebrates the island's preoccupations: game fishing and scuba (a tall weigh-scale on the main beach is in regular use). Rates include meals and much more (61-2-8296-8010; lizardisland.com.au; doubles, $1,320).

Fair Warning: Getting here is expensive: $330 round-trip from Cairns.

Whitehaven, Whitsunday Isles
No crowds, Natural shade

A perfect six-mile crescent of acacia forest protects a curve of wedding-white sand, forming perhaps the best beach in Australia—high praise, indeed.

Wow Factor: Strictly enforced national park rules allow only limited visits and no overnighting on land, so solitude is ensured.

Best Bed: None. For options nearby, check thewhitsundays.org or whitsundaytourism.com.

Fair Warning: A thin wet suit, or "stinger suit," is advised if you plan to swim from October through May: Local Irukandji jellyfish are transparent and dangerous.

BAHAMAS
Pink Sands, Harbour Island
Safe swimming, No crowds, Hotel, Cafés/bars

Whoever named this beautiful beach did not lie—the sand is pale pink. Better yet, it's virtually deserted.

Wow Factor: Harbour Island itself is only four miles long, and the entire east coast is beach. A few palapas dot the sand in front of the few hotels, but otherwise this beach has nothing—no bars, no plastic chaise longues, no people hawking necklaces.