Who doesn’t love crystal clear water? How about crystal clear water swarming with sharks and box jellyfish? Besides the dangerous creatures you might meet, the water has exceptionally powerful riptides. That, coupled with the fact that there are no lifeguards on duty or any warning flags, leads to tourists and locals alike unknowingly jumping into potential danger. Outside of the water, conditions remain just as dangerous on the sand, with wild dingos and deadly spiders roaming about.
Dingos are an Australian breed of feral dog who pose a big danger to humans, like any wild predator. While Fraser island, which lies off the Southeastern coast of Queensland, has been inhabited by humans for more than 5,000 years, it remains a very dangerous place to visit. Rescue helicopters are frequently flown in to save swimmers, due to there being no medical attention around. Oh, and have we mentioned that the island is a favorite for young Great White Sharks?
BIKINI ATOLL BEACH, MARSHALL ISLANDS
This is a beach you won’t want to add to your bucket list, and that’s not because it’s not beautiful. The deserted beach is almost exactly on the equator and is filled with more than 23 nuclear bombs that the United States dropped at seven test sites located on the reef in the 40s and 50s.
If visitors obtain prior approval and pay for a diver and two local government council representatives to accompany them, they are allowed aboard the vessels. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea and you don’t want to tan amongst nuclear waste and radiation, you’d be better off to find another beach.
PLAYA ZIPOLITE, MEXICO
The locals actually refer to this place as the “Beach of the Dead,” and there’s a good reason why. Although this beach is very popular and is close to many attractive resorts, it is also the deadliest beach in Mexico, taking around 50 swimmers every year due to its heavy current.
While swimming here is not advisable, people watching can be a better option as the beach is Mexico’s first and only legal public nude beach. Perhaps for this reason the beach is popular among tourists who choose to stay in one of the many guesthouses lining the shore.
BROOME BEACH, AUSTRALIA
This beautiful 22 kilmeter white sand beach is not so beautiful down under. The water is filled with box jellyfish, fish which can sting swimmers multiple times and even kill. During wet season, from November to May, box jellyfish and Irukandji infiltrate the waters.
In the past five years, there have been over 160 box jellyfish stings. Stick to the sands as they are home to one of Australia's most famous nudist beaches.
CHOWPATTY BEACH, INDIA
The name of this beach has a cute ring, but unfortunately, it has become one of the most polluted beaches in the world. Sadly enough, visitors leave their garbage on the sand and industries dump their waste into the waters. In 2013, fecal bacteria was recorded in the water at levels of 1455 per 100 mL, which is very high above the tolerable standard of 500 per 100mL. So not only is garbage an issue, but so are open defecation and sewage problems, which are a widespread problem in India.
For some reason, it is still a popular beach even though there is a risk of getting sick from the water and thousands of locals come for the Ganesh Visarjan celebrations, a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Ganesh.