Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas

The perfect bikini; bum-flattering jeans; a boob-boosting brassiere; a faint-inducing kiss; enlightenment; true love: all things worth persevering for. Just like Harbour Island’s Pink Sands Beach in the Bahamas. It’s a pain to get to, but very worth it: plane to Nassau, another plane to Eleuthera, then a boat ride to Harbour Island. There, you’ll be greeted by swaying palms and petal-coloured sands on an island that is ruled by well-mannered locals (not stinkingly rich runaways), and where sun downers on the pink sands are de rigueur.

Most intrepid beach lovers will tread on sands of white and black, pebble and stone, but rosy shores are rare indeed. Pink Sands Beach on Harbour Island, in the Bahamas, is one of our top destinations for 2012 for its utter prettiness and the friendly, laid-back warmth of the locals. And we’re not the only fans of Harbour Island: India Hicks has a house here, author Zoe Heller used to live here, and Diane von Furstenberg, Helmut Newton, Elle Macpherson and Robert De Niro have all been guests on the island.

Don your snorkel and try your hand at reef fishing, Crusoe-style, or just flipper your way through the water and enjoy the underwater fauna. Hungry? Head to the popular Queen Conch stall to taste conch from the local shells.

This three-mile beach is a hot-spot for photo shoots and ad campaigns, and it’s easy to see why: its beauty is contagious and manages to make everything that traverses its sands look gorgeous.

WHEN: From March to May, and in November and December it’s drier and less humid but it’s hot all year round, the hottest months are between June and November but be careful of the hurricanes!