Up on the western coast near the Venezuelan border, Guyana's best known strand extends for a whopping 90 miles along a pristine coastline - and yes, it earns its name by being covered with countless tiny shells. Shell Beach offers some great swimming, but it's best known for being a nesting ground for four of the planet's eight marine turtle species (Green, Hawksbill, Leatherback, and Olive Ridley), when thousands of females find their way here from March through August to lay eggs, which later hatchwhen 45 to 70 days later and scramble into the water. Visitors can witness both phenomena guided by local conservationists - often arranged via a 2-3 tour from capital Georgetown (a 50-minute flight to nearby town Mabaruma).

Marco Farouk Basir