Barra de Santo Antônio and Maragogi in Brazil

Unlike many of the resorts just to the north (such as Porto de Galinhas), this little beach town has preserved its local character. Outside the high season, when the Maragogi gets crowded, life goes on pretty much as it has done before tourists began to arrive in the 1980s. And yet the beach is glorious: a seemingly infinite stretch of broad, fine sand washed by a turquoise sea. Some 6 km offshore, a fringing reef reveals a series of deep swimming pools at low tide. The current is rich with sergeant majors and wrasse and with the occasional visiting turtle. Trips out there are easy to organize.