Place to see: Whitehaven Beach, Airlie Beach, Australia

not bad for australia by Tera Anderson

in a country largely full of red dirt and outback adventure trips, it's easy to forget that australia, too, can be a tropical paradise. the sand on whitehaven beach on whitsunday island is 98 percent pure silica and can be used to polish jewelry and glass, although it's not bad just to bury your feet in either.