Ninety Mile Beach

This seemingly endless and empty sandy beach on the west coast of New Zealand's northernmost tip does not quite live up to its name: it is in fact only 103km long. The gleaming white sand tempts motorists to drive along the beach itself, but this can be dangerous. It should be attempted only by drivers with local knowledge and a suitable all-terrain vehicle; visitors should note that all New Zealand car-rental firms ban driving on beaches.

In January 1932 an Australian, Norman Smith, set a world speed record of 264kph on a 16km stretch of beach at Hukatere.