18 gorgeous photos of the best tropical beaches in the world

When winter gets you down, there's only one thing to do: plan a beach vacation and get out of town.

Whether you're in the mood for pristine white sand and quiet days of relaxation or umbrella drinks and a raucous party scene, you've got plenty of options.

We've compiled a list of the hottest sand-and-surf destinations around the world, where you can finally fix your Vitamin D deficiency with some sun therapy.

Grab a book and some sunscreen and get out there.

Raisa Bruner contributed reporting on an earlier version of this article.

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• The 25 best Caribbean islands, ranked

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