While the crystal-clear waters and dramatic cliffs of Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands draw international travelers, Monkey Beach is known for a particular reason: its namesake residents. However, their reputation is less than stellar. They are snatching food, grabbing cameras and mobile phones, and even biting unsuspecting tourists.
“The monkeys are not particularly friendly,” says Yonna Xhixho, a finance professional from New York City who visited the island while studying abroad in Hong Kong.
She recalled that during a harmless-looking selfie attempt, “One jumped on my back and bit me on the arm.” This incident led to a hospital visit and a series of rabies shots.
However, it was sadly a not-so-unexpected turn of events. “The monkeys at Noppharatthara Beach–Phi Phi Island National Park have stopped foraging naturally and now wait for tourists to feed them or steal from them,” said the park’s chief, as reported by the Bangkok Post, already back in 2019.
“Despite signs in multiple languages warning visitors not to feed the monkeys, many tourists and even some tour guides continue to ignore the rules,” the park’s chief said, which led to how these encounters go today.
But there are still beaches where wildlife encounters remain peaceful and respectful. These five destinations show that sharing the shore with animals can be calm, safe and memorable for the right reasons when animals aren’t fed or disturbed.
Oman
If you’re looking for a beach where wildlife roams freely, Salalah in Oman offers a rare sight. Not only are camels strolling along the shore, but flamingos are also wading in the shallows right next to them.
“Al Mughsail Beach is one of the best places to see camels wandering along the coastline,” says Ahmed Ghawas, the founder of Salalah Explore, a tour company specializing in custom day tours in Salalah, Oman. While camels are common across Salalah, seeing flamingoes is not always guaranteed.
Ghawas noted in an email interview that the best time to visit Al Mughsail Beach is from October to April when the weather is cooler. Camels in Salalah are generally comfortable around people, but Ghawas recommends observing them from a respectful distance to ensure they remain at ease in their natural habitat.
He also recommends, beyond seeing wildlife, hiking to Ain Ghaidh Waterfall and camping along the shore are the best ways to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the Omani coastline.
Scotland, United Kingdom
If you’re looking for a beach where Highland cows might join, The Outer Hebrides in Scotland offers a few great spots—though you’ll need a bit of luck and local knowledge to find them.
“Seeing Highland cows grazing by the turquoise water at Clachan Sands was one of the most surreal and heartwarming experiences of my travels,” says Kevin Mercier, a professional photographer in an email interview, who visited North Uist in the Outer Hebrides.
The Isle of Harris, farther south from North Uist, is also a great place to catch them wandering along the beach, says Jackie Robertson, the owner of Knoydart House, an award-winning, luxury, self-catering cottage in Mallaig, Scotland. Visitors can see them more easily during the summer, but they are quite shy and will likely keep their distance, she mentioned in an email interview.
“Don’t expect to see them everywhere as it depends on where farms are located,” says Fiona Spinks, who encountered Highland cows near Achmelvich Beach while completing the North Coast 500 road trip in the North Highlands.
“It’s not something you can plan for. The cows appear usually near open farmland stretching toward the coast. They are not there for show. They are part of the working landscape, and if a farm borders the shore, you might spot them grazing not far from the sand,” she continued.
Japan
Okunoshima, or Rabbit Island, is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea and belongs to the Hiroshima Prefecture. Visitors can take a short 15-minute ferry ride from the town of Tadanoumi, with departures running multiple times a day.
In the email interview, Clare Tobin, CEO of Wild Frontiers, an adventure travel company, said, “The rabbit population has grown over the years, but their food sources haven’t increased, so they’re always hungry and happy to approach humans carrying food.”
She explained that the island enforces strict rules because the rabbits are extremely friendly and depend on visitors for food and water. Visitors must feed them only with special dry rabbit food sold on the mainland. Visitors should observe the animals without touching, chasing or trying to pick them up.
When asked when the best time to visit Okunoshima island is, Tobin answered, “The high season can be quite busy. I recommend visiting from April to early June or in October for warm, comfortable temperatures and fewer crowds.”
Galapagos, Ecuador
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where animals like sea lions, iguanas andgiant tortoises roam freely and unbothered by human presence.
Victoria Westmacott, digital marketing director at Galápagos Safari Camp, a luxury tented camp on Santa Cruz Island, one of the 18 main islands of the Galápagos Archipelago, said in an email interview that she considers Tortuga Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Galápagos.
Tortuga Bay is where visitors can surely encounter marine iguanas basking on the lava rocks or making their way in and out of the sea to feed on underwater algae. “It is not uncommon to find yourself paddling out to surf alongside a marine iguana,” she said.
Westmacott also recommends Garrapatero Beach on the eastern side of Santa Cruz island, where visitors can kayak in the mangroves to see sea turtles, small reef sharks and marine iguanas. Or, they could visit the beach and the lagoon behind it to spot flamingos, Galápagos finches and other shorebirds.
Jackie Swayze, who visited the Galápagos in July 2024, encountered the most iguanas on Española Island near Punta Suarez. “They were impossible to miss, with hundreds crowding the beaches and walkways. I was afraid the iguanas would touch me, walk in my path, or I’d accidentally step on one, but in reality, they didn’t move much at all (and when they did, they were slow),” she said.
“For the best chance to see iguanas along the shoreline, head to Punta Espinosa on Fernandina Island,” said Erin Correia, a senior trip planner at Adventure Life, in an email interview. “The ground is covered in piles of resting marine iguanas.”
Tobin from Wild Frontiers highlighted that male marine iguanas change color during mating season, so the best time to visit the islands is from December to February.
However, Westmacott from Galápagos Safari Camp pointed out that since there is little to no shade on beaches, visitors should note that March and April are typically the hottest months in the Galápagos, while September and October tend to be cooler.
Australia
Australia is home to some of Earth’s most extraordinary and unique wildlife, such as kangaroos, wallabies, koalas and quokkas.
Claudia McKenzie, an expat living in Australia since 2016, told me in an email interview that seeing kangaroos and wallabies is typical outside cities. “They’re actually everywhere, on the side of the road, in paddocks, sometimes even in people’s front yards,” she said.
However, if visitors want to encounter them for the first time, she recommends heading to Pebbly Beach in New South Wales. “It felt pretty surreal at first. But they are used to seeing people, so they won’t pay much attention to you and pretty much ignore you,” she said. However, she never forgets seeing a joey (baby kangaroo) jumping into its mother’s pouch right before her eyes there.
Lucky Bay in Western Australia is often called the whitest beach in Australia, said a representative from Tourism Western Australia in an email interview.
Just a 45-minute drive east of Esperance, in Lucky Bay and the surrounding Cape Le Grand National Park, it is not uncommon to find kangaroos lounging right on the sand beside you. Nearby hotels and resorts even organize ‘kangaroo safaris’ at dusk to spot them when they are the most active.
