Thinking of hitting up sand and sea destinations this winter? Want to soak up sun without the crowds? Here is a list of isolated, tucked-away stretches from the coast of India. These have been awarded the prestigious international eco-label Blue Flag, the most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.. Blue Flag beaches are considered to be the cleanest beaches in the world.

The Indian coastline is dotted with many beautiful beaches, some popular, some lesser known. But in our bid to enjoy them, we often leave them sullied. Hopefully, the Blue Flag certified beaches will act as a reference for other beaches to put their acts together, aligning beach recreation with environmentally sustainable practices.

The Foundation for Environment Education in Denmark (FEE) accords the globally recognised certification. In order to qualify for this prestigious award, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety-related and access-related criteria must be met and maintained. The mission of Blue Flag is to promote sustainability in the tourism sector, through environmental education, environmental protection and other sustainable development practices.

The most recent additions to the list of Blue Flag beaches in India were Minicoy Thundi Beach and Kadmat Beach in Lakshadweep. This takes the number of beaches certified under the Blue Flag certification to 12. The others being Golden Beach (Puri) of Odisha, Radhanagar Beach in the Andaman island, Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh, Kappad in Kerala, Kasarkod and Padubidri in Karnataka, Kovalam in Tamil Nadu, Eden in Puducherry, Ghogla in Diu, and Shivrajpur in Gujarat.

Enjoy a virtual tour of these blue flag beaches through these stunning images.