If you’re dreaming of warm beaches during these winter months, you may want to think outside the sand and add a few of these beaches made primarily from shells to your wish list. While “Shell Beach” is an over-used name for shell-rich coastal spots, the shell beaches below more than deserve that name. Check them out.

The shells at Shell Beach in Western Australia can be up to 32 feet deep. Image by Jurriaan Persyn

Tiny cockles in the waters off Australia’s Shell Beach reproduce unchecked in the predator-poor environment, creating, after a few thousand years, the shellscape seen above. Image by Jurriaan Persyn

Of course, only some of the shells wash up. These shells also pave the sea floor for hundreds of yards out from the beach. Image by Mathias Barbagallo

The uniform color of the shells makes Shell Beach particularly striking, especially as it winds along the coast for nearly 75 miles. Image by WikiCommons

Geography causes the shell-rich shores of Sanibel Island off the Gulf coast of Florida. Currents and orientation make this barrier island’s south end act kinda like a scoop. Image by Purple Yams

The diverse horde of seashells on Sanibel is a huge tourist draw, attracting up to 30,000 people each year. The common doubled over beach-combing posture people adopt here is known as the “Sanibel Stoop.” Image by Nikoretro

Saint Barthelemy’s Shell Beach is easily the most visited beach on this list, as the area is a huge destination spot for resort goers and cruise ship passengers in the Caribbean. Image by Susan Smith

Saint Barthelemy’s Shell Beach was subject to strong waves from a hurricane in 1999 that resulted in devastating erosion. New sand was trucked in the following year to rebuild the beach, which was quickly reclaimed by shells. Image by Susan Smith