Soak up the sun celeb style with our top five star-spotting beaches - some very well known, and others a bit more remote.

Celebrity Beaches - Anguilla, Caribbean

Anguilla is an undiscovered Caribbean paradise, with 33 bright sparkling white beaches stretching along the coast. It’s beautifully sunny with fabulous resorts, stunning beaches and offshore reefs, making it perfect for water sports like scuba diving as well as sunbathing and sailing.

Celebs like Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson, Robert DeNiro, Denzel Washington, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Donatella Versace, Kevin Kline and Janet Jackson are all fans. It’s also the famous location of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s break-up holiday.

It’s also perfect for celeb-watchers on a budget, as you can still find affordable accommodation and none of the beaches are private, although there are also seriously luxurious hotels on offer.

Celebrity Beaches - St Tropez, French Riviera

It’s been a famous celebrity haunt since the 1920s when the fashion world moved in, and Brigitte Bardot’s love affair with the beautiful strip of beaches on the French Riviera sealed the deal. Since then, the pristine beaches and clear blue sea have gained notoriority as a celebrity hotbed – Pink Floyd even wrote a song called San Tropez about their exploits there.

You’ll find rows of luxury yachts, trendy cafés, hip nightspots and expensive villas, all set on the stunning blue waters of the Golfe de Saint-Tropez and positively bursting with celebrities.

The most popular beaches are to be found in the Baie de Pampelonne along the South coast, where stylish A-listers sail and surf, people-watch at cafés and soak up the sun. The old town with its cobbled streets and stunning architecture is also worth a visit.

The beaches are a favourite of Paris and Nicky Hilton, the Beckhams, Bruce Willis, Bono, Liam Neeson, Mary-Kate Olsen, Naomi Campbell, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Julia Roberts, P. Diddy, Magic Johnson, Jack Nicholson, Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster, Donatella Versace and Denzel Washington, just to name a few.

If you haven’t spotted Johnny Depp yet, pop into the nearby Plan de la Tour, the picturesque village on the French Riviera where you’re likely to spot him sipping wine or en route to his villa.

Celebrity Beaches - Laguna Beach, California

The stunning seaside resort town of Laguna Beach hugs the California coastline. It’s been an artist’s colony for decades, but in recent years it’s become better known as the home of one of MTV’s most popular reality TV shows – Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County.

Besides regular A-listers who pop up on the meandering boardwalk regularly, you can spot all the hit show’s real-life characters soaking up the hot Californian sun on the beaches, and even spot popular landmarks from the series dotted around.

It’s not just for celeb-spotters though. Laguna is a bustling, vibey town with great beachside cafés, boutiques and galleries. There are basketball courts and volleyball nets on the beaches, and it’s perfect for watersports – and for arty types, an array of arts festivals take place in Laguna throughout the year.

There’s a great trendy artistic vibe, with beach bars and cafés spilling over with live jazz and reggae music, beach dancing, friendly locals and in-the-know celebs. While you’re in the area, make sure you don’t miss one of the popular local boat racing events and eat fish barbecued right on the beach. Plus it’s a short ferry ride from the stylish St Martin for fantastic boutique shopping and other great day trips.

Celebrity Beaches - Clifton Beach, South Africa

Cape Town offers an array of beautiful, white beaches – some secluded, some awash with penguins, all lined with trendy cafés, soaked in hot sunshine and flanked by Table Mountain. But the most stylish South African beach you can play volleyball or soak up the sun on has to be Clifton beach.

Clifton is the place to be seen. Its four picturesque beaches are always literally awash with South Africa’s most happening bronzed locals, beautiful bodies, designer labels and sparkling celebrities. Even Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich is a fan, and is reportedly looking to buy property in the area.

When you’re not tanning, checking out the talent or indulging in some watersport action on the clear turquoise sea, you can sip cocktails in the stylish beach cafés and restaurants or venture into Cape Town to explore the sights.

Celebrity Beaches - Ponza Island, Italy

If deserted, secret locations away from the crowds are more your style, look no further than the seaside resort town of Ponza, Italy’s best kept secret. One of the tiny Pontine Islands just off Lazio, Ponza is often called the Pearl of the Mediterranean. Its beautiful secluded beaches and coves dotted along the coastline attract plenty of famous visitors.

Michael Douglas and Micahel Stipes of REM are massive converts of the rustic retreat, as are Valentino and Anna Fendi, Lee Ryan and lots more. Charlotte Casiraghi and her boyfriend Felix often swing the family yacht by the island.

Ponza is perfect for a chilled beach getaway among stunning scenery (the best beach is Chiaia di Luna for its clear waters), with great sailing and fishing – you can even catch swordfish and giant tuna! It’s also a foodie paradise with fantastic seafood restaurants, and history buffs will be impressed with the archaeological sites and volcanic rock cliffs to found on the island, which was once an ancient Phoenician settlement.