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Southeastern New Brunswick's beaches are getting their moment in the sun.

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Hopewell Cape is among Canadian Geographic Magazine’s picks for top beaches in Canada.

Canadian Geographic Magazine has named the beaches of Pointe-du-Chene, Cape Enrage and Hopewell Cape among the top 25 in the country.

The endorsement is well-timed for tourism operators in southeastern New Brunswick who can boast three of the country's top-ranked beaches within a short drive.

The magazine was particularly impressed with the 46-metre-high sandstone cliffs that frame Samurai Beach at Cape Enrage, which it describes as being "littered with plant fossils peeled from the cliffs."

Dennison Tate, executive director of the Cape Enrage site, is pleased with the special attention.

"The unique thing about it is it's extremely scenic because of the towering cliffs that are on either side of it," he said.

"When you look offshore from the shore you are looking right down to Digby, so there is an amazing view when you look down on the beach as well."

Beyond the breathtaking view, Tate says the variety of stone and sand textures found on the beach, coupled with the abundant inter-tidal life, make it a truly matchless beach.

"Because of the action of the ocean, the high tides, the stones have been polished very smoothly there and there is always an expanse of various grades of gravel to larger rock exposed on the beach, as well as the large, probably 10 acre sand beach that gets exposed at low tide for about four hours," he said.

"Because of those cliffs on either end of the beach, there is an unusual amount of inter-tidal life to explore, whereas most beaches you would walk long, long distances to find what you can find within feet here."

While Canadian Geographic has assembled a collection of well-known and secluded beaches in its list, from Point Pelee in Ontario to Bennett Beach south of Whitehorse, Cape Enrage represents a little of both, says Tate.

In fact, Tate calls the beach one of the province's most accessible, yet hard to find, for the 40,000 people who visit it each year.

"I don't think the casual visitor to Fundy National Park would know we have a beach here, unless of course they were coming to Cape Enrage and then of course they would discover it."

Shediac Mayor Raymond Cormier, whose town plays host to the province's most popular beach, Parlee Beach, and several other smaller beaches, believes the recognition will help bring more tourists to Shediac and southeastern New Brunswick.

"I cannot do otherwise but think that it will help people make their choice this summer and choose Shediac as their destination.

"It is one of the best beaches in Canada. I think that tourists that come here each year know it as well."

Cormier says it is always an honour to be recognized in such a fashion.

"It is certainly a big plus and it is a point of pride for us," he said.

"To be recognized by this way is a nice surprise."

Parlee Beach is known for having the warmest salt water north of Virginia.

Both Hopewell Cape and Cape Enrage border the Bay of Fundy, which has been named a Unesco Biosphere Reserve.