While many of us played in a sandbox or at the beach as children, I doubt we were able to create detailed sculptures like these. From famous cartoon characters to original art pieces, these impressive sand sculptures will certainly inspire you.

What do you think this is?

These amazing sand sculptures are consider the best in the world. The amount of detail that each of them have is incredible.

The ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan had his staff permanently carve his name into a two mile (three kilometer) stretch of sand on his private island that is located across the water from the city.

Located in the French Bay of Arcachon and named the Great Dune of Pyla, this huge sand dune stretches three kilometers and reaches a height of 130 meters. By some estimates, it contains 60 million cubic meters of sand! Tourists and locals visit to climb to the top and experience what desert dwellers live with every single day.

These photos are from the World Championship of Sand Sculpting that took place from September 8 to October 3 in Federal Way, Wash..

British eco-pioneer Rishi Sowa began constructing his first Spiral Island in 1998. He used around 250,000 plastic bottles to build a 66x54ft (20x16m) island which was located in a lagoon near Puerto Aventuras, on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.Unfortunately, it was completely destroyed by Hurricane Emily in 2005, but not discouraged, he decided to build a new one: Spiral Island II!

Who would have thought that a human can turn sand into paint and draw incredible pictures? Kseniya Simonova from Ukraine creates images using sand, dramatic music, a big light box and her imagination. After she failed to run a business, Kseniya has been drawing sand pictures and has become a success - she's the winner of “2009 Ukraine’s Got Talent.”

The sand sculptures in these photos look so real it is difficult to believe that they were sculpted out of sand. Some are large and majestic and others are small and detailed. The one thing that they all have in common is that they are unbelievable.

I lack words to describe how great these sand sculptures are! Better see yourself!