It’s Official: The World’s Best Beaches Have Been Revealed
Australians are simply born with the knowledge that we have a surplus of stunning beaches. Other countries struggle to match our waves and golden sand, but even we have to admit that there are some places that rival us for the best beaches in the world.
Travel site Big 7 polled its readers, editorial team and analysed official environmental scores from Blue Flag to create a top 50 list of the best beaches in the world.
[related_articles]65055,73835,74148[/related_articles]You might remember Big 7 from the absolutely cooked study that claimed the Kiwi’s have the sexiest accents, with Aussies coming in at number 5. Respectfully, we disagree with the intensity of a thousand suns.
But this time, they’ve got it (mostly) right.
Two Aussie beaches made the list, with Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays coming in hot at number 2. We think it should have taken out the top spot tbh, but we’ll accept the official ruling this time.
Lucky Bay in Esperance, Western Australia came in at number 48. “Its perfectly clean sand and turquoise water make it a must-visit, with the bay stretching on for 5km,” so declared the official ruling.
Honestly, the entire list is fantastic and is already giving us serious beach days inspo.
Here’s the top 10 best beaches in the world according to Big 7:
#1 Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn Beach), Brac, Croatia
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“The Golden Horn is the most spectacular of all Croatia’s beaches. It’s not just its shape that makes it so beautiful and unique. The pebble beach is surrounded by crystal clear sea, that goes from turquoise blue to dark blue in just 10-20 meters.”
#2 Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia
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“Whitehaven Beach stretches over 7 km and boasts brilliant white silica sand that is among the purest in the world. It’s right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, and is one of the world’s most unspoiled and beautiful beaches.”
#3 Fig Tree Bay, Protaras, Cyprus
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“The beach has golden sand, lively beach bars and plenty of umbrellas to shelter from the sun. It’s popular, so don’t expect an empty beach, but it’s so pretty you won’t mind sharing.”
#4 Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos
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“This pristine beach is the shining jewel of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The entire beach is just over 3km long, with no pollution – just pure, white sand and clean water.”
#5 Secret Lagoon, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
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“Swim through a hole in the limestone rocks to enter a hidden bay with crystal clear water and soft sand. It feels untouched, with white sandy beaches and tropical jungle.”
#6 Reynisfjara Beach, Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland
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“If tropical beaches aren’t your thing, be sure to visit this beautiful black sand beach in Iceland. With enormous basalt stacks that rise out of the sea and unusual black sand, this is an unforgettable beach. You might recognise it from Season 7 of the HBO Series Game of Thrones.”
#7 Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles
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“Famous for being one of the most photographed beaches in the world, this tranquil beach is a great place for wading into the shallow, warm waters of the Indian Ocean. You walk through the old L’Union Estate coconut plantation to access the beach, which has unusual bolders and shimmering sand. You may even spot a sea turtle swimming off the shore!”
#8 Playa Ruinas, Quintana Roo, Mexico
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“It’s considered one of the best beaches in the Riviera Maya, with gleaming white sand and dramatic cliffs. But the real showstopper? It’s the backdrop of the famous Ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum.”
#9 Kanuhura Maldives, Maldives
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“It’s hard to pick just one beach in the Maldives, as all the luxury resorts have incredible sandy shores. This resort is on three private islands — two deserted neighbouring islands and Kanuhura itself — with pristine beaches.”
#10 Pig Beach, Bahamas
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“You’ve surely seen this Insta-famous beach all over social medial. Big Major Cay in the Exumas is uninhabited and the pigs are not native to the island, so it’s still not known how the pigs first got there.”
You can check out the complete list of the 50 best beaches in the world on the Big 7 website.
Check out Qantas flights to begin your next adventure.
(Lead image: Whitehaven Beach Whitsundays / Tourism and Events Queensland)
