Revealed: The top ten beaches in the world
If summer holidays seem like a distant memory, it may be time to remind yourself of the beauty of a beach on a sunny day.
And if you don’t know where to go to make the most of the coast, prepare to be inspired.
Weymouth Beach in Dorset has today been named the best-rated beach in the UK in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards - it’s even made the top ten in Europe too.
The beach beat those in Sardinia, Greece and Spain this year, proving that “the UK’s beaches can more than hold their own against destinations with sunnier climes,” according to TripAdvisor spokesperson, Hayley Coleman.
Featuring three miles of sand and traditional British seaside attractions including donkey rides and Punch and Judy shows, Weymouth Beach climbed up from second place in the UK list last year.
“This is a huge accolade and is recognition of not only the beach but the town,” said Cllr Jason Osborne, Weymouth & Portland Borough Council Tourism and Culture Briefholder.
The accolade of top beach in Europe has been won by La Concha Beach in San Sebastian, Spain. As well as being located in the city centre with an impressive 1,500 of white sand, the beach is particularly noteworthy due to its small island in the middle of the bay, Isla Santa Clara.
The island has its own little beach, a lighthouse, picnic tables and bar, and sunbathers can swim out there from La Concha.
Baia do Sancho in Brazil’s Fernando de Noronha (an archipelago with UNESCO world heritage status) has been crowned number one beach in the world, and justifiably too: “The bay of crystalline water and soft white sand coupled with surrounding cliffs teeming with exotic wildlife are what dreams are made of,” according to TripAdvisor.
“For those keen to pay a visit to the world’s number one beach, according to TripAdvisor booking data, the best value time to travel to Baia do Sancho is April, when the average nightly hotel rate on TripAdvisor is £152,” Coleman reveals.
The winners of the awards were determined based on both the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and ratings for beaches on TripAdvisor during a 12-month period.
Top 10 beaches in the UK
Weymouth Beach, Weymouth, Dorset
Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall
St. Brelade’s Bay Beach, St Brelade, Jersey
Luskentyre, Isle of Harris, Scotland
Woolacombe Beach, Woolacombe, Devon
Porthminster Beach, St Ives, Cornwall
Bournemouth Beach, Bournemouth, Dorset
Rhossili Bay, Rhossili, Wales
Perranporth Beach, Perranporth, Cornwall
Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth, Dorset
Top 10 Beaches in Europe
La Concha Beach, San Sebastian – Donostia, Spain
Elafonissi Beach, Elafonissi, Greece
La Cote des Basques, Biarritz, France
Fig Tree Bay, Protaras, Cyprus
Spiaggia dei Conigli, Lampedusa, Sicily, Italy
Playa de Ses Illetes, Formentera, Spain
Balos Beach and Lagoon, Kissamos, Crete, Greece
Kleftiko Beach, Milos, Greece
Weymouth Beach, Weymouth, United Kingdom
Playa de Muro Beach, Playa de Muro, Spain
Top 10 Beaches in the World
Baia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Eagle Beach, Palm - Eagle Beach, Aruba, Caribbean
Playa Paraiso, Cayo Largo, Cuba
Siesta Beach, Siesta Key, Florida, United States
La Concha Beach, San Sebastian – Donostia, Spain
Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island, India
Elafonissi Beach, Elafonissi, Greece
Galapagos Beach at Tortuga Bay, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands