Seychelles

THE most beautiful beaches in the world have been revealed and good news – you can find a number of them in the UK.

Compiled by Big 7, the top 50 for 2026 are a mix of very well-known spots to some very hidden islands.

The study looks at a number of factors, such as cleanliness, social media mentions and expert knowledge.

You’ll have to hop on a long flight to find the no.1 beach, as that was given to Anse Source d’Argent in the Seychelles.

The website praised it for looking like “it should be on the front of a postcard,” with its calm waters and and shallow lagoons.

In second place was Entalula Beach in the Philippines – which you can only get to by boat – followed by Indonesia’s Pink Beach which yes, has pink sand thanks to the red coral mixed into it.

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When it comes to Europe, the highest ranked beach was Cala Macarella in Menorca, which came in eight place.

The Spanish island beach was praised for being the “quieter and smaller sibling of Majorca and Ibiza” as well as its soft sands and turquoise waters.

But if you don’t want to go too far, then the three in the UK are easy to get to.

Porthcurno Beach in Cornwall came in ninth place, and was the only English beach to make the list.

The website stated: “Porthcurno Beach is easily one of England’s most beautiful.

“With the clear waters and bright sands of Porthcurno Beach, it’s easy to imagine that you’re in the tropics.”

This was closely followed by Luskentyre Beach in Scotland, which just missed out on making the top 10 by being in 11th place.

Also compared to the Caribbean, they stated: “The white sands and turquoise waters make it hard to believe that you’re closer to Norway than Cornwall.”

And then in 31st place was the only Welsh beach to make the list, with Whitesands Beach making the cut.

It states: “Located on Wales’ spectacular Pembrokeshire coast, Whitesands Beach proves that you don’t need tropical weather to enjoy a stunning beach.

“Rolling surf foams onto the golden sands, while the rugged cliffs which provide the backdrop to the beach make Whitesands a favoured spot for families, hikers, and surfers alike.”

Other highly rated European beaches include Ksamil Beach in Albania (19th) which is often called the Maldives of Europe.

There is also Navagio Beach in Zante (21st), Haukland Beach in Norway (25th) and Palombaggia Beach in Corsica (28th).

Beaches in Madeira, Sardinia and Iceland also made the top 50.

World’s 50 Best Beaches

1. Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles
2. Entalula Beach, Philippines
3. Pink Beach, Indonesia
4. Sandy Lane Beach, Barbados
5. Ee Motu Beach, Cook Islands
6. Whitehaven Beach, Australia
7. Matira Beach, French Polynesia
8. Cala Macarella, Menorca, Spain
9. Porthcurno Beach, UK
10. Mirissa Beach, Sri Lanka
11. Luskentyre Beach, UK
12. Starfish Beach, Vietnam
13. Tortuga Bay, Galápagos Islands
14. Keem Beach, Ireland
15. White Beach, Philippines
16. Unawatuna Beach, Sri Lanka
17. Eagle Beach, Aruba
18. Copacabana Beach, Brazil
19. Ksamil Beach, Albania
20. Boulders Beach, South Africa
21. Navagio Beach, Zakynthos, Greece
22. Dhigura Beach, Maldives
23. Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island, India
24. Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
25. Haukland Beach, Norway
26. Railay Beach, Thailand
27. Horseshoe Bay, Fiji
28. Palombaggia Beach, France
29. Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland
30. Santa Monica Beach, Cape Verde
31. Whitesands Beach, Wales
32. Chumbe Island, Tanzania
33. Champagne Beach, Vanuatu
34. Le Morne Beach, Mauritius
35. Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, USA
36. Plaua Kenepa Grandi, Curacao
37. Piha Beach, New Zealand
38. Playa Varadero, Cuba
39. Playa Blanca, Colombia
40. Bavaro Beach, Dominican Republic
41. Long Beach, Cambodia
42. Fteri Beach, Greece
43. La Jolla Cove, California, USA
44. Shoal Bay East, Anguilla
45. Playa Akumal, Mexico
46. Sugar Beach, St Lucia
47. La Pelosa Beach, Sardinia, Italy
48. Karon Beach, Thailand
49. Seixal Beach, Madeira
50. Manly Beach, Australia

IF you’re yet to book your holiday this summer, then there are a bunch of islands that are set to be the next big thing.

Expedia has launched its 2026 Island Hot List list – not based on their temperatures, but the ones that are trending right now.

Expedia created its Island Hot List from the spots around the world that have seen the biggest increase in traveller interest between September 2025 and March of this year.

At the very top of that list, is beautiful St Lucia in the Caribbean.

Over the past year, the island has seen a huge 125 per cent increase in searches.

It’s no surprise really, as St Lucia is a tropical paradise with stunning scenery from jungles to volcanoes and its mix of white and black sand beaches.

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One Sun Writer who visited a few years ago hiked through its rainforests and sunbathed on the golden sands of Reduit Beach.

He added: “With beautiful scenery, indulgent food and plenty of adventure, it’s not hard to see why St Lucia has stolen the hearts of the young and old as well as families and honeymooners.”

For anyone who wants to visit, the best time to visit is between February to May – and there are some affordable winter packages.

It’s not just far-flung islands that topped the list – plenty in Europe did well too.

Second on the list is Porto Santo, a small Portuguese island in Madeira.

Expedia said it’s “a quieter alternative to Funchal and mainland Europe’s busiest beach destinations, known for its golden sands and relaxed pace.”

It’s been called a ‘golden oasis‘ by Visit Madeira and has enormous sandy beaches – despite being the smallest inhabited island on the archipelago.

It also has sea coves and the waters are great for diving and snorkelling.

To get to Porto Santo, Brits will have to fly directly to Funchal and then it’s a quick 25-minute flight to the neighbouring island.

Also in the top 10 is Syros, a Greek island that’s much lesser-known than its neighbour, Mykonos.

There’s lots to do there from exploring its main town of Ermoupoli, to the village of Kini, which is known for its seafood restaurants.

Of course there are plenty of beautiful beaches too.

It might not be the hot escape that’s usually associated with islands around the world, but the Lofoten Islands are a trip worth considering.

The Lofoten Islands is an archipelago consisting of roughly 80 islands in Norway.

The main islands include Austvågøya, Gimsøya, Vestvågøya, Flakstadøya, and Moskenesøya.

In fact the Lofoten Islands are so beautiful that with its frozen backdrop, colourful fishing villages, and craggy mountains that it’s said to have inspired the landscape for Disney‘s film Frozen.

From mid-May to the end of July, the sun doesn’t set there – it’s called Midnight Sun, when the sun doesn’t drop below the horizon.

Other islands soaring in demand include Praslin which is the second-largest island in the Seychelles.

Here, interest has increased by a whopping 80 per cent.

Here’s the full list of Expedia’s ‘Island Hot List 2026’…

1. St Lucia
2. Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal
3. Praslin, Seychelles
4. Syros, Greece
5. Lofoten Islands, Norway
6. Palawan, Philippines
7. Culebra, Puerto Rico
8. Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
9. Phu Quoc, Vietnam
10. Fiji