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.
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
- Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles
- Entalula Beach, Philippines
- Pink Beach, Indonesia
- Sandy Lane Beach, Barbados
- Ee Motu Beach, Cook Islands
- Whitehaven Beach, Australia
- Matira Beach, French Polynesia
- Cala Macarella, Menorca, Spain
- Porthcurno Beach, UK
- Mirissa Beach, Sri Lanka
- Luskentyre Beach, UK
- Starfish Beach, Vietnam
- Tortuga Bay, Galápagos Islands
- Keem Beach, Ireland
- White Beach, Philippines
- Unawatuna Beach, Sri Lanka
- Eagle Beach, Aruba
- Copacabana Beach, Brazil
- Ksamil Beach, Albania
- Boulders Beach, South Africa
- Navagio Beach, Zakynthos, Greece
- Dhigura Beach, Maldives
- Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island, India
- Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
- Haukland Beach, Norway
- Railay Beach, Thailand
- Horseshoe Bay, Fiji
- Palombaggia Beach, France
- Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland
- Santa Monica Beach, Cape Verde
- Whitesands Beach, Wales
- Chumbe Island, Tanzania
- Champagne Beach, Vanuatu
- Le Morne Beach, Mauritius
- Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, USA
- Plaua Kenepa Grandi, Curacao
- Piha Beach, New Zealand
- Playa Varadero, Cuba
- Playa Blanca, Colombia
- Bavaro Beach, Dominican Republic
- Long Beach, Cambodia
- Fteri Beach, Greece
- La Jolla Cove, California, USA
- Shoal Bay East, Anguilla
- Playa Akumal, Mexico
- Sugar Beach, St Lucia
- La Pelosa Beach, Sardinia, Italy
- Karon Beach, Thailand
- Seixal Beach, Madeira
- Manly Beach, Australia