Categories: Editorial

Behold, the world’s best beach


by Amanda Cassidy
06th Jul 2019

Summer is finally here, ish. And while nobody can take away our banana sandwiches on Brittas Bay in August, the world’s best beach index has just been published. Prepare to swoon.


Travel lovers will be divided by the ultimate top beaches list. After all, what makes a beach so special? Is it the weather, the shape of the cove or simply the colour of the water?

In this case, the top 25 beaches from Flightnetwork was used to score the various shores. Each beach was rated on factors such as ‘Sheer untouched beauty’ remoteness and “sand and water quality.” Comfort, weather and nearby activities were also factored into the survey by Alpha travel insurance.

So do you prefer almost-guaranteed sunshine? Then, Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi in Thailand is for you. The hottest beach on the list is Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, Mexico with an average temperature of 30 degrees celsius.

If gliding into a bath-like state is your bag then Railay Beach, also in Thaliand has water temperature averages of 28.9 degrees. Adventure lovers will love Varadero Beach in Cuba and La Digue Island in Seychelles which have the most activities to choose from.

For night owls and party animals Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos Islands is the best destination overall with a visitor rating of 5 out of 5 for its nightlife.

Here’s the top ten list ranked from best:

Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos

Pink Sands Beach, Harbor Island, Bahamas

Anse Source D’Argent, La Digue Island, Seychelles

Matira Beach, Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Malmok Beach, Noord, Aruba

Praia do Sancho, Pernambuco, Brazil

Varadero Beach, Cuba

Anse Lazio, Praslin Island, Seychelles

Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands

Railay Beach, Thailand

But while I might be a little biased, I still think my favourite beach of all time was our tiny sandy cove in the Maldives. You can read about our adventure here. 

Images via FlightNetwork.com

Read more: Our family trip to the Maldives

Read more: Things I wish I knew before I visited Dubai

Read more: A life-changing experience on the Camino