When it comes to really beautiful beaches, Australia sure knows how to deliver. With a whopping 12,000 fringing our island continent, we’re spoiled for choice with stretches of sand to rest, relax and forget about the daily grind. Many of us locals have our go-to spots for swimming, surfing and reading, along with those beaches we happily avoid to dodge the crowds. If you’re hoping for some peace and quiet on your next beach outing, then we’ve got the inside scoop. New research has unveiled the most popular beaches on TikTok for 2024 – AKA the places to steer clear of if you’d rather not find yourself as a background dancer in a stranger's reel.
The domestic travel specialists at Travellers Autobarn used social media data to rank 74 of the most popular beaches in Australia based on the number of TikTok hashtags. Recently crowned as the world’s seventh best beach by Tripadvisor, Manly Beach took the top spot as the most popular beach in the country for TikTok users in 2024. With more than 64,000 videos tagged, social media stars can’t get enough of the scenic ferry ride to Manly, the beach’s convenient location near the shops, and the unexpected bonus of meeting plenty of adorable pups along the promenade. Just a heads up: if your four-legged friends are camera shy, this might not be the beach (walk) for them, as they could easily end up trending on TikTok.
@zoerosejordan day trip idea from Sydney 🤿🌴🌊 #manly #manlybeach #manlymarkets #shellybeach #snorkel #spittomanly #coastalwalk #daytrip #whattodo #sydney #australia ♬ That Couch Potato Again - Prod. By Rose
Another frequent star on 'best beach in the world' lists, Whitehaven Beach ranked as the second most popular beach on TikTok with 51,000 hashtags. This pristine paradise in the Whitsundays has crystal-clear waters, sand that's 98 per cent silica (making it whiter and softer than pretty much anywhere in the world), and a general kind of stunning beauty that normally isn't seen outside of postcards – well, except on TikTok.
Interestingly, all the beaches in the top ten hail from New South Wales or Queensland, with popular tourist spots like Byron Bay, Bondi Beach and Surfers Paradise snagging spots in the top five. We won’t deny their natural beauty, but we also won’t blame you if you hit up this stunning and secluded Aussie beach instead.
Here are the 10 most popular beaches in Australia, according to TikTok:
- Manly Beach, NSW
- Whitehaven Beach, QLD
- Byron Bay, NSW
- Bondi Beach, NSW
- Surfers Paradise, QLD
- Airlie Beach, QLD
- Cronulla Beach, NSW
- Coogee Beach, NSW
- Rainbow Beach, QLD
- Palm Beach, QLD
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