Whether you love a rugged cliff face as a backdrop to your hiking trip or prefer dozing all day on powdery white sand under the beating sun, our world’s most glorious beaches vary enormously.
But thanks to TripAdvisor, we now know which ones have got the highest ratings on the planet. The review platform has had a good long look at its own data (from November 2023 to December 2024), and compiled a list of the best-rated beaches for its Travellers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Beaches for 2025.
There are rankings for Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and the UK, but which beach has been named as the very best on the planet? That would be Elafonissi Beach, a pink sand – yes, pink sand – beach on the Greek island of Crete.
About the beach, TripAdvisor says: ‘The shallow lagoons are perfect for curious kids, while the deeper waters invite all sorts of adventure for adults: swimming, snorkelling, you name it. Just make sure to stick around until sunset—you won’t regret it.’
In second place it’s Banana Beach, a (you guessed it) Banana-shaped stretch of coast near Phuket in Thailand, a spot known for good parasailing and vibrant fish and coral reefs, and in third place it’s Eagle Beach in Aruba, which boasts calm waters which are great for swimming.
Beautiful shores in Cuba, Portugal, Indonesia and the USA also made the list this year – check out the full top 10 (including paradise-like images) below.
These are the top 10 beaches in the world, according to TripAdvisor
1. Elafonissi Beach, Greece
2. Banana Beach, Thailand
3. Eagle Beach, Aruba
4. Siesta Beach, USA
5. Praia da Falésia, Portugal
6. Playa Varadero, Cuba
7. Bavaro Beach, Dominican Republic
8. Playa de Muro Beach, Spain
9. Kelingking Beach, Indonesia
10. Myrtos Beach, Greece
Life’s a beach
Recently, we’ve covered Lonely Planet’s and Planet Cruise’s roundups of the best beaches in the world for 2025, but why not take a look at our roundups of the best beaches in Europe and across the planet, too.
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