Where do you go if you’re craving crystal-clear waters and blindingly white sand? The Caribbean? Perhaps Spain or Portugal? Turns out you could just head up to Scotland.
Achmelvich Beach in the Scottish Highlands has officially been crowned one of the best beaches in the world. The bay came 45th in a list of 50 beaches globally and number 11 in Europe. Banana Boat, the company that compiled the list, said: ‘Who knew Scotland had beaches resembling a tropical paradise with bright sand and water so clear and turquoise that you’ll mistake it for the Caribbean?’
It scored eight out of ten for ‘untouched nature’ and seven out of ten for ‘swimmability’ (likely losing points because the water is ridiculously cold). It’s a hotspot for dolphin and porpoise spotting, plus the odd minke whale if you’re particularly lucky. With a campsite nearby, Alchmelvich can get quite busy in the summer, so you’ll want to head there in the winter months if you’re looking to avoid crowds.
The list was put together some of the world’s most experienced travel experts and claims to be ‘without any doubt the most accurate and well researched list of beaches ever compiled’. Guess we’ll take their word for it. Sandy stretches in Australia, Seychelles and the Philippines took the top three spots.
Three Cliffs Bay, near Swansea also appeared in Banana Boat’s ranking of the top 50 beaches in Europe.
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Plus: This tiny island museum has been named one of the UK’s top attractions.