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Two British beaches have been named the best in the world

Stunning spots in Wales and Cornwall have been ranked alongside beaches in the Bahamas and Hawaii.

Amy Houghton
Written by
Amy Houghton
Contributing writer
Pedn Vounder beach, Cornwall
Photograph: Shutterstock
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With the sun slowly crawling its way back out in the UK, it’s time to get back on the beach. But with the limited amount of summer left, the stakes are high: we’ve got to make sure our next beach trip is a good one.

In need of some guidance? As it happens, we’ve got a bucketload. Big 7 Travel has put together a list of the best beaches in the world, and two British bays are among the top 50. To curate the ranking, the company used scores from previous media results, official Blue Flag locations and contributions from its editorial team. 

Pedn Vounder in Penzance, Cornwall was ranked the 25th best beach in the world. Big 7 said:  ‘Combining crystal clear blue water and white sand, it’s proof that you don’t need to hotfoot to the Caribbean for a tropical island-inspired getaway’.

Pedn Vounder’s name translates from the Cornish ‘pedn’ meaning head or end and ‘vounder’ meaning lane. Fair warning before you go, though: apparently Pedn Vounder is an ‘unofficial’ nudist beach. 

Sitting in 42nd place was Rhossili Bay on the Gower Peninsula in Wales, which Big 7 described as ‘pristine’ with ‘three miles of golden sands’. This beach is no stranger to acclaim, frequently featuring on round ups of the best beaches in Europe and, indeed, the world. It even made it onto our very own list of the best beaches in the UK

Both of these spots are often mistaken in pictures for places further afield, so it’s no surprise that they are ranked besides beaches in Hawaii, Colombia, the Bahamas and the Philippines.

Now you know exactly where to find slices of paradise without the faff of travelling overseas! 

Did you see that these are officially the best family-friendly destinations in the UK for summer 2023?

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