What qualifies a beach as one of the best in the world rarely comes down to a single factor. It’s not just the sand or the water. It’s the feeling of the place, the setting, the consistency of experience, and often, how removed it feels from noise, clutter, and commercial sprawl. Some travelers value seclusion and raw nature. Others lean toward amenities, walkability, or ease of access. But across nearly every list compiled by professionals and seasoned tourists alike, a handful of beaches keep showing up. These are places that manage to stay in memory long after the tan fades and the bags are unpacked.
On this site we list the best beaches in every country and below you find the best of the best globally.
Cala Goloritzé, Sardinia
Located on the eastern coast of Sardinia, Cala Goloritzé tops the 2025 rankings according to a global survey of travel industry professionals. Its popularity has never been about convenience. You can’t drive to it, and there are no snack vendors or beach clubs offering umbrellas and drinks. You hike. Or you rent a boat. The trek is not especially long, but it’s enough to weed out the crowds. What awaits at the end is limestone cliffs dropping into pristine blue water, backed by untouched greenery. The sand is pale, coarse, and clean. You come here to swim, float, and listen. Nothing else.
Elafonissi Beach, Crete
Crete’s Elafonissi Beach earned the top spot in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards for 2025. It’s known for its unusual pink-tinged sand, created by crushed shells and coral particles. Unlike Cala Goloritzé, it’s easily accessible by car, and in peak months it attracts plenty of visitors. Still, the beach covers a wide area, and shallow lagoons stretch out from the shoreline, creating natural pools of warm, crystal-clear water. It’s family-friendly, walkable, and has enough open space to avoid feeling packed. The balance between natural beauty and usability is what keeps Elafonissi high on every list.
Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles
Anse Source d’Argent is a regular contender on global rankings and for good reason. Its boulders look like sculpture, its waters remain shallow and gentle, and its surrounding vegetation keeps the beach shaded in parts throughout the day. It’s not remote, but it feels separate from everything—something that’s increasingly hard to find. Despite its popularity, the beach has avoided overdevelopment thanks to local restrictions and conscious planning. For many, this is the archetypal tropical beach—the kind printed on postcards and computer wallpapers, but real.
Entalula Beach, Philippines
Entalula Beach is located near El Nido, in the province of Palawan. It consistently ranks among the most stunning and least spoiled beaches in the Philippines. It’s not a beach you stumble upon; most people get there as part of a boat tour. But that helps preserve its sense of isolation. The sand is soft and bright white, the water shifts between green and deep blue, and the surrounding cliffs offer shade, shelter, and visual contrast. For those tired of overcrowded island destinations, Entalula delivers something quieter and less polished—but more satisfying.
Bang Bao Beach, Thailand
Bang Bao Beach sits on Koh Kood, one of Thailand’s less touristy islands. In 2025, it ranked third in a comprehensive list of the world’s best beaches. It’s not the biggest beach or the most famous, but it holds a reputation for its gentle surf, reliable snorkeling, and relaxed pace. Guesthouses and small resorts sit just beyond the sand, but they haven’t pushed into the beach itself. It still feels local. You won’t find loud parties or water parks here, but you will find long afternoons, calm waters, and clear night skies.
Other Beaches That Consistently Stand Out
There are many others that continue to receive recognition, year after year. Playa de Rodas in Spain’s Cíes Islands is one. It was named best beach in the world in 2007 and remains a standard for European travelers looking for Atlantic beauty without Mediterranean crowds. Flamenco Beach in Puerto Rico has a loyal following thanks to its soft sand, protected bay, and unique WWII-era tanks left behind on the beach. Zlatni Rat in Croatia is known for its strange V-shape, created by shifting tides and strong winds, and it’s a favorite for windsurfers. Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman, despite losing some of its original length, still offers clear snorkeling and soft coral sand within walking distance of resorts and restaurants.
Why These Beaches Stand Out
What separates these beaches from thousands of others comes down to consistency. They deliver what they promise. The water is always clear. The sand is always clean. The scenery doesn’t disappoint. Crowds, when they appear, don’t destroy the experience. Facilities, when available, don’t feel like interruptions. Many of them are protected by local or national laws that limit construction, reduce tourism numbers, or ensure conservation.
Every beach on these lists has been visited, reviewed, and re-visited by thousands of travelers who don’t agree on much—but they do agree on these. Whether it’s a secluded bay only accessible by boat, or a massive stretch of white sand near a city, the best beaches aren’t about perfection. They’re about a feeling that’s hard to explain and harder to forget.