ABOUT US

OUR STORY

The idea for The World's 50 Best Beaches was sparked by our genuine passion for the beach. As avid beach enthusiasts and travellers ourselves, we've had the privilege of experiencing countless beaches across the globe. Yet, amidst the vast array of stunning shorelines, we realized that discovering and experiencing truly exceptional beaches is far more difficult than it seems.

Driven by our desire to share our love for the beach and to provide a valuable resource for beach lovers worldwide, we embarked on a mission to curate a comprehensive and inspiring list of the world's best beaches. Drawing upon our own experiences and insights, as well as the collective expertise of countless travel professionals, we wanted to create a definitive, authoritative list that would inspire and inform beachgoers around the globe. One more researched and in-depth than the many other beaches lists available online.

As beach lovers ourselves, we understand the amazing impact that a truly exceptional beach can have on one's mood and sense of well-being. It is our hope that through The World's 50 Best Beaches, we can inspire others to embark on their own beach adventures, to explore the wonders of nature, and to experience the joy that can be found along the world's most stunning shorelines.

OUR SELECTION PROCESS

Each year, we reach out to thousands of the world’s most experienced travel professionals, and ask them to vote for what they think is the best beach on earth. Voters are not given any specific criteria as to what makes a beach the best, but they are asked to describe why they think it is the best. Each vote was accompanied by a compelling description, adding depth to the selection process and making sure extra thought was put into the vote.

As many of the world’s best beaches are yet to be discovered, our final list is not based purely on votes cast. The number of votes a beach receives is a contributing factor to its appearance on our list as well as its ranking. In order to be included in our annual list, a beach must receive at least one vote.

Once all votes are cast, our team reviews each submission thoroughly and debates the merits of each beach that received a vote. Additionally, we collaborate with our esteemed Beach Ambassadors, a carefully chosen group of individuals renowned for their extensive travel experiences particularly to the world's top beaches. Each Ambassador has the privilege of nominating three beaches, further enriching our pool of candidates.

We then compile our final list based on our specific criteria:

• Unique: The surrounding landscape of this beach makes it very unique.
• Wildlife: You are likely to encounter incredible wildlife at this beach or in the water.
• Untouched: This beach is very far off the beaten path and is in a pristine state.
• Soundtrack of Nature: At this beach, the only thing you will hear are the sounds of the ocean and nature.
• Easy to Enter: The water at this beach is very easy to enter, with calm waters and a sandy bottom.
• Often Calm Water: The ocean at this beach is usually very calm, making it easy to relax in the water.
• Not Too Crowded: This beach is never too crowded, making it very peaceful.
• Frequently Idyllic: Your odds of perfect beach days are much higher than average at this beach.

Special consideration is given to beaches that a member of our team has personally visited within the past two years as we are able to verify that it is not a beach that is well-known but has seen better days.

BEST OF THE BEST

The Best of the Best list was created in 2024 and is made up of beaches that have been named No. 1 in The World’s 50 Best Beaches in previous years. In addition to the No. 1 winners, our in-house experts have carefully selected a few other beaches deemed deserving of recognition for various reasons. These may include beaches that narrowly missed the top spot or those with unique and iconic attributes that set them apart. While they may not meet all criteria for the No. 1 designation, their exceptional qualities warrant a place on this list.

Our Best of the Best beaches are truly iconic and will forever be honoured in the Best of the Best section of our website, which can be considered a ‘Hall of Fame’ for beaches. Once a beach achieves this honour, it is no longer eligible to be named in our annual list of The World’s 50 Best Beaches.