Bournemouth named one of the best beaches in the world for 2021 by Tripadvisor

Usually, when we’re not in the middle of a pandemic, as soon as the hot weather hits we’re off to the sun-soaked beaches of the Med - often forgetting we have some pretty spectacular beaches right here in the UK.

Travel review site Tripadvisor has just revealed its list of the best beaches in the world for 2021 - and Bournemouth features among the winners.

Dorset’s popular gold sand beach placed 20th in Tripadvisor's annual global rankings, beating the likes of Elafonissi Beach in Crete (24th) and Tanzania’s Nungwi Beach (23rd).

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Australia’s Whitehaven Beach on its glorious Whitsunday Island claimed the title of best beach in the world, closely followed by Santa Maria Beach in Cuba, Baia do Sancho in Brazil, Grace Bay in Turks & Caicos and Saint Pete Beach in Florida, USA.

Tripadvisor’s top 25 beaches in the world for 2021

1. Whitehaven Beach, Australia

2. Santa Maria Beach, Cuba

3. Baia do Sancho, Brazil

4. Grace Bay Beach, Turks & Caicos

5. Saint Pete Beach, USA

6. Turquoise Bay, Australia

7. Eagle Beach, Aruba

8. Spiaggia dei Conigli, Italy

9. Ka'anapali Beach, USA

10. Baía dos Golfinhos, Brazil

11. Playa de Cofete, Spain

12. Varadero Beach, Cuba

13. Praia da Falésia, Portugal

14. Maho Bay Beach, St. John

15. Seven Mile Beach, Jamaica

16. La Concha Beach, Spain

17. Playa Norte, Mexico

18. Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands

19. Bavaro Beach, Dominican Republic

20. Bournemouth Beach, UK

21. Balos Lagoon, Greece

22. Playa Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

23. Nungwi Beach, Tanzania

24. Elafonissi Beach, Greece

25. Plage de Santa Giulia, France

Bournemouth was also named as the fifth best beach in Europe with Italy’s Spiaggia dei Conigli taking first place.

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Other UK gems featured in Tripadvisor’s rankings of the best European beaches including Cornwall’s Porthminster Beach (10th) and Perranporth Beach (16th) as well as Yorkshire’s Filey Beach (18th).

Tripadvisor’s top 25 beaches in Europe for 2021

1. Spiaggia dei Conigli, Italy

2. Playa de Cofete, Spain

3. Praia da Falésia, Portugal

4. La Concha Beach, Spain

5. Bournemouth Beach, UK

6. Balos Lagoon, Greece

7. Elafonissi Beach, Greece

8. Plage de Santa Giulia, France

9. Kleftiko Beach, Greece

10. Porthminster Beach, UK

11. Diamond Beach, Iceland

12. Playa de Ses Illetes, Spain

13. Sarakiniko Beach, Greece

14. Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland

15. Sotavento Beach, Spain

16. Perranporth Beach, UK

17. Fig Tree Bay, Cyprus

18. Filey Beach, UK

19. Plage du Sillon, France

20. Spiaggia di Sansone, Italy

21. Nissi Beach, Cyprus

22. Kleopatra Beach, Turkey

23. Tropea Beach, Italy

24. Plage de Palombaggia, France

25. Spiaggia La Cinta, Italy

Elsewhere, India’s Agonda Beach was named the best in Asia, Tanzania’s Nungwi the best in Africa, Australia’s Whitehaven the best in the South Pacific and Brazil’s Baia do Sancho the best in South America.

Saint Pete Beach in Florida was crowned number one in the US, Cuba's Santa Maria Beach the best in the Caribbean and Playa Norte the best in Mexico.

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This comes after Tripadvisor named St Ives as one of its top emerging destinations for 2021.

Hayley Coleman, Tripadvisor spokesperson said at the time: “It is no secret that St Ives is a well loved and long established tourist haven, with its picturesque harbour, beautiful beaches and buzzing art scene, but its place on this list shows just how much travellers are missing it and longing to visit again, once COVID-19 restrictions ease.”

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