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TripAdvisor®, the travel planning and booking site, today announced the winners of its Travellers’ Choice® awards for Beaches in Australia and the world.
For the first time, Sydneysiders’ favourite Manly Beach took the #1 spot in Australia whilst six beaches in Queensland made it into the Australia top 10 list. Globally, the gorgeous Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos was rated as the best beach in the world by TripAdvisor reviewers.
“There are few things that Australians love more than a day out at the beach and for those planning a beachside getaway before summer officially comes to a close, TripAdvisor has identified the top award-winning beaches across Australia,” said Grant Colquhoun, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “We have also listed top-rated nearby great value hotels that will enable travellers to enjoy a fantastic beachfront holiday.”
Member for Manly James Griffin said this accolade is well-deserved recognition for what is now officially Australia’s best beach. “Manly is loved by locals and visitors from across the globe so it’s no surprise to see our beach named the number one beach in the country, thanks to its stunning coastline, waterside bars and restaurants, picturesque walking tracks and direct access by ferry from Sydney’s CBD,” Mr Griffin said.
“Manly attracts around 2.3 million visitors each year and with the inaugural Vissla Sydney Surf Pro kicking-off this weekend, now is the perfect time to visit our beautiful beachside suburbs.”
Top 10 Travellers’ Choice Beaches in Australia:
(Excerpts in quotes below from TripAdvisor reviewers)
Coming in first is nothing new to Manly Beach – it was first beach in Australia to allow daylight swimming in 1903, hosted the world’s earliest surfing championship back in 1964 and now taking the number one spot. Reviewers say it’s a “must-see” when in Sydney and travellers can take the ferry service from Circular Quay and spend the afternoon taking in the “breath-taking” views or strolling along Corso, for plenty of shops, bars and restaurants.
Surfer’s Paradise Beach is one of Australia’s most iconic and visited tourist attraction, known for its “crystal clear waters” and “great sandy beach”. Reviewers recommend it as a picnic spot and taking a stroll down the esplanade for the magnificent city skylines. Vigilant lifeguards keep the beach safe and ensure that beach-goers swim within the safe zones.
Stretching over seven kilometres, Whitehaven beach is the largest of the 74 islands in the Whitsundays. The beach gives a whole new meaning to soft, white sandy beach with 98 percent pure white silica sands, making it “one of the purest in the world”. Travellers highly recommend making a climb up to the Hill Inlet lookout for views of “swirls of pure white sand, crystal turquoise water and little islands of coral reefs around it”.
Home to one of Noosa’s best surf locations, Noosa Main Beach is “great for first time surfers” thanks to its “gentle waves and plenty of life savers”. As one of the very few beaches along Australia's eastern coastline that faces north, the waters are warm and calm most of the year around. Travellers can head to the nearby Hasting Street, a vibrant area with cafes, bars and restaurants, after a day of relaxation under the sun.
World-renowned Bondi Beach is one of Sydney’s most popular beaches, located just eight kilometres or a short bus ride away from the city centre. Visitors to Sydney's famous eastern shoreline will be delighted with Bondi’s “lovely sweeping curve”, “mesmerising waves” and lively sun seekers. Travellers recommend going on a coastal walk from Bondi to Congee to be “rewarded with great scenery and a pleasant walk”.
Stretching over four miles of white sand and glistening water, reviewers say Four Mile Beach is “one of the most iconic beaches in tropical north Queensland”. Travellers can expect warm waters, tropical weather and a coastline fringed with palm trees at the main beach of Port Douglas. Swimmers are advised to stay within the netted area which keeps the section of the beach free of sharks, crocodiles and jellyfish.
Cable Beach is said to be “one of the most scenic beaches in the world”, with its rich red ochre dunes, white sand and clear turquoise waters. Named after the telegraph cable laid between Broome and Java in 1889, the beach remains relatively uncrowded even during the peak season between May and October. A “must-do on everyone’s bucket list”, travellers can relax over beers whilst watching the sun set into the Indian Ocean.
Mooloolaba Beach is the one of the safest of the Sunshine Coast beaches as its north-facing location ensures near-perfect and safe water conditions all year round. The gentle waves makes the “beautiful and clean” beach popular for swimming, boogie boards and body surfing. A favourite among families, the rock pools along the beach have “all sorts of interesting creatures for children to observe safely”.
Located on the Southern end of Gold Coast, Burleigh Heads is famous for its “perfect” surfing conditions and laid back Australian atmosphere. Loved by locals and tourists alike, the beach is a great spot for swimming in protected waters. It is also close to Burleigh Head National Park, where travellers can “spot some wildlife and capture great scenic shots of the coastline”.
Experience “turquoise waters and white sand” at Turquoise Bay, one of Western Australia’s most beautiful beaches. The beach is within metres of the renowned Ningaloo Reef making it the perfect spot for snorkelling amongst a rich biodiversity of marine life including “colourful corals and fishes, octopuses and see turtles.” The bay is also popular for drift snorkelling, where beachgoers swim out to the reef on the southern end of the beach and let the current wash them north to the sand bar.
Top 10 Travellers’ Choice Beaches in the World:
1. Grace Bay – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
2. Baia do Sancho – Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
3. Varadero Beach – Varadero, Cuba
4. Eagle Beach – Palm - Eagle Beach, Aruba
5. Seven Mile Beach – Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands
6. La Concha Beach – San Sebastian – Donostia, Spain
7. Clearwater Beach – Clearwater, Florida
8. Seven Mile Beach – Negril, Jamaica
9. Bavaro Beach – Bavaro, Dominican Republic
10. Playa Norte – Isla Mujeres, Mexico
TripAdvisor has awarded 355 beaches overall, including the top 25 in the world and local lists for Asia, Europe, Africa, South Pacific, South America, Middle East, Caribbean, Central America, Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S. Award winners were determined based on the quantity and quality of traveller reviews and ratings for beaches on TripAdvisor, gathered over a 12-month period.
For the complete list of Travellers’ Choice Beach award-winners for 2018, as well as the latest reviews and candid traveller photos, visit: www.TripAdvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Beaches. Travellers can also follow the conversation on Twitter at #TravellersChoice.
Methodology
Highly-rated value hotels have at least four out of five bubbles on TripAdvisor with a nightly rate less than AU$379 per night, based on TripAdvisor prices in March 2018.
All prices have been converted from US Dollars to Australian Dollars via xe.com on February 20, 2018.
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