LONDON, UK, 23 February, 2022 – Luskentyre on Scotland’s Isle of Harris has today been named seventh best-rated beach in Europe, with three other UK beaches making it into Europe’s top 25 as Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel platform, announced the second of its annual Travellers’ Choice Awards for 2022, the Best of the Best Beaches.
As we inch closer to the long-awaited end of winter, dreams of a sun-soaked beach trip are likely on the minds of much of the nation right now, especially following Storms Dudley and Eunice, which battered the country last week. In fact, a recent Tripadvisor sponsored survey revealed that over a third (34%) of UK travellers will take a beach trip in 2022.
As Brits gaze out of the window at grim grey skies, Tripadvisor is today serving up a much needed dose of wanderlust, with its highly-anticipated ranking of the world’s best beaches. As determined by its global community of travel lovers, this list is the ultimate guide to the 2022 beach getaway of dreams.
“We know a perfect day at the beach looks different from one person to the next. Some love classic soft white sand and sunbathing, while others love exploring rocky coves. This list has something for everyone, because it was determined by the millions of different travellers all over the world reviewing their favourite beaches on Tripadvisor throughout 2021. Although last year was still far from ‘normal,’ these are the beaches travellers visited and loved more than any others,” said Christine Maguire, VP, Global Media Business at Tripadvisor.
Four UK beaches beat spots in Italy, Greece and France in Europe top 25
This year, four beaches – evenly split across the north and south of the UK – make it into Europe’s top 25, beating the likes of Tropea Beach in Italy, Corsica’s Plage de Palombaggia and Falassarna Beach in Crete.
Luskentyre on the Isle of Harris and Bamburgh Beach in Northumberland are the UK’s top ranking beaches, placing seventh and eighth in Europe respectively, while in the south of the UK, Porthminster Beach in St Ives, Cornwall comes in at 11th and Dorset’s Weymouth Beach places 19th.
Luskentyre is a stunning beach, boasting miles of white sand and beautiful green-blue water, with impressive sand dunes and views of the island of Taransay. Further adding to Luskentyre’s appeal – for such a beautiful beach visitors might expect to have to share the beauty spot with crowds of other travellers but on the contrary – it’s often possible to take a stroll along this beach without seeing another soul. The ideal secluded retreat.
Elsewhere, Europe’s top ranking beach is Spiaggia dei Conigli on the island of Lampedusa.
And the title of world’s best beach for 2022 goes to…
The number one beach on the planet this year, determined by travellers, is Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos. With over 7,200 reviews to-date (90% of which are 5-bubble), this quintessential Caribbean paradise has travellers raving about its white sand and crystal clear water. If you’re looking to do more than sun-bathe on this stunning beach, visitors can up-level their Grace Bay trip by booking one of these traveller favourite experiences: 4 Hour Group Catamaran Sail and Snorkel Tour or Parasailing Adventure from Providenciales.
Top 10 Beaches in the World for 2022
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Grace Bay Beach - Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos
Traveller tip: “I have never seen water so clear! Make sure you snorkel to see the many different types of fish, and I saw a barracuda too!” - @Pier Angeli
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Varadero Beach - Varadero, Cuba
Traveller tip: “Beautiful turquoise water and soft sands are along the shores of Varadero Beach. A great place to relax in the calm morning waters or play in the waves in the afternoon. It is my go-to for warm weather fun.” - @darryl g
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Turquoise Bay - Exmouth, Australia
Traveller tip: “A must do if you love the beach and snorkeling the coral reef. Very safe for all the family.” - @brucepilot
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Quarta Praia - Morro de Sao Paulo, Brazil
Traveller tip: “The most beautiful and quiet beach of Morro de Sao Paulo. The sea is very calm and the water is hot! If you want a place to rest, make a reservation at Patachocas Resort located at this beach.” - @Renata Duerte
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Eagle Beach - Palm - Eagle Beach, Aruba
Traveller tip: “If you want to do water sports, Eagle is the beach to go. They had it all and a very cute beach bar. If you want shade, make sure you get there early.” - @Desiree B
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Radhanagar Beach - Havelock Island, India
Traveller tip: “This is a beautiful cove with fine white sand. There are a few luxury properties that open up onto this beach like the Taj Exotica etc…For people that enjoy solitude, you can visit in the evening and walk to the end of the beach without the roving crowds. One can spend an hour or two right before sunset and enjoy the water and sky as the colours change with the setting sun.” - @bhumika23
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Baia do Sancho - Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
Traveller tip: “Even though this beach is a little bit difficult to access, it's worth every effort. Pay attention to the entrance and leave time tables because of the stairs you have to use. You are then rewarded with a Caribbean-like beach, wind protected, almost no people and a lot of things you can see while snorkeling.” - @Artur Friedenreich
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Trunk Bay Beach - Virgin Islands National Park, U.S. Virgin Islands
Traveller tip: “Great place for our first time snorkeling. There's a very short, but very fun underwater trail to snorkel over. The beach is sandy and it was easy for my pre-teens to get their snorkel gear on and start.” - @John S.
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Baía dos Golfinhos - Praia da Pipa, Brazil
Traveller tip: “Just an amazing place, wonderful nature and fantastic weather in summer. The best way to go is with a jeep tour, and don't forget to bring your beer.” - @momo
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Spiaggia dei Conigli - Lampedusa, Italy
Traveller tip: “Truly heavenly to take your breath away. Among other things, this is the ideal beach for children, with shallow water and sand. ” - @FABIO191
Top 10 Beaches in Europe for 2022
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Spiaggia dei Conigli - Lampedusa, Italy
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Praia da Falésia - Olhos de Agua, Portugal
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Playa de Muro Beach - Playa de Muro, Majorca, Spain
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Nissi Beach - Ayia Napa, Cyprus
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Balos Lagoon - Kissamos, Crete, Greece
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Kleftiko Beach - Milos, Greece
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Luskentyre - Isle of Harris, Scotland
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Bamburgh Beach - Banburgh, Northumberland, United Kingdom
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Sotavento Beach - Costa Calma, Fuerteventura, Spain
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Spiaggia di Cala Rossa - Isola di Favignana, Italy
See all the Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Beach winners for 2022 here: tripadvisor.co.uk/TravellersChoice-Beaches
Methodology
The Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards honour travellers’ favourite beaches worldwide, based on the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings from Tripadvisor travellers for beaches, gathered over the 12-month period from January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021.
About Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform*, helps hundreds of millions of people each month** become better travellers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travellers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travellers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby. As a travel guidance company available in 43 markets and 22 languages, Tripadvisor makes planning easy no matter the trip type.
The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP), own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps, including the following websites:
www.bokun.io, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com, www.helloreco.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.seatguru.com, www.singleplatform.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.
* Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, January 2022
** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files
