Vital additions to your bucket-and-spade list for 2025 have been revealed by Tripadvisor.
A drum roll, please, for its Travellers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Beaches for 2025, which showcases Tripadvisor reviewers’ favourite beaches on earth, based on a ‘comprehensive analysis of Tripadvisor review data’.
The No.1 strip of sand in the world for this year has been declared as Elafonissi Beach on the Greek island of Crete, which climbs 23 places to secure the top spot.
The rest of the global top five ranking comprises Banana Beach on the Thai island of Phuket (second); Eagle Beach on the Caribbean island of Aruba (third); Siesta Beach in Florida (fourth); and Praia da Falésia in the Algarve, Portugal (fifth).
Conspicuous by its absence from the upper echelons of the global ranking is Australia, which claimed seventh place with Sydney‘s Manly Beach last year. That beach is still No.1 for the country, but this year, it’s slipped to 15th globally.
The No.1 beach in the UK is, for the fourth time in a row, Weymouth Beach in Dorset, with the much-loved ribbon of sand claiming an impressive 20th place on the European list.
Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Beaches for 2025 has named Elafonissi Beach (above two pictures) on the Greek island of Crete the No.1 strip of sand in the world for this year
Banana Beach on the Thai island of Phuket comes second in the global ranking
In a statement, Tripadvisor pays homage to Elafonissi Beach, describing it as being known for its crystal-clear waters and pink sand.
It adds: ‘This beach is also surrounded by forests of cedar trees, making it a great spot for hiking, too.’
On the Tripadvisor site, the beach has 16,017 reviews, with 10,641 five-star ratings.
Reviewer ‘Georgina S’ describes a visit to Elafonissi Beach as ‘an experience like no other’, while ‘LeonaNotFiona’ describes it as ‘absolutely perfect’.
The beach does have its detractors, though, with ‘Laurence R’ claiming that there is ‘not much pink sand [as] advertised’ and another reviewer complaining that it was ‘far too busy’ when he visited.
Eagle Beach on the Caribbean island of Aruba comes third on the global list
Behold the fourth-best beach in the world, according to Tripadvisor – Siesta Beach in Florida
Praia da Falésia in the Algarve, Portugal, comes an impressive fifth in the global ranking
Water sight: Sixth on the worldwide ranking is Playa Varadero, Cuba
Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, has been ranked seventh in the world by Tripadvisor
Silver-medal winner Banana Beach on Phuket is ‘good for boating, parasailing, colourful coral and fish’, according to Tripadvisor, which adds that the best time to visit is between November and March, when Phuket enjoys ‘clear skies, dry weather and calm seas’.
The travel site picks out the white sand as one of the highlights of bronze medallist Eagle Beach, noting that the optimum time to visit is between April and August, when there are thinner crowds but ‘excellent weather’.
Fourth-placed Siesta Beach has an average rating of 4.5 out of five on Tripadvisor, with reviewer ‘Nancy S’ claiming that the spot boasts ‘white sand as far as the eye can see’.
User ‘Ron T’ sums the strip of sand up as simply being a ‘perfect beach’.
Tripadvisor says that the best time to visit is between April and May, or September and October, when ‘the weather is pleasant, crowds are smaller, and temperatures are more moderate’.
Top in Spain and No.8 in the world is Playa de Muro Beach, Mallorca
Instagram-favourite Kelingking Beach in Indonesia is the ninth-best in the world for 2025
Myrtos Beach (10th in the world) on the Greek island of Kefalonia doesn’t have any shade, but it puts most other beaches in the shade
Weymouth Beach in Dorset is ranked the best in Britain and No.20 in Europe for 2025
The No.2 beach in the UK and 23rd in Europe has been named as Gorleston-on-Sea Beach (above)
Sydney’s Manly Beach was last year’s seventh-best beach – but slips to 15th in the worldwide 2025 ranking
The remainder of the worldwide top 10 list comprises Playa Varadero, Cuba (sixth); Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (seventh); Playa de Muro Beach, Mallorca, Spain (eighth); Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida, Indonesia (ninth); and Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia island, Greece (10th).
The rest of the top 10 European ranking comprises Spiaggia dei Conigli, Sicily (fifth); Playa de Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Spain (sixth); Plage de Palombaggia, Corsica, France (seventh); Tropea Beach, Calabria, Italy (eighth); Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland (ninth); and Falassarna Beach, Crete, Greece (10th).
Tripadvisor describes UK winner Weymouth Beach as being ‘ideal for families’, with ‘plenty to do on a day out in the summer from Punch and Judy shows to donkey rides and pedalo hire’.
The No.2 beach in the UK and 23rd in Europe has been named as Gorleston-on-Sea Beach, Norfolk, which Tripadvisor describes as ‘a quintessential British beach’ that’s ‘perfect for bucket-and-spade outings’.
The site adds: ‘Visitors looking for a bit more action can enjoy surfing, bodyboarding, and kite-flying, while the nearby promenade offers beautiful views and a selection of cafes, and shops.’
Kristen Dalton, President, Tripadvisor, said: ‘Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards uniquely reflect the voices of millions of global travellers and help guide people to plan their best trip yet. In my family, beaches aren’t just for sunbathing – we like to get out and explore! The diversity of this year’s winners really showcases everything that a beach trip can offer.
‘Whether it’s strolling the beautiful pink sand beaches of our world winner, Elafonissi beach, in Greece, experiencing breathtaking vistas in Indonesia, whale watching in Hawaii or diving in magical bioluminescent waters in Thailand – there really is something for everyone. This year’s lists span an incredible six continents and 50 countries with over 100 of the very best beaches showcasing the eclectic mix of coastal spots across the world.’
For more, visit www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Beaches.