There are many remarkable beaches around the world, but not all beaches are created equal. From secluded coves to azure tropical havens, there’s something for every kind of beach bum. The travel experts at Lonely Planet have compiled a list of the world’s very best beaches in a new book called “Best Beaches: 100 of the World’s Most Incredible Beaches.” Aussie beaches naturally made quite a few appearances with one iconic Sydney beach also making the cut. Not only was Bondi deemed one of the best in the world, but it also took out the top spot in the “people watching” category with the researchers adding that it was the world’s top beach worth battling the crowds for. The Pass in Byron Bay is another NSW beach that was lauded for its “stretch of pinkish-cream, pillowy-soft sand” further calling it a surfer’s paradise. It was also voted number five on the list of top family-friendly beaches.
Lonely Planet’s Best Beaches
In theory, beaches should be tranquil places for a quiet day out with untamed panoramas and few people to deal with and Bondi is anything but. But love it or hate it, the Sydney beach where you’ll either find yourself fighting for sand space or parking promises the quintessential Aussie experience with all the Instagram-worthy views.
Western Australia’s Cable Beach and Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park also unsurprisingly made the list. “Imagine sand so white and so fine it whistles underfoot, and water in shades of blue so beautiful it’s impossible to resist,” Lonely Planet wrote about Lucky Bay. Queensland’s Tangalooma Beach on Moreton Island, Whitehaven Beach on the Whitsundays and Bells Beach in Victoria were also among the Aussie beaches to make the list.
Best Beaches in Oceania according to Lonely Planet
- Blue Lagoon Beach, Nanuya Lailai, Yasawa Islands, Fiji
- Lalomanu Beach, Upolu, Samoa
- Tapuaeta’i/One Foot Island Beach, Aitutaki, Cook Islands
- Ta’ahiamanu Beach, Mo’orea, French Polynesia
- Cathedral Cove, Coromandel Peninsula, North Island, New Zealand
- Awaroa Beach, Abel Tasman National Park, South Island, New Zealand
- The Pass, Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
- Bells Beach, Surf Coast, Victoria, Australia
- Cable Beach/Walmanyjun, Broome, Western Australia, Australia
- Wineglass Bay, Freycinet National Park, Tasmania, Australia
- Bondi Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Lucky Bay, Western Australia, Australia
- Squeaky Beach, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia
- Tangalooma Beach, Moreton Island/ Moorgumpin, Queensland, Australia
- Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia
Lonely Planet’s “Best Beaches: 100 of the World’s Most Incredible Beaches” is due for release on February 9th, but you can get a glimpse of some of the beaches that made the list here.