A list of the best beaches in the world has been revealed and the number one spot was taken by a stunning place on a beautiful Greek island, where temperatures reach the high 20s as early as June and even hotter in July and August. Elafonissi Beach in Crete has been named as the best in the world at the Tripadvisor Best of the Best awards. The stunning beach is located on the western coast of the island and has been well-reviewed by thousands of visitors.
It scores a 4.5 out of 5 based on a staggering 16,000 reviews. What makes this beach special is its unique pink sand as well as its turquoise waters. There are shallow lagoons here, so even the most inexperienced swimmers can enjoy a dip in the water. As it is considered the best beach in the world, you can expect it to get busy. Tourists are advised to arrive early to secure a sunbed and an umbrella because it will get more crowded as the day goes on.
Crete is one of the most popular destinations in Greece for British tourists, with popular spots on the island including Chania and Matala. Crete gets millions of visitors per year, reaching a new high in 2024 with over five million.
The island is popular for a number of reasons, with the main ones being its scenic beaches and pleasant summer weather. According to Visit Greece, there are remnants of old civilisations here, something the history buffs will enjoy.
Meanwhile, it is also recognisable for its mountainscapes as well as its coastal scenes. Plus, there is quite a rich culinary scene on Crete, meaning there are plenty of delicious foods that tourists enjoy trying here.
Both Heraklion and Chania are international airports on the island of Crete. Flights to these airports take off from multiple UK cities including London, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow with airline options including Ryaniar, easyJet, Corendon Airlines Europe, British Airways and Jet2.
Flights between the UK and Crete are typically between four and five hours, depending on which airport you are departing from.
While Elafonissi Beach has been named the best beach in the world to visit, there are plenty of other stunning coastal spots on this island. They include Balos Lagoon, Falasarna and Nea Chora Beach.
Reviewers have had overwhelmingly positive things to say about Elafonissi Beach after visiting. One person wrote: “Beautiful beach! Crystal clear water! Just not pink like the pictures online! It has very little pink nowadays! So if you are only wanting to go to see pink, then you may be disappointed, but I loved the beach! It was huge! Fun day.”
Another said: “I have given this beach 4 stars as, although an absolutely beautiful beach and sea, it is filled with tourists, you have to pay for toilets.”
A third wrote: “Pink sand, blue-green shallow waters and exotic beauty in a unique landscape of Crete. It’s worth visiting.”
Other beaches that made the top ten list of the best in the world, according to thousands of Tripadvisor reviews, are located across the globe. In second place is Banana Beach in Phuket, Thailand.
The rest of the top ten is made up of Eagle Beach in Aruba, Siesta Beach in Florida, Praia da Falésia in Portugal, Playa Varadero in Cuba, Bovaro Beach in Dominican Republic, Playa de Muro Beach in Spain, Kelingking Beach in Indonesia and Myrtos Beach in Greece.
