The Rankings · Boracay
Boracay Beaches: White Beach, Puka and Bulabog, Rated
Four kilometres of powder on one side, kitesurfers on the other, and a quiet end made of jewellery. Three of the Philippines' ten are on one small island.
October 2026 · 3 min
The Rankings · Split and Central Dalmatia
Split Croatia Beaches: Bačvice, Zlatni Rat, Punta Rata and Stiniva
A city beach with a game every day of the year, a spit that moves in a storm, and a cove you enter through a gate in the rock. Six of them, around Split.
October 2026 · 4 min
The Rankings · Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik Beaches: Banje, Sveti Jakov, Šunj and Pasjača
One under the city walls, one down 160 steps, one on a car-free island and one made from tunnel rubble. Three of Croatia's ten are within reach of Dubrovnik.
October 2026 · 3 min
The Rankings · Cancún
Cancún Beaches: Playa Delfines and Isla Mujeres' Playa Norte, Rated
Cancún's free public beach with real waves, and a calm, shallow one twenty minutes away by ferry. What each costs and when to go.
October 2026 · 3 min
The Rankings · Oaxaca
Oaxaca Beaches: Mazunte and Zipolite, and Why You Watch the Water at Both
Two neighbouring beaches on the Oaxaca coast, palm shade and simple restaurants, and currents both sources warn about. One we rate Overrated.
October 2026 · 3 min
The Rankings · Sardinia
Sardinia Beaches: Cala Goloritzé, La Pelosa and Chia, Rated
A cove a landslide made, a beach you book like a restaurant, and lagoons with flamingos. Three of Italy's ten are in Sardinia.
October 2026 · 3 min
The Rankings · Sicily
Sicily Beaches: San Vito Lo Capo, Scala dei Turchi, Mondello and Fontane Bianche
A beach that is 70% rented out, a white cliff with a timer, Palermo's bay, and springs under the sea. Four of Italy's ten are in Sicily.
October 2026 · 3 min
The Rankings · Phuket
Phuket Beaches: Patong, Freedom and Bang Tao, Rated
The loudest beach in Phuket, a cove you pay to walk down to, and seven kilometres of sunbeds at every price. None is worth a detour.
October 2026 · 3 min
The Rankings · Crete
Crete Beaches: Elafonisi, Balos and Falasarna, Rated and Measured
Pink sand in a nature reserve, a lagoon at the end of a dirt road, and a west coast big enough for August. All three in Crete's far west.
October 2026 · 3 min
The Rankings · The Algarve
Algarve Beaches: The 15 We Rated, From a 66-Metre Cove to 3 Kilometres of Sand
Five worth a detour, eight only if you are already there, two overrated. With the steps, the length and the sea for each.
October 2026 · 4 min
The Rankings · Lagos, Portugal
Lagos Beaches: Dona Ana, Meia Praia, Luz & Camilo
Lagos beaches compared by access, setting and facilities, with four verdicts and a dated Camilo closure. Your calves may have a preference.
Visitor facts checked 17 October 2026 · 4 min
The Rankings
Hidden Beaches: Twelve That Make You Work for It
A beach on a best-of list is not hidden. What is left is effort: steps, dirt roads, hikes and boats. Twelve from our records, ranked by what stands between you and the sand.
October 2026 · 4 min
The Rankings
The Most Dangerous Beaches We Have Checked
Ten beaches from our records, ordered by what is on record: people killed, people injured, then closures and warnings.
October 2026 · 4 min
The Rankings · Portugal
The 10 Best Beaches in Portugal, Rated
Ordered by fame, rated from the sources. One is a book-the-flight. One you should not swim at.
October 2026 · 4 min
The Rankings · Greece
The 10 Best Beaches in Greece, Rated
The ten the big lists agree on, measured. The most famous one is closed.
October 2026 · 4 min
The Rankings · Bali
The 10 Best Beaches in Bali, Rated
From a fresh survey of the island. Two of the ten are rated Overrated, and the sources say why.
October 2026 · 4 min
The Rankings
Bioluminescent Beaches: 10 Places Where the Sea Glows at Night
Where the water lights up when you move through it, which months, and what each place charges or forbids.
July 2026 · 6 min
The Rankings
The Most Overrated Beaches, So Far
Every beach we have rated Overrated or worse. Each one is famous and each one has a closure, a hazard or a catch on record.
October 2026 · 3 min
The Rankings
The Widest Beaches We Have Measured
Mean width of sand, from the mapped shape of every beach we have rated. Widest first.
October 2026 · 2 min
The Rankings
The Narrowest Beaches We Have Measured
The same measurement, read from the other end. Bring a small towel.
October 2026 · 2 min
The Rankings
The Top 10 Beaches in Peru, Judged by the Data
The Beach Boys sang about one of them in 1962. Another is 187 meters long. We surveyed 149 and these ten survived.
Survey verified, July 2026 · 5 min