If you’ve ever pondered about the whereabouts of the most stunning, turquoise beaches on the planet, then you’re in for a treat. We’ve delved into more than 300,000 TripAdvisor reviews to reveal the beaches that boast the most breathtaking natural wonders, including marine life, pristine cleanliness, crystal-clear waters, and overall beauty.
Stay tuned to uncover the top beaches.
Henderson Beach State Park: The Best Beach in the U.S.
Henderson Beach State Park, situated in Destin, Florida, is a breathtaking ocean beach known for its pristine white sand dunes and clear emerald-tinged water. With 2,315 (98%) reviews highlighting its natural wonders, it’s no surprise that this beach has been crowned as the best beach in the U.S.
Clean and Beautiful: The Standout Features
The beach received high scores for the abundance of ‘clean’ and ‘beautiful’ mentions, emphasizing its cleanliness and natural beauty.Discover the Beauty of Cape May Beach
Cape May: A Historic Seaside Destination
Nestled at the southernmost point of New Jersey, Cape May stands as one of America’s most ancient seaside retreats and a beloved summer escape. Here, visitors can revel in stunning vistas of the Atlantic Ocean, while on the inland side, they can admire Victorian mansions adorning a backdrop of charming shops and eateries.
The Cleanest Beach in the U.S.
Beyond its picturesque allure, our research has unveiled Cape May as the cleanest beach in the entire United States. An impressive 46% of all reviews cited the beach’s cleanliness, solidifying its reputation as a pristine coastal haven. Moreover, for those seeking a chance encounter with these majestic creatures, Cape May boasts the highest reported dolphin sightings, with 11% of reviews highlighting these remarkable experiences.
Lanikai Beach: A Scenic Paradise
Lanikai beach, also known as Kaʻōhao Beach, can be found in Kaʻōhao, Hawaii. This stunning beach offers breathtaking views of the Mokulua Islands and the Pacific Ocean. With a score of 80%, it comes in third in our analysis, solidifying its status as a top contender for the title of the most beautiful beach in the U.S.
Lanikai Beach: TripAdvisor’s Favorite
Lanikai beach has garnered the most acclaim for its beauty in TripAdvisor reviews. An impressive 50% of the reviews specifically mentioned the stunning beauty of Lanikai beach. This widespread recognition has earned Lanikai beach the official designation as the most beautiful beach in the U.S.
When it comes to spotting marine life like sea turtles, fish, or dolphins, Hawaii is the place to be. Three beaches in particular stand out for the best chances of seeing marine creatures.
Top Spot: Ho’okipa Beach Park, Hawaii
Ho’okipa Beach Park in Hawaii offers the highest chance of seeing marine life, with a 28% probability of spotting sea turtles. This information is based on the number of TripAdvisor reviews that mentioned seeing sea turtles at this beautiful beach.
Second Place: Poipu Beach Park, Hawaii
Poipu Beach Park follows closely behind, with an 18% chance of spotting marine creatures. Visitors are most likely to encounter sea turtles at this stunning beach, as indicated by numerous reviews. There’s also the possibility of seeing dolphins, as mentioned in several reviews.
Third Place: Napili Beach, Hawaii
Napili Beach ranks third in terms of spotting marine life, with 1 in 7 reviews mentioning marine life or related words. If you visit any of these three beaches from mid-April to October, you’ll have a greater chance of seeing sea turtles, as this is the nesting season for turtles in Hawaii.
Located in the north of Mallorca, Playa de Muro stretches for six kilometers, boasting an award-winning Blue Flag status and pristine white sandy beaches. It is renowned for its tranquil, crystal-clear waters and shallow sandy shores, making it a top contender for the title of the best beach in the world.
Recognition as the best beach in the world is not unfounded, as Playa de Muro has earned high praise for its cleanliness, with 38% of mentions highlighting its pristine condition. Additionally, the beach has received acclaim for its clear and stunning natural beauty, solidifying its reputation as a truly remarkable destination.
The Stunning Spiaggia dei Conigli: An Island Gem
Spiaggia dei Conigli, also known as Rabbit Beach, is a breathtaking coastal gem located on the stunning island of Lampedusa in Sicily, one of the Pelagie Islands. Renowned for its shallow, crystal-clear waters and soft golden sand, it has garnered a reputation as one of the most exquisite beaches in the world. As a result, it comes as no surprise that this remarkable beach holds the esteemed title of the second-best beach globally, boasting a remarkable natural wonder score of 87%.
Unrivaled Clear Waters
One of the defining features that sets Spiaggia dei Conigli apart is its exceptionally clear waters. In fact, it received the highest accolade for water clarity among all the beaches analyzed worldwide, with an impressive 33% of review mentions highlighting this remarkable attribute.Falassarna Beach: A Natural Wonder
Falassarna Beach, situated on the northwest coast of Crete, Greece, is a stunning destination that has been recognized as the third-best beach in the world. With its expansive shoreline, clear turquoise waters, and soft golden sand, Falassarna Beach offers a picturesque setting for beach enthusiasts. The surrounding mountains and the presence of small coves and inlets add to the charm of this beach, making it a must-visit location for nature lovers.
Natural Wonders and Clear Waters
According to our analysis, Falassarna Beach has been ranked as the third-best beach globally, with a remarkable 84% of TripAdvisor reviews highlighting its natural wonders. Visitors have consistently praised the clear waters of the beach, emphasizing its breathtaking beauty. In fact, some reviews even mention the sighting of bioluminescent creatures, adding an element of wonder to the beach experience, especially at night. This recognition underscores the unparalleled natural allure of Falassarna Beach, making it a top choice for travelers seeking a truly remarkable coastal escape.The Most Enchanting Places Only Accessible by Boat
There are numerous breathtaking destinations worldwide that are exclusively reachable by boat. To identify the top ones to explore, we examined 33,507 TripAdvisor reviews of areas accessible solely by boat and discovered those with the highest number of excellent reviews. Here are the findings:
Top Boat-Accessible Destinations
1. Skelling Michael, Ireland – 90.83% Excellent Reviews
2. Raja Ampat Archipelago, Indonesia – 89.26% Excellent Reviews
3. Maddalena Islands, Sardinia – 84.36% Excellent Reviews
4. Horizontal Falls, Australia – 83.69% Excellent Reviews
5. Dry Tortugas, Florida – 82.76% Excellent Reviews
6. Lover’s Island, Galesnjak, Croatia – 75.00% Excellent Reviews
7. Vieques, Puerto Rico – 74.34% Excellent Reviews
8. Marble Cathedral, Chile – 73.90% Excellent Reviews
9. Surin Islands, Thailand – 71.52% Excellent Reviews
10. La Graciosa, Canary Islands, Spain – 70.64% Excellent Reviews
Highlights of the Top-Rated Boat-Accessible Destinations
Skellig Michael, Ireland
Skellig Michael is the most highly rated beach only accessible by boat, with 91% of excellent reviews. It is a small uninhabited island off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland, renowned for its well-preserved early Christian monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors may also have the chance to spot dolphins, as 8% of reviewers have mentioned sightings.
Raja Ampat Archipelago, Indonesia
Raja Ampat is the second highest-rated area only accessible by boat, with 89% of excellent reviews. This archipelago consists of over 1,500 islands and is celebrated for its remarkable biodiversity, making the challenging journey to get there well worth it based on the outstanding reviews.
Maddalena Islands, Sardinia
The Maddalena Islands are famous for their stunning beaches, crystalline waters, and rugged landscape, and now, they are also recognized as some of the best island beaches only accessible by boat, with 84% of excellent reviews. Many reviewers have emphasized the breathtaking beauty of the islands, with over 50% of their reviews focusing on this aspect.
Methodology
To determine these rankings, we scrutinized 313,055 TripAdvisor reviews for the top-rated beaches in the world and found mentions related to marine life, clean beaches, clear waters, and beauty. The natural wonder score for the beaches was calculated based on the frequency of these words mentioned in relation to the overall reviews. Additionally, since TripAdvisor’s 2023 top-rated beaches included three U.S. beaches, we also included three world beaches from TripAdvisor’s 2022 top-rated beaches using Wayback Machine.