White Beach in Boracay Voted World's 7th Best; Baia do Sancho in Brazil No. 1

TripAdvisor has unveiled the winners of its 2015 Travellers’ Choice Awards for Beaches.

In its third year, the awards recognise the best beaches globally, including top lists for Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, South America, the South Pacific, the U.K., and the U.S..

“It’s that time of year when most people are dreaming of lying on a beach, so it’s the perfect time to unveil the world’s best beaches, based on feedback from the TripAdvisor community,” said Barbara Messing, Chief Marketing Officer for TripAdvisor. “Travellers can find affordable hotel deals on TripAdvisor at these award-winning beach destinations, enabling them to make their dreams a reality.”

Travellers’ Choice award-winning beaches were determined based on the quantity and quality of traveller reviews and ratings for beaches on TripAdvisor gathered over a 12-month period.

Top 10 Travellers’ Choice Beaches in the World

1. Baia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil. Baia do Sancho is a beach located 215 miles northeast of Brazil’s mainland. This crescent-shaped lush bay comes out on top for its crystal clear blue water and solitude. “Incredible, breath-taking, free. The beach was never crowded, the trek to get there is not easy for some, but I would do it 100 times over for that serenity,” commented a TripAdvisor reviewer.

2. Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Located on the island of Providenciales, Grace Bay is known for its snow-white sand beach that is 11 km in length. The island is home to many upscale resorts and condos. A TripAdvisor reviewer commented, “This is by far the most fabulous beach, sand and water and I have travelled to quite a few islands. The jade blue waters, the baby powder soft sand is like a dream come true!”

3. Rabbit Beach, Lampedusa, Italy. The name of this beach originated from the Arabic word ‘Rabit’ meaning ‘link’, which referred to the isthmus that used to link the island to another. Today the isthmus is no longer there but the name still remains. “The water is crystal clear and not very deep. Great for snorkelling. The sand is delicious and you can see the wildlife swim near you,” raved a TripAdvisor reviewer.

4. Playa Paraiso Beach - Cayo Largo, Cuba. “Paradise Beach” Playa Paraiso is a secluded beach with glittering white sands and gorgeous turquoise waters. “Playa Paraiso consists of sand bars that go on forever! It has calm lagoons with starfish, jellyfish and schools of flying fish and swordfish. It is quiet and beautiful! The sand is so white and soft. A trip to Cayo Largo is incomplete without a trip to Playa Paraiso,” a TripAdvisor reviewer recommended.

5. Playa de Ses Illetes, Formentera, Spain. Playa de Ses Illetes is one of the most frequented beaches on the beautiful island of Formentera. “I was planning on doing some more sight-seeing but was so impressed with the beauty of this beach that I stayed the whole time. The water was as clear blue as it could be and I swam out over my head and could still see the bottom!” a TripAdvisor traveller commented.

6. Anse Lazio, Praslin Island, Seychelles. Fringed by tall palms and Takamaka trees, the Anse Lazio beach is crescent moon shaped and never fails to lure tourist for its pure waters and wide horizon line. According to a TripAdvisor reviewer, “The beach is isolated to the north of the island. It has a lot of shade, white sand, blue waters and beautiful rocks. Take a walk to the right and you will get to a more secluded area of the beach. Not to be missed.”

7. White Beach, Boracay, Philippines. Sheltered from the wind, White Beach’s waters are glassy-smooth, shallow and warm, making them perfect for snorkelling and swimming. “Unlike any other beach that I have been too. Clear water, aqua and blue water all in one place. The water is comfortably warm/cool. The beach sand is white and powdery with virtually no rocks in it. Overall the beach felt safe no matter what time day or night it was,” a TripAdvisor traveller noted.

8. Flamenco Beach (Playa Flamenco), Culebra, Puerto Rico. Known for its excellent swimming, snorkelling, sport fishing and diving sites, Flamenco Beach stretches a mile in length around a sheltered, horseshoe-shaped bay. The beach is bordered by the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge, which is one of the oldest wildlife preserves in the United States. “This beach is like paradise. Sugar-soft sand and warm water,” raved a TripAdvisor reviewer.

9. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia. Whitehaven Beach is a 7km stretch along Whitsunday Island, located off the coast of Central Queensland, Australia. A TripAdvisor traveller recommended, “Truly beautiful; idyllic white sandy beach and turquoise waters. Met all my expectations. Very very special to visit and visitors should include on their itinerary to the Whitsundays.”

10. Elafonissi Beach, Elafonissi, Greece. Elafonissi Beach is exotic with white sand and turquoise waters, reminding visitors of the Caribbean. “Vast and gorgeous, this popular beach has lots of amenities. Wade through a hip-deep lagoon from the amenity side to a much more private area of lovely dunes and crystal clear water,” commented a TripAdvisor reviewer.

Top 10 Traveler’s Choice Beaches in Asia

1. White Beach, Boracay, Philippines
2. Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island, India
3. Nai Harn Beach, Karon, Thailand
4. Ngapali Beach, Ngapali, Myanmar
5. Yapak Beach, Boracay, Philippines
6. Agonda Beach, Agonda, India
7. Railay Beach, Krabi, Thailand
8. Kata Noi Beach, Karon, Thailand
9. Phra Nang Beach, Ao Nang, Thailand
10. Otres Beach, Sihanoukville, Cambodia