Australia is world renowned for its coastal lifestyle, but only two of our beaches have made it to an influential annual list of best beaches based on traveler reviews.
And despite its tourist appeal and name recognition, Bondi Beach’s sprawling shoreline didn’t make it into TripAdvisor’s list of the best beaches for 2023 released on Wednesday.
Instead, Cable Beach in Broome, Western Australia and Manly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches were the Australian sands that cracked the top 15 list.
Travel website TripAdvisor analyzed tens of millions of reviews submitted by millions of travelers around the world in the past 12 months.
The online travel site looked at the quality and quantity of reviews for beach experiences to compile the top 15.
Cable Beach in Broome, Western Australia, famous for its 14-mile stretch of white sand and sunset camel rides (pictured), landed 3rd best beaches in the world on TripAdvisor’s influential list
Manly Beach in Sydney, New South Wales ranks 13th, with a TripAdvisor user claiming ‘Bondi gets all the credit and attention, but Manly is equally as good’
Cable Beach was ranked as the third best beach in the world.
The 22km stretch of white sand overlooking the Indian Ocean is known for its stunning sunsets and iconic coastal camel rides.
Sydney’s Manly Beach ranks 13th, with one TripAdvisor user claiming “Bondi gets all the credit and attention, but Manly is equally as good.”
Baia do Sancho on the volcanic island of Fernando de Noronha, 350 km off the coast of Brazil, was crowned the best beach in the world – six places higher than last year.
Accessible only by a series of steep ladders and steps, the beach is known for its turquoise water, white sand, and exotic wildlife, including dolphins, rays, turtles, and crabs.
Eagle Beach in Aruba in the Caribbean came in second and is praised for its clear waters, white sand and for being the widest beach in the area.
Reynisfjara Beach in Vik, Iceland came in fourth and is world famous for its black sand and imposing rock formations – a striking backdrop used in Game of Thrones.
Baia do Sancho (pictured) on the volcanic island of Fernando de Noronha, 350 km off the coast of Brazil, was crowned the best beach in the world – six places higher than last year
Eagle Beach in Aruba, Caribbean came in second, praised for its clear waters, white sand, and for being the widest beach in the area (pictured)
Reynisfjara Beach in Vik, Iceland, (pictured) came fourth and is world famous for its black sand and imposing rock formations
Kaanapali Beach in Hawaii (pictured) on the island of Maui reached 10th place
TripAdvisor describes it as ‘a beach like no other’ that must be admired from the shore, as the water is icy and the waves can reach up to 40 metres.
Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos Islands ranked fifth, Praia da Falesia in Portugal’s Algarve ranked sixth, and Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island in India ranked seventh.
The top 10 was closed by Spiaggia dei Conigli on the Italian island of Lampedusa in eighth place, Varadero Beach in Cuba in ninth place and Kaanapali Beach in Hawaii, on the island of Maui, in tenth place.
The online travel site also ranked the top 10 best beaches in the South Pacific, with seven Australian beaches on the list.
Cable Beach in Broome, Manly Beach in Sydney and Emily Bay in Norfolk Island claimed the top three, followed by Mooloolaba Beach on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas, Queensland, ranked sixth, while another Queensland beach – Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island – ranked seventh.
Turquoise Bay in Exmouth, Western Australia was the last Aussie beach to claim a spot, coming in ninth on the list.
Seven Australian beaches made TripAdvisor’s top 10 best beaches in the South Pacific, with Cable Beach in Broome, Manly Beach in Sydney and Emily Bay on Norfolk Island (pictured) making the top three.
TripAdvisor Head of Editorial Sarah Firshein said this year’s list consists of a number of “delectable surprises” and reflects the community’s desire for experiences.
‘As a big beach fan, I know the irresistible attraction of sunshine and turquoise water – and that’s certainly enough on this year’s list,’ said Ms Firshein.
“In addition to the beloved beaches of the Caribbean, South Pacific and Hawaii, our community is really looking to up their experience, even exploring cooler destinations like Iceland’s Reynisfjara Beach.
“So whether you want to pack a windbreaker or a swimsuit, our list has something for a wide range of travelers — and it might convince even the most ardent beach skeptics to embrace some time on the sand.”
