There’s nothing quite like a day at the beach. Bury your toes in warm white sand, soak up the sun and cool off in clear blue salty water. Some beaches are coveted for their isolation and natural beauty, others for their lively crowds, bars and restaurants, amenities and array of activities.

TripAdvisor gives its Travelers Choice best beaches awards based on the quantity and quality of traveler reviews and ratings for beaches on their site, gathered over a 12-month period. The travel site rated 352 beaches overall, including a top 25 world list and dedicated lists for several countries and continents. Clearwater Beach in Florida won best in the U.S.

So whether you like surfing, snorkeling, sunning, swimming, or sipping Mai Tais, from Mexico to Greece, Bali to Bournemouth, the perfect beach is out there, somewhere. Here are the best beaches in the world in 2019.

1. Baia do Sancho

Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands about 217 miles off the coast of Brazil. This beautiful paradise is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, and known for its rich marine life, crystal clear waters, and golden sands.

The isolated Sancho Bay Beach is world famous. Get to the beach by three sets of stairs built within the crack of a rock formation. The spot is ideal for diving and seeing turtles, colorful fish and stingrays.

2. Varadero Beach

Varadero, Cuba

Varadero is a resort town, one of the largest in the Caribbean. It sits on a narrow peninsula less than a mile wide and about 12 miles long. At the northeastern end of the peninsula there is a nature reserve with virgin forests and beaches.

Varadero’s white sandy beach gets about a million visitors a year. Besides the beach, Varadero has natural attractions including caves and a chain of easily-accessed virgin cays.

3. Eagle Beach

Eagle Beach, Aruba

This pristine beach is the widest in Aruba, and offers ample parking, shaded areas, some beach huts, and a variety of water sports. Sea turtles nest here.

Eagle Beach is home to two of the most photographed and renowned Divi Divi trees in Aruba.

4. La Concha Beach

San Sebastian-Donostia, Spain

This perfeclty crescent-shaped urban beach is in the resort city of San Sebastian in northern Spain’s Basque country. La Concha Beach is easily accessible and clean.

The town of San Sebastian is right on the beach, and there are plenty of bars and world-renowned restaurants.

5. Grace Bay Beach

5. Grace Bay Beach

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Off the northeast coast of Providenciales, this pristine beach is the hallmark of the Turks and Caicos Islands. It has clean water and white sand with no rocks, seaweed or pollution.

The barrier reef a mile out protects Grace Bay Beach from strong Atlantic ocean swells.

6. Clearwater Beach

Clearwater, Florida

Laid-back Clearwater Beach is known for its namesake stretch of soft, white sand, which draws visitors year-round for jet-skiing, parasailing, and stand-up paddleboarding in its calm waters. This is a good beach for families, with lots to do in the area.

7. Spiaggia dei Conigli

Lampedusa, Islands of Sicily

This beach is on the south west side of the island of Lampedusa, which sits in the Mediterranean between Sicily and Tunisia. The beach has clear blue water with lots of fish, fine sand and a cool breeze.

8. Seven Mile Beach

Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

These days, according to Trip Advisor, Seven Mile Beach is now only 5.5 miles long. It has clear waters, coral sands and lots of bars and restaurants.

9. Playa Norte

Isla Mujeres, Mexico

A popular vacation spot, Isla Mujeres is an island just off the coast of Cancun, Mexico. Playa Norte is considered on of the best beaches in all of Mexico. It has soft white sand, palm trees and water so blue it makes the sky look pale.

Photo: Shutterstock

10. Seven Mile Beach

Negril, Jamaica

Negril is a beach resort town. The beach features dramatic sunsets, smooth white sands, and clear turquoise waters.

11. Falesia Beach

Olhos de Agua, Portugal

Olhos de Agua is a Portuguese fishing town in the heart of the Algarve region, the country’s southernmost area. The golden beach is edged with red and white cliffs, and is good for watersports. There are restaurants and bars.

Arraial do Cabo, Brazil

This is one beach divided into two by rocks. The calm green sea is perfect for swimming and diving. The best way to get to Arraial do Cabo is from Rio de Janeiro.

Formentera, Balearic Islands

This beach has soft white sand and shallow, calm waters, and is good for snorkeling and sailing. Formentera is the smallest of Spain’s Balearic islands in the Mediterranean.

14. Ka’anapali Beach

Lahaina, Hawaii

Three miles of white sand and crystal clear water, one of this beach’s most famous attractions is the daily cliff-diving ceremony off the beach’s cliffs held every evening at sunset.

15. Balos Lagoon

Kissamos, Greece

Balos is famous for its turquoise waters, wild natural beauty and exotic scenery. It tends to get crowded in July and August.

16. Radhanagar Beach

Havelock Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Havelock is part of an archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. The crescent-shaped Radhanagar Beach is a popular spot for watching the sunset. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an Indian territory.

17. Playa Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

One of Costa Rica’s most popular beaches, Playa Manuel Antonio often hosts festivals, and it is an ideal destination for avid surfers, according to TripAdvisor. The beach is within a national park of the same name.

18. Manly Beach

Sydney, Australia

Sydney’s Northern Beaches region is known for a laid back attitude, annual festivals, seagulls, fish n’ chips, fisherman and boats. Manly beach is beautiful with its pine trees, and there are ample shopping opportunities.

19. Kelingking Beach

Nusa Penida, Bali

This secluded, white sandy beach with turquoise waters is enclosed by a steep cliff and headland. Beautiful views from the cliff above; the climb down and back up can be a bit treacherous.

20. Bournemouth Beach

Bournemouth, England

Bournemouth is a seaside resort on the southern coast of England. Set beneath magnificent cliffs, the bay has its own micro-climate, some of the warmest sea water in the U.K. and stunning views of the Isle of Wight.

21. Elafonissi Beach

Elafonissi, Greece

This beach is on the southwestern side of Crete. The white sand has pink hues, the water is shallow and warm and good for small children.

22. Fig Tree Bay

Protaras, Cyprus

A golden sand beach with clear, shallow water, the beach got its name from the fig trees which grow near the coast. The beach is very accessible and there are lifeguards in the summer.

23. Surfers Paradise Beach

Surfers Paradise, Australia

A seaside resort in eastern Australia, Surfers Paradise Beach offers a backdrop of skyscrapers and hosts a popular market several evenings a week. There are shops, cafes and nightclubs.

24. Anse Lazio

Praslin Island, Seychelles

There’s a sheltered cove here ideal for snorkeling. The Seychelles is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa.

 

25. Santa Monica Beach

Santa Monica, Cape Verde

Not to be confused with the beach in California, this unspoiled beach has powerful waves for surfers, many birds, and you can spot humpback whales during certain times of the year. The Republic of Cabo Verde is an island country in the Atlantic off the west coast of Africa.