The Whitsundays’ Whitehaven Beach has taken out the title of “best beach in the world” for 2021, according to global travel platform Tripadvisor’s annual Traveller’s Choice Awards.

Set in the unspoiled Great Barrier Reef on the picturesque Far North Queensland coast, it’s no surprise that Whitehaven Beach was named the world’s best beach, in fact, it’s not the first time the pristine shore has made the list. It also took out the title in 2013.

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Whitehaven Beach isn’t the only Aussie entry on the list, Western Australia’s Turquoise Bay in Exmouth also made the top ten, coming in at number six. Of the 10 best beaches in the South Pacific, Australia dominates the list, with the top 50% located across Queensland and Western Australia.

Some of the other global entries include Santa Maria Beach in Cuba, which was named in the number two spot, Baia do Sancho in Brazil, at number three, Turks and Caicos Islands’ Grace Bay Beach at number four and Aruba’s Eagle Beach, which came in at number five.

Rounding out the top ten were Italy’s Spiaggia dei Conigli in Lampedusa, Ka’anapali Beach, Hawaii and Baía dos Golfinhos in Brazil.

The awards are based on the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings from Tripadvisor travellers over a 12-month period; although this year’s rankings also took into account the number of saves, reflecting the position that many travellers were in for much of 2020 — unable to travel and dreaming of the beaches they’d visit again, one day soon.

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