The World’s 50 Best Beaches list is out – and three Australian beaches have made quite the splash.
Each year, The World’s 50 Best Beaches team surveys thousands of travel experts, asking them to vote for their top beach in the world and explain what makes it special. The team then reviews submissions to compile the final list, considering a unique mix of natural beauty, wildlife presence, remoteness, tranquillity, water accessibility, calm conditions, low crowds, and consistently idyllic weather.
Three Aussie beaches appeared on this year’s list, further showcasing the breathtaking allure of our coastline. Whitehaven Beach and Lucky Bay are also featured on The World’s 50 Best Beaches’ Best of the Best list – a collection of beaches that have previously been ranked No. 1 in The World’s 50 Best Beaches and are considered worthy of continued recognition.
Here are the three Aussie coastal spots that made a splash as some of the best beaches in the world.
#11 Turquoise Bay
Turquoise Bay is a snorkeller’s paradise. (Image: Tourism Western Australia/@saltywings)
Topping the list of Australian beaches at no.11 is the aptly named Turquoise Bay in Western Australia, located on the traditional lands of the Baiyungu, Thalanyji and Yinigurdira people. Situated near Exmouth in the Ningaloo Marine Park, it’s a snorkeller’s paradise, renowned for its gentle currents that make it ideal for drift snorkelling. Marine life such as fish, turtles, rays and vibrant coral reefs thrive in the bay’s crystal-clear waters, which lap against pristine white sand.
The World’s 50 Best Beaches cited the beach’s incredible wildlife, serenity and natural beauty as key reasons for its high ranking – you won’t find crowds at this untouched piece of coastline.
Visiting Turquoise Bay during the dry season – from April to October – is recommended to see it at its best, with early mornings in April to August offering the calmest waters.
#21 Wharton Beach
This unspoiled stretch of coast offers easy-to-wade-in waters. (Image: Wirestock)
The second Aussie beach to make the list is another remote Western Australian gem. Wharton Beach is nestled on the other end of the state, an hour’s drive from Esperance in the Duke of Orleans Bay. Sprawling white sand meets sparkling azure water where snorkellers can relish an underwater world teeming with marine life, and surfers can enjoy the rolling waves. The World’s 50 Best Beaches emphasised the lack of crowds and easy-to-wade-in water as reasons for Wharton Beach making the list.
#37 Nudey Beach
Jewel-toned waters meet a white coral and sand beach. (Image: Tourism Australia)
Despite its name, swimming costumes are in fact required at this tropical paradise. Located on the South-West shores of Fitzroy Island, Nudey Beach boasts shimmering jewel-toned waters and a white coral and sand beach surrounded by lush rainforest. Part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, visitors can enjoy snorkelling off the shore in its year-round warm waters. A 1.2-kilometre walk along a rainforest track leads beachgoers to this hidden gem, which The World’s 50 Best Beaches acknowledged for its untouched beauty, tranquil atmosphere and lack of crowds.
Rachael Thompson is Australian Traveller's Evergreen Editor and a self-proclaimed cheese and Chablis connoisseur. In her role, she creates and manages online content that remains relevant and valuable over time. With a background in publishing and e-commerce in both interior design and travel, Rachael is dedicated to curating engaging content that informs and inspires. She began her career at Belle magazine, then went on to become Senior Content Producer at Homes to Love focusing on Australian House & Garden and Belle, followed by Editor at Bed Threads. Her work has also appeared in Qantas Travel Insider. When she's not writing, editing, or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars, and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list are Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park and Lord Howe Island.
Traipse Jurassic cliffs and wander secluded beaches on Australia’s most enchanting walks.
Australia’s landscapes are made for hiking. Take the Red Centre, dusted in shifting sands and dotted with miraculous geological formations. Or our rainforests, left behind as the sole souvenir from continents that no longer exist. Down south, mottled night skies hang above crashing seas and unwavering cliffs. It makes sense, then, that hiking holidays are rising in popularity. No wi fi, no traffic. Just you and the path less travelled on the Great Walks of Australia in remote and iconic destinations.
What are the Great Walks of Australia?
If nature is your happy place, you’ve likely heard of the Great Walks of Australia, part of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experiences program since 2013 – a curated collection of 15 all-inclusive, eco-luxury journeys showcasing the country’s most spectacular landscapes with expert guides and incredible meals. GWOA launching in 2013 as
From exploring the peaks of a World Heritage listed island, to journeying through the heart of Australia, and the gentle pull of the majestic Murray – there’s a walking holiday to suit walkers of all experience levels (and interests).
Joining a Great Walks of Australia hike means the pressure is off with all meals, guides and eco-luxury accommodation included.
Where can you hike?
1. Scenic Rim Trail, Queensland
Enjoy incredible food along the way.
Around 23 million years ago, volcanoes spewed magma across Queensland’s Scenic Rim . Now, what’s left of the fiery landscape takes the form of the UNESCO-listed Gondwana rainforest.
The Scenic Rim Trail is a four-day guided hike that takes you through the ancient rainforest. You’ll venture out into breathtaking viewpoints across the Main Range National Park. Enjoy a packed lunch, listen out for the duplicitous calls of the lyrebird and enjoy the silence.
You’ll spend your nights in boutique eco-cabins and incredible hospitality.
2. Murray River Walk, South Australia
Walk through vibrant wildflower fields.
Murray River Walk pairs easy hiking with blissful evenings cruising the Murray River. Over four days and nights, you’ll follow kangaroo trails through red dirt dusted with vivid patches of wildflowers.
Each day ends on a solar-powered, custom-built houseboat. Watch towering, red sandstone cliffs float by from the top deck spa. Then, it’s three-course meals sourced from local produce and served alongside the region’s best wines.
The entire region you’ll be traversing is within the Riverland Ramsar site. Watch as spoonbills forage for food in the tranquil wetlands, emus parade through the wildflowers, and regent parrots flit above.
3. Maria Island Walk, Tasmania
Spot adorable locals.
Your Maria Island walk begins with a private boat transfer to an untouched, white sand beach. Barefoot in the sand, you’ll quickly realise – aside from your guide and group – you’re completely alone. Spot countless wombats and hear the distant calls of Tasmanian Devils as you spend four days leisurely traversing the island.
Explore the incredible Lord Howe Island. (Image: Luke Hanson)
Lord Howe Island feels like another world. With its patchwork blue coral lagoons and magma-honed peaks, it’s easy to forget you’re in New South Wales.
This walk has the highest level of elevation in the Great Walks of Australia’s collection. It’s because of this that you’ll witness nature like never before. UNESCO-listed volcanic peaks and coral reefs that grew out of solidified lava will become your daily norm.
Along the way, step onto beaches that lie undisturbed for weeks at a time. Then, snorkel the southernmost reef in the Pacific Ocean.
This five-day, fully guided, premium hiking experience inside Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park was developed in partnership with Aṉangu Traditional Owners. Begin your walk dwarfed by the shade of Kata Tjuṯa’s towering dome formations. Following remote desert trails through the red sands, crest dunes and traverse mulga woodlands as you draw closer to the monolithic walls of Uluṟu.
Each night, dine under the lamp light of the Milky Way in the warm desert air and sleep in new flagship, environmentally sensitive private camps and lodge. This is the first time that travellers have ever been allowed to spend the night inside the national park.
6. The Twelve Apostles Signature Walk, Victoria
See the Twelve Apostles in a new way. (Image: Ken Luke)
The Great Ocean Road’s rugged splendour is best experienced on this signature four-day, 44-kilometre guided walk . You’ll follow the rugged limestone stacks of the shipwreck coastline: wild, crashing waves, curious wildlife, and two national parks.
Finish each day at your luxurious lodge, where you’ll sit with your feet soaking and a glass of wine in hand. You’ll have a single lodge to call home on this walk, meaning you’ll only need to set out with a day pack.
7. Three Capes Signature Walk, Tasmania
Walk along the edge of the world. (Image: Luke Tscharke)
On Tasmania’s Three Capes Signature Walk , you’ll feel like you’re walking along the edge of the world. From your boat landing on a remote beach, climb slowly upward for spectacular views and wildlife encounters with pods of dolphins, fur seals and echidnas. Spend days walking Jurassic dolerite cliffs with the wild Southern Ocean as your only constant.
Stay in architecturally designed eco-lodges nestled at the very edge of the world. Think floor-to-ceiling windows, a plunge pool and even an on-site spa to tend to ailments from the hike.
