Wales beats Hawaii and Caribbean in beach poll
Rhossili Bay in Swansea has been voted the UK’s number one beach and third best in Europe by TripAdvisor users.
It even made it into the world’s top 10, fighting off competition from beaches in Hawaii and the Caribbean.
Rhossili Bay is the largest expanse of white sand on the Gower Peninsula and stretches for three miles.
Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson, said: "Huge congratulations to Swansea’s Rhossili Bay for beating many of the most exotic beaches across the globe."
Woolacombe Beach in Devon was named the UK’s second best beach, while Cornwall’s Porthminster Beach took third place.
Dorset beaches also did well, taking three places in the UK top 10: Hengistbury Head in fifth place, Weymouth Beach in seventh and Sandbanks in eighth.
The number one beach in the world was Italy’s Rabbit Beach in Sicily, situated on the small island of Lampedusa.
Grace Bay in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos took the runner-up spot.
Here are the lists of winners:
UK:
1. Rhossili Bay, Rhossili – Swansea
2. Woolacombe Beach, Woolacombe – Devon
3. Porthminster Beach, St Ives – Cornwall
4. Longsands Beach, North Tyneside – Tyne and Wear
5. Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth – Dorset
6. Fistral Beach, Newquay – Cornwall
7. Weymouth Beach, Weymouth – Dorset
8. Sandbanks, Poole – Dorset
9. Filey Beach, Filey – Yorkshire
10. St. Brelade’s Bay Beach – Jersey
Europe:
1. Rabbit Beach, Sicily – Italy
2. Playa de las Catedrales, Ribadeo – Spain
3. Rhossili Bay, Rhossili, Swansea – Wales, UK
4. Playa de ses Illetes, Formentera – Spain
5. Woolacombe Beach, Woolacombe, Devon – England, UK
6. Elafonissi Beach, Elafonissi, Crete – Greece
7. Iztuzu Beach, Dalyan – Turkey
8. La Pelosa Beach, Stintino, Sardinia – Italy
9. Porthminster Beach, St Ives, Cornwall – England, UK
10. St Pauls Bay, Lindos, Rhodes – Greece
World:
1. Rabbit Beach, Sicily – Italy
2. Grace Bay, Providenciales – Turks and Caicos
3. Whitehaven Beach, Queensland – Australia
4. Baia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha – Brazil
5. Flamenco Beach (Playa Flamenco), Culebra – Puerto Rico
6. Playa de las Catedrales, Ribadeo – Spain
7. Lopes Mendes Beach, Ilha Grande – Brazil
8. Horseshoe Bay Beach, Southampton Parish – Bermuda
9. Eagle Beach – Aruba
10. Rhossili Bay, Rhossili, Swansea – Wales, UK
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Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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