Overview
Looking for somewhere to take a splash Down Under but feeling spoiled for choice thanks to Australia's thousands of beaches? Here's one way to pick where to head: Manly Beach in Sydney has just been anointed the seventh best beach in the world for 2024, and also the best beach in the South Pacific for this year as well. Tripadvisor bestowed the honours, as part of its annual lineup of top coastal spots. The New South Wales choice is the only Aussie destination to make the global top ten and top 25.
Australia has form with the travel website's picks. Back in 2017, Whitehaven Beach ranked 17th. Jump to 2021 and the same Queensland spot came in first, with Turquoise Bay in Exmouth, Western Australia in sixth. Then, in 2022, the WA beach ranked third in the world. The state was also home to Australia's best-placed piece of shoreline in 2023, when Cable Beach came in third.
Manly Beach
Manly Beach was recognised as the world's seventh-best beach for 2024 and Australia's top beach for 2024 partly for being a good spot for walking and shopping in the vicinity. Tripadvisor also recommends that heading along between March–May and September–November is better for temperatures and sparser crowds.
In 2024, Manly Beach sits behind Portugal's Praia da Falésia in Olhos de Agua, which was named the number-one beach for the year — plus Spiaggia dei Conigli in Lampedusa, Italy in second; La Concha Beach, San Sebastian, Donostia, Spain in third; Ka'anapali Beach in Lahaina, Hawaii, US in fourth; and Grace Bay Beach in Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos in fifth. In sixth: Anse Lazio on Praslin Island in the Seychelles.
From the full top 25, beaches in Aruba, Cuba, Mexico, Iceland, Brazil, Costa Rica, Greece and Tanzania are among the other places to earn a spot on the list.
Cable Beach
Among South Pacific beaches, Manly Beach emerged victorious over Cable Beach, as well as five other Aussie locations and one from New Zealand. Queensland was home to four of the Australian picks, thanks to Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas, Surfers Paradise Beach, Mooloolaba Beach and Whitehaven Beach. The other: Emily Bay on Norfolk Island. Aotearoa's recognition came via Mt Maunganui Main Beach.
The two beaches deemed the best in the South Pacific that aren't from Down Under? Matira Beach on Society Island in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, which placed third and Piscine Naturelle, Ile Des Pins, New Caledonia, which came in eighth.
Across both the worldwide and South Pacific rankings, winners were chosen as part of Tripadvisor's Traveller's Choice awards, which is based on millions of reviews and ratings left on the online platform from October 2022–September 2023.
Whitehaven Beach
Top 25 Beaches in the World for 2024:
Praia da Falésia, Olhos de Agua, Portugal
Spiaggia dei Conigli, Lampedusa, Italy
La Concha Beach, San Sebastian, Donostia, Spain
Ka'anapali Beach, Lahaina, Hawaii, US
Grace Bay Beach, Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos
Anse Lazio, Praslin Island, Seychelles
Manly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Eagle Beach, Palm-Eagle Beach, Aruba
Siesta Beach, Siesta Key, Florida, US
Varadero Beach, Varadero, Cuba
Playa Pilar, Cayo Guillermo, Jardines del Rey Archipelago
Balandra Beach, La Paz, Mexico
Reynisfjara Beach, Vik, Iceland
Poipu Beach Park, Poipu, Koloa, Kauai, Hawai
Seven Mile Beach, Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands
Playa de Las Canteras, Gran Canaria, Spain
Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Playa Manuel Antonio, Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Falassarna Beach, Crete, Greece
Nungwi Beach, Zanzibar Island, Tanzania
Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida, Indonesia
Nissi Beach, Ayia Napa, Cyprus
Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia, Greece
Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Muro Alto Beach, Porto de Galinhas, Brazil
Top Ten Beaches in the South Pacific for 2024:
Manly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia, Australia
Matira Beach, Society Island, Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia
Surfers Paradise Beach, Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia
Mooloolaba Beach, Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia
Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Queensland, Australia
Piscine Naturelle, Ile Des Pins, New Caledonia
Emily Bay, Norfolk Island, Australia
Mt Maunganui Main Beach, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
Matira Beach
Mooloolaba Beach
To check out the full list of top beaches for 2024, head to Tripadvisor.
Images: Getty Images / Tripadvisor.
Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.