The cold winter months are here, and do you find yourself dreaming of sandy beaches, secluded coves and crystal-clear waters whilst planning your next holiday? Well with an increase in searches by 220%+ for ‘what are the most beautiful beaches’ over the past year it seems that you may not be the only one!
From the most Instagrammed coastlines to the most written-about sandy beaches we’ve got you covered!
A study by Cult Beauty analysed Instagram post data and the number of Google articles containing the word ‘beautiful’ for each beach to reveal the top 20 most beautiful beaches in 2022.
The study found that Venice Beach, California is the most beautiful beach in the world with the highest number of Instagram posts and over 5.4 million articles online containing the world beautiful. Its wide stretch of sand is lined with palm trees and an iconic boardwalk. The beauty of this beach is amplified by the stunning mountain views – get your bikini on, style your best boho waves and get set to mingle California’s coolest residents.
Check out the full list of the top 20 most beautiful beaches below:
| Ranking | Name of beach | Location | Number of Instagram posts | Number of Google articles containing the word ‘beautiful’ | Total Score |
| 1 | Venice Beach | California, United States | 4,300,000 | 5,410,000 | 89.08 |
| 2 | Main Beach | Byron Bay, Australia | 3,100,100 | 6,920,000 | 86.05 |
| 3 | El Nido | Palawan, Philippines | 1,200,000 | 3,950,000 | 42.48 |
| 4 | Panama City Beach | Florida, United States | 911,000 | 4,380,000 | 42.23 |
| 5 | Bondi Beach | Sydney, Australia | 1,800,000 | 2,230,000 | 37.02 |
| 6 | Sunrise Beach | Koh Lipe, Thailand | 126,000 | 3,180,000 | 24.43 |
| 7 | Bandon | Oregon, United States | 33,500 | 1,830,000 | 13.59 |
| 8 | Long Beach | Phu Quoc, Vietnam | 35,000 | 1,540,000 | 11.51 |
| 9 | Los Roques | Venezuela | 606,000 | 330,000 | 9.40 |
| 10 | Hot Water Beach | Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand | 41,800 | 988,000 | 7.60 |
| 11 | The Baths | Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands | 1,000 | 1,040,000 | 7.50 |
| 12 | Maya Bay | Ko Phi Phi, Thailand | 420,000 | 342,000 | 7.33 |
| 13 | Tulum | Mexico | 452,000 | 276,000 | 7.22 |
| 14 | Jeffreys Bay | South Africa | 94,000 | 847,000 | 7.19 |
| 15 | Unawatuna | Sri Lanka | 224,000 | 619,000 | 7.05 |
| 16 | Rarotonga | Cook Islands | 50 | 959,000 | 6.91 |
| 17 | Grace Bay | Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands | 414 | 733,000 | 5.28 |
| 18 | Crane Beach | Barbados | 29,800 | 624,000 | 4.83 |
| 19 | Boulders Beach | Cape Town | 142,000 | 440,000 | 4.80 |
| 20 | Whitehaven Beach | Queensland, Australia | 215,000 | 322,000 | 4.80 |
Main Beach, Byron Bay, Australia comes second on the list and the one that features in the highest number of Google search results containing the world ‘beautiful’, 6.92 million to be exact! Main Beach in Byron Bay is a mecca of sand, sun and serenity.
El Nido in the Philippines comes in third place with 1.2 million Instagram posts and 3.9 million articles. For unspoiled beauty nothing beats the jaw-droppingly beautiful beaches of El Nido. Those turquoise waters, powder white sand and lush green vegetation. With natural beauty you wont struggle to get that Insta worthy shot!
