A UK beach has been named one of the best in the world, with its ‘crystal clear blue water and white sand’ rivalling hotspots much further afield.
The British coastline is peppered with hundreds of beautiful beaches, coves and bays, all of which have played host to generations of seaside holidays over the years.
But there’s one that apparently beats them all, having not only been included in Big 7 Travel‘s roundup of the world’s best beaches, but also managing to blag a spot in the top 10 - beating the likes of Australia’s famous Whitehaven Beach and popular Croatian attraction Zlatni Rat.
The global travel site recently unveiled its annual list of The 50 Best Beaches in the World, which is compiled using aggregated scores from previous media results, official Blue Flag locations, social media popularity and contributions from the Big 7 Travel editorial team.
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And it’s not all Hawaiian snorkelling spots and Caribbean showstoppers, either, as one beach in Cornwall has made it onto the list at number eight.
Pedn Vounder lies on the south coast of the Penwith peninsula, not far from the neighbouring Porthcurno beach and The Minack, an open-air theatre built into the cliffs.
Pedn Vounder used to be considered something of a hidden gem, but is busier nowadays since receiving national media attention and featuring in an episode of Poldark.
Getting there involves a bit of a scramble down to the sand, which means you’ve got to work for it.
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According to Cornwall-beaches.co.uk, Pedn Vounder is also an ‘unofficial naturist beach’, so you may find a few people enjoying a paddle in their birthday suit.
It added that the name translates from the Cornish 'pedn', meaning head or end and pronounced 'pednee', and 'vounder', which means 'lane' - combining to mean 'end of lane'.
Big 7 Travel said: “G7 put the global spotlight on Cornwall last year and this year the region has seen sky-high bookings.
“Despite the crowds, Pedn Vounder is still one of the UK’s most beautiful beaches. Combining crystal clear blue water and white sand, it’s proof that you don’t need to hotfoot to the Caribbean for tropical island inspired getaway.”
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Reynisfjara Beach in Iceland, Boulders Beach in South Africa, San Fruttuoso in Italy, the Secret Lagoon in the Philippines, Punta Mosquito in Mexico and Siesta Beach in the US also featured in Big 7 Travel’s top 10, with the top three comprising Grace Bay in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Turquoise Bay in Australia and Playa Conchal in Costa Rica.
Top 10 Best Beaches in the World 2022:
- Playa Conchal – Costa Rica
- Turquoise Bay – Exmouth, Australia
- Grace Bay – Turks and Caicos
- Siesta Beach – Florida, United States
- Punta Mosquito – Holbox, Mexico
- Secret Lagoon – El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
- San Fruttuoso – Italy
- Pedn Vounder – Cornwall, England
- Boulders Beach – South Africa
- Reynisfjara Beach – Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland
While Pedn Vounder was the only English beach to feature, and none of Wales or Scotland's spots made it to the list, Keem Bay in Ireland's County May landed a respectable 19th place.
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Big 7 Travel said: "Keem Bay is a breathtaking rural and sheltered beach surrounded by cliffs on Ireland’s largest island – Achill Island. Its gleaming white sand rivals tropical islands and the water is superbly clear.
"The sun might not always be shining, but when it does it’s world-class. And yes, it’s beautiful even on a rainy day."
Jess Hardiman