Whitehaven Beach: Voted The Best Beach On The Planet for 2021
Australians are rightly very proud of the 10,000+ beaches they have shimmering along their coastline. But now they have another reason to hold them in such high regard. For one of them has been voted ‘The Best Beach on the Planet’ by Tripadvisor in their annual list.
Can you guess what it is?
Well let Beach Scenes put you out of your misery.
The beach in question is Whitehaven Beach in Queenland, Australia.
About Whitehaven Beach
A previous winner back in 2013, Whitehaven Beach stretches for 7km along Whitsunday Island.
Located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Tropical North Queensland, it is one of the most beautiful and unspoiled beaches in the world.
Unlike most Queensland beaches, Whitehaven is made of 98% pure silica. As a result its sand has a stunning white, snowy complexion. One that is perfectly enhanced by the gorgeous turquoise water of the South Pacific Ocean.
One of the most beautiful and photographed beaches in Australia, the silica sand is more of a finer grain of sand than what you would normally find on a regular beach – which tends to be comprised of irregular bits of minerals. This gives that sand at Whitehaven a softer, almost velvet like feel which is perfect to walk on.
Silica is not known for heating well, so it is cool to walk on during even the hottest times of the Aussie summer. This makes the beach a great one to relax, sunbathe or stroll on. Believe it or not the silica also makes it a great beach to polish your jewelry on!
Don’t believe us? Just try it!
Surprisingly the surrounding rocks that frame Whitehaven Beach do not contain silica. So the only explanation for the beaches appearance is that it must have been deposited on the island over millions of years’ worth of ocean tides carrying the silica grains.
Getting There
Situated on Whitsunday Island, the largest of the 74 islands in the Whitsunday group, Whitehaven Beach can be reached by boat, high-speed catamaran, seaplane & helicopter from both Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island.
Please note. As it has been protected by the Whitsunday Islands National Park, to keep the beach in its idyllic state, strict regulations have been put in place. These include outlawing dogs, litter and cigarettes which might ruin the gorgeous surroundings.
Whilst at Whitehaven, head to Hill Inlet, at the northern extremity of the Beach. The stunning swirl of green, blue and turquoise as the tide shifts the water and sand, creates a spectacular kaleidoscope of colour which will blow your mind.
For a great overhead perspective of this captivating visual head to the Tongue Point lookout.
Other Accolades
Over the years Whitehaven has been award a number of impressive accolades.
It was crowned Queensland’s Cleanest Beach in 2008 in the Keep Australia Beautiful Beach Challenge. Similarly, CNN.com labelled Whitehaven the world’s number 1 Eco-Friendly Beach in July 2010.
It was also awarded the title of the #1 Beach in the South Pacific in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards of 2017.
Top 10 Beaches in the world
The full list of the Top 10 beaches in the world according to Tripadvisor reads as follows.
10. Baía dos Golfinhos in Brazil
9. Ka’anapali Beach in Hawaii
8. Spiaggia dei Conigli in Lampedusa, Italy
7. Eagle Beach in Aruba
6. Turquoise Bay in Exmouth, Western Australia
5. Saint Pete Beach, Florida
4. Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos Islands came in fourth
3. Baia do Sancho in Brazil
2. Santa Maria Beach, Cuba
1. Whitehaven Beach, Australia
