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8 Aus Beaches Named in the World’s Most Unexpected Top 100

Add these to your beach bucket list.



For those looking to something different from their next beach trip, eight of Australia's beaches have been listed in a round-up of the world's most unexpected top 100 beaches.

Specifically, Bell’s Beach, Cable Beach, Wineglass Bay, Squeaky Beach, Tangalooma Beach, Lucky Bay, Bondi Beach and Whitehaven Beach were named as being some of the world's best - but not for the reasons you might think.

If you're a sunset seeker, Cable Beach in Walmayjun placed in the top five best beaches to watch a sunset, close behind Maremegmeg Beach in the Philippines, Croatia’s Punta Rata Beach and Pfeiffer Beach in the USA.

Credit: Getty Images

While it offers beautifully blue crystal waters and instagram-worthy white sands, Lucky Bay Kepa Kur was named as THE best beach to watch wildlife on thanks to the kangaroo population that like to roam Lucky Bay's shores. The beach, situated in Western Australia saw off Turtle Beach in Puerto Rico, St Andrews Bay Beach in South Georgia and Playa Manuel Antonio in Costa Ricato take the top spot.

Credit: Darren Tierney

Some people love it, some people hate it but for whatever reason we can't stop talking about Bondi Beach. This famous beach topped not one but two of the unexpected lists - named as the best beach to people watch on and the top beach that is worth battling the crowds for. It makes sense - if you're going to battle crowds to enjoy a beach day the people you're surrounded by should also be fun to watch. Other beaches named in these lists included: Ipanema Beach in Brazil, celebrity hotspot Tulum in Mexico, Barbie filming location Venice Beach in the USA and Platja Illetes in Spain.

Bondi wasn't the only Aus beach to top one of the lists - Tangalooma Beach in Queensland also known locally as nature's theme park was credited as being the number one beach to visit if you want to see amazing nature. Home to the third largest sand island in the world,Moreton Island (where Tangalooma is) is an idyll of blonde sandy beaches, rolling dunes, native bushland and serene lagoons some 35.4 miles off the Brisbane coast. With 95% of the isle protected by the Moreton Island National Park and Recreation Area, it’s asublime spot to unplug by the sea near Queensland’s capital.

Credit: Meaghan Skinner Photography

Finally, The Pass in Byron Bay also placed in the top five of the most family-friendly beaches thanks to its rockpools that family members young and old can pass an afternoon away exploring and discovering. Elsewhere Bell’s Beach, Wineglass Bay, Squeaky Beach and Whitehaven Beach also made the final 100.
The most unexpected lists were researched and compiled by a team created by the travel guide experts at Lonely Planet, all hailing from diverses corners of the globe and have been brought together into a new book, 'Best Beaches' which reveals its captivating collection of the world's most breathtaking and unexpected coastal gems including some of Australia’s most famous and loved destinations.  

Chris Zeiher, Lonely Planet’s Senior Director commented “I love that this book challenges what we might define a “best beach.” There’s such diversity here, and hidden, unexpected beaches you might otherwise not have known about in places you may not have expected. They’re all beautiful and magical and almost unbelievable and lets you see beyond the beachy beach—though those are in here too! Each beach has a sort of identified characteristic, too, so you know why we chose it for the book. ”

Best Beaches by Lonely Planet ($49.99) is available to buy anywhere where good books are sold.

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