Bournemouth beach – best in UK says travel rating

By: Clare Fischer
Date posted: 22 February 2018

Bournemouth Beach in Dorset has been named by travellers as the best in the UK and the fifth best in Europe.

Bournemouth Beach
© Vince O'sulivan

As the UK’s best seaside town, we’re immensely proud to offer world class beaches on British shores without the need to travel abroad.

Pat Oakley,
Bournemouth Borough Council

Beaches were ranked according to the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and ratings on TripAdvisor over the past year.

It was praised for offering traditional seaside attractions, beach huts for hire, water sports and stunning views of the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Purbeck.

The seven-mile long stretch of sand also appears in the MCS Good Beach Guide for its excellent water quality.

The bay has its own micro-climate, giving it some of the warmest sea temperatures in the UK.

Councillor Pat Oakley, cabinet member for tourism and leisure at Bournemouth Borough Council, said the town was “delighted and honoured” with the accolade: “We’re especially thrilled with our international ranking.

“As the UK’s best seaside town, we’re immensely proud to offer world class beaches on British shores without the need to travel abroad.

“The beaches are a precious and special part of the area’s natural environment and constant vigilance is required in their protection.”

Luskentyre on the Isle of Harris was number two on the UK list, followed by Rhossili Bay, Swansea and Brighton Beach.

The number one beach in the world was named as Grace Bay, a Turks and Caicos resort in the Caribbean.

The top 10 beaches in the UK according to TripAdvisor are:

  1. Bournemouth Beach, Dorset

  2. Luskentyre, Isle of Harris

  3. Rhossili Bay, Swansea

  4. Brighton Beach, Brighton

  5. Weymouth Beach, Dorset

  6. St Brelade’s Bay Beach, Jersey

  7. Hengistbury Head, Dorset

  8. Three Cliffs Bay, Swansea

  9. Fistral Beach, Newquay

  10. Barafundle Beach, Pembrokeshire

To find out about beaches in your area that are listed on the MCS Good Beach Guide, click here.

Actions you can take

  1. Join the fight against the 'unflushables'
  2. Check out water quality before you head to the beach
  3. Download the Great British Beach Clean Report 2019
  4. Only flush the 3Ps - meet the unflushables
  5. Make sure popular swimming beaches are protected
  6. Explore 'Near You' incorporating the 'Good Beach Guide'
  7. Find out about Blueprint for Water

Did you know?…

MCS first launched the Good Beach Guide in 1987 as a book to highlight the woeful state of the UK’s bathing waters