Best beaches, cleanest sea, pristine coral reefs and most beautiful sea life I ever saw was in the Seychelles when I lived there in 1980.

Weather was great, locals promiscuous and creole food not bad.

We even had an entourage of naked models on a photo shoot for 'Elle' magazine on Intendence beach one day - that ranks it #1 in my book.

There are amazing beaches round the world and Bournemouth would break into my top 1000 - just if you added food as part of the criteria. They do have steak and kidney pies and pink ice cream.

 

It is hard  to name a top 10 as there are so many places and no one has been to them all...

 

Thailand must have one or two candidates for top 20 ie: The bay at koh phi phi and Koh Lipe.

There are further afield beaches like Playa Paraguito, Island of Margarita. Mexico, Maldives and some mentioned above that could be candidates.

 

I guess this survey didn't take weather into account.

20 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

 

STOP complaining - at least there are no smoking ban....yet.....

19 hours ago, Khun Ed said:

Totally ridiculous! Who voted - people who have never left England? I would call it more of a broad brown sand bank next to a cauldron of brown ice water.

Nine of the top ten are in the Americas, so I suspect most votes came from the US.

The Sunday Times have their best beaches list in the newspaper today. No mention for Phuket or Bournemouth! Two Thai beaches in the list: Ko Poda and Ao Yai, Ko Phayam.

 

You need an account to access the article, I think, but the link's here for those that do.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/travel/the-worlds-best-beaches-our-expert-guide-83lksd86t

 

 

I think it all comes down to what the guy who sets up the survey is looking for as best beach. 

 I know beach's in Canada on the west coast that are very good by my standards. Beautiful clean sandy beach's, that have oyster beds at the ends of them where you an pick fresh oyster's,fish from shore get salmon in season or rock fish all year.. Row out set a crab trap and eat fresh crab.But only warm 4 months a year. Also no umbrella's to sit under. But same as Thai beach's need a boat to get to them.

Be interesting to find out if there are any "Blue Flag" beaches in Thailand....would not hold your breath.

OK I am an Australian, and any beach on a top 20 list must have surf!! Manly Beach is included in the Trip Advisor list but I would rate it at about No 60 in Australia - there are much better ones. Two other attributes that a beach should have is real sand and air and water temperature suitable for taking most of your clothes  off - Bournemouth???? If fact there are beautiful to look at and good to swim beaches  in almost all countries in the world including Thailand.

Bournemouth is near my hometown and I stayed there for Christmas. We took daily walks along the beach and my missus said how nice and clean it was. I said that’s because locals take great pride in their beach. They don’t bang on about how wonderful their beach is and how much they love ‘England’. They simply say nothing and just take good care of it. 

 

 

No surprise. The beach at Patong is not very pleasant. Go further north and you'll find much better choices.

well whats the suprise there?its closer,there,s no thai jet ski rentals trying to <deleted> you over,the deck chairs are free,it rains all summer and the sea is <deleted> freezing,no contest.