A British beach has narrowly been voted on to the list of the top ten beaches in the world, achieving 10th position.
Rhossili Bay, a three-mile long beach on the Gower Peninsular in Wales, UK, achieved tenth spot on the list, which was compiled from the reviews and ratings of international tourists on the website of on-line travel community, TripAdvisor. The Welsh beach is a panoramic expanse of sand and dunes that has long been popular with beach sport fans and sightseers.
In a statement, David Phillips, leader of the City and County of Swansea, said, ‘We are delighted, but not surprised, that Rhossili Bay has been acknowledged. We hope that many more visitors continue to enjoy its outstanding natural beauty.’
Topping the list was a beach on the island of Lampedusa, off the coast of Sicily, Italy. Known as Rabbit Beach, it is described as an unspoilt nature reserve that is not accessible by land, and is one of the few beached in the Mediterranean where loggerhead turtles lay their eggs.
Second on the list was Grace Bay, Providenciales, in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and third place was claimed by Whitehaven Beach in the Australian state of Queensland.
The full list of TripAdvisor’s Top 10 beaches in the world is as follows:
1. Rabbit Beach, Sicily – Italy
2. Grace Bay, Providenciales – Turks and Caicos
3. Whitehaven Beach, Queensland – Australia
4. Baia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha – Brazil
5. Flamenco Beach (Playa Flamenco), Culebra – Puerto Rico
6. Playa de las Catedrales, Ribadeo – Spain
7. Lopes Mendes Beach, Ilha Grande – Brazil
8. Horseshoe Bay Beach, Southampton Parish – Bermuda
9. Eagle Beach – Aruba
10. Rhossili Bay, Rhossili, Swansea – Wales, UK
The best beach awards were based on the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and ratings for beaches on the company’s website, which were gathered over a 12-month period, according to a spokeswoman for TripAdvisor.
