The UK's Best Beaches — 5 Bucket List Beaches You Need To Visit

July 21, 2025

An Australian waxing lyrical about the best beaches in the UK? Novel right? Suspicious even...

Truth is since moving to this great country nearly 10 years ago, one of the main things that has consistently blown me away is just how good — and under appreciated — Britain's beaches are.

I've been fortunate enough to travel great swathes of the British coast with Le Watermelon — from Cornwall all the way up to the Scottish Outer Hebrides — so here are my top 5 favourite UK beaches.

Sanna Beach (Scottish Highlands)

No burying the lead here. Sanna Beach is without a doubt the most magical beach I've ever been to — and 'magic' really is the right word.

The beach is properly off the beaten track, down miles of single-lane roads that lace their way down the mystical Ardnamurchan peninsula, far from the usual tourist hotspots. Nestled among towering mountains of the Scottish Highlands it lies resplendent with perfect white sand and rich, crystal-clear turquoise water.

Top tip: Make sure you leave plenty of time (and fuel) to get home after your visit. The roads out of Sanna are pretty treacherous at night (winding, deer everywhere) so it'll probably take you 2-3x longer than whatever Google Maps says. There are also zero fuel stops, which I learnt the hard way.

Marloes Sands (Pembrokeshire)

If you've not done the Pembrokeshire Coast Path you need to bump it up the list quick smart.

Last year I walked the section between Dale and Broad Haven (before you ask, yes, it was long af) which took me past Marloes Sands — a long, golden sandy beach framed by dramatic cliffs. There are plenty other brilliant beaches in Pembrokeshire but imho this is the pick of the bunch.

Top tip: Just to the west of Marloes Sands lies Skomer Island, famous for its colony of puffins. Continue walking west along the coast path to see the island from afar, or if you want to get up close and personal there are boat tours to the island departing from Martin's Haven.

Porthcurno (Cornwall)

This one's a classic, and arguably a bit basic, but Porthcurno is popular for a reason. Vintage Cornwall, lovely soft sand and picturesque views from England's southernmost tip. If you're lucky you might even see a resident seal frolicking just offshore.

Top tip: At low tide you can walk east along Porthcurno to Pedn Vounder, another spectacular (and more secluded) beach. Just be wary of the incoming tide as you can be cut off.

Reef Beach (Isle of Lewis)

There are so many incredible beaches on the Isles of Harris & Lewis, but the one that really stood out to me was Reef (or Kneep) Beach near the crofting township (love that) of Bhaltos.

The word "endless" gets thrown around a lot in relation to beaches, but Reef Beach really does feel unending. In fact, it reminds me a lot of the famous Lucky Bay down in Esperance, on Western Australia's southwest coast. A few less kangaroos to be fair.

Top tip: For the full experience, park up at Cliff Beach (another remarkable beach nearby) and walk through the picturesque Bhaltos and Kneep to Reef Beach.

Bantham Beach (South Devon)

Picture this — a beachside BBQ with friends (+ maybe a few beverages) followed by a chilly sea dip, all while the most stunning sunset is unfolding before your eyes.

That's my lasting memory of Bantham from earlier this year, and probably why it's made it onto this esteemed list. It's a cracking beach and also, I hear, a great surf spot when the conditions are right.

Top tip: If you look westwards from Bantham you will see Burgh Island and, just to the right, Bigbury Beach which lies on the sandy bridge that connects the island to the mainland. Well worth a visit before the tide comes in and the causeway is submerged.