A beautiful beach can make or break a holiday. Whether it’s crystal-clear water, soft golden sand or those jaw-dropping views that fill up your camera roll, the coastline is often the deciding factor when choosing where to go.
To find out which beaches stand out from the crowd, TUI created a Beautiful Beach Index using image analysis technology. Researchers assessed factors including water colour, brightness, sand quality and surrounding scenery to identify the world’s most visually stunning beaches.
One destination dominated the rankings: Türkiye secured four places in the global top 10 thanks to its combination of golden sandy beaches, clear Mediterranean waters and dramatic coastal scenery. Tunisia claimed the number one spot overall, while Saint Lucia, Greece, Malta, Egypt and Cyprus also featured in the top 10.
Perhaps most interestingly for families searching for affordable holidays and great deals, five of the beaches ranked among the world’s top 10 are home to TUI MAGIC LIFE resorts, giving travellers the chance to stay right on some of the highest-ranked stretches of coastline in the study while enjoying the convenience of an all-inclusive holiday. We’ve taken a look at these, well, magical properties to see what’s on offer.
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Yasmine Hammamet Beach, Tunisia
İçmeler Bay Beach, Türkiye
Belek Beach, Türkiye
Gündoğdu Beach, Türkiye
Kadriye Beach, Türkiye
Yasmine Hammamet Beach
1.Yasmine Hammamet Beach, Tunisia
Beautiful Beach Index score: 8.10/10
Taking the number one spot overall in TUI’s Beautiful Beach Index, Yasmine Hammamet Beach impressed researchers with its vivid blue waters, bright golden sand and attractive Mediterranean surroundings. Stretching along Tunisia’s sun-soaked coastline, the beach is known for its calm waters and wide sandy shoreline, making it a favourite for both families and couples.
The wider Yasmine Hammamet resort combines beach life with a marina, shops, cafés and a traditional-style medina, offering plenty to explore away from the sand.
Stay at TUI MAGIC LIFE Africana
Located directly on Yasmine Hammamet Beach, TUI MAGIC LIFE Africana puts guests steps from the highest-ranked beach in TUI’s Beautiful Beach Index.
The all-inclusive resort comes with its own private stretch of sand, eight pools, four restaurants and a packed programme of activities. Watersports are a major draw, with options including windsurfing, wakeboarding, water-skiing and canoeing, while younger guests can make the most of kids’ clubs and splash areas. In the evenings, themed parties and live entertainment keep the atmosphere lively.
Duration: 7 nights
Price: From £765 pp – at the time of writing (all inclusive)
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İçmeler Bay Beach
2. İçmeler Bay Beach, Türkiye
Beautiful Beach Index score: 7.87/10
Ranked second in TUI’s Beautiful Beach Index, İçmeler Bay Beach impressed researchers with its striking water colour, golden sands and dramatic setting between pine-covered mountains and the Aegean Sea.
Once a small fishing village, İçmeler has grown into one of Türkiye’s most popular coastal destinations while retaining a laid-back atmosphere. The sheltered bay creates calm waters that are ideal for swimming, paddleboarding and boat trips, while nearby Marmaris offers a buzzy marina and bustling waterfront.
Stay at TUI MAGIC LIFE Bodrum
Located on Türkiye’s Aegean coast, TUI MAGIC LIFE Bodrum is an adults-only resort that’s ideal for parents planning an escape without the kids. Set right by the sea, the hotel features five restaurants, five bars and multiple swimming pools, including an infinity pool overlooking the water. Guests can spend their days paddleboarding, canoeing, joining fitness classes or relaxing on a private jetty stretching into the Aegean.
Duration: 7 nights
Price: From £1,100 pp – at the time of writing (all inclusive)
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Belek Beach
4. Belek Beach, Türkiye
Beautiful Beach Index score: 7.50/10
Belek Beach secured fourth place in TUI’s global ranking thanks to its long sandy shoreline, bright Mediterranean waters and natural scenery
Stretching for miles along Türkiye’s Antalya Coast, the beach is particularly popular with families thanks to its spacious sands and gently shelving shoreline. The wider Belek region is also known for its championship golf courses, luxury resorts and year-round sunshine.
Stay at TUI MAGIC LIFE Belek
TUI MAGIC LIFE Belek is one of the collection’s flagship family resorts and sits directly on the beach.
The hotel features seven pools, a waterpark with 10 slides and more than 120 activities each week. There are five speciality restaurants, dedicated clubs for children and teenagers, sports academies and a huge range of entertainment, making it a strong choice for families looking for an active beach holiday.
Duration: 7 nights
Price: From £856 pp – at the time of writing (all inclusive)
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TUI MAGIC LIFE Jacaranda
5. Gündoğdu Beach, Türkiye
Beautiful Beach Index score: 7.42/10
Another Turkish beach to feature in TUI’s global top 10, Gündoğdu Beach was recognised for its warm sand tones, clear waters and pretty coastal scenery.
Located near Side, on Türkiye’s southern coast, the beach is known for its broad sandy shoreline and shallow waters, making it particularly appealing to families with younger children.
Side itself is one of the region’s most popular holiday destinations, combining beach life with ancient ruins, harbour-front restaurants and lively shopping streets.
Stay at TUI MAGIC LIFE Jacaranda
Overlooking Gündoğdu Beach, TUI MAGIC LIFE Jacaranda combines a prime beachfront setting with a huge range of facilities.
Guests can choose between seven speciality restaurants, seven swimming pools and an aquapark with waterslides. There are also sports activities, fitness classes, family entertainment and age-specific clubs for children and teenagers.
Duration: 7 nights
Price: From £860 pp – at the time of writing (all inclusive)
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TUI MAGIC LIFE Masmavi
7. Kadriye Beach, Türkiye
Beautiful Beach Index score: 7.34/10
Kadriye Beach rounds out the list, securing seventh place in the ranking. Part of the popular Belek region, the beach combines wide golden sands with warm Mediterranean waters and a backdrop of pine forests. The area is also known for its golf courses and proximity to attractions such as The Land of Legends theme park.
Stay at TUI MAGIC LIFE Masmavi
Set directly on its own sandy beach, TUI MAGIC LIFE Masmavi is one of the most facility-packed resorts in the TUI MAGIC LIFE collection.
The hotel features 10 pools, including a kids’ waterpark and aquapark with five waterslides, six restaurants and eight bars. Sports lovers can take advantage of tennis courts, beach volleyball courts, football pitches, padel courts and nearby golf courses, while younger guests have access to dedicated age-specific clubs, splash pools and daily activity programmes.
Duration: 7 nights
Price: From £813 pp – at the time of writing (all inclusive)
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Red Sea holiday
What were the world’s top 10 most beautiful beaches?
According to TUI’s Beautiful Beach Index, the world’s top 10 beaches are:
- Yasmine Hammamet Beach, Tunisia
- İçmeler Bay Beach, Türkiye
- Reduit Beach, Saint Lucia
- Belek Beach, Türkiye
- Gündoğdu Beach, Türkiye
- Tsilivi Beach, Greece
- Kadriye Beach, Türkiye
- Qawra Point Beach, Malta
- Naama Bay Beach, Egypt
- Vrysoudia Beach, Cyprus
The rankings were based on TUI’s Beautiful Beach Index, which used satellite imagery and image-analysis technology to assess factors including ocean colour, sand tone, brightness, beach composition and visible urbanisation.
Images were analysed using HSV colour space, allowing researchers to measure visual characteristics such as water vibrancy and sand quality in greater detail. Beaches with deeper blue waters, warmer golden sands and less visible development tended to score highest, helping identify the destinations that combine the visual elements travellers most strongly associate with an idyllic beach escape.
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