Travellers planning their 2026 holidays may want to add these stunning coastlines to their wishlists, as new research has revealed the world’s most beautiful beaches.A beach in Tunisia beat out popular destinations such as Spain, Greece and Portugal to be named the best option. Family holiday specialists TUI analysed dozens of popular beaches around the world to create its new Beautiful Beach Index, measuring factors including water colour and brightness, sand quality, surrounding natural scenery and visible urban development to identify the most visually striking destinations.The research crowned Yasmine Hammamet Beach in Tunisia as the world’s most beautiful beach, achieving an overall Beautiful Beach Index score of 8.10 out of 10 thanks to its vivid blue Mediterranean waters, bright golden sand and natural coastal setting.Yasmine Hammamet Beach in Tunisia topped the list | TUITurkey dominated the rankings overall, claiming four places in the top 10, while destinations across Europe, North Africa and the Caribbean also featured prominently.The most beautiful beaches (Beautiful Beach Index /10)Yasmine Hammamet Beach, Tunisia (8.1)İçmeler Bay Beach, Turkey (7.87)Reduit Beach, Saint Lucia (7.83)Belek Beach, Türkiye (7.50)Tsilivi Beach, Greece (7.43)Gündoğdu Beach, Turkey (7.42)Kadriye Beach, Turkey (7.34)Naama Bay Beach (main beach), Egypt (7.23)Vrysoudia Beach, Cyprus (7.21)Qawra Point Beach, Malta (7.16)Sunny Beach (Central Beach), Bulgaria (7.15)Levante Beach (Playa de Levante), Spain (7.12)Naama Bay Beach (outside TUI MAGIC LIFE Redsina Sharm el Sheikh), Egypt (7.04)Psalidi Beach, Greece (7.02)Kalawy Bay Beach, Egypt (6.91)Cala Bona Beach (Platja de Cala Bona), Spain (6.81)Laganas Beach, Greece (6.76)Side West Beach, Turkey (6.74)Playa de Taurito, Spain (6.67)Aghir Beach (Plage d’Aghir), Djerba, Tunisia (6.64)Yasmine Hammamet Beach secured the top spot after scoring highly across multiple visual measures, including the richness of its turquoise waters, bright sand tones and picturesque natural surroundings. Stretching for around four kilometres, the Mediterranean beach is renowned for its calm waters, making it a favourite among families and watersports enthusiasts alike.İçmeler Bay Beach in Turkey also impressed thanks to its vibrant blue water, golden shoreline and backdrop of pine-covered mountains. Once a small fishing village, İçmeler has grown into one of the Turkish Riviera’s most popular seaside destinations while retaining its natural charm.Rounding out the top three is Reduit Beach in Saint Lucia, which earned one of the highest water saturation scores in the study. Located in Rodney Bay, the nearly two-mile stretch of sand is widely regarded as one of the Caribbean island’s most iconic beaches and remains a favourite for travellers seeking a classic tropical escape.The research also highlighted Turkey as the standout destination overall, with four beaches placing inside the top 10. Alongside İçmeler Bay, Belek Beach, Gündoğdu Beach and Kadriye Beach all scored highly thanks to their combination of clear Mediterranean waters, expansive sandy beaches and relatively low levels of visible urban development.Turkish beaches ranked well, and İçmeler Bay Beach was the highest-rated | GETTYNaama Bay Beach, Sharm El-Sheikh, appeared on the list twice | GETTYAbbigail Head – a TUI retail agent with 18 years’ experience in the travel industry – said: “Beautiful beaches continue to be one of the biggest drivers when people choose a holiday destination, because they represent the ultimate sense of escape. We find that travellers are naturally drawn to clear blue water, soft golden sand and bright coastal scenery because these landscapes instantly create feelings of relaxation.”Whether families are looking for long beach days, couples want romantic sunset walks, or holidaymakers simply want somewhere to completely switch off, visually stunning beaches remain at the heart of the perfect getaway experience.”What’s particularly interesting about this research is that it shows beach beauty can be measured through real visual elements, from the vibrancy of the water to the natural balance of the coastline. “Destinations that combine crystal-clear seas, warm sand tones and unspoilt scenery consistently stand out as the places people most dream about visiting. As travellers increasingly look ahead to their 2026 holidays, these findings highlight the beach destinations that offer not just sunshine, but truly unforgettable scenery too.”