Aussie beach ranked second best in the world

An Aussie beach has trumped every other in the country and almost the world after it came second on a global list – and no, it’s not Bondi Beach.

An Aussie beach has trumped every other in the country and almost the world after it came second on a global list – and no, it’s not Bondi Beach.

Stokes Bay Beach in South Australia has been named the second best beach in the world in a new list compiled by Big 7 Travel.

Stokes Bay Beach on Kangaroo Island in South Australia has been named the second best beach in the world on the new Big 7 Travel list.

The ‘hidden gem’ on Kangaroo Island boasts a whopping 540km of coastline and is known for its shimmering rock pools and sparkling turquoise waters.

It was beaten by our friends across the ditch in New Zealand with their Piha Beach snagging the top spot.

It’s located on the wind-whipped west coast of Auckland famed for its black sands, foamy white waves and formidable Lion Rock.

Piha Beach on the west coast of Auckland in New Zealand came first.

While it’s not one for leisurely dips in the sea (the waves are notoriously rough), the views epitomise the rugged beauty of New Zealand’s coastline, Big 7 Travel explains.

Behind the beach is a small coastal village, much loved by surfers and fisherfolk as well as tourists in the know.

Meanwhile, Moon Bay in Slovenia came third, White Beach, Port Barton in the Philippines secured fourth place and Laomei Beach in Taiwan snagged the fifth spot.

Cable Beach in Western Australia was the only other Aussie beach on the Top 50 list. It came 12th.

The only other Aussie beach to make the Top 50 list was Cable Beach in remote Kimberley, Western Australia.

It’s renowned for its brilliant blue waters and endless sandy stretches. And while it’s a bit difficult to reach, this year, it’s set to become much easier to explore the region thanks to an influx of cruise ships.

@transienttravellers Living my mermaid dreams 📍 Location in video 😍 #h2ojustaddwater #kangarooisland #southaustralia #australiaroadtrip #watercave ♬ glued 2 deep in time Aaron Hibell edit - Aaron Hibell

“There are hundreds of beautiful beaches to explore, but Cable Beach is the best. Take a ride on the camel train or hop on a boat trip as the sun sinks below the horizon for the best views,” Big 7 Travel recommends.

As for Stokes Bay, getting there is half the fun with the beach accessible via a hidden rock tunnel — and tourists have inundated TikTok with clips of the stunning location.

To get to Stokes Bay Beach you have to make your way through narrow caves. Picture: TikTok

It then opens up to the stunning beach. Picture: TikTok

“Stokes Bay in South Australia is the place to visit on your next holiday to Kangaroo Island!!! What an amazing hidden gem of our state!!” TikToker ‘South Aussie with Cosi’ said in a post.

Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison, told news.com.au she is “stoked at the result”.

“Kangaroo Island’s Stokes Bay has once again been recognised as one of the best beaches thanks to its beautiful turquoise waters, giant rockpools, and unique location,” she said.

“Having been ranked as the second-best beach in the world will be no surprise to anyone who has experienced the beauty of Stokes Bay, and being shared atop the international listing is set to help the region, and South Australia, be top of mind for visitors globally.

“The pristine beach adds to the many iconic natural beauties helping attract the 205,000 overnight visitors to Kangaroo Island each year and contributing a record-breaking $280 million to South Australia’s visitor economy.”

Big Travel 7 suggested for those seeking adventures, the rolling waves provide ample opportunities for good surf, while the giant protected rockpool provides a safe shallow area for little ones to swim and snorkel.

It’s known for its shimmering rock pools...

.... and cliffside location.

The beach has collected a bunch of titles of the past few years with software provider Bókun (part of the TripAdvisor family) naming it the best ‘hidden gem’ location in Australia.

It also took out Tourism Australia’s annual Best Australian Beaches list earlier this year.

It had beaten nearly 12,000 Aussie beaches to be crowned the best in the nation for 2023.

Mawson MP Leon Bignell said Stokes has always been one of his favourite beaches.

@nathsway 🏆 #1 Stokes Bay has been named the best beach in Australia #southaustralia #travelaustralia #stokesbay #australia #kangarooisland #roadtripaustralia ♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim

@theaussieadventurers Visiting the best beach located on Kangaroo Island🩵🦘#kangarooisland #beach #stokesbay ♬ Hundreds & Thousands - lowfidoo

“After making the New York Times top ten places in the world to visit this year, Kangaroo Island is again topping the charts,” he said in a Facebook post last year.

“Stokes Bay has always been one of my favourite beaches and a great place to take visitors to surprise them with the entrance.

“When they start walking along the sandy passageway through the massive rocks they have no idea how stunning the view is going to be on the other side.

“A safe rockpool for the little kids, waves for the more adventurous and on a calm day it’s as flat as a tack. It’s where Dusty the Kangaroo Island Kelpie was born and had his first surf lesson with the local kids.”

Meanwhile, Lonely Planet voted Kangaroo Island one of the top regions in the world to visit in 2024.

For the full list of the world’s best beaches for 2024, visit Big 7 Travel. It includes beaches from Europe to Asia to the Caribbean.