10 UK beaches that look like they’re abroad

When most of us think of vacations, what immediately comes to mind is flying abroad to find tropical beaches, historic cities, or rural retreats.

While many Brits look to foreign climes for their taste of sun, sand, sea or city break, they miss out on what’s right under their noses. Britain is blessed with an enviable number of scenic destinations, whether you want to explore a new city, take a walk in a national park or spend a day at the seaside.

And with the cost of living crisis closely following the ‘end’ of the Covid-19 pandemic, not to mention the desire for sustainable travel options, many travelers are rethinking their holiday habits and looking to the UK for their next trip.

If you’re one of the millions of Brits planning a holiday closer to home this spring or summer, take a look at our list of UK beaches so idyllic they look like they belong in the Mediterranean.

Durdle Door, Dorset

In 2001, the Jurassic Coast became the first Unesco World Heritage Site in the UK. The 156-mile stretch of coastline stretches from Exmouth to Studland Bay in Dorset, and Durdle Door is the jewel in the coast’s crown.

The famous limestone arch (pictured) was forged by waves eroding a hole in the rock and is one of Britain’s most iconic landmarks, as well as one of the most popular beaches on this list (and a dog-friendly one too) .

Achmelvich Beach, Scotland

Located in north-west Scotland, Achmelvich Beach offers the kind of white sand usually reserved for tropical climates – but it’s just three miles away from Lochinver.

The beach is a great place for wildlife watching, with a wide range of birds, porpoises, dolphins and even small whales sometimes visible from the shore. It is also popular for water sports enthusiasts such as fishing, windsurfing, kayaking and water skiing.

Kynance Cove, Cornwall

Visit Cornwall reckons Kynance Cove is “probably the most photographed and painted location in Cornwall”, and with good reason.

Famous for the dark red and serpentine red green that form its cliffs – and which once tempted Queen Victoria to install a fireplace out of it – the beach lies on one side of the Lizard coastal walk. However, it’s the white sand and turquoise sea that really attract thousands of visitors a year.

Pentle Bay, Tresco, Isles of Scilly

In fairness to other UK beaches, Pentle Bay’s subtropical climate gives it the edge over the rest of the British Isles.

Found on the Isle of Tresco in the Isles of Scilly, Pentle Bay has previously been named one of the best beaches in the UK and even made it into a Wall Street Journal “under the radar beaches” list.

Lauded by the publication for its “bone-white beaches” and “turquoise sea if it’s cold”, Pentle Bay is one of the Islands’ many excellent beaches, but it shines because of its wild, unspoilt appearance and the fact that it can often be found empty, even and in full season.

Great Bay, St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly

Sitting in the temperate Isles of Scilly, the Isle of St Martin’s is home to another gorgeous UK beach that could make any visitor think they are in the Azores.

Backed by green hills, Great Bay’s rugged and rocky coastline gives the impression of an Atlantic destination only accessible by several hours’ flight, rather than a short distance from the Cornish coast.

Great Bay has been widely praised as one of the Isles’ best beaches, but the Isles offer plenty of choice as well as claiming to be the warmest location in the UK.

Fistral Beach, Cornwall

Fistral Beach has become famous in the UK as a popular beach for surfers. Cribbar – a nearby reef – can generate waves up to 12m high and attracts experienced surfers from all over the world.

Its popularity as a water sports destination has meant that it has been overlooked by the non-surfers among us. As a result, few have given this famous beach the credit its aesthetics deserve. Towering cliffs, headlands and sand dunes provide a dramatic backdrop, while long stretches of golden sand and blue sea await surfers and onlookers alike.

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Barafundle Bay, Wales

Wales may not be the place that springs to mind when it comes to golden sand dunes, pine trees and crystal clear water, but Barafundle offers it all.

Look out to sea if you want to feel like you’re in the Caribbean, or look back to land to feel like you’re on an island in the Atlantic.

What’s more, the isolated location (half a mile from the town of Stackpole) and subsequent lack of amenities means this Pembrokeshire beach remains untouched, so visitors can enjoy a less crowded experience than many other seaside hotspots Britain.

Holkham Beach, Norfolk

Another beach that has been saved from commercialisation, Norfolk’s Holkham Beach boasts a seemingly endless stretch of sand and sea. Sheltered by forest to shelter you from those days when the sun is too much, the sheer size of this unspoilt landscape will make you feel like you’re abroad.

Here, the attraction is the natural setting, with the grassy hills and pine forests behind the beach similar to some beaches in the US.

Portmeirion Beach, Wales

If the charming Italian-style village of Portmeirion wasn’t enough of an attraction in itself, Portmeirion is also home to an impressive beach. It might not have the white sands or turquoise waters you’ll find at some of the other entries on this list, but the picturesque backdrop – and its uniqueness to the UK – make it a worthwhile visit.

Located in North Wales, the beach here is one that benefits from its setting: pastel buildings and classic village architecture are interwoven with classic British woodlands to give the whole location a British and Italian feel.

Luskentyre Sands, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Named as one of the 34 best beaches in the world by Condé Nast TravelerLuskentyre isn’t as easily accessible as some of the beaches on this list, but it’s more than worth the extra effort to get there.

With golden sand and almost unbelievably blue water, this is a UK beach where the scenery and geography lends itself equally to sunny days of relaxation or stormy hikes.

That said, visit on a warm summer’s day if you want to try to convince yourself you’re somewhere in the Indian Ocean rather than Scotland (but it’s best to pack a raincoat, just in case).

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