Not Boracay: An International Travel Site Voted a Beach in the Philippines the Best in the World

The travel platform Big 7 Travel has been putting out an annual 50 Best Beaches in the World for the last five years. The list is based on aggregated scores from previous media results, official Blue Flag locations, social media popularity and contributions from the Big 7 Travel editorial team. 

This year, two beaches from the Philippines made it to the list, with one of them even taking the top spot. And while most people would assume No. 1 is Boracay—that island off the coast of Panay famed for its stretch of powdery white sand beach—it, unfortunately, isn’t. In fact, Boracay isn’t even on the list.

Coming in at number 30 is El Nido in Palawan. “El Nido is a cluster of 45 islands just off the tip of Palawan, which is famous for its Secret Lagoon,” the site’s writeup says. “Swim through a hole in the limestone rocks to enter a hidden bay with crystal clear water, white sandy beaches and tropical jungle.”

ALSO READ

Massive Cleanup on Panglao Coast Hauls Tons of Trash

These Are the Most Instagrammed Beaches in the Philippines

And the top spot is claimed by…White Beach in Port Barton, a village in San Vicente, also in Palawan.

“The Philippines is known for its terrific beaches, but this gorgeous stretch of sand near Port Barton is a pristine gem,” Big & Travel says. “The only way to reach the beach is by hopping on a boat from Port Barton or taking a very bumpy journey in a 4x4—being hard to reach means the beach is clean and wonderfully quiet. Think hammocks, powdery white sand, kayaks to rent, and of course, crystal-clear water. All with a backdrop of lush forests. Kayak over to Coconut Beach for a mini adventure.”

A surprising pick, given how the Philippines is blessed with many other amazing beaches, but we’re not one to argue. Instead, we’re starting to pack and will head on over to Port Barton, stat.

Other beaches in the top 10 include (in descending order from number two): Cabo San Juan Beach in Colombia; Jalousie Beach in St. Lucia; Kendwa Beach in Zanzibar; Whitehaven Beach in Whitsunday Islands, Australia; Source d’Argent in Seychelles; Navagio Beach (Shipwreck Cove) in Zakynthos, Greece; Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos; Lang Co Beach in Vietnam; and Hyams Beach in New South Wales, Australia.

For the rest of the beaches in the top 50, head on over to Big 7 Travel.