Crete Locals

Elafonissi ranks second-best beach in the world, beach.com says

· By CreteLocals Editorial Team
Elafonissi ranks second-best beach in the world, beach.com says

Three beaches in Crete have been named among the world’s best in the 2026 Global Beach Index, a ranking compiled by the website beach.com. Elafonissi, in the Chania region, took second place worldwide and first place in Europe.

Elafonissi tops Europe, ranks second globally

Elafonissi is a small islet off the southwestern coast of Crete, in the Chania regional unit. It can be reached on foot, since it lies close to the shore and the surrounding waters are shallow, particularly in summer. The islet is a popular tourist destination and is protected under the Natura 2000 network due to its distinctive natural environment.

According to the beach.com index, Elafonissi ranked second among beaches worldwide, behind Trunk Bay on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and first among all beaches in Europe.

Falassarna and Balos also make the list

Falassarna placed 14th in the global ranking. It lies 59 kilometers west of Chania and 12 kilometers west of Kissamos, on the South Cretan Sea. The area is known both for its beaches and for its ecological value, and has been included in the Natura 2000 network because of the variety of flora and fauna found there.

Balos, a lagoon on the Gramvousa peninsula at the northwestern tip of Crete, ranked 21st. It falls administratively under the municipality of Kissamos and lies 17 kilometers from Kasteli. The lagoon sits between the Gramvousa peninsula, the Gerondinos mountain mass and the rocky Tigani peninsula, and is characterized by shallow waters and white sand that turns pink in places due to crushed shells and coral.

The 2026 global top 25

According to beach.com, the full top 25 beaches worldwide for 2026 are: 1. Trunk Bay (St. John), U.S. Virgin Islands; 2. Elafonissi, Crete, Greece; 3. Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos; 4. Flamenco, Puerto Rico, U.S.; 5. Golden Horn, Croatia; 6. Palolem, India; 7. Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (St. Croix), U.S. Virgin Islands; 8. Balandra, Mexico; 9. Falesia, Portugal; 10. Eagle Beach, Aruba; 11. Gulf Shores, Alabama, U.S.; 12. Boulders, South Africa; 13. Playa de Cofete, Spain; 14. Falassarna, Crete, Greece; 15. Huntington, California, U.S.; 16. Seven Mile, Cayman Islands; 17. Magens Bay (St. Thomas), U.S. Virgin Islands; 18. Mon Choisy, Mauritius; 19. Su Giudeu (Sardinia), Italy; 20. Tropic of Cancer, Bahamas; 21. Balos, Crete, Greece; 22. South Beach Park (Vero Beach, Florida), U.S.; 23. Kas Abou, Curaçao; 24. Baby Beach, Aruba; 25. Maspalomas (Gran Canaria), Spain.

This is the second recent ranking to highlight Crete’s beaches internationally: an earlier list published by Tripadvisor also placed Elafonissi and Balos among the world’s best. A wider selection of the island’s coastline can be found on the Beaches in Crete hub page.

Latest News

Tourism minister opens renovated Agios Nikolaos marina after €1.9 million upgradeTourism minister opens renovated Agios Nikolaos marina after €1.9 million upgradeTourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni inaugurated the renovated Agios Nikolaos marina, a project the mayor says cost more than €1.9 million.Sedimentary rocks near Heraklion preserve traces of an ancient sea, geological record showsSedimentary rocks near Heraklion preserve traces of an ancient sea, geological record showsRock formations near Agia Irini, south of Heraklion, contain marine fossils showing the area was once covered by sea millions of years…Kofinas peak in Crete's Asterousia mountains offers views of sea and mountains alikeKofinas peak in Crete’s Asterousia mountains offers views of sea and mountains alikeThe Kofinas peak in Crete's Asterousia mountains gives visitors views of the Libyan Sea on one side and a rugged mountain interior…Village name suffixes reveal Crete's family and historical roots, CretaOne reportsVillage name suffixes reveal Crete’s family and historical roots, CretaOne reportsCretaOne reports that suffixes in Cretan village names, such as "-ianá," "-ia" and "-chóri," often trace back to families, occupations or historical…CretaOne outlines a full day in Heraklion for under €20CretaOne outlines a full day in Heraklion for under €20CretaOne suggests a full day of coffee, a walk, a beach visit and sunset in Heraklion can cost less than €20.Cruise ship Sun Princess docks at Souda with 4,659 passengersCruise ship Sun Princess docks at Souda with 4,659 passengersThe cruise ship Sun Princess arrived at Souda port in Chania on August 18 carrying 4,659 passengers.Crete tops Greek island searches on Google ahead of summer, survey findsCrete tops Greek island searches on Google ahead of summer, survey findsA survey by Aurora Digital Marketing finds Crete leads Google searches among Greek islands, with ferry tickets the single most searched travel…Chania home prices reach up to €5,500 per square meter, report saysChania home prices reach up to €5,500 per square meter, report saysA first-half 2026 BNP-affiliated report says Crete's housing market keeps rising, with Chania prices reaching up to €5,500 per square meter.Region of Crete brings free theatre performances to villages across the islandRegion of Crete brings free theatre performances to villages across the islandThe Region of Crete's "Days of Theatre" program brings 23 free performances to 19 villages and towns across the island through mid-September.Orthodox Academy of Crete hosts international CERN physics conference from August 19-30Orthodox Academy of Crete hosts international CERN physics conference from August 19-30The Orthodox Academy of Crete hosts the 15th International Conference on New Frontiers in Physics (ICNFP 2026) from August 19-30, 2026.

© All rights reserved. Crete Locals