WHITE sandy beaches, turquoise waters and palm trees gently swaying in the breeze – sounds exotic right? Except you don’t have to hop on a plane to get there.
The UK has more than 7,700 miles of coastline and around 1,500 beaches, with some of them even been named some of the best in the world.
The UK has plenty of stunning beaches, like Barafundle Bay Beach in Pembrokeshire – that match exotic coastlines across the world[/caption]
Barafundle, above, is a dead ringer for the Caribbean island of Anguilla, pictured – a beauty spot loved by honeymooners that’s a nine-hour flight away[/caption]
So it’s no surprise that some of Britain’s beaches are just as beautiful as destinations further afield, in places like California and the Caribbean.
With some lesser-known beauty spots making the list, these lush locations will likely be less crowded than their tropical twins, too.
Plus, without the pricey air fare and school holiday scrum, you’ll end up sunning yourself for a fraction of the price.
From Australian coastlines to hidden Portuguese beaches, here are some of the best destination ‘dupes’ you can visit in the UK instead:
Barafundle Bay in Wales or the Caribbean?
Barafundle Bay (pictured above) has been compared to the exotic Caribbean islands, with images of the beach showing it looking similar to stunning coves in Anguilla (also pictured above).
Visit Wales says: “With swathes of golden sand and crystal clear waters, Barafundle has been voted many times as one of the best beaches in Britain, and the world – it’s often likened to a Caribbean beach.”
Being off the beaten track means you won’t see many crowds at this beach.
But it also means you won’t have any facilities like cafes or toilets, so make sure to bring everything with you. Everything you take has to be carried back up over the cliff.
However, there is a cafe and toilets at Stackpole Quay, where people can park before walking the rest of the way to the beach.
Where to stay: Book a quirky Yurt at Stackpole Under Stars, just a nine-minute drive from Barafundle Beach. Prices are £115 per night and sleep up to four guests.
Durdle Door, Dorset or Algarve, Portugal?
The rock cliff arch near Marinha beach in Portugal is a busy spot on the sunny Algarve[/caption]
Our very own Durdle Door in Dorset is almost identical and the beach is beautiful too. However, both beaches are very popular in the summer.[/caption]
The famous Durdle Door has also been compared to beaches abroad, but the one it looks like most is in Portugal.
Found in the Algarve is Marina Beach, which has an almost identical natural rock arch formation in the sea, just like the beauty spot in Dorset.
Just be ready for a walk – with 143 stone steps down to the sand – and it gets very crowded during the summer season.
Locals from the area love this spot in the low season when it isn’t overrun with tourists.
Emily Luxton, who runs the local website dorsettravelguide.com says: “You don’t feel like you are in the UK. It seems more like Portugal or California.”
Where to stay: The family-run Durdle Door Holiday Park actually looks over the Durdle Door beach. Bunk up in a quirky Shepherds Hut, with prices starting at £120, sleeping four.
Scarborough or Australia?
Bathing boxes – what the Australians call beach huts – along Brighton beach in Victoria[/caption]
The colourful beach huts at North Sands beach in Scarborough have been recently renovated and can be rented out by the public[/caption]
Not many people would expect Scarborough to be compared to the famous Australian east coast.
However, the multicoloured beach huts of the English seaside resort look just like somewhere Down Under.
Yet Brighton Beach in Australia looks just like North Beach in Scarborough, thanks to its long line of multicoloured beach huts next to the sea.
Budget-friendly Scarborough has long been a favourite for Brits in summer; in fact, it was one of the first ever beach resorts in the UK.
The beach huts here have recently been lovingly restored to their former glory, and you can rent them for £50 for the whole day. A lot cheaper than a flight ticket south of the equator!
Of course, don’t expect the same Aussie weather in Scarborough, so remember to pack a jacket.
The Park Dean at Cayton Bay is just 14 minutes from Scarborough and a family caravan, sleeping six, starts from £73 per night, for a three-night stay.
Achmelvich Bay in Scotland or the Bahamas?
Half Moon Cay island in the Bahamas is picture-perfect but it’s a fair way to travel.[/caption]
Achmelvich bay in Scotland is an almost-secret paradise right here in the UK[/caption]
Photographer Quintin Lake compared the beach to the Caribbean island after exploring the entire British coastline for five years.
He told Sun Travel: “Achmelvich Bay in Scotland literally looks like it belongs in the Bahamas because the sand is white.
“The sea looks turquoise, which you’ll see in the book.
“The water is a beautiful greeny blue – it doesn’t look like it belongs in this country at all.
“When I went, it was a sunny day and there were maybe six people there, so it was heaven. I couldn’t believe it.”
The beach was even listed in the annual World’s Best Beaches in 2023 – the only UK beach to make the top 50.
Stay virtually on the beach, with cute camping pods a stone’s throw from the sea. They start from £93 per pod, sleeping four.
Prices can soar in the summer, but there is also a youth hostel that is right on the beach that has private family rooms from £77 and beds in a shared (same-sex) dorm for £26.50.
Scotland or Thailand?
People can’t believe this stunning white beach is in Scotland, found on the Isle of Berneray in the Outer Hebrides.[/caption]
Berneray’s beaches are just as picture-perfect as Koh Chang Island in Thailand[/caption]
You’d be forgiven for thinking West Beach on the Isle of Berneray was in Thailand rather than Scotland.
And it’s not just you – in 2009, a tourism campaign in Thailand even used a picture of the beach after mistaking it for Kai Bae Beach in Koh Chang.
Both beaches have beautiful white sands, with the Scottish beach getting its white hue from shingle made from broken shells.
It was even named one of the top beaches in Europe by Lonely Planet back in 2022.
One tourist wrote online: “This place is truly Heaven on Earth. I spent two hours on this beach and despite it’s incredible beauty, I never saw another soul.
“The beaches of Harris are also amazing, but this is the best beach I have ever been to. It’s magical.”
This remote spot in the Outer Hebrides doesn’t have too many accommodation options nearby, but nab one of these self-catering cottages on the edge of the island for £120 per night, sleeping six.
Pedn Vounder in Cornwall or Bali?
Pedn Vounder Beach in Cornwall looks like a tropical paradise and it’s never busy due to the hike down from the cliff.[/caption]
Bali is a stunning destination, but Indonesia is no quick flight so it’s good to know there is a near-identical bay in Cornwall[/caption]
The white sands of Pedn Vounder look more like a postcard from Bali.
You might not expect a UK beach to be compared to somewhere in Indonesia, but the golden sand beach and crystal clear waters, hugged by a rugged green landscape, say otherwise.
This sunny stretch has even been named one of the world’s best beaches, according to the Big 7 travel website.
Part of the reason this beach is unspoilt and less crowded is that it’s not the easiest to get to with a steep climb down from the car park.
But, once you’ve staked your place in the sand, you can stay all day and bask in the Bali-esk breeze – just pack your own cocktail in a can.
A great option for families to stay close to the shores of Pedn Vounder is the Lizard Point Holiday Resort, with caravans from £53 per night, sleeping six people.
Rhossili Bay, Wales or Skiathos Island, Greece?
Rhossili Bay in Wales is equally as beautiful as the beaches in Crete[/caption]
The exotic Koukounaries bay on Skiathos island is one of Greece’s best beaches, but it gets very busy with day trippers[/caption]
Another sweet spot in Wales is the serene Rhossili Bay in Swansea.
Often cited in round-ups of the best beaches in the UK, Rhossili Bay was also celebrated in the Happy Place campaign this year, launched by Swansea Bay Trails.
A warm stroll on this coast in the sunshine could have you mistaking this spot for the exotic Koukounaries Beach in Skaithos, Greece.
Generally thought to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece, Koukounaries has a sweeping bay, lined with green trees and wildlife – exactly like our very own Welsh wonderland.
Go now before too many people find out about it.
People are so stunned by the beautiful Welsh beach, the council’s Visit Swansea Bay social media channels are watched by millions.
Its Facebook page has reached more than 6.4 million people this year, with the number of likes, shares, comments and link clicks up over 114% compared to 2022.
Take the family glamping just 25 minutes from Rhossili Bay at Three Cliffs Holiday Parks. You can camp in your own tent or rent a glamping yurt for £124 (sleeping four).
Eastbourne or Big Sur, California?
The Seven Sisters cliffs is one of the UK’s most dramatic coastlines[/caption]
California’s Big Sur is a stunning vista from the famous Highway 1 that leads from LA to San Francisco[/caption]
Big Sur is one of the most dramatic coastlines in the USA, with sweeping views, towering cliffs and a scattering of secret coves and secluded beaches that you can claim almost to yourself if you know where.
While Big Sur stretches over 70 miles along the west coast of California, we have our own cinematic landscape here in the form of Seven Sisters Country Park and the South Downs National Park, known for their stunning coastal scenery and hiking trails.
Just outside Eastbourne, the Seven Sisters are a series of rugged cliffs that form one of the most recognisable coastlines in the UK.
Famous for its towering white chalk cliffs, the notorious Beachy Head is the highest in Britain, offering dramatic views of the English Channel and the coastline.
Known mainly for its beautiful vista, the Seven Sisters coast is not a top spot for sunbathing.
For those who love nothing more than a brisk walk with a beautiful view, this California counterpart is perfect.
For a budget break with easy access to Beachy Head and Seven Sisters Country Park, as well as the lively seafront, the Premier Inn Eastbourne has rooms from £68.
White Park Bay in County Antrim or Greek Islands?
The stunning White Park Bay in Northern Ireland is close to the Giant’s Causeway where Game of Thrones was filmed, but it looks more like Greece[/caption]
Balons Lagoon in Crete is a true beauty spot, but it can be overrun with boats carrying daytrippers[/caption]
With a blanket of soft white sand and incredibly clear, blue water, this spectacular sandy beach is in an enviable spot, nestled between headlands on the North Antrim Coast.
Its secluded location means that even in the height of summer, there is plenty of room for a tranquil day by the sea.
The beach is also backed by protected, ancient sand dunes that provide a range of rich habitats for bird and animal life, managed by the National Trust.
You may even spot this spectacular spot as the famous backdrop to fictional Stormlands and Dragonstone, from the TV series Game of Thrones.
It’s so beautiful here, the location is a dead ringer for the idyllic Balos Lagoon on the Greek Island of Crete.
The sweeping beach at Balos Lagoon is one of the most picturesque beaches in Greece.
However, in the summer months, an abundance of tourist boats arrive in the bay, meaning it’s crowded and sometimes scattered with litter.
Certainly not worth the trip if you can enjoy almost identical views here without the three-hour flight and the over-tourism.
Make it even cuter with a stay in a cosy fairy pod cabin, sleeping four for £100 per night at nearby Causeway Coast Holiday Park
Villefranche Sur Mer or Dartmouth, Devon?
Darmouth in Devon is a quintessential British seaside town with postcard-perfect views and excellent fresh seafood[/caption]
Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera is stunning, but very busy in summer, and it’s difficult to explore on a budget[/caption]
Villefranche-sur-Mer is one of the most charming and colourful towns on the French Riviera.
Think cute, cobbled streets and crooked, character-filled houses that wouldn’t look out of place in a Disney movie.
However, just a short drive and bus ride from Nice, this is no place for a cheap weekend with sky-high prices in restaurants and bars, that’s if you can get a table.
Closer to home, the quintessential English seaside village of Dartmouth in Devon has all the charm of the fancy French beauty spot, but with no airport transfers and lots of affordable B&Bs, pub stays and restaurants with a view.
For outdoorsy types, there are walking trails straight out to the sea, plus you’ll have your pick of some of the best seafood in the UK. It’s a taste of the Med, in a thoroughly British setting.
If you don’t mind being a bit further away, Torquey, the Park Dean Torquay Holiday Park has some excellent deals from £59 per night, in a caravan sleeping six.
