These Are the Most Expensive Beaches in the World

When you think about going to the beach you probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking how much the actual beach sitting will cost.

You might think about what you spend at the hotel or on the train/car etc that gets you there, maybe the cost of food or drinks in the area and that’s about it.

But it’s not these things that make beaches expensive or cheap.

The things that matter the most are the costs of the things you will buy on the actual beach, like sunscreen, water, beer, ice cream, and lunch.

These will make or break the beach for many people. According to the prices on the items listed above, you will see just how big differences can be.

When it comes to the cost of food, drinks and an all-important bottle of sunscreen, the country’s beaches are the world’s cheapest, according to the second annual Beach Price Index – a survey of costs at 310 seaside spots in 70 countries.

According to telegraph.co.uk, the three most cost-effective were all found in Vietnam, with Cua Dai, near the picturesque riverside city of Hoi An, offering beachgoers the best value for money, followed by Nha Trang’s City Beach, and Long Beach on the island of Phú Quốc.

The same three occupied first, third and fourth positions last year.

Other cheap beaches include several in the Indian states of Goa and Kerala, a clutch in Indonesia and Thailand, and – surprisingly, perhaps – a handful in Germany. The five items cost £15.34 at Timmendorfer Strand on the Baltic Sea.

It will come as no surprise to learn that the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific should be avoided if you’re watching the pennies.

At the most expensive location, Kristiansand Beach in Vest-Agder, Norway, sunscreen costs £17.31, beer £6.80 and lunch £21.95.

Tahiti, in fifth place, may be beautiful, but with sunscreen priced at £16.75, beers at £6.01 a bottle, ice creams at £2.83 and lunch at £19.64 per person, it’s not for the budget traveller.

Beaches in the Seychelles, New Caledonia, Sweden and Fiji were also rated amongst the most expensive.

Other pricey countries for a beach break include Japan, the US, Australia and the Maldives.

The world’s 20 most expensive beaches

1. Kristiansand Beach, Vest-Agder, Norway – £51.82
2. Huk Beach, Oslo, Norway – £49.67
3. Solastranda, Rogaland, Norway – £48.37
4. Mareto Plage Publique, Moorea, French Polynesia – 47.08
5. La Plage de Maui, Tahiti, French Polynesia – £46.85
6. Åkrasanden, Rogaland, Norway – £46.49
7. Hamresanden, Vest-Agder, Norway – £45.82
8. Ribersborg Beach, Skåne, Sweden – £44.37
9. Anse Vata, Noumea, New Caledonia – £44.22
10. Anse Georgette, Praslin, Seychelles – £42.79
11. Anse Soleil Beach, Seychelles – £42.73
12. Dueodde Beach, Bornholm, Denmark – £42.25
13. Böda Sand, Kalmar, Sweden – £42.11
14. Læsø Beach North Denmark Region, Denmark – £42.10
15. Beau Vallon, Mahe, Seychelles – £41.91
16. Blåvand Beach, Region of Southern Denmark, Denmark – £41.90
17. Poe Beach, New Caledonia – £41.59
18. Tylösand Beach, Halland, Sweden – £41.52
19. Rømø Beach, Region of Southern Denmark, Denmark – £41.46
20. Båstad Beach, Skåne , Sweden – £41.41

Several UK beaches appear in the index. Priory Bay Beach on the Isle of Wight, where the items were found to cost £28.98, was considered the 147th most expensive, down from 52nd last year, followed by Watergate Bay in Newquay (151st), Camber Sands in East Sussex (152nd), Barafundle Bay in Wales (159th), Pentle Bay on the Isles of Scilly (163rd), and Portstewart Strand in Northern Ireland (177th).