Cala Mariolu, Sardinia. Image: Courtesy Beach-Inspector via AFP Relaxnews

Spain dominates a list of the world’s most breathtaking beaches that includes coastlines in Kenya, Thailand, the Dominican Republic, Israel, Indonesia and even the United Kingdom.

Beach-Inspector bills itself as the “first professional beach information platform” covering 1,600 beaches in 52 holiday regions around the world that have been tested on-site against up to 120 criteria.

Over the last three years, “Beach inspectors” were dispatched to destinations around the world where they spent two days digitalizing and evaluating beaches on everything from sand and water quality, facilities (restaurants, bars, showers), child friendliness, “flirt factor” and visual beauty.

Beaches were then categorized under five broad themes: “wow” beaches, party, water sports, special ambiance and classic holiday.

Beaches filed under the “wow” category are destinations that “take your breath away” and create lifelong memories.

Of the 21 destinations that made the list, five are in Spain and three in Thailand.

Amidst predictable tropical, Caribbean and Mediterranean destinations, the selection also includes the shores of Kenya (Manda Bay and Diani Beach), and Porthcurno Beach in Cornwall, England, which features white sand and dramatic rock faces.

The concept is not unlike the list of top 10 beaches in the United States released every year from Stephen P. Leatherman, better known as Dr. Beach, who holds a PhD in environmental coastal sciences. Beach-Inspector, however, covers beaches around the world.

Here are the “wow” beaches in the Beach-Inspector selection:

Manda Bay, Kenya
Diani Beach, Kenya
Cala Mariolu, Sardinia, Italy
Playa de Cofete, Fuerteventura, Spain
Pai Plong Beach Ruffian, Thailand
Canto de la Playa, Dominican Republic
Playa de ses Illetes, Formentera, Spain
Trou aux Biches Beach, Mauritius
Dolphin Reef Beach, Israel
Semeti Beach, Lombok, Indonesia
Nui Beach, Koh Phi Phi, Thailand
Playa de los Muertos, Costa de Almería, Spain
Praia de João de Arens, Algarve, Portugal
Cala Conta, Ibiza, Spain
Playa Punta Uva, Costa Rica
Playa de las Conchas, Lanzarote, Spain
Koh Nang Yuan Beach Koh Tao, Thailand
Blue Lagoon, Cyprus
Porthcurno Beach, Cornwall, U.K.
Whitehaven Beach, Australia
Elafonissi Beach, Crete, Greece