MANILA, Philippines – The Hidden Beach in El Nido, Palawan bested 49 other beaches in Asia and ranked No. 1 in the continent’s Top 50 Beaches for 2018, Canada-based online travel company Flight Network said.
The Hidden Beach also placed third in the ranking of best beaches in the world this year by Flight Network, coming from behind Greece’s Shipwreck Beach in Zakynthos, which was ranked No. 1, and Australia’s Whitehaven Beach in Queensland, which was ranked No. 2.
According to the online travel firm, Palawan’s beach gem is the top beach in Asia for its “sheer untouched beauty, remoteness, sand and water quality, annual days of sunshine, and average annual temperature.”
It described the Hidden Beach as “tropical, white sand, postcard-perfect beach from the rest by one magnificent trait – those unmistakable, protruding limestone cliffs.”
“The wild, vegetation-covered rock formations and crystal clear waters of Hidden Beach will make you feel as if you’ve been dropped into a movie,” Sachin Aggarwal, of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, was quoted in flightnetwork.com as saying.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s Maya Bay and Railay Beach in Thailand came in second and third, respectively, in the Asia’s Top 50 Beaches for 2018.
Other Philippine beaches included in the Asia’s list were Guyam White Sand Beach in Siargao (13th); Palaui Beach in Cagayan Valley (22nd); Caramoan Island Beach in Camarines Sur (29th); Dahican Beach in Davao Oriental (41st); Gumasa Beach in Sarangani (45th); Kalanggaman Island in Cebu (49th); and Paliton Beach in Siquijor (50th).
“Flight Network’s World’s Best Beaches for 2018 provides an annual snapshot of the opinions and experiences of the world’s top travel experts. This globally-recognized list showcases a collection of off-the-beaten-path slices of paradise from every corner of our planet,” the company said in its website.
Flight Network explained it garnered the Asia ranking by conferring with about 600 journalists, editors, bloggers, and agencies experienced in traveling.
For the worldwide list, Flight Network said it sought the perceptions of over 1,200 journalists, editors, bloggers, and agencies.
“Flight Network consulted these travel professionals to rank the best beaches in the world, based on their personal and professional experiences. We received unparalleled insight into the most spectacular beaches on earth,” the online travel firm noted.
“Upon completion of the voting process, Flight Network’s in-house travel experts analyzed and categorized the results. We created several official lists, including the top 50 beaches around the globe, as well as separate lists showcasing the top 50 beaches in several regions of the world, such as Africa, North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, Australia and the South Pacific and Asia. Even further, we ranked the top 50 beaches within or near cities and the top 50 most remote or untouched, beaches,” it added. /kga