Australia is renowned for its beaches, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that one has been named the best in the world.

In selecting the world’s 34 best beaches, luxe travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller steered away from wildly popular stretches of sand that are swarmed with tourists, focusing instead on those that people “may have to venture a little further for”.

So, the iconic Bondi Beach in Sydney did not make the list, but a Queensland beach near both the heart of Cairns and the Daintree National Park did.

The best beaches in Australia

Coming in at No.1 on the worldwide list was Palm Cove Beach in northern Queensland.

Conde Nast Traveller described it as the “epitome of a tropical paradise”, thanks to its powdery sand and palm trees lining the ocean.

Given just a few thousand people live near the Palm Cove Beach, it’s usually free from crowds. What’s more, the publication noted that marine wildlife such as dolphins and whales come close to the shore from time to time.

The next Australian beach to appear on the list was Wategos Beach in NSW.

Wategos Beach in Byron Bay also made the list.

While Conde Nast Traveller highlighted that there are plenty of notable beaches in the Byron Bay area, Wategos beat them out thanks to its sheltered location north-west of Cape Byron, and its calm swimming conditions.

Sydney’s Mona Vale also got a shout-out, coming in at number six on the list.

Technically two beaches separated by a broad ocean rock platform, it was described as the “unsung hero of the famed northern beaches,” perfect for walking along the sand and cooling off in the ocean.

Mona Vale Beach made it into the top 10.

The last Australian pick in the top 10 was Noosa Beach in Queensland.

An ideal beach to find a calm swimming spot, before enjoying some shade at the surf club, the publication also noted that along the northern end, in the Noosa National Park, beachgoers might be lucky enough to spot a koala.

Outside of the top 10, the next Australian entry was Turquoise Bay in Exmouth, WA (22), followed by Gantheaume Point in Broome (25).

Conde Nast Traveller’s top 10 beaches:

1. Palm Cove, Queensland, Australia
2. Honopu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
3. Breckon, Shetland, Scotland
4. Wategos Beach, NSW, Australia
5. Ora Beach, Indonesia
6. Mona Vale, NSW, Australia
7. Dune du Pilat, France
8. Noosa Beach, Queensland, Australia
9. Awaroa, South Island, New Zealand
10. Die Plaat, Walker Bay Nature Reserve, South Africa

The full list can be found here.