The stunning and 'otherworldly' beach picked as the best in Scotland

The National

19-07-2025

Luskentyre Sands on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides has long been recognised as one of the world's top beaches.
Previously, it was highlighted in a global ranking of the best coastal locations by a prestigious travel publication.
Conde Nast Traveller placed it number five in the world and praised its "impossibly azure" waters and "brilliant white" sands.
Luskentyre Beach was previously named one of the best in the world (Image: Tripadvisor)
Why Luskentyre Sands is the best beach in the whole of Scotland
More recently, the spot was crowned one of Scotland and the UK's best "no-litter" beaches by BusinessWaste based on the lack of reviews highlighting the issue of rubbish.
The Scottish beach has also received a lot of praise from visitors, with users on Tripadvisor giving it a 4.9/5 out of 1149 reviews.
One person said: "This beach is Outstanding! I've never seen anything quite like it before.
The beach has also been praised for its 'otherworldly' feel (Image: Tripadvisor) "The views on the drive up to the car park are otherworldly. Beautiful turquoise water, soft golden sand that stretches for miles, grass-covered dunes."
Another said: "Luskentyre Beach is the most stunning beach I have ever visited, which is saying something, as I am in my seventieth year.
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"When I first saw it, my breath was literally taken away. It has beautiful sand and is never crowded. The sea is crystal clear and there are views across to Taransay."
This visitor penned: "If not for the chill in the air, one might be mistaken for being on Kauai."
A fourth added: "The most amazing beach and scenery, definitely worth a visit! Not a huge amount of parking, so I would suggest getting there early to get a spot."