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Australia is home to more than 10,000 breathtaking beaches – yet no two are quite the same. From the rusty red sands of Roebuck Bay to the blinding white shores of Hyams Beach and the swirling silica banks of Whitehaven, our coastline is packed with landscapes you won’t find anywhere else on Earth. Now, thanks to Tripadvisor, another rare beach has landed on our radar – a hidden gem in Western Australia, made entirely of shells.
Tripadvisor just released its annual Travellers’ Choice Awards ‘Best of the Best’ Beaches list, highlighting the world’s most-loved stretches of coastline that achieved a staggering number of excellent reviews over the past 12 months. This year, the travel platform went a step further, spotlighting 14 one-of-a-kind beaches around the world that are worth travelling for.
Formed from trillions of tiny white shells, Shell Beach in WA’s Shark Bay World Heritage Area was the only Australian inclusion on the list. What makes this aptly named beach so special is that it isn’t made of sand. Instead, sun-bleached shells blanket the shoreline for more than 70 kilometres, with deposits reaching up to ten metres deep.
Tripadvisor said, “From afar, the beach looks like it's covered in white petals, and up close, it's even more stunning.”
Shell Beach is one of only two beaches in the entire world made entirely of shells, formed from a single species, the fragum cockle. The bay’s hypersaline waters – said to be twice as salty as the ocean – create ideal conditions for the cockles to thrive. With few predators able to survive in such salty waters, these tiny shellfish have multiplied in the trillions, forming the beach’s snow-white shell-covered shoreline.
Tripadvisor reviewers recommend taking a relaxed stroll along the shelly shore or enjoying a dip in the shallow waters, where floating is effortless. With its remote location, you may even have the beach all to yourself.
You can explore more one-of-a-kind beaches to visit across the world here.