Yaverland Beach named among world’s most unique by Tripadvisor

Yaverland beach, in Sandown, has been named among the world’s most unique beaches in the latest Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice ‘Best of the Best’ awards, beating beaches in destinations such as Greece, Turkey and Indonesia.

The beach features in the global ‘One of a Kind’ category, which celebrates places with a distinctive character based on millions of traveller reviews and ratings submitted over the past year. Fewer than one per cent of all locations listed on Tripadvisor achieve ‘Best of the Best’ status, placing Yaverland among an exclusive group of beaches recognised worldwide.

The accolade puts the Isle of Wight alongside some of the most famous coastal destinations on the planet, and highlights the Island’s appeal to visitors seeking something different from traditional resort beaches.

Yaverland beach has long been recognised locally not just for its scenery but for its historical and scientific importance. The area is well known for significant dinosaur fossil discoveries, with the surrounding cliffs forming part of the Island’s internationally-recognised paleontological heritage.

Yaverland also played a role during WWII as a heavily fortified and restricted area, playing an important role in coastal defence and military preparations. Existing Victorian-era defences were reinforced, and the area became home to secret anti-invasion detection systems.