There’s no shortage of picture-perfect beaches online. Scroll through TikTok or Instagram and you’ll see the same stretches of white sand, crystal-clear waters and sun-drenched palm trees promising the ultimate escape. But in reality? Many of those so-called paradise destinations are overcrowded, overpriced, and underwhelming, leaving travellers wondering what all the fuss was about.
At Ibiza Summer Villas, we set out to uncover which popular beaches live up to their reputation and which fall short. By comparing global search interest with traveller reviews and weather data, we identified the beaches where expectations most often clash with reality - and the destinations that genuinely deliver on the dream.
The Most Overhyped Beaches in the World
They dominate your social feed and top every travel bucket list — but these iconic beaches are leaving travellers disappointed, proving that popularity doesn’t always mean paradise.
1. Railay Beach, Thailand
Topping the list was Railay Beach in Thailand, a location known for its towering limestone cliffs, dramatic scenery and remote access via longtail boat. While it looks like paradise in photos, travellers report a very different experience in person. The beach’s compact size and increasing popularity have made it crowded, noisy and sometimes unpleasant. Our analysis found almost 1.59% of their reviews had the words “overrated” and “disappointing” - a clear sign that its online image isn’t matching up with the real thing.
2. Patong Beach, Thailand
Just a few hours away sits Patong Beach, another Thai heavyweight that proved to be more style than substance. Known for its party scene and vibrant nightlife, Patong receives enormous global interest - but also had the highest rainfall than any of the beaches in our study.
3. Maya Bay, Thailand
The third beach, rounding out our top three most overhyped, was Maya Bay, the once-idyllic location made world-famous by The Beach. The site’s fame has had lasting consequences, forcing the Thai government to close the area for multiple years to allow for ecological recovery. Although it has now reopened under strict regulations, the experience has changed dramatically. Swimming is no longer permitted, visits are time-limited, and large crowds are the norm. It remains heavily searched online, but those expecting the untouched paradise from the film are, more often than not, disappointed by the reality. These are the top beaches that are statistically more likely to leave you disappointed based on what you’ve seen on TikTok:
The Most Underrated Beaches That Are Worth Your Time
While the data highlighted plenty of beaches where expectation outpaces reality, it also revealed a collection of standout destinations that have managed to strike the perfect balance between popularity and satisfaction.
Topping that list was Playa de la Concha in San Sebastián, Spain. Elegant, accessible and framed by beautiful architecture, La Concha combines city culture with coastal calm in a way few beaches can. Visitors consistently praise its cleanliness, family-friendly atmosphere, and gentle surf - and in our review analysis, it ranked as one of the lowest for disappointment relative to its search interest.
Close behind was Playa de Bolonia in Andalusia, a wild and windswept beach backed by vast dunes and even Roman ruins. It draws far fewer tourists than Spain’s better-known southern beaches, yet those who go often describe it as one of their best-ever beach experiences. Crucially, its high review scores and relatively low rainfall make it a consistently rewarding destination.
If you’re looking for a beach holiday that’s as beautiful in person as it is in photos, discover a different side of Ibiza with us. At Ibiza Summer Villas, we connect travellers with hand-picked villas near the island’s most breathtaking - and underappreciated —- oastal spots. Because the best beach holidays aren’t about chasing trends. They’re about finding places that truly deliver.
Our Methodology To create our ranking, we analysed over a hundred globally recognised beaches - focusing only on those with more than 1,000 publicly available reviews to ensure credibility. We then calculated the percentage of reviews containing words like “overrated” and “disappointing,” giving us a clear measure of traveller dissatisfaction.
This was compared against TikTok and Google search volumes to reveal where the hype far outweighs the experience. To add another layer of insight, we factored in each destination’s average annual rainfall - highlighting beaches that may look like paradise online but are often let down by unreliable weather.
