The Maldivian beach triumphed by just 2.72% in a fantastic final match against Anse Cocos of the Seychelles

22 June 2021 – Travelers have spoken and chosen Veligandu Island Beach in the Maldives as the best beach in the world in the Kiwi.com World Championship of Beaches. After five exciting rounds, the final was played yesterday between the Maldivian beach and Anse Cocos beach in the Seychelles, with a close victory and only a 2.72% difference to decide the winner in the thousands of votes cast.

A total of 32 beaches participated in the championship, which began on 7 June on the Kiwi.com Instagram account, including Sarakiniko Beach in Greece and Praia da Azeda in Brazil that made it as far as the semifinals.

Mario Gavira, Vice President of Growth at Kiwi.com, commented: “Congratulations to Veligandu Island Beach, and to Anse Cocos beach, both of these beaches are spectacular and so deserve to be in the top two in the world.  Kiwi.com has been listening to the views of our customers on which is the best beach in the world for many years, and it’s great to now have the answer, for this year anyway!” 

He added: “The popularity of the Maldives has exploded in recent years. So far in 2021 Kiwi.com registered more than 33 million searches between January and June for flights to the Maldives. The privacy provided by Maldivian resorts scores points when choosing vacations in a context where social contact still needs to be limited.”

Fathuhulla Ibrahim, the General Manager of Veligandu Island Resort & Spa, said: “We are elated for winning Kiwi.com’s World Championship of Beaches. This recognition reconfirms Veligandu’s popularity with the travel aficionados, and we would like to thank everyone, including the resort team who assisted in spreading the word, and especially Veligandu guests and followers, who took the time to vote for our secluded haven.”

Veligandu Island is located west of Male, just 20 minutes by seaplane from Male. Its white-sand beaches, surrounded by turquoise water, are the image of paradise on earth, as well as the perfect starting point for all those who want to explore the rich underwater life of the Indian Ocean.

“It was a nail-biting end to what has been a fantastically hard-fought competition with the two finalists galvanizing their fans and Veligandu Island Beach just pushing ahead in the final minutes of voting. Our creative team at Kiwi.com and the producers of the competition would like to thank all the voters, all the followers, all the customers; we all share the same passion. It’s been an incredible tournament,” said Sampsa Nuotio, Head of Content & Creative at Kiwi.com.

– Ends – 

Notes to editors:

About the winner:

The Veligandu Island Beach gave the name to the whole island, the Veligandu Island situated on the North of Ari Atoll. The only resort on the island, Veligandu Island Resort & Spa is considered the first in the Maldives and has welcomed visitors since 1984. The Veligandu Island Beach is situated at the southern end, far out in the sea with a breathtaking view of the white sands, endless sky, and turquoise clear water. The beach is fully equipped for the comfort of its visitors with sunbeds,  umbrellas, a beach bar, and a panoramic outdoor swimming pool.

Second place:

Anse Cocos is a beautiful beach situated in the bay on the eastern coast of La Digue Island. It is accessible only by foot from Grand Anse or Anse Fourmis, it is a kind of hidden gem as, without a guide, it is difficult to find and takes half an hour walking to get there. However, the experience is worth it, with the emerald crystal clear ocean, fine white sand, and black boulders on the coast with a palm tree background, it’s a paradise on the Earth. 

About Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com is a leading travel tech company founded in 2012. Its proprietary algorithm – Virtual Interlining – allows users to build unique itineraries to combine flights and ground transportation from more than 800 carriers and connects many that do not have commercial agreements. Kiwi.com powers more than 100 million searches every day and employs 2,000 people worldwide.

Kiwi.com Media Contacts

Carol Barnes, Head of Global Communications, Kiwi.com
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