European destination is named world's bluest sea beating Maldives and Bora Bora
Looking for somewhere to go this year that is not your usual beach holiday? Then Payara Beach may be the answer.
Looking for a nice beach holiday this summer?
Well, you might want to make note as this European beach has claimed the top spot for the world's bluest sea.
It even beat the likes of the Maldives, Bora Bora and Bondi Beach which is renowned for its stunning views and crystal clear water.
Europe seems like the go-to continent if you're after the bluest water with Albania claiming the top spot in research from CV Villas.
The travel experts looked at unedited Google Maps screenshots of 200 beaches from around the world. They then used the colour dropper tool to find the RGB code of each body of water.
READ MORE: Foreign Office Travel Advice: Full list of ‘red list’ countries you should avoid
And the results are pretty astonishing with the top destinations closer to home than you might think.
They found Pasqyra Beach, which is only a 13-minute drive from the Sarandë in the southwest of Albania as the world's bluest sea.
Pasqyra Beach, which also goes by the name of ‘Mirror Beach’, has crystal clear water which visitors say has a ‘magical’ quality to it.
Here are the top 10 bluest waters in the world, according to CV Villas:
Pasqyra Beach (Mirror Beach), Albania
Paralia Mpouka (Long Beach), Greece
Kassiopi, Greece
Plage de la Vernette, France
Kaputas Beach, Turkey
Voulisma Beach, Greece
Foki Beach, Greece
Praia do Carvalho, Portugal
Omprogialos, Greece
Los Lances Beach, Spain
So, if this list has swayed you this is what you need to know about the top spot.
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Things to do in Sarandë
If you're looking to forget all your worries and troubles then Sarandë is the place to go with its stunning beaches.
Of course, there is Pasqyra Beach but you can also go to Lori, Pulebardha and Santa Quaranta which also have that stunning blue water that you may be after.
Elsewhere, there is the Customs House with a ticket getting you entry into the Museum of Archaeology and the Galeria Art Saranda.
There is also plenty of churches to go and visit with the Monastery of Saint Mary and the Saint Charalampos Orthodox Church and the Monastery of 40 Saints to name a few.
How to get to Sarandë?
Despite there being no direct flights to Sarandë from the UK capital there is a way around it.
Meanwhile, you can get a direct flight from London to Albania's capital Tirana. The only problem is there's a three-and-a-half hour drive ahead of you.
When is the best time to go to Sarandë?
Nothing beats going during the peak summer months of June, July and August where you can expect to see temperatures hit an average of 30- 34C.But of course, during these months you can expect to be busier with locals and tourists making the most of the sunshine.
If you're looking for slightly cooler weather then why not try April and May? You can see temperature averages of 21C and 25C.
Meanwhile, September and October have temperatures of around 23C-29C.