WITH its miles of gleaming white sands and turquoise waters, it is as close to a tropical paradise as a sunseeker could find in Scotland.
But with its freezing waters, Atlantic gales and occasional wandering pony, visiting Luskentyre Bay on Harris is unlikely to be a balmy holiday experience.
However, the beach has now been named as one of the top 25 in the world by august tourist website Tripadvisor, beating out spectacular hotspots from around the globe.
The far-flung, sandy outpost - which is reached by a single track road - was rated higher than sun-soaked destinations in Spain, the Caribbean, and the golden shores of Florida to take 13th spot in the prestigious 2020's Travellers' Choice Awards.
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Said by the site's visitors "as close to heaven as you could get", the expanse of Luskentyre Bay sits on the South of Harris, close to the isolated island of Taransay, where the seminal BBC reality series Castaway 2000 was filmed.
Azure waters meet a dark sky
Bordered by massive sand dunes, the beach looks out on the daunting North Harris mountains, while waves crash ashore from the Atlantic.
Those looking for umbrellas and deck chairs will be disappointed, however, as the sands have remained completely undeveloped with the only life nearby coming from a few lonely farmsteads and holiday homes.
The beach is home to two white ponies, which have become something of a tourist attraction as they stroll freely on the shore.
Luskentyre was the only Scottish beach - and one of of two in the UK - to make the chart. The other British beach was Woolacombe Beach in Devon which was placed 20th.
Travellers said of Luskentyre: "Beautiful beach, stunning, the colour of the sea is amazing lovely white sand and amazing back drop, even when the wind is blowing its well worthy of a visit".
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Another added: "Forget warm climes and get to Harris. This beach is golden, wide and, if you are lucky.... empty. Oh and if you see some plastic washed up, please pick it up."
But one warned: "This beach is so good I didn't care I was getting battered by the gale force wind and rain from two different wind-fronts, and that my hat blew off my head into the sea."
The list of the best 25 beaches on the planet was topped by Baia do Sancho in Brazil, followed by Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos and Playa Paraiso in Cuba.
Among those Luskentyre was rated above included Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsunday Islands, Saint Pete Beach in Florida and Playa de Ses Illetes in the Balearic Islands.
The North Harris hills lie in the distance
Taking the crown for the best sandy coastline in Europe is the stunning Spiaggia dei Conigli - known for its colony of sea turtles - on the Italian island of Lampedusa in the middle of the Mediterranean.
TV presenter Ben Fogle, whose career was launched on Castaway, returned to Luskentyre earlier this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show. The hardy adventurer also joined locals for a bracing New Year dip in the chilly sea.
The Travellers' Choice Beaches were determined based on the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and ratings for beaches on TripAdvisor gathered over a year.
Luskentyre has won numerous awards in the past. Last year it was voted the best in Scotland, and the second best in the UK in the TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards.
White ponies live on the beach
Chris Taylor, Regional Leadership Director at VisitScotland, said: “It’s incredible but unsurprising to see Luskentyre once again appears as one of the top beaches in Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards.
READ MORE: Isle of Harris beach named one of the best in the UK
"The spectacular scenery surrounding the beach’s pristine white sands makes it hugely popular, however visitors to the Outer Hebrides are really spoilt for choice when it comes to mesmerising coastlines, with each of the inter-connected islands having their unique character to explore."
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