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Areal view of Dhigurah Island in South Ari Atoll - Photo: Getty Images

The iconic sandbank beach of ADh. Dhigurah has been named the eighth most valuable beach globally in a study estimating beachfront real estate values at $187.6 million.

The stretch of white sand beach and sandbank on ADh. Dhigurah has been recognized as the eighth most valuable beach in the world, according to research released by luxury villa specialist CV Villas.

The study evaluated the hypothetical private purchasing value of famous shorelines worldwide by calculating what the land would cost if sold as private real estate. Dhigurah’s beach was assigned an estimated market valuation of $187.6 million (MVR 2.9 billion), making it the only shoreline in the Maldives to rank among the top 15 global beaches.

Located in Alifu Dhaalu (South Ari) Atoll, Dhigurah is famous for its long white sandbar stretching into a turquoise lagoon.

With a population of around 600 residents, the four-kilometer-long island is one of the narrowest and longest inhabited islands in the Maldives, with over 70% of its land covered in natural forest and continuous white beaches. It has since developed into a thriving local guesthouse hub, world-famous for year-round whale shark diving and marine conservation tourism in South Ari Atoll.

It is unusually narrow, measuring roughly 250 to 300 meters at its widest northern end. As you move south, it tapers down to just a few meters wide before ending in its iconic sandbank.

Global Beach Valuation Rankings Highlights

• 1st Place: Siesta Beach (Florida, USA) – Estimated value of $1.2 billion.

• 2nd Place: Pampelonne Beach (France) – Estimated value of $971 million.

• 3rd Place: Praia da Falésia (Portugal) – Estimated value of $660 million.

• 8th Place: Dhigurah Beach (ADh. Atoll, Maldives) – Estimated value of $187.6 million (MVR 2.9 billion).

• Notable Comparisons: Dhigurah placed higher than Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands and Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.