Asia's best beach destinations and coastal escapes
Asia's best beach destinations and coastal escapes
Top tropical beaches and island getaways in Asia
Asia's beaches range from some of the most visited in the world to stretches of coast that see almost no tourism at all. The region has enough variety that generalisations don't hold for long. Tropical island beaches in Thailand and the Philippines, surf breaks off the Indonesian archipelago, remote atolls in the Maldives, rocky coves along the Vietnamese coast. The scale of the region means that even well-travelled visitors tend to know only a fraction of what's there.
Development varies enormously. Some beaches have been built up over decades into full resort infrastructure with everything that implies. Others are attached to fishing communities that have been receiving visitors long enough to have the basics in place without losing their character. And there are still places that require a boat, a ferry connection or an unmade road to reach, which keeps the numbers down.
Seasons matter more in Asia than almost anywhere else. The monsoon moves across the region in a way that makes one coastline rough while another is flat calm, and timing a trip around the weather window is the difference between a good beach holiday and a washout. The Gulf of Thailand, the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea each follow different patterns, and it's worth knowing which applies before you book.
Lists by region
Country
Sri Lanka
Ancient cities, tea hills and surf beaches
Stilt fishermen still balance on wooden poles above the shallows near Weligama on Sri Lanka's south coast. Blue and sperm whales pass close to Mirissa between November and April. Boats head out at dawn for a better chance of spotting them. Sea turtles and dolphins often join the whales near the surface.
Country
Maldives
Coral atolls, lagoons and overwater villas
Each Maldivian atoll rings a shallow lagoon where overwater bungalows sit on stilts above the reef. Glass floor panels let guests watch reef sharks pass beneath their beds. The country's highest point sits barely two meters above sea level. Seaplanes usually carry guests out to the more remote resort islands.
City in Japan
Okinawa City
Live music, Eisa dance and champuru culture
The Kerama Islands off Okinawa's coast are ringed by water so clear it's nicknamed Kerama Blue. More than 200 coral species grow across the surrounding reefs. Humpback whales pass close to shore each winter to breed and raise their calves. Nishibama Beach on Aka Island offers an easy shore dive straight from the sand.
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