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Asia's best beach destinations and coastal escapes

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Boracay
Powdery white sands and turquoise waters
7.8
White Beach stretches four kilometres along Boracay's west coast in sand fine enough to feel like flour. The island closed to tourists for six months in 2018 to recover from overcrowding. Sailboats called paraws still cut across the bay at sunset. Beachfront bars now follow stricter rules on waste and construction.
Highlights:
  • 🛥️ Explore the caves of Crystal Cove Island by boat
  • ⛵ Watch breathtaking sunsets from a paraw sailboat
  • 🏖️ Relax on the famous White Beach’s powdery sand
Ko Phi Phi
Tropical Paradise Awaits You
7.7
Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Leh became famous after the 2000 film The Beach was shot on its sand. Sheer limestone cliffs wrap around the small cove on three sides. Thai authorities closed the bay for years to let its coral reefs recover. Visitor numbers are now capped since it reopened in 2022.
Highlights:
  • 🤿 Swim and snorkel around Bamboo and Mosquito Islands
  • 🚤 Take a boat tour to Maya Bay and Pi Leh Lagoon
  • 🌄 Hike to the stunning Phi Phi Viewpoint for panoramic views
Phuket
Beaches, Culture and Nightlife
8.1
Patong Beach curves for three kilometres along Phuket's busiest stretch of coast. Longtail boats line up along the sand each morning, ready for trips to nearby islands. Jet skis and parasails fill the bay through the afternoon. Restaurants and night markets take over the beachfront once the sun goes down.
Highlights:
  • 🏘️ Explore colorful streets of Phuket Old Town
  • 🗿 Climb to the serene Big Buddha viewpoint
  • 🏖️ Relax on Patong Beach and enjoy vibrant nightlife
Palawan
Paradise of Lagoons and Limestone Cliffs
8.2
El Nido's limestone islands enclose lagoons so still they mirror the cliffs above. Kayakers paddle through narrow rock passages to reach hidden coves accessible only at certain tides. Overwater bungalows here look out on karst formations rather than open ocean. Island-hopping boats stop at a string of lagoons through the day.
Highlights:
  • 🏝️ Go island hopping around the turquoise waters of Coron Bay
  • 🛶 Explore the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • ⛵ Sail through the limestone cliffs and lagoons of El Nido
Maldives
Coral atolls, lagoons and overwater villas
9.2
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 metres above sea level. Seaplanes usually carry guests out to the more remote resort islands.
Highlights:
  • 🌌 Watch a glowing beach at night on Vaadhoo Island
  • 🦈 Snorkel with reef sharks and manta rays at Hanifaru Bay
  • 🏝️ Stay in an overwater villa surrounded by turquoise lagoon
Havelock Island
Tropical Paradise with Underwater Wonders
7.9
Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island was named Asia's best beach by Time magazine in 2004. Its golden sand slopes gently into shallow, calm water well suited to swimming. Dense jungle and coconut palms frame the shoreline on both sides. Elephant Beach, a short boat ride away, offers some of the island's best snorkelling.
Highlights:
  • 🛶 Kayak through mangroves for peaceful nature views
  • 🤿 Snorkel and dive among vibrant coral reefs
  • 🏖️ Relax and swim at the famous Radhanagar Beach
Lakshadweep
Pristine coral paradise off India
8.3
Agatti Island's runway sits so close to the lagoon that planes appear to land on water. Glass-bottom boats carry visitors over coral gardens just offshore. Manta rays circle nearby Bangaram Island, drawing divers from across the atoll. Sandbars near Agatti shift with the tide, appearing and vanishing within hours.
Highlights:
  • 🛥️ Enjoy a lagoon cruise through the Lakshadweep atolls
  • 🏖️ Relax on the white sands of Agatti Beach
  • 🤿 Dive into the coral reefs around Kadmat Island
Krabi
Paradise of Cliffs and Crystal Waters
7.4
Phra Nang Beach sits beneath a massive limestone overhang at the tip of the Railay peninsula. A cave shrine nearby is decorated with offerings left by local fishermen. Climbers scale the surrounding cliffs while swimmers wade in the clear water below. No roads reach this stretch of coast, so longtail boats carry visitors in.
Highlights:
  • 🌅 Watch the sunset at Railay Beach West
  • ⛩️ Climb the 1,237 steps to Tiger Cave Temple
  • 🚤 Take a longtail boat to the Phi Phi Islands
Langkawi Island
Tropical Beaches, Rainforests and Sunsets
7.9
Pantai Cenang, Langkawi's busiest beach, faces west towards some of the island's best sunsets. A cable car nearby climbs to the Sky Bridge, a curved walkway above the rainforest. Parasails and jet skis dot the water off the sand most afternoons. Tanjung Rhu, on the quieter north tip, offers calmer sand and island views.
Highlights:
  • 🛶 Take a mangrove boat tour through Kilim Geoforest Park
  • 🏖️ Relax on the white sands of Pantai Cenang Beach
  • 🌉 Ride the Langkawi SkyCab and cross the curved Sky Bridge
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Crystal waters and pristine wilderness
8.1
Bharatpur Beach on Neil Island draws snorkellers with shallow water that stretches nearly 500 metres into the sea. Glass-bottomed boats let non-swimmers view the coral and reef fish from above. Hard and soft corals crowd the shallows just past the sand. The beach sits a short walk from the jetty, an easy first stop.
Highlights:
  • 🤿 Snorkel at Elephant Beach’s vibrant coral reefs
  • 🏰 Explore Cellular Jail, a historic colonial prison
  • 🏖️ Relax on Radhanagar Beach, Asia's best beach
Bali
Tropical beaches, vibrant culture and adventure
8.2
Uluwatu Temple perches on a limestone cliff nearly 70 metres above the Indian Ocean. Below it, surfers paddle out to reef breaks that draw crowds at sunset. A traditional Kecak fire dance plays out on the cliff edge most evenings. Monkeys roam the temple grounds and are known to snatch sunglasses from visitors.
Highlights:
  • ⛪ Visit Uluwatu Temple perched high on a seaside cliff
  • 💦 Swim beneath the cascading Tegenungan Waterfall
  • 🌋 Watch the sunrise over Mount Batur volcano
Sri Lanka
Ancient cities, tea hills and surf beaches
7.3
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.
Highlights:
  • 🚂 Take a scenic train ride through the tea plantations to Ella
  • 🐘 Spot elephants on safari in Minneriya National Park
  • 🪨 Climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress and admire its ancient frescoes
Bohol
Beaches, Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers
7.4
Alona Beach curves along Panglao Island in a crescent of coral white sand backed by low cliffs. The reef just offshore drops into a wall dive that plunges past 30 metres. Snorkellers can wade out from the beach and spot clownfish among the coral. Boats leave from the sand for day trips to Balicasag Island.
Highlights:
  • 🌿 Cruise the scenic Loboc River with floating restaurants
  • 🐒 Spot tiny Philippine tarsiers in the conservation sanctuary
  • ⛰️ Marvel at the unique Chocolate Hills geological formations
Similan Islands
Thailand's underwater paradise
7.1
Huge granite boulders sit stacked along the shore of the Similan Islands like giant marbles. The chain of eleven islands sits 84 kilometres northwest of Phuket. Divers come for coral reefs that drop into some of Thailand's clearest water. Boats anchor off Donald Duck Bay, named for a boulder shaped like the cartoon character.
Highlights:
  • 🌄 Climb Sail Rock for panoramic island views
  • 🏖️ Relax on the white sand of Donald Duck Bay
  • 🤿 Dive among colorful coral reefs and tropical fish
Cebu City
History, Beaches and Adventure
6.7
Mactan Island, across the channel from Cebu City, is where explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed in 1521. A shrine on the shore now marks the spot amid calm, reef-fringed water. Resorts along the coast offer easy access to snorkelling just steps from the sand. Ferries connect the island to Cebu City in under an hour.
Highlights:
  • 🐠 Dive or snorkel in the crystal waters of Mactan Island
  • 🙏 Explore the 16th-century Basilica del Santo Niño
  • ⛪ Visit Magellan’s Cross, a historic symbol of Cebu’s Christian heritage
Okinawa City
Live music, Eisa dance and champuru culture
7.0
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.
Highlights:
  • 🎶 Immerse in Ryukyuan culture at Okinawa City Music Town
  • 🌺 Explore Southeast Botanical Gardens and its tropical blooms
  • 🦁 Visit Okinawa Zoo & Museum and meet island wildlife
Salalah
Verdant oasis amid Arabian desert splendor
8.7
Each June, monsoon fog rolls over Salalah and turns the coastal plains of Dhofar green for three months. Coconut groves and banana plantations flourish in the cool, misty air along the shore. Waterfalls that stay dry most of the year suddenly come alive. Dolphins are a common sight leaping just offshore in the Arabian Sea.
Highlights:
  • 🌅 Witness the sunset over pristine beaches at Mirbat Bay
  • 🛍️ Stroll through fragrant frankincense markets in Omani souks
  • 🏰 Explore ancient forts on the island of Salalah
Ha Long Bay
Vietnam’s Otherworldly Seascape
More than 1,600 limestone karsts rise out of Ha Long Bay's emerald water. Traditional junk boats carry visitors slowly past the towers and into hidden coves. Surprise Cave, one of the bay's largest grottoes, opens onto sweeping views of the water below. Most of the islands remain uninhabited and covered in dense jungle.
Highlights:
  • 🛶 Kayak through quiet lagoons and hidden beaches
  • 🕳️ Explore spectacular caves like Sung Sot and Thien Cung
  • 🚤 Cruise among Ha Long Bay’s iconic limestone karsts
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