the Beaches of Asia.
⭐️ the Established Favourites.
Dramatic Maya Bay (📷) has been a staple entry in many bucket lists for decades. Reputed for the stunning bay that surrounds it, the monolithic limestone rocks form a natural bay around the white sand beach at its centre. In recent times, many have complained that the beach is too over-crowded to be fully enjoyed. For many, it will take more than that to shy away from this mystical place.
Bali — an Indonesian island — has emerged as one of the enduring destinations in South-East Asia, offering a slew of ancient temples, cascading jungle waterfalls, and — of course — countless beaches that are worth visiting.
A large amount of these beaches are located in Kuta and the Bukit Peninsula. Although perhaps not the most visually rewarding, lively Kuta Beach serves as the epicentre of nightlife in Bali, with its close proximity to the best bars and clubs on the island.
Further east, the aptly named Boracay White Beach in the Philippines welcomes visitors with its incredible white sand beach and fantastic tropical climate. Make sure that you are here for sunset, as it may be one of the best that you will see in your life.
As for day-time, the pure-white shade of the sand helps to reflect the warmth of the scorching sun, meaning that the sand is typically quite cool at all times, which could be a real treat if you are finding the heat a bit much.
💎 the Hidden Gems.
Due to just how vast the continent is, there are plenty of options for uncovering the perfect hidden beaches in Asia. Some may require arduous journeys by road, sea, and even air to reach, but for every level of dedication, you can uncover your own slice of heaven.
Firstly, consider the beautiful Nai Thon Beach, located in the northern Phuket peninsula of Thailand. This sprawling beach entices travellers with its expansive coastal stretch of sandy shores, but has the added bonus of being somewhat undiscovered by the regions' standards.
The jaw-dropping beach that serves as a sand spit connecting two small islands on Koh Nang Yuan has definitely garnered some well-deserved attention in recent years, but make sure not to miss it if you are visiting nearby Koh Tao. Excursions to the beach are numerous and usually very affordable, so look into booking these in advance.
When considering where to jet-off to on your Asian beach escape, Japan is ordinarily not the destination that most travellers find at the tip of their tongues. However, a glance into what is offered up by the tropical paradise of the Okinawa Islands may change your mind.
Shimmering translucent blue waters merge with pearly white sands on numerous beaches across the islands, many complete with coral reefs for diving enthusiasts to enjoy. Two particular highlights are the expansive Aharen Beach, and the perfect seclusion of Yonaha Maehama Beach.
🦌 the Wild + Wonderful.
Rugged Komodo National Park in Indonesia serves as home to one of the most unique creatures on Earth – the Komodo Dragon – but its wildlife isn't the only unique feature of this desolate island.
Nestled on the coast, you will stumble across a beach with fine pink sand. The appropriately named Pink Beach (📷) is one of the very few places on the planet where you can see the phenomenon of coral pink sand. Certain photos — as with other 'pink beaches' — will greatly exaggerate the pink hue of the sand. Do your research and visit with reasonable expectations to avoid misguided disappointment.
Back on the Filipino island of Boracay, visit another unique location, dubbed Puka Shell Beach due to the high presence of crushed shells in its sand.
