The Best Beaches in Asia

Okinawa's small islands

The four Japanese beaches are on small islands in Okinawa Prefecture and have white coral sand. Furuzamami Beach and Aharen Beach are reached by ferry from Tomari Port in Naha and then a local bus. Nishihama Beach on Hateruma depends on boats from Ishigaki that are often cancelled. Yonaha Maehama Beach on Miyako Island is a 15-minute drive from the island's airport. Swimming areas are marked: the buoyed area at Furuzamami shrinks at low tide, and at Aharen a life jacket is required for snorkelling inside the nets.

Thai park beaches

Maya Bay and Bamboo Island, both in the Phi Phi group, charge a fee of 400 baht. At Maya Bay the tour boats dock at a pontoon on the far side of the island and visitors walk through the trees to the sand; swimming is prohibited because the bay is a conservation area for blacktip reef sharks. On Bamboo Island life jackets are mandatory in the roped swimming areas. Phra Nang Beach at Railay is reached by longtail boat from Ao Nang and a short path past caves.

Indonesia

Pink Beach on Komodo is reached only by boat, usually on a day tour, and has a coral reef close to shore. Kelingking Beach on Nusa Penida lies under limestone cliffs; visitors walk to the viewpoint or take a steep trail down, and the waves and currents make swimming unsafe. Ngurbloat Beach in the Kei Islands has calm, shallow water and huts for rent.

Late afternoons

White Beach on Boracay and My Khe Beach in Da Nang are long beaches with hotels and restaurants behind them, and both are busiest in the late afternoon. At My Khe swimming is allowed only between the buoys. Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island has lifeguards, closes to swimmers at 5 pm and is very crowded at sunset.