Best Beach Destinations to Visit in Southeast Asia

If you love beaches the way some people love coffee, then Southeast Asia is your kind of heaven. Home to a myriad of beach shores, Southeast Asia doesn’t disappoint someone seeking a good beach vacation.

Most of the picture-postcard-perfect beaches belong to Thailand and Indonesia, as both destinations have several beaches for you to explore. Pick either or both as your beach destination holiday, and you can’t go wrong. However, there are other destinations as well for you to check out some of the most incredible beaches on the planet. Sure enough, all the other beaches in the world lose their lustre once you visit these beach destinations in Southeast Asia.

Phuket, Thailand

First on the list is what everybody instantly thinks of the moment an Asian beach holiday is mentioned –  Phuket! The island is lively, yet serenity weaves through it. Whether you seek some time to chill or go wild, either exploring the adventurous side or partying all night, Phuket obliges your wishes.

This island, located on the western coast a little south of Thailand, overlooking the Andaman Sea, has crystal-clear emerald waters, which are one of the scenic trademarks of Thailand’s beaches. Its beaches welcome all kinds of beachgoers – families with kids who love to splash around, daring adventurers seeking an adrenaline kick through cave explorations or scuba diving, and even couples who would like to spend nonchalant times in uninterrupted romantic moments. Kata Beach, Karon Beach, and Patong Beach are the most popular beaches, but if you’re looking for a more secluded spot, try Ao Yon, Banana Beach, or Ao Sane.

Bali, Indonesia

Bali is yet another popular destination in Southeast Asia that keeps winning the hearts of beach lovers. Why one should opt for Bali tour packages specifically as a beach holiday is the vast assortment of natural scenery it has in store for you. Here, the sun-kissed sand is not just sand, it is the warmth of the sun under your feet. The sea does not just sit there looking pretty, it shifts from clear glass in the morning to bright turquoise by noon and then to liquid gold when the sun starts setting.

Combining it with the divine aura of temples edging the shoreline and verdant rice terraces, Bali offers a scenic combination quite seldom seen in other destinations. Nusa Dua, Sanur, and Jimbaran have soft sandy shores ideal for kids to play around and build sand castles. Seeking adventures? Kuta, Canggu, and Uluwatu are perfect for surfing, scuba diving, and jetskiing.

Mui Ne, Vietnam

Of course, when you decide to visit Vietnam, you will browse through Hanoi packages, but hear us out. Vietnam is known for its uncrowded spaces, and the lesser-known beaches here are great places to go on vacation.

Mui Ne in Southern Vietnam might just be the place for you if you seek hidden gems in Vietnam. Beaches like Hon Rom Beach, Doi Duong Beach, and Bai Rang Beach are sheathed in the quintessential antidote for stress – crystal-clear blue waters, golden sands, and warm tropical sunshine. Another reason to visit is that it’s quite cheaper than the hyped-up beaches of Thailand and Malaysia. You will find these beaches without any frills or overload of commercialism.

That being said, you can enjoy spending time here, relishing the delectable seafood and water sports, especially kitesurfing, for which this destination is quite popular among adventure seekers. The laid-back ambience is perfect to laze around and enjoy stays at beach hotels at a steal. All of this would definitely make you ponder cancelling any other destination you have planned to visit along with Vietnam and staying back for more of nature’s refined, unfiltered relaxation therapy.

Palawan Islands, Philippines

Palawan is one of those places where you retreat to cut off from city life. Here, the sound of waves replaces the city bustle. On occasion, you might catch a whiff of grilled seafood in the air, amid the scent of the ocean. It’s amazing how this gorgeous island, the largest in the Philippines, still keeps to itself and offers the best islander life sans commercialism. The water here is refreshing green, the kind that instantly melts your stress away as soon as you lay your eyes on it. 

For couples, it’s all about slow mornings, dining on the beach without a soul bothering you, and strolling hand-in-hand with warm, tiny waves sloshing around your bare feet at El Nido Beach and Nacpan Beach. The scenery is such that you would instantly take a picture and change your wallpaper on your phone.

Sure enough, you will come back home with your cameras or smartphones loaded with several photos of the beach sunset. Honestly, you would keep them all because you wouldn’t know which ones to delete, as all are incredibly breathtaking. Now that’s a problem you have to deal with on your own.

Langkawi, Malaysia

If your idea of a perfect beach day involves salty air in your hair, sand between your toes, and a cold drink that comes with a tiny umbrella, then come to this side of Malaysia. Langkawi isn’t just one island, but a cluster of 99 islands. Being closely knit, you can hop from one island to another and enjoy various versions of Langkawi’s beautiful beaches. Or, you could just stay put and relax in one of the many islands and indulge in luxury beach vacations in world-renowned resorts and spas, like the Taj or The Four Seasons.

Tanjung Rhu and Pantai Kok Beach are apt for families tagging along their children. Kids love it here!  First, the beach itself is a sandy playground for them and for swimming, it is a gentle slope into warm, calm water.

Couples love to come to Langkawi, especially at Pantai Tengah and Pantai Cenang, as the beach keeps handing them perfect moments to rekindle the romance. If you didn’t come for sunsets, but to dive and swim deep, Tanjung Rhu and Pantai Cenang are calling you for the adventure of a lifetime!

Koh Rong, Cambodia

Most people don’t think about Koh Rong when planning a beach vacation in Southeast Asia, but here’s where nature offers the most jaw-dropping scenery: the typical white sands, blue waters, and clear skies. The sun commands the sky here, and the sky listens to it obediently, changing its palette on cue. In the morning, it’s soft pastel blue with puffs of cottony clouds, and as the sun glides towards the horizon. It turns fiery orange with pink streaks. The stellar sunset continues way into the night, and after dark, the place where the ocean meets the shore gets outlined in a neon-blue bioluminescent phenomenon.

Come here to absolutely do nothing. Make your stays at Long Set Beach, Lonely Beach, and Sok San Beach a part of your self-care vacation. But don’t forget to add in a few water adventures on the most stunning cerulean waters you have ever seen.

Conclusion

Beaches are never boring for kids, couples, and adventure seekers. So come, bring your kids, your lover, or your restless soul. The beaches in Southeast Asia welcome all and are the perfect, idyllic places where spending a few days would make you forget what day it is! So, if that’s exactly what you are looking for: a place where what matters most is just blissful leisure and fun with stellar sunsets, then try one of these places for your next vacation. It would be the most memorable one, guaranteed!