From Sri Lanka to Thailand: Asia’s Best Beaches for 2026

You will find an exceptional collection of beaches in Asia. Some of the most stunning places on our planet are here. Surfing in the Indian Ocean in Sri Lanka, admiring the pink sands on remote Komodo Island in Indonesia, feeling the Andaman bliss in Thailand, and enjoying the white-sand perfection of the Boracay stretches in the Philippines. With so many stunning options, choosing just a few is no easy task. These are Asia’s best beaches for 2026, selected for their unique character, traveler acclaim, and the unforgettable experiences they offer.

Best for a relaxing beach holiday

Located on the south coast of Sri Lanka, Mirissa is the ultimate postcard tropical beach. The lush coconut palm grove flanks the soft gold sands, and the coastal rocks add epicness to the panorama. It’s the ideal spot to lie down and forget everything to the sound of the Indian Ocean. On the other hand, Mirissa is a developed beach town, offering many cozy cafes, numerous Sri Lankan restaurants, and a wide range of accommodation for all budgets.

More laid-back than Weligama and Unawatuna—the other two beach towns on the south coast—it’s the ideal beach to unwind without being disconnected from civilization. It’s also in Mirissa that you find Coconut Tree Hill, a stunning vantage point, dotted with coconut palms. The beach is great for surfing. If you like a wilder beach experience, discover the secluded Secret Beach, west of the main stretch. During the evening, the beach clubs take over the sands, creating a fantastic atmosphere, filled with lights and music.

Best for the secluded magic

Nowadays, many beaches are called “hidden,” but few actually feel this way. Kakolem in Goa truly earns this title. I stumbled upon this divine stretch of coastline by pure chance, when a local bus broke down in the middle of a lush countryside. The road led me to this beach, and I will never forget the excitement I felt when I first saw its spectacular panorama. Kakolem is a crescent-shaped bay, surrounded by the wild green coastline. The sand is fine and golden. You won’t find crowds here—it’s one of the rare Goan beaches that feel serene, even virgin. It’s not completely wild, though (there’s a treehouse resort, where you find a laid-back beach bar). As you trek down Kakolem, you’ll see several picturesque waterfalls. If you’re hungry for more coastal beauty, check out the nearby beaches of Small Cola and Cola.

Best for the magnificent views 

There’s a high chance you’ll think to yourself, “That’s the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen,” when visiting Phra Nang. Tall limestone stacks, white sand and cliffs create a magical, almost unreal, scene. It’s a tropical dream, caressing you with warm, calm waters. There’s also a Princess Cave, a limestone shrine, adding more allure to the experience. While this beach has the look of a paradise, you won’t be alone. Phra Nang is next to Railay, one of Krabi’s most popular tourist attractions. Reaching it is easy—first hop on a longtail boat from Ao Nang or Ao Nam Mao Pier, then continue with a short jungle trek. Paddling and kayaking are great ways to admire the limestone stacks up close. If you feel adventurous, you can also try rock climbing. Phra Nang’s other major advantage is the proximity to other Krabi beach hits, such as Railay and Tonsai. Both are stunning Andaman stretches.

Best for low-key beachgoing without the crowds

Thailand is the land of beaches, but many of its most famous stretches, such as Maya Bay or Railay, can get too crowded during the season. Tubkaek is not like this. With a dramatic view of the Andaman Islands, it’s a place of peace and reflection. You may recognize this island panorama from the “Hangover 2” movie (the wedding scenes were shot at the Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve nearby). Most of the time, you’ll have its vast white sands almost to yourself. The beach stretches for miles, providing enough space for everyone. It’s also home to luxurious resorts, such as Banyan Tree, Amari Vogue, and Tubkaak Krabi, with a White Lotus-like vibe and high-end beachside restaurants. Tubkaek is a starting point for the Ngon Nak Nature Trail, a stunning 3-mile jungle trail to one of Krabi’s most beautiful viewpoints.

Best for the vibrant lifestyle and hip bars

Hiriketiya is where you go for inspiration. This gorgeous bay on the south coast of Sri Lanka, known for its vibrant lifestyle, is among Asia’s best beaches to visit in 2026. Hiriketiya is ideal for yoga retreats, meditation sessions, massages, surfing, snorkeling, and turtle watching. All of it in the lush tropical setting, complete with all the amenities. Hirikitiya offers some of the coolest boho-chic villas on Sri Lanka’s coast, and a lively restaurant and coffee scene. As for the beach, it’s a postcard-perfect moon-shaped bay with fine white sand and coconut palms everywhere you look. While Hiriketiya is far from undiscovered, being here still feels like you’re hiding away from the world in a cozy jungle cocoon.

Best for water sports

You rarely hear about Langkawi when Southeast Asian beaches are mentioned. This Malaysian island, next to the Thai border, is mainly popular domestically. It’s high time to discover Cenang, its liveliest urban beach. You’ll find miles of white sand, excellent swimming and plenty of water sports to try. The beach is an ideal spot for parasailing, banana riding, jet skiing, kayaking, and SUPing. Right nearby is the busy Jalan Pantai Cenang, a street with numerous restaurants and bars. Malaysia is the ultimate foodie destination, and Cenang offers a nice introduction to its melting pot cuisine, which combines Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences. Kids will love Underwater World Langkawi, home to over 200 marine species, including penguins.

Best for other-worldly beauty

The Indonesian island of Komodo isn’t only about the majestic dragons that roam here. Like something out of a sci-fi movie, Pink Beach is another reason to visit this remote destination. Called Pantai Merah in Indonesian, it’s a secluded stretch on the eastern side of Komodo, within the national park limits. You can only reach the beach by boat. Paying the national park fee is also required. Once you’re there, it’s all excitement.

Transparent blue waters intertwine with the pinkish sand, creating a dreamy look. The rugged volcanic mountain landscape makes the view even more stunning. Surrounded by reefs, Pink Beach is ideal for snorkeling. You can encounter turtles and colorful fish. It’s just one of those bucket-list destinations, where you have to pinch yourself to believe it’s actually real. The most popular way to reach Pink Beach is by hopping on a general Komodo National Park tour, which includes meeting dragons, hiking through volcanic terrain, and relaxing on the pink sands.

Best urban beach

You can mistake yourself for being in Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach while strolling down Nha Trang’s vast seaside promenade. High-rise hotels dominate the panorama from one side, as the turquoise sea shimmers on the other. This dynamic city in Southern Vietnam offers one of Asia’s best urban beaches, with almost 5 miles of golden sand. Today, it’s also the country’s top gateway for luxurious resorts: modern skyscrapers hosting fashionable five-star hotels with rooftop pools and spas line the boardwalk. But it’s not just the beach. The narrower city streets teem with life and culinary discoveries. Nha Trang is for beach city break lovers—wake up with a splendid bay vista from your hotel room, enjoy swimming and sunbathing on the sand, hop on a jet-ski and embark on a quest to find the best bahn mi sandwich and pho soup in the afternoon. The city is also a gateway to the gorgeous islands of the Nha Trang Bay.

Best for powdery white sand

One of the most visually appealing stretches in the Philippines, Boracay’s White Beach is a stunner. Sugary sand caresses your feet, coconut palms sway in the breeze and azure Pacific waters invite swimming. Boracay is a tiny (just below 4 square miles) resort island in the Western Visayas region, off the coast of Panay. The stretch is divided into Stations and bordered by a lively promenade full of restaurants, sophisticated resorts, and entertainment venues. The White Beach is also a great example of how humans can battle the negative effects of mass tourism and reinvent idyllic locations. In 2018, it underwent a six-month closure, which resulted in a major cleanup and creation of a protective buffer zone to minimize the damage from development. Today, it’s a sustainability-focused beach. Don’t miss two other paradisiac Boracay stretches, such as Diniwid and Puka Shell.

Best for all levels of surfing

Cloud 9 is not a beach in a classic sense. Located on Sirgao Island, it’s a unique, dedicated surfing area. Come between July and November to ride some of the best Pacific breaks. Cloud 9’s trademark is the picturesque wooden boardwalk built above the reef. It’s also where you start your surfing adventures. The laid-back beach town nearby offers one of Asia’s most iconic surfing scenes, complete with bars, homestays, hip coffee shops, and nightlife spots. Two local legends are Cloud 9 Beach and Loka, both with fantastic sunset views. You will also find many surfing schools offering lessons.

Best for incredible sunsets

Sumba, in Eastern Indonesia, is an enchanting island with some of Asia’s most extraordinary beaches. Dubbed “new Bali” for similar easygoing island vibes, rich local culture, and stunning landscapes, it still retains that atmosphere of uncharted land. Walakiri is among the most famous beaches on Sumba. The phantasmagoric mangrove trees rise above the water and the white sand, creating a fairytale-like appearance. It’s also the ultimate sunset-watching spot, where the trees, the water and the sky paint an unforgettable scenery. Apart from admiring the mangrove forest, Walakiri is perfect for snorkeling. There’s a reef just offshore.