Best Beaches in Asia
Lapped by crystal waters and often fringed by swaying palms the Philippines, Bali, Malaysia and Thailand may have some of the best beaches in the world.
Asia has beautiful mountains, waterfalls, jungles and pristine millennia-old rain forests but perhaps the Asia's beaches are its crowning glory that attracts many sun-seeking tourists, revellers and divers every year.
Langkawi
Langkawi is an archipelago of nearly 100 islands so beaches and water sports are not far away. However, the local tourist board has designated only a few of theses for tourist development. First amongst them is the island of Langkawi itself where there is a drive to capture the meetings, incentive, conventions and exhibition market, so combining business with pleasure and giving stressed workers the chance to laze on a tropical beach as well as getting to a conference or convention.
Langkawi Island is full of five star hotels and resorts and some of the activities available are beach combing, yachting, diving and parasailing. If that lot does not appeal there is a breathtaking ride to the summit of its tallest peak or a tree-top trek along the canopy of its rain forest.
How to Get to Langkawi
Langkawi is well served by air it is easy to from Kuala Lumpur airport and is linked to many of the regions cities and capitals by both low cost and full service airlines. Malaysian Railways runs a comfortable and cheap rail service depart from KL Central from Butterworth in Penang to nearby mainland railway stations then it is an easy matter to get a ferry to the island.
Kota Kinabalu
Still in Malaysia but on the island of Borneo is the Malay state of Sabah with its beach resort of Kota Kinabalu. More than half of the visitors to Malaysia visit Kota Kinabalu for its pretty scenic views overlooking the South China Sea, its many traditional cafes where locals still congregate for a leisurely chat.
Get to Kota Kinabalu’s beaches
There are a few outlaying islands that offer beach life: Gaya, Mamutik, Manukan and Sapi are among them. Private speed boats can be had to any of these islands, the boats leave from the dedicated ferry terminal. Flights are frequent with full service Malaysian Airlines as well as Air Asia and Cebu Pacific fly into Kota Kinabalu’s airport.
Lombok
Lombok is Bali’s neighbour and could not be more different from it. They both share the same crystal waters but the sand on Lombok’s beaches is glistening white. The differences don’t end there, unlike Bali’s Kuta, Lombok has many secluded beaches and coves a world removed from the noisy jet skis and beach activities of its more raucous Balinese neighbour.
Getting to Lombok
Daily air services from many parts of Indonesia including Bali and Jakarta. Alternatively a public ferry operates from Bali's Padang Bai fares are cheap and the crossing takes about four hours. A private fast boat service also connects Bali to both Lombok and the Gili Islands.
Beaches in Asia are noted for the quality of their sand and sea, for the abundance of activities or even the peace of their seclusion. Add to these that a beach holiday in any Asian country is likely to be less expensive than any European or American destination then the tropical beaches of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines wins hands down. Go and don’t be disappointed.
