Beach sights in Asia
-
A
Chowpatty Beach
Chowpatty is still a favourite spot for anyone out to enjoy what passes for fresh air. Get the full experience by strolling through the many beachside stalls for some bhelpuri or a head massage. The water is not the cleanest but the beach is litter-free, patrolled by lifeguards and lit up at night. Visiting Chowpatty in the evening is an essential part of any trip to Mumbai.
The highlight of the year at Chowpatty is Ganesh Chaturthi (August/September), when huge crowds gather to watch images of the elephant-headed god of good fortune, Ganesh, paraded through the city streets and immersed in the sea.
reviewed
-
B
Silver Beach
This is what most Chinese tourists come to Běihǎi for: Silver Beach, a long stretch of silvery-yellow sand with so-so waters, about 8km south of the city centre. There's a host of midrange, doll's-house-lookalike hotels and a number of places to eat, serving expensive but very fresh seafood. Take bus 3 (Y2) from the central bus station; it runs until 10pm.
reviewed
-
C
Tung Wan Beach
Tung Wan Beach, Cheung Chau's longest and most popular (though not its prettiest) beach lies at the end of Tung Wan Rd, due east of the ferry pier. The best part of Tung Wan is the far southern end, which is a great area for windsurfing. Just south of Tung Wan Beach, Kwun Yam Wan Beach is known to English speakers as Afternoon Beach and is a great spot for windsurfing.
Windsurfing has always been an extremely popular pastime on Cheung Chau, and Hong Kong's only Olympic gold medal winner to date, Lee Lai-shan, who took the top prize in windsurfing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, grew up here. At the northern end of Afternoon Beach, the Cheung Chau Windsurfing Water Sports…
reviewed
-
D
Beach
The main reason to come to Cox's Bazar is for the beach. The route to the beach, along Sea Beach Rd, can be crowded and dirty, but once on the beach you will find the sand surprisingly clean. There are plenty of places from where you can rent a sun lounge and umbrella, and staff will offer security so you can leave your belongings unattended while you go for a dip.
You could also plant yourself in front of a big hotel, where guards will watch over your gear if you go swimming, and shoo away kids selling shell necklaces. They will also deal with the crowds of gawkers, if they get too intrusive (which they will).
If you're intrigued by the wooden fishing boats chugging alon…
reviewed
-
Hundred Islands National Park
This small national park off the coast of Alaminos contains 123 separate islets, although some are just large rocks. Over the centuries the tides have eaten away at the bases of these limestone islands, giving them a distinctive, mushroom-like appearance.
The friendly and useful Hundred Islands National Park office is on the wharf in barangay Lucap, the jumping-off point to the national park.
The three most popular islands are Quezon Island, Governor's Island and Children's Island, but you're definitely better off finding your own island on weekends, as these fill up with loads of large families and beach vendors.
By far the best way to experience the park is in a tandem …
reviewed
-
Hat Bang Ben
The most accessible beach in the park is Hat Bang Ben, where the park headquarters are. This long, sandy beach, backed by shady casuarinas, is said to be safe for swimming year-round. From Hat Bang Ben you can see several islands, including the nearby Ko Kam Yai, Ko Kam Noi, Mu Ko Yipun, Ko Khang Khao and, to the north, Ko Phayam. The park staff can arrange boat trips out to any of these islands. During low tide you can walk to an island just a couple of hundred metres from Hat Bang Ben.
reviewed
-
Cape Fatucama
This magnificent crescent of coast is sprinkled with restaurants and bars, as well as charming grottos and beaches. Fabulously kitsch concrete clams shade Areia Branca beach - watched over by the giant Jesus statue a further 1km (0.6mi) along. Styled after Rio's Christ the Redeemer, Fatucama's Jesus lords over turqoise bays backed by green-covered mountains.
The climb to the top passes 14 grottos - representing the Fourteen Stations of the Cross.
reviewed
-
Ngapali Beach
In Ngapali Beach, increasing numbers of travellers are flying in to plop onto a quiet patch of the 3km (1.9mi) stretch of palm-backed sand on the turquoise Bay of Bengal. Ngapali has about 10 bungalow hotels, with traditional fishing villages in the area. Local life still shares the sand with (mostly European) foreign guests: look out for the occasional ox cart meandering by.
reviewed
-
Bias Tugal
Walk southwest from the ferry terminal and follow the trail up the hill to idyllic Bias Tugal, also known as Pantai Kecil (Little Beach), on the exposed coast outside the bay. Be careful in the water; as it is subject to strong currents. There are a couple of daytime warung here.
reviewed
-
Dàdōnghāi
Unsurprisingly for a beach resort, the vast majority of things to see and do revolve around sand, sea and after-hours entertainment. Dàdōnghāi is convenient to the widest range of accommodation and eateries. It does get busy, however, and it's worth arriving reasonably early to secure one of those fixed umbrellas or risk being burned to a crisp - between March and November the sun can be blisteringly hot. It offers jet-skiing, banana boats, snorkelling, diving and parasailing.
One of the most entertaining activities is just to sit with a drink and people-watch. You will inevitably see that classic Sānyà sight - the couple or family of holidaying mainlanders dressed in …
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Ko Phayam
Ko Phayam has plenty of places to stay and is a friendly, demure little island. It has only a few hundred inhabitants, mostly Thais and Burmese, with a smattering of expats and a few dozen chow lair (sea gypsies) thrown into the mix. Tourists congregate on the island's pretty beaches, but locals support themselves prawn fishing, cashew-nut farming or working on the rubber plantations. Interesting fauna in the area includes wild pigs, hornbills, monkeys and snakes.
There's one 'village' on the island, where you will find the main pier, a couple of simple eateries, some small grocery stalls and a bar. From the pier area, motorcycle taxis scoot you to the bungalow operations…
reviewed
-
E
Hsitzuwan Beach
Hsitzuwan Beach is smaller than Cijin, but it's a calmer swimming beach and is also an excellent place for hanging out and watching the sunset. We prefer it to Cijin, as it has a cool tropical feel and a lovely mountain backdrop. The beach is on the grounds of Sun Yat-sen University so the whole environment on and around the beach is clean and well maintained.
To get to the beach, take bus 224 to the Sun Yat-sen University stop and then walk through the tunnel. You see signs for the beach on the other side. There are changing rooms and showers here too, as well as a café.
Both beaches are open all year round, and kept clean all year round, though swimming is only from May…
reviewed
-
Sandspit
Although not as busy as Clifton Beach, Sandspit is popular with families on Sunday and on holidays. Sandspit is a natural breakwater that prevents the harbour from silting up - a serious problem along most of the coastline - and played a large role in Karachi's emergence as the main port on this part of the Arabian Sea. A taxi from central Karachi costs around Rs250, with buses from Lea Market costing Rs20.
Beaches stretch almost continuously for hundreds of kilometres from Karachi into the Makran in Balochistan but much of the coast is off limits to foreigners. Swimming away from recognised areas is unsafe due to strong undercurrents and heavy pollution. Some beaches als…
reviewed
-
Clifton Beach
Clifton Beach is Karachi's busiest beach, although here you'll want to take a stroll rather than a swim. The beach itself is nothing special, made of mud-grey sand, but it's fun for people-spotting. Clifton is one of Karachi's posher neighbourhoods, but the beach attracts a complete cross section of society, so gives a good picture of Karachi at play. It's deserted before late afternoon, and at it's most festive on Sundays.
Camel and horse rides on the sands are popular, while stands sell cold drinks, chai (tea) and grilled corn. A park and promenade was on the verge of completion when we visited, where you can stroll for a small entry fee. The main roundabout near the be…
reviewed
-
Ang Thong National Marine Park
Popularised by its role as home to a utopian beach society in the movie version of Alex Garland's novel The Beach, Ang Thong National Marine Park is made up of an archipelago of about 40 small islands combining sheer limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons, white-sand beaches and dense vegetation providing a postcard-perfect vista almost anywhere you look.
The numerous caves and crevices are home to nesting swallows and there's a narrow coral reef in the southwest of the park.
From Ko Samui, a couple of tour operators run day trips to the Ang Thong archipelago from Na Thon or Mae Nam.
There are bungalows available at the park headquarters on Ko Wat Ta Lap, but you may not be abl…
reviewed
-
Sirinat National Marine Park
Comprising Nai Thon, Nai Yang and Mai Khao beaches, as well as the former Nai Yang National Park and Mai Khao wildlife reserve, Sirinat National Park encompasses 22 sq km of coastal land, plus 68 sq km of sea. The beaches were looking rather glum in the wake of the tsunami, but they will recover in time and suspended park facilities will no doubt be restored.
Improved roads to Hat Nai Thon have brought only a small amount of development to this broad expanse of pristine sand backed by casuarina and pandanus trees. Swimming is quite good here (except at the height of the monsoon), and there is some coral near the headlands at either end of the bay. Down on the beach, umbre…
reviewed
-
F
Long Beach
Long Beach is indeed a long, spectacular stretch of sand from Duong Dong southward along the west coast, almost to An Thoi port (20km). The southern end of the beach is known as Tau Ru Bay (Khoe Tau Ru). The water is crystal clear and the beach is lined with coconut palms.
Long Beach is easily accessible on foot (just walk south from Duong Dong's Cau Castle), but you will need a motorbike or bicycle to reach some of the remote stretches towards the southern end of the island. The beach around the family-run guesthouse area is a particularly popular spot. There are a few bamboo huts where you can buy drinks, but bring water if you're planning a long hike along this beach.
reviewed
-
Iho Beach
The nearest beach to Jeju-si along the west coast is blessed with an unusual mixture of yellow and grey sand, which means that you can build two-tone sandcastles. The beach is a decent size with shallow water that makes for safe swimming, and changing-room facilities are open in July and August. Further out to sea you can pit your free-diving skills against haenyeo divers searching around the rocks for seafood and edible seaweed. A small fishing port is on one side, and terns dive for fish too.
Buses (around ₩850, 20 minutes, every 20 minutes) leave Jeju-si bus terminal for Iho Beach - get off at Heonsa Village stop and it's a 150m walk to the beach.
reviewed
-
G
Wide Beach
The village is only about 200m from the wide beach, north of the Shore Temple, where local fishers pull in their boats. The beach is cleaner further north, or to the south of the Shore Temple, and you can take long unimpeded walks, although at high tide you need to walk over the rocks in front of the Shore Temple.
It's not a great place for swimming - there are dangerous rips - but it's possible to go fishing in one of local outriggers; negotiate a price with the owner. Despite the beach scene, Western swimwear is not the norm here and you (and local people) may feel more comfortable if you cover up.
reviewed
-
H
Lo So Shing Beach
If you continue south from Hung Shing Yeh beach, the path climbs steeply until it reaches a Chinese-style pavilion located near the top of the hill. From this vantage point, it becomes obvious that the island is mostly hilly grassland and large boulders, though more and more trees are being planted. You will pass a second pavilion that offers splendid views out to the sea; from here a path leads from the Family Trail down to Lo So Shing beach, the most beautiful on Lamma. The beach is not very big, but it has a nice cover of shade trees at the back that provide a break from the sun.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
I
Hung Shing Yeh Beach
About a 25-minute walk southeast from the Yung Shue Wan ferry pier, Hung Shing Yeh beach is the most popular beach on Lamma. Arrive early in the morning or on a weekday and you’ll probably find it deserted, though you may find the view of the power station across the bay takes some getting used to. The beach is protected by a shark net and has toilets, showers and changing rooms. There are a few restaurants and drinks stands nearby – the latter open on the weekend only, except in summer – as well as the Concerto Inn, a hotel that also serves so-so Western food.
reviewed
-
Hat Mai Khao
Hat Mai Khao is Phuket's longest beach. Sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach here between November and February each year. A visitors centre with toilets, showers and picnic tables can be found at Mai Khao, from where there are some short trails through the casuarinas to a steep beach. Take care when swimming at Mai Khao, as there's a strong year-round undertow.
Except on weekends and holidays you'll have this place almost entirely to yourself; even during peak periods, peace and solitude are usually only a few steps away, as there's so much space here.
reviewed
-
Shílǎorén
It comes as little surprise that Qīngdǎo's best beach is draped along the shore way off in the east of town, far from the shrieking rubber-ring/buckets-and-spade crowd. South of the dramatic mountain bulk of Fushan, Shílǎorén is a gorgeous 2.5km-long strip of clean sand and seawater-smoothed seashells, occasionally engulfed in banks of mist pouring in from offshore.
Early morning runs here are divine - and yours may be the only set of footprints on the sand. Take bus 317 from Taipingjiao or hop in a taxi.
reviewed
-
Yalong Bay
Yalong Bay is undoubtedly more attractive and less crowded, though with fewer shops and vendors budgeters might want to bring their own food and water. It offers a wide range of activities, including jet-skiing, banana boats, snorkelling and diving. China's beaches are theoretically open to everyone but at Yalong Bay there is a quasi-official fee if you're not staying at one of the beachfront resorts. To avoid this, walk through one of the hotels rather than entering the beach from the main square.
reviewed
-
Bai Sao
A beautiful white-sand beach with a couple of beachfront restaurants. There are several places to rent kayaks along Bai Sao beach, and its protected, fairly calm waters make for a smooth ride. In addition to locals who hire out boats, you can ask at either restaurant along the beach: My Lan (990 779) and Ai Xiem (990 510).
South from here is undeveloped Bai Khem, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island and also, sadly, a military area that's closed to the public.
reviewed
