Maya
Located in Thailand's Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Maya Bay is part of Phi Phi Leh, one of the two main Phi Phi islands in Krabi province. The beach is praised for its views.
Famous for towering limestone cliffs, clear waters, coral reefs and white sandy beach, Maya beach gained international fame after being filmed in the 2000 movie "The Beach" starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
The beach is surrounded by towering cliffs draped in verdant foliage and tourism activities there remain limited to avoid the impacts to ecotourism system.
Photo by Reuters
It closed to tourists in June 2018 as the Thai government embarked on a rejuvenation program aimed at reviving the area's decimated corals, and reopened in January 2022.
This year, Maya Bay has been closed to tourists during the rainy season from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30 to allow natural resources and ecosystems to recover.
Photo by Reuters
My Khe
The 900-meter-long My Khe, which runs from the base of the Son Tra Peninsula to the Marble Mountains, is famous for its smooth white sand and warm waters all year round.
My Khe catapulted to global fame after Forbes voted it one of the planet's most beautiful beaches in 2005.
A large number of water sports operators can be found directly on the beach, offering banana boats, water skiing, wakeboarding, parasailing, jet skiing, windsurfing and kayaking.
Parasailing costs around VND500,000 (US$22) for a 15-minute ride.
Photo by Nguyen Dong
The beach is always crowded on weekends and national holidays.
There are dozens of food stalls near the beach serving tourists wide range of seafood options.
Photo by Nguyen Dong
Non Nuoc
Located in Ngu Hanh Son District, around eight kilometers from downtown Da Nang, Non Nuoc beach is five kilometers long and dotted with a series of luxury resorts.
From the beach, tourists can easily conquer the Marble Mountains, a complex of network of caves, tunnels, towers and pagodas.
Photo courtesy of Tripadvisor
A foreign tourist (pictured) experiences rock climbing at the Marble Mountains.
There are half a dozen large caves hidden in the Marble Mountains, and many other small ones that are rarely visited.
Most of the caves are cool inside, with jungle plants and mossy walls and even small shrines to worship gods in Buddhism and Taoist rituals.
The entrance fee is VND40,000 and the elevator costs VND15,000 one-way.
Photo by Nguyen Dong
Marimegmeg
Marimegmeg Beach in Palawan of the Philippines was praised best for its sunset by the Telegraph.
Just a 15-minute ride from the town of El Nido, the beach, also known locally as Las Cabanas Beach, is loved for its stunning sunsets, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and soft golden sands.
“Palawan Island has no shortage of awe-inspiring beaches, and Marimegmeg gives any one of them a run for their money. Just fifteen minutes from the town of El Nido, this is a place of deep, tropical relaxation,” the newspaper said.
Photo courtesy of Tripadvisor
One of the must-do activities is to rent a cabana or a beach chair to bask in the sun or explore the world of sea turtles, tropical fish, corals and birds.
Telegraph editors recommended visitors make the short hike to neighboring La Cabanas Beach, to explore beach bar cocktails.
The beach has warm water and almost no waves, great for swimming.
Photo courtesy of Tripadvisor
Nihiwatu
Nihiwatu on Sumba Island, just 50 minutes by air from Bali, was voted among the best for its wildlife.
“It’s an adventure just to get to Nihiwatu: a one-hour flight from Bali, followed by a 90-minute SUV bump and grind through mountains and mahogany forests, past waterfalls and rice valleys, before you finally arrive at this sweeping one-and-a-half-mile-long bay,” Telegraph editors described.
Photo courtesy of Tripadvisor
The 2.5-km-long beach is famous for its crystal-clear waters and towering cliffs. Thanks to gentle waves, the beach has become a world-class destination for surfers.
While visiting the island, guests can book NIHI Sumba resort, which includes 27 villas with private pool.
The list of world's best beaches was compiled by travel experts based on criteria such as wildlife, panoramic views, atmospheric areas, luxurious hotels, quiet corners, family-friendly stretches of sand and more.
Photo courtesy of the resort
