Asia is a vast continent covering many tropical areas with plentiful sandy beaches. From India to the Philippines to Indonesia, there are so many beaches to choose from that naming a few as “the best” is a difficult task. Selecting the best beach really depends upon personal criteria. For me, I’m considering the natural beauty of the area, pristine qualities, agreeable weather, and sparse crowds. The last qualification is most difficult to find as just about every good beach on the planet has been developed extensively.
Over the last 10-15 years development on the once-remote locale of
Bali, Indonesia has exploded as international tourists have discovered the exotic island. While the rest of Indonesia is 93% Muslim, Bali remains under the influence of Balinese Hinduism and compose a unique culture not found anywhere else in the world. But, to follow my criteria and seek out the best beach in Bali we have to journey north of Kuta away from the crowds to Seminyak. Seminyak is one of the few beaches left in Bali where you can feel like you have the whole beach to yourself. The wide, sandy beach is bordered by lush greenery and few hotels. But hurry, development is picking up here.
Palawan is a group of islands belonging to the Philippines and is home to several of the world’s most beautiful and most pristine beaches. It is not unusual to stroll alone on the beaches next to the crystal-clear sea. Roads have largely gone undeveloped here and the islands consist largely of rain forest and white sand beaches. Flora and fauna are abounding also, during your stroll you may see monkeys and parrots among the cherry blossoms blooming in the area. Palawan is truly a tropical paradise like few others left in the world. Once again, better journey there before development kicks into high gear and the crowds roll in.
The
beaches of Phuket in Thailand are also a wildly popular destination with international tourists. Considering Phuket is home to some of the finest beaches on the planet it’s easy to understand why. Finding seclusion here can be difficult, but the best chance is at Kata bay, south of the main Phuket beach of Patong. Kata is quite developed, the most developed of all the beaches I’m mentioning here, but there is a much more intimate feel to the area within a protected bay than there is among the throngs at Patong. There is plenty of lush greenery and the ocean is a beautiful greenish hue in the bay that merges into a dark blue out in the open ocean.
Our final stop on this tour of the world’s best beaches is the
Maldives, an island nation 435 miles southwest of Sri Lanka. Island hopping here can remind you of Robinson Crusoe’s islands in Treasure Island. Many beaches remain undisturbed here and you can stay in a bungalow on the soft sand within a crystal blue lagoon. The Maldives’ government has capitalized on the booming tourist industry – Europeans have been traveling here for years, but the government stresses quality over quantity. That means the beaches aren’t overdeveloped and you’re likely to have some personal space on the beaches here for years to come.
The prettiest and most charming cove in Jamaica, if not in the Caribbean. Frenchman's Cove consists of a lagoon which meanders around a bar of sand from one direction while the sea barrels in from the other, pinched between two tiny headlands that are overhung with greenery - giving the beach a luminous green light.
A fantastic beach cove on the western side of the northern tip of Grenada. Very secluded, reached off a remote road by a path that leads down through the forest (it may be easier to take a water taxi from Hillsborough). Almost like a treasure hunt getting to this beach. Superb sand that shelves steeply into lovely clear water. A real hideaway for the day. There are no facilities so take water and supplies. Good snorkelling off the beach.
Grace Bay and its beach, crown jewel of Turks and Caicos, is home to some of the best rated hotels in the world. Grace Bay's soft white sands and glistening blue ocean make the perfect backdrop for some serious pampering. Snorkelling, diving, and fishing are just some of the things you can do on its beach to while away the balmy hours - but for those wanting a sedentary getaway, Grace Bay also has several spas and some quality restaurants on and nearby the beach.
Although Aitutaki comes second to Rarotonga in being the visitor's favourite Cook Island, it makes up for it with the natural beauty and charisma of its beaches, as well as the fact there are way fewer people here - so for a get-away-from-it-all exotic beach escape, Aitutaki is my favourite. This fabulous triangular-shaped island has a beautiful blue lagoon and is surrounded by small, vacant island-beaches peppered with palm trees. 
Whitehaven Beach is a spectacular, picture-perfect white sand beach. In the competition for best beach, Whitehaven, on Whitsunday Island, has been regularly bandied about. Whitehaven Beach supporters cite the sand, which is pure white silica (which means made up of tiny grains of granite and suitable to be used to create the most precise glass for optical instruments etc.) and very very bright in the warm sun, set against 7kms of clear waters which naturally appear a stunning shade of blue. If your idea of the best beach involves having the colours just right you will love Whitehaven Beach. You can walk the beach for over 5kms, and also camp, swim, snorkel and buff your jewellery in the sand... 
