1) Kem Beach, Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Kem Beach, or Cream Beach, is famous in Southeast Asia for its silky, creamy sand and its beautiful crescent-shaped shoreline (Photo: Fatel Belek)
Kem Beach is one of the beautiful white sand beaches in Southeast Asia and ranks as Vietnam’s second beach with powdery white sand. Naturally sculpted by the sea, the sand is so soft and white that locals call it “Kem” (ice cream), giving it the English nickname “Cream Beach”. Its gently curved shoreline and clear turquoise waters are perfect for walking, swimming, and floating. Furthermore, luxury resorts such as JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, Premier Residence, and New World Phu Quoc coexist with untouched scenery, offering both indulgence and tranquility.
2) Sao Beach, Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Sao Beach’s signature swing hanging from a palm tree (Photo: Collected)
Sao Beach is celebrated as one of the beautiful white sand beaches in Southeast Asia and is among the very few in Vietnam with pristine white sand. The wide, gently curving bay is ideal for walking, sunbathing, and enjoying water sports. Leaning coconut palms create iconic tropical vistas, while shallow waters are safe for families. Scattered seafood stalls bring local flavors alongside breathtaking scenery. With its picture-perfect setting, Sao Beach perfectly represents the tropical paradise that makes Phu Quoc’s top beaches world-famous.
3) My An, Da Nang, Vietnam
My An Beach, a serene getaway where Da Nang’s coastline exudes calm and elegance (Photo: Collected)
Located south of My Khe, My An Beach is one of the beautiful white sand beaches in Southeast Asia, famed for its peaceful ambiance and soft, pristine sands. The calm waters make it a top choice for families and travelers seeking a tranquil escape from busier areas. Luxury resorts and beachfront villas provide upscale stays, while local eateries serve fresh seafood within walking distance. My An offers serenity while staying close to Da Nang’s lively center, feeling like a hidden urban retreat.
4) My Khe, Da Nang, Vietnam
My Khe Beach in Da Nang, a globally renowned urban getaway, ranks among Vietnam’s finest beaches (Photo: Collected)
My Khe Beach stands out as one of the beautiful white sand beaches in Southeast Asia and is celebrated worldwide for its urban charm. Its lengthy soft sand and calm blue waters make it perfect for swimming, surfing, or relaxing. Despite its development with cafés, seafood eateries and water sports, the beach keeps a natural appeal. Families, couples and also solo travelers alike enjoy sunrise walks or lively evenings, highlighting the distinctive character of Vietnam’s beaches beyond Phu Quoc.
5) White Beach, Boracay, Philippines
White Beach in Boracay, a global icon of Southeast Asia’s white sands and nightlife (Photo: Collected)
Top 15 beautiful white sand beaches in Southeast Asia consists of Boracay’s White Beach, known for its scale and evolving story. Strict environmental rehabilitation has preserved its soft sand and transparent waters. The broad, flat shoreline invites long walks, runs, and relaxation. At night, fire dancers and decorative lights animate the beach while keeping its natural allure. Resorts and cafés line the backshore respectfully, and small pathways behind the beach guide visitors to quieter areas away from the main crowds.
6) Redang Island, Malaysia
Pasir Panjang on Redang Island, a reef-fringed gem perfect for snorkeling (Photo: Collected)
Among the beautiful white sand beaches in Southeast Asia, Pasir Panjang on Redang Island stands out for its unique blend of white sand and nearby coral reefs. The reef is just offshore, making snorkeling easy and visually spectacular. The beach slopes gently, allowing smooth entry into deeper water, and dense jungle edges provide shade and scenery. Monsoon tides occasionally reshape the sand, and at sunset, the reef and pale shoreline reflect warm golden hues, creating a magical coastal view.
7) Pattaya Beach, Koh Lipe, Thailand
Koh Lipe’s Pattaya Beach: vibrant local life meets scenic charm (Photo: Collected)
Koh Lipe’s Pattaya Beach is distinctive for its social energy among white sand beaches in Southeast Asia. Calm waters during the day are perfect for swimming, while at night the beach comes alive with music and open-air dining. The curved bay offers natural protection, and boats dock to one side, leaving most of the sand clear. Beachfront huts serve food and drinks directly on the sand, all while keeping the soft shore pristine.
8) Tanjung Aan, Lombok, Indonesia
Tanjung Aan’s twin bays offer a rare coastal view, making it a standout white sand beach in Southeast Asia (Photo: Collected)
Offering a remarkable experience among white sand beaches in Southeast Asia, Tanjung Aan’s twin-bay structure means the atmosphere and lighting dramatically shift from day to night; one bay softly absorbs the morning light while the adjacent bay lights up brilliantly in the evening. The sand itself is unique, described as “pepper-like” due to its grainy yet white texture, and visitors can appreciate the entire dual vista from the surrounding hills. This beach ensures a pleasant time even when the weather is breezy, as the waves break far offshore, keeping the coastline placid, and the ambiance is made more authentic by the small warungs (beach stalls) serving local refreshments directly on the sand.
9) Long Set Beach, Koh Rong, Cambodia
Known as “4K Beach”, Long Set Beach stretches nearly 4 kilometers of white sand (Photo: Collected)
Long Set Beach is widely regarded as one of the beautiful white sand beaches in Southeast Asia, treasured for its peaceful, undeveloped atmosphere. Unlike many popular beaches, it has no large resorts, featuring only basic bungalows beneath open skies. The sand remains pale and soft because the beach is not overcrowded or overused, preserving its pristine quality. In the evening, bioluminescent plankton sometimes sparkle in the shallow waves, transforming the shoreline into a glowing ribbon of light. The long, straight bay allows visitors to enjoy both sunrise and sunset from different points along the beach. Small hammocks tied between coconut palms invite travelers to take afternoon naps while feeling the gentle ocean breeze.
10) Gili Meno, Indonesia
The waters around Gili Meno, home to turtles, make it a magical white sand beach in Southeast Asia (Photo: Collected)
Gili Meno offers a pristine escape with its soft, undeveloped white-sand beaches - a tranquility maintained by significantly lower foot traffic than its neighbor, Gili Trawangan. The island is car-and-motorbike free, relying only on bicycles and foot travel. Visitors can often spot turtles swimming close to the shore while snorkeling, and the shallow lagoons left by rising tides are perfect for safe wading. With whimsical additions like over-water swings and hammocks, and a pastel sunrise that creates a stunning water reflection, the aesthetic is uniquely relaxed and photogenic.
11) Perhentian, Malaysia
Perhentian Islands: white sand bliss within a safeguarded marine park (Photo: Collected)
The Perhentians’ beaches are a top destination among the beautiful white sand beaches in Southeast Asia, safeguarded by a marine park that keeps their sand and water pristine. Powdery sand occasionally meets small coral pieces along the tide line. Long Beach faces the open sea, offering mild swells, while Coral Bay’s reefs make snorkeling accessible just off the sand. Palm trees provide natural shade during early and late hours, and the islands’ remote nature-with sporadic power and limited signal-gives visitors the feeling of a secluded tropical haven.
12) Bottle Beach, Koh Phangan, Thailand
Koh Phangan’s Bottle Beach, tucked away and shielded by cliffs, is a rare white sand treasure in South East Asia (Photo: Collected)
Bottle Beach, or Haad Khuat, is valued for its peaceful, secluded setting protected by cliffs. The surrounding cliffs and jungle help block the wind, creating a calm bay. The sand is soft and white, often cool under the shade. Accessible only by boat or a rugged trail, it avoids crowds. At low tide, small pools form along the shore, perfect for children to wade in. Simple beach bars and bungalows maintain a minimalistic style, letting nature take center stage.
13) Maenam Beach, Koh Samui, Thailand
Serene and quiet, Maenam Beach in Koh Samui provides stunning views of Koh Phangan (Photo: Collected)
Among the white sand beaches in Southeast Asia, Maenam distinguishes itself with a quietly elegant atmosphere and its superb vantage points. Small hills situated behind the beach allow visitors to take in sweeping views across the bay, including the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. The light, soft sand is particularly fine near the water's edge due to constant movement. With beachfront resorts kept low-rise, the view remains dominated by towering palm trees. Waves are consistently gentle because the bay is naturally sheltered by coral outcrops, and its northern orientation provides beautiful sunrises that cast a direct glow upon the sand.
14) White Sand Beach, Koh Chang, Thailand
White Sand Beach, Koh Chang - a family-friendly beach with gentle waves and long stretches of sand (Photo: Collected)
As its name suggests, White Sand Beach truly delivers on its promise among white sand beaches in Southeast Asia, maintaining a consistent pale color despite years of visitor use. A wide expanse of sand ensures that high tide rarely reaches the developed walkway, which is set back behind a line of resorts and cafés, preserving the shoreline with dedicated footpaths. This gently curving beach on the southeast coast is family-friendly, featuring shallow, calm waters and gentle waves. The scene is often made even more striking by the presence of colorful longtail and fishing boats, which provide a beautiful visual contrast against the brilliant whiteness of the sand.
15) Pasir Panjang, Kei Islands, Indonesia
Kei Islands’ Pasir Panjang stands out as one of Southeast Asia’s most untouched white sand beaches (Photo: Collected)
Pasir Panjang, or “Long Beach”, is considered a special, hidden jewel among the most beautiful white sand beaches in Southeast Asia due to its remote and untouched nature. Situated far from established tourist routes, its remarkably fine, white sand remains pristine and rarely walked upon. The coastline offers a sense of infinity with its straight, uninterrupted stretch, while the natural setting is preserved by low dunes and greenery right behind the beach, with absolutely no high-rise structures in sight. The gently sloping seas near the shore make it an inviting spot for swimming, solidifying Pasir Panjang as a treasure few intrepid travelers have discovered.
16) Ngapali Beach, Myanmar
Ngapali Beach = a tranquil, authentic escape among Southeast Asia’s white sand beaches (Photo: Collected)
Ngapali Beach remains understated compared to other popular destinations, making it one of the rare white sand beaches in Southeast Asia that preserves its calm. The nearly seven-kilometer shoreline allows space for everyone. Coconut palms and simple fishing shacks replace towering hotels along the backshore. Offshore boats add cultural appeal without spoiling the view, and the sand is consistently light-colored. Local vendors bring fresh seafood, enriching the coastal experience.
17) Areia Branca, Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste’s Areia Branca proves that hidden gems of white sand beaches exist throughout Southeast Asia (Photo: Collected)
Areia Branca literally means “white sand”, a promise it consistently meets among the white sand beaches in Southeast Asia with its bright, clean sand. The coastal scenery is striking, framed by vivid green hills that provide a sharp contrast to the pale shore. While locals often gather socially on the weekends, the beach remains lightly crowded otherwise. The water is consistently calm, making it ideal for swimming almost any time of the year, and low tide reveals interesting geometries in the tidal flats. Because it's lesser-known internationally, Areia Branca retains a raw and authentic feel that is increasingly rare in the region.
Conclusion
It will be an unforgettable experience to explore the top 17 beautiful beaches in Southeast Asia, revealing a stunning variety of coastal experiences across the region.From the creamy sands of Kem Beach and the iconic palm swings at Sao Beach in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, to the world-famous urban escape of My Khe Beach in Da Nang, Vietnam, each destination offers something unique. Thailand features vibrant beaches like Pattaya Beach in Koh Lipe and secluded gems such as Bottle Beach in Koh Phangan. Malaysia’s Perhentians and Redang Island showcase pristine waters and excellent snorkeling opportunities. Together, these beaches highlight the natural beauty, cultural richness, and diverse experiences of Southeast Asia, making them must-visit destinations for travelers seeking both adventure and relaxation.
