Travelinds Top 10
Beaches of Africa and Asia
We are certainly beach people, ever happy with sand between our toes. From Travelinds personal experiences, the following beaches are definitely in our top ten choices from around the world:
10. Blue Lagoon (Bali, Indonesia)
One of the little known Balinese beaches, this secret beach lies over the hill and around the corner from Padang Bai Harbour. Blue Lagoon boasts a fascinating reef just a few steps into the water. Walk to the beach from the harbour by heading up and over the steep hill on the eastern side of Padang Bai Beach Road, then grab a snorkel for a day of underwater relaxation. We even saw eels and turtles in the little reef. Be sure to support the local restaurants (there are two) as these owners keep the beach clean out of their own pockets.
9. Gili Meno (Lombok, Indonesia)
One of our Indonesian favourites, the Gili Meno beach actually runs around the whole island (which is only about 1 x 1.5 kilometres). At almost any point, you can swim out about 10 to 20 metres and hit the reef, so be sure to bring a snorkel and some fins and make the most of it. We swam with turtles, lion fish and schools of fluorescent beauties every single day. Wish we could have stayed longer!
8. Diani Beach (Mombasa, Kenya)
A ten kilometre stretch of fine white sand, gorgeous Diani Beach was definitely our favourite beach in Kenya, with neighbouring Tiwi Beach a close second.
7. Linapacan Islands (Linapacan, Palawan Province, The Philippines)
A whole archipelago of tiny islands somewhere between Coron and Palawan mainland, each island with wondrous beaches and its own reef right off the shore. How could we choose just one beach? Check out some of the names and descriptions from our fantastic four-day island hopping tour on the Brinze Kylene Expedition.
6. Barra Bay (Barra Peninsular, Mozambique)
A Northern beach of Mozambique, there is little about it we did not adore. Warm, flat ocean and stretches of Barra sand with smiling locals and coconuts for sale.
5. Anbang Beach (Hoi An, Vietnam)
In Central Vietnam, Anbang is a distinctive beach, which is perfect for lazy swimming days and scrumptious lunches at the local chain of restaurants. We cycled over from Hoi An. Buy drinks from the restaurants and have access to lovely thatched umbrellas or wooden booths, especially helpful to escape the midday heat.
4. White Beach (Moalboal, Cebu, The Philippines)
On the western peninsular of Cebu, parallel to a long, beautiful reef, white beach is another gem in central Philippines. Truly, one of the most superb coral reefs in the Philippines, the Moalboal reef (stretching all the way off White Beach to Panagsama) is well worth taking your own snorkel to to swim out whenever you want.
3. Mawun Beach (Lombok, Indonesia)
The long stretch of Mawun white sand that lines a peacock-blue bay, perfect for long morning swims. A fleet of tiny fishing boats floats upon sparkling, clear water sits to one side of the bay. Take a motorbike to get there from Kuta and be sure to take some cash to support the local vendors and family restaurants.
2. Sempang Mengayau – Tip of Borneo (Sabah, Malaysia Borneo)
Soft white sand borders the Sulu Sea of the Sabah Dog’s left ear. A secluded stretch of paradise all to ourselves is only one of the beautiful beaches in this area. It was 7 days of bliss.
1. Mabibi (Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa)
The place where Travelinds began their journey together on the Elephant Coast, part of the rugged Kwazulu-Natal coastline in South Africa. Look out for turtles laying their eggs along the dunes and whales passing by the north coast beaches. Walk for kilometres and breathe in pure African air. The Mabibi campsite is rustic, no electricity (except in the cabins) and hot water for showers in the communal ablution block. Nearby, Lake Sibaya is absolutely breathtaking. This is our number one favourite beach in the world – by far!
Where is your favourite beach?
Since we were in Kenya having a bunch of ‘first’ experiences, like seeing the magical 
Whitewashed textured walls under the shady reach of enormous trees, where exquisite black Colobus monkeys shake their bushy white manes and call to each other like motorbikes starting up (as Daphne Sheldrick describes in 
Tuk-tuks and bora-boras (motorbikes) crowd the market places in hopes of a good day.
