Coral Beach
Koh Ta Kiev, Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Coral Beach sits on the western shore of Koh Ta Kiev, a small island about an hour by boat from Otres Beach near Sihanoukville, Cambodia, with a rustic set of bungalows built right above the sand. Jungle trails wind out from camp toward other coves and a cliff jump nearby, and electricity runs only a few hours a day, which is part of the appeal for people trying to disconnect.
A genuinely rustic, unplugged island escape with real jungle and snorkeling nearby, though the limited electricity and single daily boat mean it takes some flexibility to visit.
Ask about the daily electricity window before you arrive if you're relying on charging anything. Most places run generators for only a set stretch each evening.
There's no vehicle access to the island. A daily boat departs from the Sihanoukville area, typically around late morning, for the roughly hour long crossing.
The boat lands on the beach itself, and the resort's own bungalows sit just above the sand, but there's no paved path anywhere on the island.
The dry season from November through April brings calmer seas for the boat crossing and clearer water for snorkeling. May through October is the wet season, with rougher crossings and more frequent rain.
More Asia Pacific beaches
Sanom Beach
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Sanom Beach sits at the far southern end of Pattaya Beach on Koh Lipe, Thailand, reached by a wooden walkway over the rocks once the main beach runs out. The sand is quiet compared to Lipe's busier strips, backed by shade trees, and the resort here is run by local Urak Lawoi sea gypsies rather than an outside chain.
Bamboo Bay
Koh Lanta, Krabi, Thailand · Asia Pacific
Bamboo Bay, also called Ao Mai Phai, is the last beach before Koh Lanta's national park boundary, a two kilometer curve of sand at the island's southern tip in Krabi province, Thailand. Big boulders break up the shoreline in places, the water stays clear enough to see your feet, and by evening the day trippers have mostly cleared out.
Sunset Beach
Koh Kradan, Trang, Thailand · Asia Pacific
Sunset Beach is the quieter western shore of Koh Kradan in Trang province, Thailand, a short walk across the island from the long main beach that gets most of the attention. There's less wave action here than on the east side, the swimming stays calmer, and as the name promises it's the spot locals and the handful of resort guests head to for the evening light.