
Kicking off the list is the beautiful Derawan Beach, located in Berau, East Kalimantan. Considered as a candidate for a world heritage site by UNESCO in 2015, the beach had the stunning nature for the title but was coined a tourism village instead to boost its development. Since then, marine tourism has been slowly developing and the beach has become a popular place where world-class divers converge. Derawan Beach is one of the best snorkeling and diving locations, boasting a stunning coastal ecosystem from coral reefs and seagrass beds to mangrove forests. You can also expect to see a lot of protected species here, including turtles, whales, dolphins, giant clams, coconut crabs, and many other species!
How to Get Here: Fly to Sepinggan airport at Balikpapan, and from here fly to Tarakan or Berau. You can then get to Derawan by land transport and boat.
Gili Meno Island, West Nusa Tenggara
In complete contrast to Kuta Beach in Bali are the Gili Islands, with the quietest being Gili Meno. Many people doubt this spot, but what it may lack in crowds, it more than makes up for in beauty. Here you will find white beaches along with some of the best snorkeling and diving spots in Indonesia. This place is so great that the entire island has no cars at all! The warm welcoming locals also make this island what it is, so don’t be surprised to be offered a hammock for the night or to join in with someone’s family meal.
How to Get Here: From Bali, you can reach the Gili Islands via fast boat from either Amed or Padang Bai. For those on a tight budget, there is also a public ferry from Padang Bai to Lombok where you can catch another boat. This takes 8 hours but is fairly cheap and affordable.
Resources: Where to Stay in the Gili Islands | Things to do in the Gili Islands
Banyak Islands
How to Get Here: You can the ferry that starts in Singkil every Tuesday and Saturday. It departs at about 11 AM. Alternatively, you can take speedboats to get to the islands faster.
Editor’s Note: Looking for Indonesia Travel Tips? Check out our full guide featuring where to stay, top things to do, and what to eat.
If you’re looking for a secluded place, Kanawa Island in Flores is paradise both above and below the surface. This little island in Komodo National Park is a sight to behold, with a stunning white-sand winding beach. With simply stunning landscapes, Kanawa is also armed with some of the best off-the-beach snorkeling in Indonesia. Even without diving, you can see schools of barracuda, sea turtles and reef sharks! In the shallows, bright corals will steal your attention away from the many lionfish and bat fish. The incredible variety here will seriously drag you into an underwater paradise!
What we love: We love to snorkel! While we are sold on Kanawa being one of the best beaches in Indonesia for snorkeling, we also love the seclusion of this place. You can swim around to the other side of the island to get that intimate castaway feel.
How to Get Here: Daily flights from Denpasar or Bali go to Labuan Bajo. From the airport, you can then take a 5-10 minute taxi or scooter taxi to the Kanawa Office. Boats only leave to Kanawa Island at 12 PM every day so get there early!
Resources: How to get from Lombok to Flores
Canggu Beach, Bali Island
Although not winning any awards for the most beautiful beach, Canggu Beach definitely scores some points for most interesting. To start with, it has black sand! Yep, you heard me right. Once you get used to that surprising landscape (which you most likely won’t), you can then appreciate the chilled surfer’s atmosphere. Canggu Beach is a perfect surf spot for every type of surfer, offering easy waves to serious breaks. Canggu is the perfect mix of island life. It has good surf, fantastic restaurants, fun bars and nightlife! Definitely worth checking out!
What we love: Although a pretty busy beach, you do meet some interesting people. We obviously loved the surf here, but we also loved the village itself. If you’re a foodie, there are plenty of awesome brunch places overlooking ricefields to give you that unique Balinese vibe.
How to Get Here: From the airport, you can just hop on an airport taxi which will take you straight to Canggu Beach. Alternatively, you can also rent a motorbike and drive yourself there.
Resources: Villas in Canggu Under $100 | Where to Stay in Canggu
Nusa Penida Beach, Bali Island
How to Get Here: There are public boats from Sanur, Kusamba or Padang Bai in East Bali.
The Raja Ampat Islands
The Raja Ampat Islands are a truly beautiful and untouched paradise. Literally translated as “the Four Kings,” the stunning archipelago is made up of over 1,500 small islands and four daddy islands! Located in the Coral Triangle, one thing is for sure, these are all first-class diving spots! As well as containing many species that you won’t find anywhere else, Raja Ampat also scores points for its sheer pristine landscapes. This one location contains so many relatively unexplored areas that you could be the first to stumble onto a new beach that no one has ever gone before!
How to Get Here: Take a flight or ship to Sorong, a taxi to Sorong ferry harbor, and then a ferry to Waisai.
Resources: Complete Guide to Raja Ampat | Raja Ampat Liveaboard
Karimunjawa Beach, Java Island
Another beauty to behold is the most beautiful beach in Java Island! Seriously, you can compare this beach to some contenders in Thailand. With silky white sands and stunning waters that reflect a green to turquoise and deep blue gradient, Karimunjawa Beach is a gift to the senses. What’s really unique about this beach, is that you can watch the sunrise and sunset in the same place! Spend the whole day watching the sun go around, waking up and going to bed with a warm orange glow around you. If you fancy something different, check out the wicked marine life in the top snorkel spots, visit a shark farm, and have amazing fish barbecues!
How to Get Here: You can take a 12 seater plane from Semarang or Surabaya to the Dewandaru Airport in Kemujan island. Many rent a motorbike to get around.
Belitung Island, East Sumatra
Belitung Island is simply stunning, offering a range of beaches from white sand fringed with coconut trees to elaborate granite rock formations. Let’s just say, when you come across these world-class beaches, you’ll know exactly why they are on our best beaches in Indonesia list. The beaches themselves are gorgeous, but they really come alive when you mix them with activities. Conquer the granite rocks or explore the underwater world beneath the waves. After a jam-packed day, really take in the stunning scenery with a walk on the beach watching the sunset. With amazing offshore snorkeling, powdery white sand and colorful fishing boats, do you need any more reasons to want to go here?
How to Get Here: Take a flight from Tanjung Pandan to Jakarta and Pangkal Pinang. From here you can then take a bus or street taxi (book in advance to avoid illegal taxis!) to Belitung.
Pink Beach, East Nusa Tenggara
Last on our best beaches in Indonesia list, but not the least, is Pink Beach. This gem can be found in Komodo National Park, so expect stunning scenery, amazing underwater life, and pink sand! The sand’s color is due to the coral and is a unique sight to behold when the sunlight hits. There are only seven beaches that are pink around the world so it is a natural wonder! The coral is surely the highlight of the beach. Not just for the color of the sand, but for the underwater landscape that it creates for snorkeling. With the incredibly clear waters, you can spend hours here exploring this new world beneath the surface.
How to Get Here: You can fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo located on Flores Island. Then take the ferry over to Komodo Island.
Resources: Where to Stay in Labuan Bajo | Best Liveaboard Diving in Komodo
Best Time to Visit the Beaches of Indonesia
Indonesia generally has a tropical climate with the dry season running from April to October and monsoon season from November to March. Although the country has hot and humid temperatures all year, the best time to visit is during the dry season. This makes perfect weather for island hopping, snorkeling, and general beach bumming!
They look pretty nice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sigh. Someday!!! GORGEOUS!!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person