4 OF ASIA'S BEST BEACHES ARE IN THAILAND! THE LIST PF TOP 10 BEST BEACHES IN ASIA IS COMPILED BY TRIP ADVISOR AND NOT SOME HACK FROM TAT! I WAS HOPING BEACH OF PASSIONATE LOVE AND BACHOK BEACH IN MY HOME STATE OF KELANTAN WOULD BE IN THE TOP 10 BUT ALAS, THEY ARE NOWHERE AND NO BEACHES IN MALAYSIA ARE AMONG THE TOP 25 BEST BEACHES IN ASIA, LET ALONE TOP 10! HOW CAN THIS BE, I CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND BUT I HAVE BEEN TO THAILAND'S BEACHES AND THEY ARE CERTAINLY FILLED WITH SUN, SAND, SURF, SANGRIA, SWAYING COCONUT TREES AND SCANTILY CLAD MEN AND WOMEN! THE BEST BEACH IN ASIA IS WHITE BEACH IN BORACAY, PHILIPPINES, FAMOUS FOR ITS WHITE SANDS FOLLOWED BY SOME UNHEARD OF BEACH IN THE NICOBAR AND ANDAMAN ISLANDS, I MEAN, WHO EVER GOES TO THESE OBSCURE ISLANDS? THIRD IS NAI HARN BEACH IN RAWAI, THAILAND WHICH IS VERY ACCESSIBLE TO MALAYSIANS AND THE BEST TIME TO VISIT IS 24/7 AS ANYTIME IS A GOOD TIME AS THERE IS NO MONSOON OR INCLEMENT WEATHER! I WENT TO BEACH OF PASSIONATE LOVE IN KELANTAN FEW DAYS AGO AND EROSION IS SO BAD THEY HAVE TO BUILD A RESTRAINING WALL TO KEEP THE WAVES AT BAY! SO SAD, TOO BAD! IT WAS NOT LIKE THAT WHEN I WAS A CHILD GROWING UP AND I HAVE SUCH LOVELEY MEMORIES OF IT!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM
THE 4TH BEST BEACH IN ASIA IS IN MYANMAR AT NGAPALI WHICH IS ALSO OBSCURE. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY PUKA SHELL BEACH ALSO IN BORACAY, PHILIPPINES, THEN AGONDA BEACH IN AGONDA, INDIA AND WHERE IS THAT?

THE 7TH, 8TH AND 9TH BEST ASIAN BEACHES ARE IN THAILAND IN THAT ORDER WHICH IS A MIRACULOUS FEAT! THEY ARE RAILAY, KATA NOI AND PHRA NANG IN RAILAY BEACH, KARON AND AO NANG.

THE 10TH BEST BEACH IN ASIA IS OTRES BEACH (WHAT A WEIRD NAME) IN SIHANOUKVILLE IN CAMBODIA! 

EVEN INDIA, NOT KNOWN FOR BIKINI-CLAD BEACHES, MADE IT TO #11 BEST BEACH AT CANACONA WITH ITS PALOLEM BEACH! IN FACT, INDIA HAS 6 BEST BEACHES IN THE TOP 25! EVEN MORE SHOCKING ARE BEACHES IN JAPAN AND KOREA WHICH MADE IT INTO THE TOP 25 LIST!

JAPAN BOASTS 2 BEACHES IN MIYAKOJIMA AND YAEYAMAN GUN WHILE KOREA'S FAMOUS BUSAN BEACH IS #20! I NEVER KNEW JAPAN HAD ANY BEACHES TO BE PROUD OF AS THE JAPS ARE ALL OVER ASIAN BEACHES WHILE BUSAN'S BEACH IS RATHER UNROMANTIC WITH ITS SKYSCRAPERS LINING THE SHORELINE INSTEAD OF COCONUT TREES.

BALI'S FAMED NUSA DUA BEACH COMES IN AT #13.
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Four of Asia's Top Ten Beaches are in Thailand: TripAdvisor   Four of the Top Ten beaches in Asia are in Thailand, including two in Phuket and two in Krabi, according to a viewership-rated Travellers Choice listing compiled by the popular global travel website TripAdvisor. Phuket’s Nai Harn beach is at the third spot with Railay Beach (Krabi), Kata Noi Beach (Phuket), and Phra Nang Beach (Krabi) coming in respectively at the 7th, 8th and 9th place. The Travellers’ Choice beaches were determined based on the quantity and quality of traveller reviews and ratings on TripAdvisor gathered over a 12-month period. Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said, “Thailand’s world-renowned beaches attract millions of foreign and domestic tourists every year.  "We are delighted that they have been recognised by TripAdvisor travellers. This is exactly why the Royal Thai government is working hard to ensure that proper quality control measures are enacted and enforced to avoid congestion and preserve their pristine condition.” Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor, said, “It’s that time of year when most people are dreaming of lying on a beach, so it’s the perfect time to unveil the world’s best beaches, based on feedback from the TripAdvisor community.” Mr. Thawatchai added, “We would like to thank TripAdvisor and all travellerrs for their comments and ratings. Such feedback plays an important role in helping us maintain standards and ensure that all our tourists and guests have a comfortable and pleasant holiday in Thailand.” Here is how the TripAdvisor website rated the four Thai beaches: 3. Nai Harn Beach, Rawai, Thailand “The white sand, the crystal clear water and the beautiful weather—just sublime.” Best time to go: Year-round Find a place to stay 30 Hotels 34 B&B and Inns 370 Vacation Rentals 7. Railay Beach Railay Beach, Thailand “Lifesaver” Best time to go: Year-round Find a place to stay 11 Hotels 1 B&B and Inns 107 Vacation Rentals 8. Kata Noi Beach Karon, Thailand “Kata Noi is a sweet chilled out beach” Best time to go: November – April Find a place to stay 72 Hotels 77 B&B and Inns 73 Vacation Rentals  9. Phra Nang Beach Ao Nang, Thailand “Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful” Best time to go: Year-round Find a place to stay 90 Hotels 91 B&B and Inns 97 Vacation Rentals A more detailed redefinition of the ratings on the basis of Top Ten Beaches in Thailand alone generated the following results: 1.     Nai Harn Beach, Phuket 2.     Railay Beach, Krabi 3.     Kata Noi Beach, Phuket 4.     Phra Nang Beach, Krabi 5.     Sunrise Beach, Satun 6.     Thong Nai Pan Noi, Surat Thani 7.     Karon Beach, Phuket 8.     Freedom Beach, Phuket 9.     Long Beach, Krabi 10.   Laem Tong Bay, Krabi