I've Spent 10 Years Exploring Indonesia—These Are the Most Breathtaking Beaches I've Found

Travel + Leisure

3 days ago

When I first moved to Bali, Indonesia, in 2014, I found myself swiftly enchanted by the island—the charming locals, the singular Balinese Hindu culture, and the swoon-worthy, emerald green jungles and abundant rice terraces. But as a certified ocean addict and surfer, it was the beaches and sublime stretches of sand that had me completely wowed.
To find my little slices of coastal paradise, I've hiked hundreds of steps down to Nyang Nyang on the Bukit Peninsula, past cows and monkeys, to reach a turquoise heaven where I hardly saw another soul. I fell so hard for the island, I eventually built a house and split my time there, later moving permanently with my family. It's no secret, though, that Bali has only gotten more popular in recent years, and now many of the places I once deemed 'secret' are busy.
Exploring Indonesia—an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands—over a decade has led me to some truly jaw-dropping beaches, some gloriously desolate, others vibrantly alive with international travelers, expats, and locals.
These are the seven best beaches in Indonesia that go beyond Bali. Idyllic Mawun beach in the Kuta area of south Lombok.
Picture electric turquoise water so bright it's almost glowing, and soft, powdery sand that wraps around in a horseshoe shape between two shapely hills, and you have Mawun, an off-the-beaten-path beach. I sunbathed here years ago, and during my time, sweet local kids ran up with petite juicy pineapples (cut and held upside down like ice cream cones) and mangos to sell. Mawun is only about six miles (about a 15 to 20 minute drive) from Kuta, one of South Lombok's main tourist villages, where you'll find plenty of eateries, day spas, charming hotels, and resorts such as Pullman Lombok Merujani Mandalika Beach Resort. Sunset at Bwanna beach on Sumba.
GregoriousOne of the most dramatic and exciting beaches I've ever laid bare feet on in Indonesia is on the idyllic island of Sumba, southeast of Bali, by a couple of islands—it's almost Bali's complete opposite in terms of development and tourism. A guide from the gorgeously designed resort Cap Karoso (it made Travel + Leisure 's 2024 It List, with its own long, beautiful beach) took us to the spectacularly secluded Mbawana Beach, about an hour away on the ultra-quiet isle, where we encountered locals cooking nasi jagung (rice with corn) amid corn fields before embarking on the steep but worthwhile descent down a cliffside. Pro tip: go at low tide for enough space to enjoy the beach and rock formations, which are otherworldly. A unique pink sand beach on Komodo Island.Perhaps the most Instagrammable beach in all of the archipelago is the famed Komodo Pink Beach (also called Pantai Merah, which translates to 'red beach') in Komodo National Park. And yes, it's truly, vividly pink, thanks to tiny fragments of red coral that blend with the sand. The popular spot is only accessible by boat, often a feature of day trips from hotels like Ta'aktana, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Labuan Bajo, or Ayana Komodo Waecicu Beach on the nearby island of Flores that include visits to the famous prehistoric-looking Komodo dragons. Be sure your phone is charged up to capture the extraordinary combo of pink and cyan. A boat approaches Padar Kecil on Padar Island.One of my all-time favorite beach experiences anywhere in the world is so under the radar it's not even Google-able. While sailing on the luxurious phinisi charter Vela, the captain dropped anchor near Padar Island (home to a fabulous 40-minute climb to the top for sensational 360-degree panoramas) and then ferried a few of us to Padar Kecil beside it, letting us off in crystalline shallows the color of topaz. The soft, sandy, shallow bottom made swimming and floating about absolutely divine, while the beach itself is the definition of perfection. Bring a picnic or some beverages and you could happily spend all day soaking in rays and views on what feels like an unknown private beach. Wild horses on Nihiwatu beach on Sumba.
Besides one of my life's most unforgettable surfing experiences on the private wave beyond, Nihiwatu Beach—stretching along one of T+L World's Best Hotels, Nihi Sumba—is iconic for its band of horses that run freely atop its sands, frolicking, rolling, and splashing in the water each afternoon. The sandalwood ponies and other equine beauties are not the only creatures enjoying the wide, long white beach, of course, but they do add a dose of awe to every beach day. And there's nothing quite like riding one into the surf for a once-in-a-lifetime horseback swim. Looking down onto hidden Suwehan beach on Nusa Penida.Intrepid beachgoers and adventurers should have no problem making it the 20-minute stair hike on foot to Suwehan Beach on Nusa Penida, technically part of Bali, even though it's a separate island to the southwest, accessible by fast boat. It's the stuff of postcards and paintings, hugged by cliffs with improbably radiant aquamarine water and a giant conical rock formation right in the middle of the bay. For the most enjoyment, visit during lower tides and, if you're planning on capturing photos and videos, in the morning for the best light. It's also worth swinging by Atuh with its own 166-stair descent and striking setting. Overwater villas at Bawah Reserve, a secluded eco-resort in Indonesia's Anambas Islands.
Courtesy of Elang at Bawah Reserve
In the far-flung Anambas archipelago, the Robinson Crusoe-gone-glam private island eco-resort Bawah Reserve has 13 virginal beaches on its own sparkling blue lagoons, but one in particular is particularly unspoiled, raw and perfect: Coconut Beach. There aren't any facilities and guests must hike to reach the north-facing beach with almost blindingly white sand, but the effort is more than justified by a paradisiacal setting with mangroves, the clearest water and palms—private picnics are available, too.