20 best Asian islands to explore: Islands to add to your bucket list

20 best Asian islands to explore: Islands to add to your bucket list

The world is a lovely place, full of secrets and surprises. It has a diversified population, a rich culture, great weather, and varied scenery. Asia is one of the world's greatest continents. The continent welcomes you with its grandeur, breathtaking mountain ranges, magnificent sites, lush green valleys, busy towns, cultural pleasures, beautiful beaches, and islands. But what are the best Asian islands to visit?

Asian islands
An aerial view of the Orata Island being restored under the support of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mugla Sitki Kocman University. Photo: Durmus Genc (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

While each part of Asia is unique, one thing remains: some of the most significant islands in Asia contain pockets of sun and calm that so many tourists desire. These locations are where tranquil blue seas lap warm sandy beaches as they pool throughout the continent's boundaries and isles.

Best Asian islands to visit

If you want to experience white beaches that go on forever, turquoise oceans teeming with aquatic creatures, towering cliffs, lush rainforests, and palm trees for days, Asia is the place to go. Here is a list of islands in Asia to explore.

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1. Koh Rong – Cambodia

Asian islands
Tourists walk along a beach on Koh Rong island in Sihanoukville province. Photo: TANG CHHIN Sothy
Source: Getty Images

Koh Rong is a Cambodian island located in the Sihanoukville Province. It is well-known for its coral reefs and sandy coves. The lush rainforest landscape inland is filled with waterfalls and coconut palms.

2. Bali – Indonesia

Asian islands
A father with his child walks in the morning around the paddy field in Mancingan Village, Gianyar Regency, Bali, Indonesia, on 19 May 2023. Photo: Garry Lotulung
Source: Getty Images

Bali is a tropical Indonesian island famous for its wooded volcanic highlands, signature rice fields, beaches, and coral reefs. Religious structures like the cliffside Uluwatu Temple may be found on the isle.

3. Lombok – Indonesia

Asian islands
A view of underwater marine life, a group of Moorish Idol (Zanclus comutus) swims at Gili Trawangan in Lombok, Indonesia on 18 April 2022. Photo: Anton Raharjo
Source: Getty Images

Lombok is an Indonesian island located east of Bali and west of Sumbawa, a Lesser Sunda Island series section. It's famous for its beaches and surfing places, notably in south Lombok at Kuta and Banko Banko.

4. Ko Lipe – Thailand

Asian islands
This photograph, taken on 19 December 2020, shows longtail boats moored at a beach on Koh Lipe island in the Andaman Sea. Photo: Mladen ANTONOV
Source: Getty Images

Thailand's Ko Lipe is an isle in the Andaman Sea close to Malaysia's border. It is a section of Tarutao National Marine Park, home to several little islets and renowned for the abundance of coral in its seas. Pattaya and Hat Chao Le are only two of the island's beautiful beaches.

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5. Singapore

Asian islands
This aerial picture shows the docked Indonesian hospital ship Radjiman Wedyodiningrat during the final day of the ASEAN Natuna Solidarity Exercise 2023. Photo: Bay ISMOYO
Source: Getty Images

Singapore, formally the Republic of Singapore, is an island republic and city-state in Southeast Asia's maritime region. It boasts the world's second-greatest population density while having various green and recreational places due to urban planning.

6. Ko Tao – Thailand

Asian islands
An aerial view of the southern coastline in Ko Tao, Thailand. Tourism has picked up in Thailand but has not come close to pre-covid levels. Photo: Stephen J. Boitano
Source: Getty Images

Ko Tao is a Thai island. Restaurants, bars, and diving shops abound on Mae Haad Beach and near Sai Ri Beach. Ko Tao is famous for its tropical coral reefs, home to whale sharks and rays. Green turtles and Hawksbill congregate here to mate.

7. Bohol – Philippines

Asian islands
ALONA BEACH, ILE DE PANGLAO, BOHOL, PHILIPPINES. Photo: Bruno PEROUSSE
Source: Getty Images

Bohol is a Philippine province located in the Central Visayas area. It is made up of Bohol Island and several smaller adjacent islets. Bohol is famous for its coral reefs and distinctive geological formations, particularly the Chocolate Hills.

8. Gili – Indonesia

Asian islands
This aerial picture taken on 22 November 2021 shows boats anchored along an empty Gili Trawangan resort island beach. Photo: BAY ISMOYO
Source: Getty Images

The Gili Islands are a series of three small islets, Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air, in Indonesia along the coast of northwest Lombok Island. They are recognised for their coral reefs immediately offshore, which are characterised by sandy beaches bordered by palm trees.

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9. Raja Ampat Regency – Indonesia

Asian islands
This photo taken on 21 August 2017 shows the blue sea around Raja Ampat, which means Four Kings in Indonesian, in Indonesia's far eastern Papua. Photo: GOH CHAI HIN
Source: Getty Images

The Raja Ampat Islands are an Indonesian archipelago located off the northwest tip of West Papua's Bird's Head Peninsula. Raja Ampat, which consists of dozens of jungle-covered isles, is famous for its coral reefs and beaches teeming with marine life.

10. Côn Đảo – Vietnam

Asian islands
The Con Dao Islands (Vietnamese: Côn Đảo) are an archipelago of Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu Province in southeastern Vietnam and are a district of this province. Photo: Pictures From History
Source: Getty Images

Côn Đảo is a series of islands located off Vietnam's southeast coast. They are well-known for their coral reefs, sandy beaches, and marine life. The shores of Bảy Cạnh Island are a turtle breeding area, with several diving spots in the surrounding clean seas.

11. Palawan – Philippines

Asian islands
Lowland forest in Puerto Princesa, Subterranean River National Park, Palawan, Philippines. Photo: David Tipling
Source: Getty Images

Palawan is a Philippine island famed for its magnificent limestone structures, crystal clear sea, and lovely tropical beaches. As a result, it's an excellent choice for an exciting trip filled with outdoor activities!

12. Siquijor – Philippines

Asian islands
A half-submerged photograph of the clear waters and sandy beaches that Siquijor Island offers to tourists and vacationers looking for an eco-holiday. Photo: Jonas Gratzer
Source: Getty Images

Siquijor is the ideal destination for anyone wishing to unwind and take in the breathtaking scenery of the Philippines. This lovely isle in the Visayas area is well-known for its clean beaches, clear seas, and rich forest surroundings.

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13. Phu Quoc – Vietnam

Asian islands
Tourists at the Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, on Saturday, 6 April 2022. Photo: SeongJoon Cho
Source: Getty Images

Phu Quoc Island is a prominent tourist destination in Vietnam and one of Asia's top islands for foreign and local visitors. It is the most significant island in Vietnam and is situated south of Vietnam and Cambodia.

14. Yakushima – Japan

Asian islands
Yakushima is a subtropical island south of Kyushu covered by huge cedar forests containing some of Japan's oldest living trees, some thousands of years old. Photo: John S Lander
Source: Getty Images

Yakushima is a Japanese island notable for its animals and cedar trees. It is located in Kagoshima Prefecture. It's a refuge for nature and outdoor enthusiasts, owing to its numerous hiking paths.

15. Okinawa – Japan

Asian islands
Photo taken 2 May 2023 shows the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture. Photo: Kyodo News
Source: Getty Images

Okinawa is a subtropical series of islands in southern Japan that offers visitors beautiful beaches and outdoor activities, tourist sites, a distinct culture, and delicious food. The middle region of Okinawa Main Island, which includes the capital Nara, is urbanised and highly inhabited, whereas the northernmost Yambaru region is primarily wooded hills and tiny fishing villages.

16. Boracay – Philippines

Asian islands
Tourists visit the Lourdes grotto on the main beach of Boracay, Aklan, the Philippines, on Wednesday, 23 March 2022. Photographer: Veejay Villafranca
Source: Getty Images

Boracay is a Philippine island famed for its gorgeous and pure white sand beaches. People visit this little islet for the tranquil atmosphere, as well as for the nightlife. It has even been recognised in several travel publications as one of the most frequently visited vacation destinations and gorgeous isles.

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17. Phuket – Thailand

Asian islands
General view of Ao Yon beach in Phuket. Photo: Maksim Konstantinov
Source: Getty Images

Phuket, a rainforested, hilly island in the Andaman Sea, is home to some of Thailand's most famous beaches, mainly along the western shore's pristine seas. The isle has several high-end beachfront spas, resorts, and restaurants.

18. Phi Phi – Thailand

Asian islands
Thailand, Ko Phi Phi: The world-famous Maya Bay in the early morning, before the ample tourist flow arrives. Photo: Carola Frentzen
Source: Getty Images

The Phi Phi Islands are a Thai island group located between the big island of Phuket and the Thai coast of the Malacca Strait. The isles are geographically part of Krabi Province.

19. Perhentian – Malaysia

Asian islands
Boot, Felsen, Meer, Pulau Besar, Perhentian Inseln, Malaysia. Photo: Schöning
Source: Getty Images

The Perhentian Islands in Malaysia are extremely popular with snorkelers and divers because the reefs and crystalline seas are habitats to a diverse array of sea turtles, coral, sharks, and colourful fish.

20. Mojo – Indonesia

Asian islands
Boats in the bay in front of the small village Moyo Labuon on Moyo Island, off the coast of Sumbawa Island, Indonesia. Photo: Wolfgang Kaehler
Source: Getty Images

It is one of the best Southeast Asian islands. Mojo is an isle in the Indonesian province of West Nusa Tenggara. The isle is virtually desolate and unexplored to most tourists; the population is around 1,000 people divided into six communities, all relying on fishing and farming.

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What are the Asian islands called?

They are called the Malay Archipelago. How many islands are there in Asia? The Malay Archipelago is the world's most significant isles, consisting of more than 17,000 Indonesian islands and around 7,000 Philippine isles. The term "East Indies" is occasionally used interchangeably with the archipelago.

What 3 countries are islands in Asia?

Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines are island countries. Singapore is an island republic and city-state in Southeast Asia's maritime region. Brunei is a tiny tropical nation in Southeast Asia, located on the northern shore of the island of Borneo.

The Philippines is a Southeast Asian island republic in the western Pacific Ocean. It is an archipelago made up of about 7,000 islands.

How many countries are in Asia Island?

Asia has nine island countries. They include Taiwan, Bahrain, East Timor, Brunei, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Maldives, and Japan. Which is the largest island in Asia? Pulau Borneo (Indonesian: Kalimantan) is the world's third-biggest isle and the largest in Asia.

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Above are some of the best Asian islands to explore. Asia has been graced with some of the most gorgeous paradise isles on the planet, with everything from pristine beaches and crystal-clear oceans to lush forests and hiking trails.

Best Asian islands to explore
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Yen.com.gh recently published a list of the most famous explorers of all time. Throughout history, notable explorers have gone on dangerous trips to explore uncharted places, push the frontiers of human understanding, and satisfy their insatiable curiosities.

Famous explorers throughout history improved people's understanding of geography, culture, and natural history by pushing the frontiers of what they knew about the globe. Their contributions to advancing technology, business, and diplomacy continue to motivate and impact people today.

Source: YEN.com.gh

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