Beaches in Indonesia

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It comprises 17,508 islands, most of them surrounded by the ocean. So, there are plenty of beaches to explore. Whether you want to soak up the sun, swim, dive, snorkel or just relax, you’ll definitely find the best beach for you in Indonesia.

Some of the best beaches in Indonesia are:

Dreamland Beach, Bali

This is one of the most popular beaches in Indonesia , known as good diving and surfing spot. It is possible to camp on the beach. Near the beach there is accommodation and you can find some good places to eat, too.

Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno Islands


If you are looking for a secluded place, away from the crowds , these is where you should come. Gili Trawangan has the most tourist facilities and is the smallest island in the world to have an Irish pub. There are no motorized vehicles on the islands, so you’ll get to work out a bit (cycling is the way to get around here).

Other isolated beaches can be found in Pulau Derawan (East Kalimantan), Banda Islands (Maluku) and Mawan Beach (West Nusa Tenggara)

Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra

This group of islands is known as an excellent surf destination in Indonesia.

Another great place to surf is Kuta Beach (Bali), which is one of the major travel destinations in Indonesia. Or you can head to Pangandaran (Java), also known for its excellent surfing.

Bunaken, North Sulawesi

Those who want to snorkel and dive will love this area. It is part of the Bunaken National Marine Park, which is home to a high diversity of corals, fish, echinoderms and sponges. It is said that the area has seven times more genera of coral than Hawaii. It is also possible to hike on the island but the paths are poorly marked.

Other good diving beach areas include: Karimun Java (Central Java), Nusa Penida (Bali), Sanur (Bali)

Nusa Dua beaches, Bali


This is a destination for those looking for glitz and glamour. It’s a lovely place to swim, while the high end hotels are here and there’s also a golf course near-by.

You can also experience high end dining in Jimbaran, a fishing village in Bali.

Photo credits : Gili Islands , Nusa Dua