Beaches in Malaysia

Known For : Kota Kinabalu City Mosque Mount Kinabalu Manukan Island

Kota Kinabalu, commonly referred to as KK, is the capital of Sabah. The city lies on the fringes of the South China Sea and also hosts Mount Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu also forms the gateway to Borneo Island. Tourists throng this place each year and visit the many markets and beaches. Another famous landmark of this city, apart from Mount Kinabalu, is the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, located on the waterfront.

Best Time: September to December

22 Kota Kinabalu Attractions

Perhentian Islands are a group of islands in Besut District in the Terengganu state of Malaysia. They are home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Malaysia with clear-turquoise waters, lush green forests, grainy white sand and untouched coral reefs. They are a part of Pulau Redang National Marine Park. The islands are perfect for swimming, diving, and snorkelling, with well-developed resorts.

There are several diving schools on the islands that provide the tourists with diving training and an open sea license called PADI. These schools charge approximately RM 100 per dive per person.

Batu Ferringhi is Penang's popular beach destination. The beach here is spotless and always bustling with people. Batu Ferringhi has a long, clean stretch of sand and many beach resorts dotted along the shoreline. Jalan Batu Ferringhi is an adjoining road that houses the resorts, shops and restaurants that you can visit. Plenty of water sports activities are arranged at this beach, including parasailing, jet-skiing and even windsurfing.

Mersing is a small coastal town located in the Johor State of Malaysia. It is well-known for its ferry jetty ports that connect ships and boats to several islands nearby. Most of the people pass through Mersing while going to Tioman Island. It is a perfect place to escape from the engrossing metropolitan life to spend a day on peaceful beaches and experience the Malay Village life.

Tioman Island is located in the Rompin District of Pahang and is home to some of the most idyllic beaches in Malaysia. The 20km long and 11km wide island also houses cascading waterfalls, rigorous jungles and laid-back fishing villages. A major area of the island is forest cover and is a habitat for a variety of flora and fauna. Coral Reefs are the prime attraction of Tioman making it a hotspot for water activities like snorkelling, surfing and scuba diving. Despite being a popular attraction in Malaysia, Tioman Island remains unspoilt and pristine.

Situated on Langkawi Island, Pantai Cenang is one of the busiest beach towns only 10-15 minutes away from Langkawi International Airport. With its clear water and white sand, it is a popular spot for watching sunsets, swimming, sunbathing and sun lounging. Located on the western shoreline, Pantai Cenang offers a vibrant nightlife with its splendid beachfront bars and classy lounges.

Situated along Pantai Pasir Hatim at the northern end of Langkawi, Tanjung Rhu is one of Malaysia's best beaches. Secluded from the heavy crowd and buzz of the city, the 50-metre wide beach is popular for its cleanliness, calming atmosphere and bewitching sunset views. n Malay, ‘Tanjung’ means ‘Cape’ and ‘Rhu’ is from the species of evergreen trees, known as Sea Pine Tree. So, on the way to the beach, one can spot jungles of evergreen trees with green cliffs and a small lake with campers and few cafes.

Tanjung Aru Beach, located near the west coast of Kota Kinabalu is one of the most iconic attractions in Sabah and is a great place for all types of visitors, from couples to families. Tanjung Aru Beach is one of the best spots to catch a breathtaking sunset. The beautiful beach is divided into three parts, and are known as the First, Second and Third Beaches respectively. With lively music and entertainment everywhere, the nighttime at Tanjung Aru Beach is a stark contrast to its beautiful daytime vibes.

Redang Island is one of the largest islands on Malaysia’s East Coast. Located in the South China Sea, it is a part of the Kuala Nerus District of Kuala Terengganu. It is a group of islands well-known for its crystal clear water offering a picturesque diving experience among the pristine coral reefs and underwater life. The beaches on Redang Island are known to be some of the best resort beaches in Malaysia.

Pangkor Island has everything packed for a refreshing vacation right from a vibrant Chinatown to quiet lovely beaches. Trek lovers will find the uphill trek through the jungle quite exhilarating. Also, Pangkor Island's many beaches including Coral and Nipah are ideal for water sports like snorkelling and parasailing. While the east coast is where the local people live, the west coast of Pangkor Island is popular for tourist accommodations.

Known For : Pusat Ikan Hiasan Teluk Kemang Observatory Wan Loong Chinese Temple

Port Dickson is a charming coastal city in the Negeri Sembilan region of Malaysia, south of Kuala Lumpur. Located in Peninsular Malaysia, this city is serenaded by the cool blue waters of the straits of Malacca, giving it distinctive long beaches. This makes Port Dickson a popular weekend retreat for Kuala Lumpurians and tourists alike.

17 Port Dickson Attractions

Tucked into the beautiful north-western coast off Sabah Borneo, Kapalai is a unique resort beach island that is actually a low-tide sandbank above the biodiverse Ligitan Reef. Rated among the most picture-perfect beaches in Malaysia, Kapalai Island Beach’s warm turquoise waters and coral reefs make for excellent snorkelling and kayaking. Additionally, the instagrammable stilted overwater chalets, oceanfront luxury restaurants and lush tropics draw worldwide tourists, honeymooners and scuba divers to this place.

Pantai Klebang is a popular beach in Melaka, located near 1 Malaysian Square. The beach is well known for its white sand dunes and is a perfect backdrop for photographs. The Klebang Beach is a great place for fun-filled family activities such as horse riding, flying kites and enjoying the beautiful beach. The beach also has a playground for children and there are several food trucks beside the playground which serve delicious snacks. It is particularly famous for its coconut shakes and food trucks.

Desaru Beach is a picturesque beach located to the east of Johor Bahru. The entire stretch of 25 kilometers is clean and lined by tall casuarinas trees making the area perfect for photo ops. The visitors enjoy a host of usual beach activities such as swimming, boating and fishing in the waters of South China Sea. Desaru Beach is ideal for spending a quiet and relaxing day for the locals with a car park, barbecue pits and washrooms available for use.

Teluk Chempedak, also known as Palm Beach, is a beautiful white sandy beach located 5 kilometres from Kuantan in Pahang. The boardwalk here offers amazing views of the beach with the jungle on the other side and connects to the Missionary Beach. Geologically, Chempedak Beach is quite special among the beaches in Malaysia since it had witnessed volcanic activity a long time back. This led to the formation of three-layer rocks, made up of basalt, dolerite and granite.

Pantai Batu Hitam is located about 10 kilometers from Kuantan, the capital city of Pahang. Batu Hitam is the Malay name for Black Rock Beach, which, as the name suggests, is formed out of fair, white sands and black volcanic rocks. The beach is famous not only for its unique rocky, sandy surface, but also for its therapeutic benefits and calming surroundings. For the ones looking for some fun activities to indulge in, Batu Hitam has a batik workshop as well as various sport activities to participate in.

One of the only oceanic islands in Malaysia, Sipadan is the epitome of marine richness. It is, hands down, the most popular diving site in the country. Apart from serving as a reliable diving site, Sipadan Island enhances the diving experience because of the variety of sea creatures that breathe here. Some of the breeds include bumphead parrotfish, porcupine pufferfish, clown triggerfish, and unicornfish.

Translated as the 'Beach of Passionate Love', Pantai Cahaya Bulan is a lively scenic bay in the cosmopolitan Kota Bharu town. Ideal for water sports like swimming or kayaking, family picnics and horse riding, Pantai Cahaya Bulan is lined with rustic rice farms, modern seafood restaurants, BBQ stalls, and a white sandy sprawl studded with lush groves and souvenir shops.

A pleasant sun-soaked corner in Cherang Ruku for tourists and water sports lovers, Pantai Bisikan Bayu or the Beach of Whispering Breeze is fringed with casuarinas, coconut and palm trees. Overlooking an azure stretch of Kelantan coastline, Pantai Bisikan Bayu houses a stunning lagoon, stylish resorts, and diving and snorkelling zones. On the beachfront promenade, vendors and cafés offer lip-smacking BBQ delicacies.

Named after the gently hushing sound of the sea breeze, Pantai Irama or Beach of Melody is Kelantan’s most beautiful beach facing the South China Sea. Frequented by families, children and concert-goers, Pantai Irama’s beauty extends beyond its clear blue waters to the hip motels, luscious low-rise hills, seafood restaurants, bars, beach barbeques and tourist attractions like War Weapon Museum and Grand Palace.

Once a quiet fishing village, Tanjung Bungah is a contemporary beach town in the suburbs of Batu Ferringhi. Touted as one of Penang’s most pristine beaches, Tanjung Bungah is an abode for water sports and BBQ lovers, camping and picnics. The Floating Mosque, Port Lighthouse, verdant beachfront mountains, arrays of high-rises housing resorts and lifestyle plazas are must-visits here.

In the farrago of Langkawi islands lay a serene beach, the Black Sand Beach which is fully covered with black sand and clear water. Popular leisure spot during weekends, it is a perfect place for capturing some incredible photographs, picnicking and sunbathing. The black colour of the sand comes due to the mineral content from the Mount Raya granites deposited on the golden sand.

Time Required : 1-2 hours