Relaxing places in Asia

Kep once was, and maybe will be soon again, a posh seaside resort town for the elite, but right now it is in between. It is a strange mix of hammock shacks for holidaying locals and upscale resorts for those with money. The beaches are close to nonexistent and the few narrow strips of gray sand are not impressive. As you probably guessed, we didn't stay for long, so we might have failed to find the true "soul of Kep". But the inland surroundings are as beautiful as they are all along the Cambodian coast.

Sihanoukville is Cambodian's answer to a beach resort area. There are several nice beaches around what might one day turn into one connecting town when all the developments are completed. The main beach drag is the crowded Serendipity Beach, which slides into the deserted Ochheuteal Beach. It is a shabby version of Phuket with ramshackle deck chairs, aged jetskis for rent and an endless stream of beach kids, massage ladies, beggers and cheap draft beer. Some people like the edge and seediness of the place (all the middle aged men certainly seem to like it), while others might wish they were in picture-perfect Thailand. Serendipity Beach has a lively backpacker scene where expats, sex tourists and young travellers meet over more cold beers. If you want to escape all the buzz and beach hawkers, hit for easy going Otres Beach further south or one of the many tropical islands off the coast, like Koh Russei (Bamboo Island) or Koh Rong (Monkey Island).

Lying off the coast of Dili, Atauro Island is a great getaway destination, either for a full exploration or just a day trip on Saturdays when the ferry goes. There are good walks and, of course, excellent snorkeling, but else the main thing is just chilling out and tuning in to the simple life. The village of Makili, at the southern tip, is known for its wood carvers. If you cannot make it here, you can usually find a few carvers in Dili, selling their pieces in front of Castaway bar at the waterfront.

Tucked away in a cove on the backside of the hoovering Jesus statue lies one of the best beaches around Dili. It goes under the precise but utterly uncharming name of Jesus Backside Beach. It is a long stretch of white sand with gentle aqua blue water. Even though it is in close proximity to Dili, it is untouched and has some very good snorkeling right from the shore - maybe even some of the best in East Timor.

Check the photo gallery for more Timor beaches along the northern coast.

Bharathpur Beach is considered the best beach on Neil Island by Indian tourists. The long sandy beach is right next to the jetty and has plenty of shade. What makes this beach stand out compared to the other beaches on Neil Island is the calm shallow water and sandy bottom. Considered how chilled Neil Island otherwise is, Bharathpur Beach is a bit crowded with cafes and operators for glass-bottom boats and other water activities.

Though Havelock is getting more and more popular, and not just with Indian tourists, most of Havelock Island is still pristine forest, mangrove and rice paddy fields. There are three main areas with resorts. Govind Nagar Beach (no. 3) near the jetty, Vijay Nagar Beach (no. 5) further south, and Beach 7 (Radhanagar) across the island. Govind Nagar Beach is very narrow with patches of lovely mangrove. There are some nice resorts here with palm filled grounds.

Far south of the main strip of resorts at Govind Nagar Beach lies this gorgeous semi-deserted beach. Deserted because there are no resorts or local houses, semi because there are vendors and snack shacks. There are plenty of shade under the dense green canopies and the sea is tempting azure blue. The beach is apparently named after the many black stones.

Laxmanpur Beach is very photogenic with azure water, long stretch of secluded sandy beach, and on a backdrop of tall tropical trees. The triangular spot with water on two sides is known as “Sunset Point”. Even the narrow road, which winds its way to the small parkering area, is pretty. Since the beach is popular, there is a cluster of small snack stands. Maybe because the beach is directly exposed to the sea, it’s unfortunately littered with sea trash (plastic bottles, old shoes, wrappings, etc.).

Radhanagar Beach is probably the most famous beach on Havelock, well even the Andamans. The sandy beach is long and fringed by palms and tall trees. No resorts are visible from the beach, making the setting surprisingly lush, green and shady. The famous swimming elephant, Rajan, used to roam here at Radhanagar Beach, but unfortunately it passed away due to old age in 2016. Guide books are happy to point out that Radhanagar Beach was named "best beach in Asia" by TIME magazine in 2004, but you better do the judgement.

Travelling India can be stressful at times. It is understandable you might need to get away and just chill for a bit. Perhaps even align some seriously chi issues. On the banks of the Ganges, at the foothills of the Himalayas, restively sits the town of Rishikesh. Spiritual retreats, by the name of Ashrams, literally litter the pint sized town where you can either learn or perfect your yoga mastery. Or you can head down to the river at sunset for the Aarti ceremony and be part of collective prayer. But if that ain't doing it for you, Rishikesh has jumped on the adventure sport bandwagon and you can go rafting or bungy-jumping or zip-lining. Depending how you like your life, you can either cool it down or ramp it up in Rishikesh.