This Thai beach was named the most ‘paradisiacal’ in Asia, and travelers say it feels like ‘Thailand 20 years ago’

Your next vacation shouldn’t just be on any beach. It should be a certified paradise. And the family travel specialists at kuoni know exactly where you need to go.

During the summer, the Kuoni team published its list of the 20 most “paradisiacal” beaches in the world. To find out which are truly the best of the best, the team started with a curated list of more than 180 globally recognized beaches, drawn from both in-house travel expertise and recommendations from leading travel publications.

It then analyzed the percentage of positive traveler reviews of each destination on popular review platforms that included the word “paradise” in the title or content. They then ranked those results and named Ao Thong Yee, in the Thai province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, the fourth most paradisiacal beach in the world and the first beach in Asia.

“Located in the Khanom district, a small, quiet fishing village, the beaches of Ao Khanom Bay offer a serene alternative to tourist-heavy Thai beaches,” the findings state. “Ao Thong Yee, ranked fourth in the overall paradise beach ranking, is described by more than 13 percent of reviews as a paradise destination, and travelers mention how they are enchanted by the peaceful local culture, describing it as ‘Thailand from 20 years ago’ and ‘like a private beach most of the time.'”

The team also noted that the beach’s golden yellow sand, stunning rock formations, and abundant palm trees truly make it look like a textbook paradise.

Thailand had two other spots in the top 20: The Surin Islands in Mu Koh Surin National Park ranked No. 10 globally, while Ko Lipe ranked No. 12. As for which stretch of sand took first place, that honor went to a beach in the South Pacific Ocean: Port Olry Beach in Vanuatu.

“People’s expectations of a ‘paradise’ beach will naturally include the classic formula of clean, soft sands and turquoise seas, but with so many beaches meeting that criteria, it’s been very interesting to discover the other factors that make visitors consider a beach a ‘paradise,'” said Marco Rocha, family travel expert at Kuoni, in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. “Our analysis saw that the most common themes, in addition to beach paradise aesthetics, are the opportunity to see wildlife, as well as a sense of privacy and ‘being alone’, all while still having convenient facilities.”