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Asia’s best sunset beaches for spectacular golden hour scenes

If you’re chasing the perfect sunset shot, head to one of these Asian beaches, all of which offer social media gold

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Koh Lipe Longboat travelling during sunset. Photo: Tim Pile

Published: 7:00am, 15 May 2025Updated: 5:02pm, 15 May 2025

Beaches provide a wonderful setting for tropical sunset photography. Skies blaze in a kaleidoscope of crimson, claret and gold while swaying palm trees lend a sense of calm. Strong silhouettes give an image drama and definition. Whether it’s a beachgoer holding a yoga pose or a couple strolling hand in hand along the water’s edge, backlit figures add depth and aesthetic beauty.

Here are seven west-facing Asian beaches with plenty of evening activity to keep snappers happy, along with some suggestions for nearby places to stay, eat and drink.

Narigama, Sri Lanka

Bad light does not stop play at Sri Lanka’s Narigama beach, as these cricketers keep going while the sun goes down. Photo: Tim Pile

Sunsets at Narigama are as reliable as the waves whipped up by the Indian Ocean. After a day spent lazing on the silky white sands, holidaymakers gather at beachside cafes and restaurants, phones or cameras at the ready. Some stand ankle-deep in the surf, photographing the fiery orb as it sinks below the horizon, but it’s often more effective to step back and include foreground elements. A surfer heading out for one last wave, perhaps, or children playing beach cricket in the fast-fading light.

Snap away as the final flecks of colour fade from the sky, then head to Neela’s Beach Inn, a relaxed oceanfront restaurant and guest house known for its seafood. While the catch of the day sizzles in the kitchen, ask Chamara Prasad – the manager and himself an amateur photographer with a passion for sunsets – to help you choose your best shots.

Varkala, India

A tourist on a rope swing silhouetted against the early evening sky at Varkala Beach, just after a summer storm. Photo: Tim Pile

In Varkala, a bustling town in India’s Kerala state, no two sunsets are ever quite the same. During the golden hours – the 60 minutes following sunrise and before sundown – the Arabian Sea takes on a molten glow. This image (above) was taken after a cleansing summer storm, the air freshly rinsed and the sky gleaming. Palm trees gently sway and the tourist on a rope swing creates a bold silhouette. Out of shot, fishermen haul in their nets after a day at sea.

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