Bali leads Travel + Leisure’s 2025 Luxury Awards Asia Pacific for best islands, as chosen by their readers.
Travel+Leisure, a renowned travel magazine, has announced the list of the top 10 Asia Pacific Luxury Award winners for the best islands travelers can plan for their next vacation.
Whether you love the laidback vibes of Bali or are on a food hunt in Malaysia, these 10 award-winning island destinations offer unforgettable experiences.
Best Islands To Visit In Asia Pacific
Here are the 10 best islands voted by T+L’s readers in Asia Pacific’s Luxury Awards for 2025.
Photo: Handar Gate, Bali, Indonesia / Pexels1. Bali, Indonesia
Bali wins the best islands category of T+L’s Asia Pacific Luxury Awards for 2025. The pristine beaches, cultural diversity, and vibrant nightlife offer a mystical tapestry to unfold.
From Ubud’s sacred temples to infinity pools, overlooking rice terraces and holistic Balinese spa culture, Bali never ceases to amaze. Watch the traditional Kecak dance with fire, which represents verses from the epic Ramayana, during sunset. Take a cooking session or jewelry-making class in Celuk, or enjoy a sunrise hike up Mount Batur.
2. Koh Samui, Thailand
Koh Samui ranks second in the Asia Pacific’s best islands Awards of 2025, praised for its seamless blend of tropical glamour and serenity.
Thailand’s second-largest island, with its palm-lined beaches, coconut groves, tropical rainforests, and luxury resorts blended harmoniously with historical landmarks and cultural tapestry, has enticed travelers for a long time.
Try yoga at sunrise, take a boat trip to Ang Thong Marine Park, or enjoy a candlelight dinner by the oceanfront. Experience local culture in Bophut’s fisherman village with its traditional shop houses and local eateries.
Photo: Cable Car Ride over An Thoi Archipelago, Phu Quoc Island, Thailand3. Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s biggest island, ranked third in the Asia Pacific’s Best Islands Award for 2025, honored for its sustainable and affordable tourism initiatives.
The island’s old charms blended seamlessly with Vietnamese and Cambodian cultural influences.
With its impressive development of luxury resorts and entertainment complexes, Phu Quoc has become an emerging island vacation destination after Phuket. Walk along a 150-km-long coastline lined with trees or go snorkeling and deep-sea diving under coral reefs.
Don’t miss a panoramic ride over the An Thoi archipelago on the world’s longest non-stop three-rope cable car. The bustling Duong Dong street food market invites visitors to savor authentic Vietnamese delicacies.
While the Sunset Town impresses with its colorful houses and souvenir shops. Experience a grand world of entertainment and retail complexes, featuring the Teddy Bear Museum,
El Nido tower, Palawan, Philippines; Photo- National Geographic4. Palawan, Philippines
Often called “the last frontier” of the Philippines, Palawan ranks next in the queue on T+L Asia Pacific’s Best Island Awards.
From El Nido’s dramatic limestone cliffs to Japanese shipwrecks of Corono, Palawan attracts visitors with its untouched natural charms paired with modernity and luxury.
For adventurous souls, snorkeling in the underwater paradise of Tubbataha Reef is hard to miss. Paddle through the tunnels of the Puerto Princesa cave system, one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
Photo: Phuket Big Buddha statue, Thailand / Pexels5. Phuket, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand’s most favored and luxurious island destination, has earned the fifth place in Asia Pacific’s best islands Luxury Awards for 2025 for its accessibility, luxe stays, Michelin-starred menus, and diverse cultural appeal.
Explore the colonial charms of Phuket’s Old Town, dotted with quirky Portuguese cafes, art galleries, architectural blends, and night markets buzzing with Thai food aromas. Hike up to the iconic Big Buddha for sunset views or hop on a boat ride or kayak to the hidden coves and secret lagoons.
6. Langkawi, Malaysia
Langkawi, Malaysia’s Jewel of Kedah, jumped to its place as one of the top six T+L’s Best Islands Awards this year.
This 99-island archipelago charms with its UNESCO-listed geoparks, scenic cable rides, lush rainforests, and diverse cultural landscape. Escape the bustling city life and cruise along the mangrove forests to spot wildlife up close, or visit the Crocodile Adventure Land to witness these ferocious beasts.
Explore a themed park in Oriental Village- home to the majestic Eagle Statue, overlooking the Andaman Sea. Steal a deal on a duty-free shopping spree at the island’s night market.
Photo: Elephant spotting on a wildlife safari, Yala, Sri Lanka / Pexels7. Sri Lanka
Roughly the size of Ireland, with white-sandy beaches, tropical jungles, misty mountain towns, ancient World Heritage sites, and rich wildlife, Sri Lanka has earned seventh rank in the Asia Pacific’s Best Islands Award for 2025.
Famously known as the ‘Pearl of the India Ocean,’ this small island nation is a treasure trove of nature, adventure, culture, and food.
From the rope swings at Dalawella Beach to spotting leopards and elephants on a safari in Yala, discovering ancient rock fortresses and cave temples, to experiencing local life with the traditional culinary scene, Sri Lanka has something to offer to every traveler.
Photo: Lapopu Waterfall in Sumba, Indonesia / Explore Sumba8. Sumba, Indonesia
Another hidden gem of Indonesia has made it to T+L’s Asia Pacific Best Islands Awards for its well-preserved megalithic culture and unique traditional beliefs.
Sumba, known for its uncrowded beaches, wild coastlines, and secluded waterfalls, has been a favorite destination among surfers and nature lovers. Swim in the crystal clear waters of the island’s secluded lagoons, trek to the cascading waterfalls of Lapopu and Tanggedu, or go surfing on tidal waves at Nihiwatu Beach.
Explore the local lifestyle in traditional Indonesian villages to witness the ancient megalithic sites or spot endangered wildlife species in their natural habitat in Laiwangi Wanggameti National Park.
Photo: Khoo Kongsi Temple in George Town, Penang / Pexels9. Penang, Malaysia
Penang, called the food capital of Malaysia, living up to its name, has ranked second to the last on the Asia Pacific Best Islands Award list of Travel+Leisure.
Explore the island’s multi-cultural landmarks, including Clan Jetties’ historic waterfront villages of Chinese immigrants, Kek Lo Si Buddhist temple, and the restored Blue Mansion.
Take a funicular to Penang Hilltop for panoramic cityscape, natural walkways, and the Habitat Penang Hill’s rainforest.
Wander through the colorful streets of George Town- the island’s capital, boasting colonial architecture, vibrant street art, and the bustling night market of Batu Feringghi.
Photo: Siargoa, Philippines / Pexels10. Siargao, Philippines
Evie Carrick, T+L’s published travel expert, from one of her Philippines voyages, expressed Siargao to be ‘what Bali must have been in the 70s.’
The island is quite popular among surfers and adventurers for its famous Cloud 9’s wave, trio-island hopping tours, and water sports.
Witness the stingless jellyfish in Sohoton Cove, swing over the Massin River, or go for snorkeling or kayaking in turquoise lagoons. Enjoy the sunset views from the beach coastline dotted with palm trees.
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Top 10 Most Beautiful Islands in the World You Should Visit in 2025
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