TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Bali and Lombok have been chosen as the best islands in Asia in the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards by the global travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller. On October 7, 2025, the list was announced, placing Bali in first place and Lombok in second place with respective scores of 96.86 and 94.86 out of 100. This position is above Phuket and Koh Samui, two of the most visited islands by tourists worldwide, which were ranked 8th and 9th.
The assessment was conducted on islands worldwide based on their regions. More than 757,000 Cond Nast Traveler readers participated in this survey, sharing their opinions on various travel experiences, including cities, islands, hotels, resorts, cruise ships, spas, and airlines.
“Sadly, snugness is not a voting criteria, but plenty of your picks are nicely crammed with activities, such as the Cook Islands, St Barts and Fernando de Noronha. When it comes to beaches, Ibiza, Bora Bora and Bali lived up to their barefoot reputations, as did Sicily for its food,” according to a statement from Conde Nast Traveller on its website.
Attractions of Bali
Bali also topped the list in the Readers’ Choice Awards. The island is famous not only for its captivating beaches and rice paddies, but also for its strong culture and heritage, which attract tourists. Examples include traditional ceremonies, dances, and ancient temples.
From January to August 2025, Bali welcomed over 4.6 million foreign tourists. It is estimated that the number of foreign tourists visiting the island will reach 7 million by the end of 2025. The island remains the largest contributor to foreign tourist visits to Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara climbed in the rankings compared to last year, moving up from second place. In the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards, the island was in the 10th position with a score of 90.21.
The best islands in Asia in the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards are all in Southeast Asia. Here is the list.
1. Bali, Indonesia, score 96.86
2. Lombok, Indonesia, score 94.86
3. Sri Lanka, score 93.57
4. Boracay, Philippines, score 92.65
5. Koh Lanta, Thailand, score 92.64
6. Koh Chang, Thailand, score 92.14
7. Langkawi, Malaysia, score 91.84
8. Phuket, Thailand, score 91.43
9. Koh Samui, Thailand, score 89.19
10. Penang, Malaysia, score 88.57
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