Global Reader Survey Crowns Bali as Asia's Best Island of 2025

KBRN, Jakarta: Bali was named the Best Island in Asia in the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards by Condé Nast Traveller UK, announced in October 2025, following an extensive global reader survey that highlighted the island’s excellence in hospitality, sustainability, and destination readiness.

Indonesia’s Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana highlighted the achievement as a reflection of the country's growing tourism ecosystem.

“Bali’s double recognition showcases the strength of Indonesia’s tourism ecosystem from human resource quality and destination readiness to our commitment to sustainability principles,” said Minister Widiyanti in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, as quoted by antaranews.com.

In addition to its UK recognition, Bali was also ranked 6th in Condé Nast Traveler US’s list of Top 10 Islands in Asia, scoring 89.84. It stands among other world-renowned destinations such as Phú Quoc (Vietnam), Langkawi (Malaysia), and Boracay (Philippines).

In 2024, Bali also claimed the Best Island in Asia title from Condé Nast Traveller UK with a score of 96.86, and was ranked 9th globally by Condé Nast Traveler US with a score of 90.15.

She emphasized that such achievements reflect the effectiveness of Indonesia's global tourism branding strategy, Wonderful Indonesia.

“Recognition from two of the world’s most influential travel publications reinforces Wonderful Indonesia’s position as a trusted and admired tourism brand on the international stage,” she explained.

According to Central Berau of Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia recorded 10.04 million international tourist arrivals from January to August 2025, a 10.38 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.

European travelers made up the largest group, with 1,685,275 visitors, significantly outpacing arrivals from the Americas, which totaled 413,236.

Looking ahead, the Tourism Ministry plans to continue strengthening Indonesia’s high-quality tourism ecosystem through digital innovation, integrated promotion, and cross-sector collaboration. The goal is not only to position Indonesia as a top travel destination, but also as a source of inspiration for global tourism development.

The Readers’ Choice Awards are organized annually by Condé Nast Traveler (USA) and Condé Nast Traveller (UK), both part of the international Condé Nast media group.

Winners are selected based on an online survey involving over 500,000 global readers, who rate destinations based on personal experiences across categories such as islands, hotels, airlines, cruise ships, and more. ***