Sri Lanka has strengthened its position as one of Asia’s leading beach destinations, with four of its coastal attractions securing places in the Condé Nast Traveller 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. Arugam Bay Beach claimed the top position as Asia’s best beach.
Arugam Bay led the rankings with a score of 98.84, outperforming several renowned beach destinations across Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and the Philippines.
Other Sri Lankan beaches also featured prominently in the list. Bentota Beach ranked ninth with 88.33 points, followed by Tangalle Beach in 14th place with a score of 83.33. Negombo Beach secured 19th place, receiving 78.92 points.
With four beaches featured among Asia’s top 20, Sri Lanka recorded one of the strongest performances among the destinations included in the rankings.
Thailand’s Railay Beach secured second place with 94.44 points, while Coral Beach on Malaysia’s Pangkor Island ranked third. Other destinations recognised in the list included Boracay in the Philippines, Nusa Dua Beach in Indonesia and Malaysia’s Perhentian Islands.
The results highlight Sri Lanka’s appeal as a beach holiday destination and place its coastal attractions alongside some of the region’s most popular tourism hotspots.
