COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka has emerged as one of Asia's top beach destinations after four of its coastal attractions secured places in the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller 2026 Readers' Choice Awards, with Arugam Bay Beach being ranked the best beach in Asia.
According to the rankings, Arugam Bay topped the list with a score of 98.84, outperforming some of the region's most renowned beach destinations in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and the Philippines.
Sri Lanka's strong showing did not end there. Bentota Beach was ranked ninth with a score of 88.33, while Tangalle Beach secured 14th place with 83.33 points. Negombo Beach also earned a spot among Asia's best beaches, ranking 19th with a score of 78.92.
The result means Sri Lanka recorded four entries in the top 20 list, one of the strongest performances by any country featured in the rankings.
Thailand's Railay Beach claimed second place with a score of 94.44, while Coral Beach on Malaysia's Pangkor Island ranked third. Other highly rated destinations included Boracay in the Philippines, Nusa Dua Beach in Indonesia and Malaysia's Perhentian Islands.
The latest rankings place Sri Lanka alongside Asia's leading tourism destinations and reinforce the island's growing reputation as a world-class beach holiday destination.
