Sri Lanka’s Arugam Bay has been ranked Asia’s best beach for 2026 in the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, with four Sri Lankan beaches securing places among the region’s top 20.Arugam Bay, a popular surfing destination on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, secured first place, ahead of Railay Beach in Thailand and Coral Beach in Malaysia.Three other Sri Lankan destinations also featured in the rankings, with Bentota Beach placed ninth, Tangalle Beach 14th and Negombo Beach 19th.
The recognition highlights Sri Lanka’s appeal as a beach tourism destination, with the four locations representing different coastal regions of the island.The top five beaches in Asia were Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka, Railay Beach in Thailand, Coral Beach in Malaysia, Boracay in the Philippines and Nusa Dua Beach in Indonesia.The Readers’ Choice Awards are based on ratings submitted by Condé Nast Traveler readers, reflecting travelers’ experiences and preferences.Arugam Bay received a score of 98.84, the highest in the Asian rankings, followed by Railay Beach with 94.44 and Coral Beach with 93.33.
Bentota received a score of 88.33, Tangalle 83.33 and Negombo 78.92.The 2026 awards, published on Oct. 6, marked the 29th edition of the annual survey, with results based on votes from the magazine’s UK readership. (
