7 March 2026
The Ministry of Tourism has announced that the Province of Bali has received the “Best Island” award at the DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards 2026.
“May this achievement further strengthen Indonesia’s position as a global tourism destination loved by people around the world. This accomplishment should also inspire us all to continue raising the standards of the tourism industry and to reinforce Indonesia’s presence on the international stage,” said Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa in an official statement confirmed in Jakarta on Friday.
The award reaffirms Bali’s status as a leading destination and one of the first places that comes to mind for international travellers, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. In the awards ranking, Bali outperformed several popular global destinations, including Boracay, Flores and Komodo Island, Langkawi, Lombok, Maldives, Palawan, Phu Quoc, Phuket, and Koh Samui.
According to Ni Luh, the achievement reflects the collective efforts of tourism industry stakeholders, local governments and communities who continue to promote and maintain the quality of Indonesia’s tourism services.
“Waste management is certainly not an issue that can be addressed by a single party. It requires collaboration among all stakeholders so that Bali can continue to strengthen its competitiveness as Indonesia’s leading tourism destination,” Ni Luh added.
The DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards is an annual recognition organised by DestinAsian Magazine, honouring outstanding players in the tourism industry across the Asia-Pacific region. Winners are determined based on travel experiences shared by the magazine’s readers, who include frequent travellers and international travel industry professionals.
Bali first received the Best Island award in 2006 and has consistently won the accolade again from 2022 to 2026. The achievement further strengthens Bali’s reputation as one of the world’s most beloved travel destinations.
Source: Bali Post, 7 March 2026.