Koh Samui in Surat Thani province has been named the Best Island in the Asia-Pacific region in the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards 2026, reinforcing its status as a leading global tourism destination. The recognition highlights the island’s luxury hospitality standards, natural attractions, and ability to welcome visitors from around the world.

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Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploytalay Laksamisaengchan announced on 25 June that the government welcomed the achievement, praising Koh Samui’s effective management and tourism development. The award was presented by Travel + Leisure, a leading travel and lifestyle magazine, and reflects the island’s strong reputation among international travellers.

The recognition comes alongside a series of other honours for businesses and infrastructure located on Koh Samui. In the Best Airports category, Samui International Airport secured second place among airports in the Asia-Pacific region, finishing behind Singapore Changi Airport. The airport was recognised for its distinctive design, which blends with the natural environment, and for the convenience it offers passengers.

Koh Samui’s luxury hospitality sector also performed strongly in the Best Beach + Island Resorts in Thailand category. Five resorts on the island were ranked among Thailand’s top ten beach and island resorts. Cape Fahn Hotel, Koh Samui placed second, Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui ranked fifth, Kimpton Kitalay Samui finished seventh, Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort took eighth place, and Centara Reserve Samui secured ninth position.

The government said the awards demonstrate Koh Samui’s potential and readiness to serve international visitors while maintaining high-end tourism standards. Officials also noted that the results support Thailand’s broader strategy of promoting island tourism as a driver of economic growth and local income distribution.

The government stated that it will continue supporting tourism development through measures focused on sustainability, safety, and improved transport links. Planned infrastructure projects aim to strengthen air connections to islands in the Andaman Sea and support long-term sustainable tourism initiatives.

Amarin reported that authorities also said they will continue promoting island-based tourism models that balance economic development with environmental protection. The goal is to preserve natural resources while ensuring benefits for future generations.

Picture courtesy of Amarin

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Amarin 26 June 2026

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I just read elsewhere on this forum that it is a large construction site. I expect it is no longer as peaceful as the time I stayed there in a beach hut!

Whoever wrote this hasn't been there lately 🙄

15-20 years ago it was great but now traffic is a nightmare , the neverending construction continues turning the place into a concrete jungle , most places charging high prices and the usual ++ stuck on everything to line their pockets . Even the south west which was nice and relaxing has become the latest target for construction and even has a KFC in Saket area which had hardly anything apart from 7-11 and a market before.

Not forgetting how many empty beach clubs does a place need !! 🙈

There is probably a mistake.

The original report is dated 1926?

From Travel + Leisure magazine. Hmmmmm. Owned by FOX ? . I'm guessing they will print anything.

Samui has plenty of nice beaches and nice hotels, but there are already way to many tourists and a horrible traffic congestion in large parts of the island.

1 hour ago, ronster said:

Not forgetting how many empty beach clubs does a place need !! 🙈

Those places are actually quite crowded, even in low season...

12 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Those places are actually quite crowded, even in low season...

Maybe if have a special event on or ark bar , but the ones in banrak always look empty and there is more and more being built. Go check out the deck and tembo and tell me they are busy most of time in low season.

I suspect this is due to the White Lotus effect, but I haven't been to Samui in over 20 years. My vote goes to Koh Chang, which I visit frequently.

Samui was finished in the very early 2000s if not before. Massive land fraud with the Bandidos, traffic, stupid pricing for everything and BKK airways. Nice if you had an illegally built villa on the mountain and could afford 150 baht a beer..Thais use to call it Koh Farang even then..Maldives pricing with indian infrastructure 😁

Who were the other 2 contenders - Canvey island and the Isle of Dogs ?! 🤢

Understanding For UK readers only probably …

Horrid dump!

I used to go to Samui from before the airport was build. Traveled in SW Asia for 6 months every year. Every year a couple of months on Samui, and an extended visa run to Malaysia or Myanmar.

Drove my jeep from Chiang Mai to Samui and back every time. I had the greatest times of my life in Thailand divided between Chiang Mai And Samui. Some ten years ago most of my friends living on Samui and Koh Panghan left the islands, they were sick of all the rapid changes destroying the most beautiful places on the island. And destroying there paradise life style. Most of them left for better places. Personally I have found a couple of very nice places in Thailand, I won't mention those locations.

Bit of a joke really, considering that it's not even Thailand's best island.

1 hour ago, Caldera said:

Bit of a joke really, considering that it's not even Thailand's best island.

100% correct. It is a bigger dump than Phuket now, and that’s saying something. 👎🏼

I wonder how they define « Asia Pacific »? Does it include all the islands west of the date line from the Behring Strait to Melanesia?

I guess if you're looking for a wide selection of five star resorts Samui might fit the bill, it also has an airport with direct flights, alot of dining options, and some nice beaches, so that probably tilts it in its favor.

In my personal opinion it's 15 years past the sell-by date. When I used to live there a long time ago it was like a paradise, and by about 2012 it started getting overdeveloped, the traffic started getting horrendous, and the island started feeling like a dish rag that had been ringed out 500 too many times at an old diner.

The primary issue was the lack of local pride as many native Samui people had left decades ago, and nearly everyone there was imported for work and just simply did not care about the island. In addition the mayor was too cheap to spend the money required to keep the island clean, spend the very small amount to keep the beaches free of debris, and it felt like a very overpriced resort island that just wasn't being looked after.

And then you have the local mafia's, the taxi mafia's, the police who refused to do real police work, and the premiums that people charged because of that 20 km ferry ride, and for us it just became obnoxious.

Hmmmm a little dubious this list.

I was on Kho Samui back in 1989 -90 (can't remember exactly.) It was a beautiful paradise with beach bungalows, a small road that went around most of the island and pristine beaches. I have been back a few times over the years, and it has definitely changed and unfortunately not for the better. I am sure that there are still some nice places especially in the ultra expensive, swanky resorts, but they are a bit rich for my tastes (the Four Seasons Resort is over $2000 US a night!) I do think it's funny that the included picture is of one of the "grandfather rocks" i.e. phallic rock. 😁