Travel + Leisure’s 2026 World’s Best Awards: Koh Samui Crowned as Top Island
NEW YORK, July 7, 2026 — Travel + Leisure has unveiled its highly anticipated 2026 World’s Best Awards, drawing on insights from more than 207,000 readers worldwide to crown the planet’s top travel destinations, hotels, airlines, and cruise lines. The results include some thrilling first-time winners.
Thailand’s stunning Koh Samui claimed the coveted title of Best Island in the World for the very first time, while Japan’s Patina Osaka was named the Best Hotel in the World. The charming colonial city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, held on to its crown as Best City in the World, and Santa Fe, New Mexico earned the top spot among U.S. cities. In aviation, Taiwan’s EVA Air rose to become the Best International Airline.
“From Koh Samui’s rise to the top of our islands list to the continued popularity of destinations like San Miguel de Allende and Yellowstone, the winners reflect travelers’ interest in destinations that feel distinctive, memorable, and deeply rooted in place,” said Jacqui Gifford, Editor in Chief of Travel + Leisure.
The full list of winners is available now at travelandleisure.com and will appear in the magazine’s August issue, hitting newsstands on July 17. Travel + Leisure will also host the third annual World’s Best Summit New York this July, followed by an inaugural World’s Best Summit London in October.
Source: Hotel-Online.com — Travel + Leisure Announces 2026 World’s Best Awards