Best Holiday Destinations, Asia

ASIA
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Bali, Indonesia	1
2. Phuket, Thailand	2
3. Kerala, India	3
4. Maldives	5
5. Hong Kong	4
6. Bangkok, Thailand	6
7. Boracay, Philippines	7
8. Palawan, Philippines Chiang Mai, Thailand	7 -
9. Angkor (Siem Reap), Cambodia	10
10. Koh Samui, Thailand Rajasthan, India	8 6

Polling holiday destinations is always fun, but tricky. Dreams are peculiar to countries and communities. Just as the westernised Japanese race to the beach to revel in the sun, Indians head for shade and cool hill resorts. Shopping-mad Hongkongers head for the malls, Australians chase the surf and Brits sip Singapore slings in musty colonial retreats.

There were few surprises and no changes in the 2008 Top Three. Ranked first as the Best Holiday Destination in Asia with 14 percent of the vote (compared with 23.2 percent in 2007) is the other worldly “Island of the Gods”, Bali, Indonesia. The island ranked first on our poll in 2006 and 2007 too. Bali has retained its disarmingly honest and simple charm. It remains a peaceful ritual-minded Hindu enclave in a bustling Muslim country. Above all, despite the burgeoning ranks of the t-shirt vendors and temple touts, Bali still retains a great deal of authenticity. The percentage drop in the vote reflected not Bali’s demise, but a more evenly spread interest among voters in 2008. Still, Bali’s share – even as the rest of the vote was spread thinly among several competing destinations – is almost double its nearest rival.

Voted the second best destination for an Asian holiday was the eternally popular Thai island of Phuket, which garnered 7.6% of the vote. This island (linked by a bridge) was voted in second position in 2006 and 2007 as well. It held its position easily despite troubles in south Thailand and political uncertainties. Clearly, its string of wonderful beaches, fine food, nightlife and that special Thai can-do hospitality, remain a big draw for travellers. In general, Thailand remains a big favourite as our Top Ten List suggests.

Ranked third best Asian holiday destination (as in 2006 and 2007) is the South Indian idyll of Kerala, long a favourite of the get-away-from-it-all crowd. Known for its verdant rice paddy fields, cool mountains clad in mist-wreathed tea estates, beaches, and welcoming, literate, head-nodding population, Kerala is one of two Indian destinations in the 2008 Top Ten.

Following closely in fourth position (up one position from 2007) is the picture-postcard but expensive getaway of the Maldives with five percent of the vote. Basking in reflected glory, several Maldives resorts also polled well in other categories. Ranked fifth best Asian holiday destination is a neon-powered metropolis, the universally popular Hong Kong, one of two vibrant cities to rank as a top holiday destination. Hong Kong held sixth position in 2006 and ranked fourth in 2007. Doubtless, shopping was a major draw as underlined by the results for the “best cities for shopping” category. Hong Kong pulled 4.1 percent of the vote.

Ranked in sixth place is Bangkok (no change since 2007) with 3.8 percent, followed by Boracay in seventh spot and Palawan and Chiang Mai sharing eighth. Both Philippines destinations (Boracay and Palawan) fared well in 2007 too – jointly ranked seventh at the time. Angkor (Siem Reap, Cambodia) cruised into ninth place with Koh Samui and Rajasthan jointly bagging tenth.

Our poll revealed the continued dominance of Thailand as a "holiday brand" with four destinations in this Top Ten, and the strong emergence of India. Bali held top spot demonstrating that integrity can attract visitor votes, and dollars. This is a reassuring message in an age of instantly bottled and serially manufactured destinations where neon and crocodile shows push anything of substance right off the stage.