‘Impossible not to fall for it’: Thailand named 2025 Destination of the Year
Thailand is a picturesque and affordable tourist haven. Photo: Getty
While the world is filled with seemingly endless travel options one country has been judged the best for those planning a trip in 2025.
Travel + Leisure picked Thailand as its 2025 Destination of the Year; winners in previous years have ranged from Costa Rica (2024) to Japan (2018).
Editor-in-chief Jacqui Gifford said the magazine was “thrilled” to award 2025’s title to Thailand.
“Whether visitors are exploring Bangkok’s cutting-edge culinary scene, relaxing on one of the country’s 1430 islands, or experiencing its renowned hospitality with some of the best luxury hotels in the world, Thailand offers a unique adventure for every type of traveller,” she said.
Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia editor-in-chief of travel Jeninne Lee-St. John admitted she did not immediately fall in love with the country’s capital Bangkok, put off by the chaos and traffic.
But her relationship with Thailand eventually bloomed.
“Once you understand the place, it’s impossible not to fall for it,” she wrote in Travel + Leisure.
“Maybe it’s the Thai concept of kreng jai, which puts high value on respecting all people; maybe it’s the fact that I can arrange a seamless commute via motorbike taxi, tuk-tuk, subway, and Skytrain for maximum efficiency; or maybe that I get to eat pad krapow gai, a stir-fried chicken dish topped with an egg, for breakfast every day.
“I also get a thrill from observing the constant evolution of a country where stark contrasts are the norm.
“Take the fact that this majority-Buddhist and often traditional society recently legalised marijuana and same-sex marriage. Or that Thailand has some of the best luxury hotels in the world — many at unbeatable prices — yet you’ll find the same warm hospitality and attention to detail in the humblest of homes.”
From a dynamic food scene where chefs experiment with sour, fiery, and fermented local ingredients, to a range of beaches, mountainous areas, and art, she said “the country reveals its treasures gradually, and usually by word of mouth”.
Travel + Leisure named the bustling capital city Bangkok as the best place in Thailand to visit, followed by slower-paced Chiang Mai and the Kho Phi Phi islands; the latter feature a beach which only recently reopened after being closed due to damage from overtourism.
The appeal of Thailand is not new to Australians, with Bangkok already ranking within the top five picks for international destinations for this year’s Christmas period, and Palong Beach ranking sixth.
Apart from food, nature and culture, a trip to Thailand is attractive as a relatively low-cost destination compared to other popular holiday spots.
Saving opportunities range from airfares to local currency, with ฿1 currently equal to $0.044.
Thailand is also working to draw in more international arrivals through measures such as introducing a digital nomad visa and incentivising local production for projects like The White Lotus.
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