Bali Celebrates As Ubud Named As Best City In Asia

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World-renowned Travel + Leisure Magazine has announced its winners for the annual World’s Best Awards. Bali has reason to celebrate as the island’s cultural capital Ubud has been named the Best City in Asia in 2022. Whatsmore, four of the top five east hotel resorts in Indonesia are in Bali too. 

What makes the awards so special is that the winners are decided by readers, meaning the results are a true reflection of what real travelers feel about the best places to visit in the world. Ubud has been named the best city in Asia in 2022 and has been bumped up a place after coming second last year. 

Travel + Leisure Magazine lists the winners of each category with a summary as to why the destination placed where it did. For Ubud, the magazine noted ‘With a mix of stunning temples, rain forests, and a thriving city center, Ubud truly has something for everyone’.

For over two decades Ubud has been the go-to destination for travelers seeking a new cultural outlook, a spiritual experience, and the opportunity to try out some of the world’s best health and wellness facilities. The lush jungles, waterfall and famous rice terraces that surround Ubud are also a strong pull for visitors 

Magazine readers are invited to take a survey to share their experiences of travel all around the world. Readers are asked to rate cities based on their sights and landmarks, their cultural offerings, cuisine, openness, and friendliness, as well as shopping opportunities and overall value for money. Ubud scored an impressive 91.73 out of a possible 100.

Chiang Mai in Thailand came to a close second place scoring 90.70, followed by Jaipur in India, Osaka in Japan, and Udaipur in India to complete the top five best cities in Asia. Readers shared their insights about why they love Ubud. One reader shared ‘Ubud is a unique destination, particularly when you’re looking for something with a wellness or healthy-living angle’ another commented that ‘the city also has an incredibly rich culture, with exceptional shopping’.

The accommodation options in Ubud are undoubtedly world-class. This has also been reflected in the results tables. Hotels and resorts in Ubud feature on the best hotels in Indonesia, on the best resorts in all of Asia list, and in the top ten of the best 100 hotels in the world.

The best resorts and hotels in Indonesia list are topped by Capella Ubud. The hotel is also ranked as the 7th best hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure Magazine readers. Capella Ubud received comments like ‘truly transcendental’ and ‘off the charts amazing’.

The five-star hotel scored 98.97 out of 100 and offers guests the chance to sleep in one of just 22 Bill Bensley-designed luxury jungle tents. The hotel has an in-house spa where guests can indulge in traditional Balinese wellness treatments surrounded by the densely forested Ubud hills. Perhaps the highest praise came from one reader who commented that ‘there’s nothing quite like this in the world’.

The Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Ubud came in a close second place on the list of best resorts in Indonesia. Alila Villas in Uluwatu came in fourth place followed by the Four Seasons Resort in Sayan. The Alila Villas also featured on the best resorts in Asia list, coming in at a respectable 14th place. 

Ubud is one of the world’s most popular destinations. Earlier in the year, Forbes magazine voted Ubud as the best destination for solo travelers in 2022. Three high respected solo traveler bloggers put their experiences together to assess the safest, the best value, and most exciting destinations for solo travelers. Ubud came in the first place by a country mile. 

Part of the allure of Ubud is that it is a rare kind of destination that truly caters to every kind of traveler seamlessly. Whatever the budget, length of stay, or travel style there is a truly memorable experience waiting for every traveler in Ubud.