Becoming Primadona, Labuan Bajo Reaches The Top Of The Best Destinations In Asia 2025

Labuan Bajo, Indonesia (Photo: Freepik/wirestock)

JAKARTA - Travel Magazine from the United States, Conde Nast Traveller has just released a list of the best destinations to visit in 2026. Of the entire list, the only destination from Southeast Asia that comes in is Labuan Bajo, a small town at the western end of Flores, Indonesia.

This list is compiled by a network of Conde Nast writers from various countries, which they say reflect the extraordinary diversity in Asia.

Reporting from the CNN Travel page on Saturday, November 8, 2025, Labuan Bajo is known as the gateway to Komodo National Park, the UNESCO World Heritage site known for its volcanic islands and endangered animals, Komodo dragons.

So far, this city has often been forgotten compared to Bali, but the increase in airport facilities that are now serving international flights makes Labuan Bajo more easily accessible to global tourists.

According to Conde Nast, the city is now not only the starting point for seeing Komodo dragons or visiting the pink sandy beach on Komodo Island, but also starting to offer a more comfortable and luxurious stay experience.

Switzerland-Belhotel opened a villa resort with a swimming pool, Maua Labuan Bajo, on a 12-hectare hill. Meanwhile, Marriott presents Ta'akatana, Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, complete with villas on the water that have been open since 2024.

Labuan Bajo also showed steps towards sustainable tourism. From the local coffee shop Elevate Espreso, which brewed coffee from the slopes of Flores hills, to community restaurants such as Dapur Tara and homestay Sten Lodge on hill, all focused on local empowerment and authentic experience.

Local residents serve Manggarai traditional dishes such as smoke chicken, fried papaya leaves, and bamboo rice cooked on a wooden fire, so tourists can enjoy local flavors directly from the source.

In addition to natural and culinary views, visitors can also experience sleeping in bamboo huts surrounded by trees and waking up with the sound of birds and stunning mountain panoramas.

All of this makes Labuan Bajo worthy of being called a destination that offers 'grossy and extraordinary hospitality'. Apart from Labuan Bajo, Conde Nast Traveller also highlighted several interesting cities in Asia, including:

- Erbil, Kurdistan Iraq is known as a destination that offers unique adventure and cultural experiences.

- Hong Kong offers a new green space and an iconic view of the city.

- Naoshima, Japan became their favorite destination because they enjoyed art before this country was crowded with visitors.

- Patan, Nepal became a center of creativity and a trendy hangout.

- Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi is home to world-class cultural institutions.

- Seoul, South Korea is known for its fast-growing creative environment.

- Shenzhen, China is known for its attractive art, design, and classical music.

- Tashkent, Uzbekistan has an innovative contemporary art exhibition.

- Udaipur, India is a city with new luxury hotels and fresh urban atmospheres.

With Labuan Bajo included in this list, Indonesia again shows the natural and cultural wealth that attracts international tourists as well as affirms the position of this small city as an icon of nature and culture tourism in Southeast Asia.