The World’s Best City 2026 as Voted by Conde Nast Traveller’s UK Readers, and Where Bangkok Came From

Bangkok has been voted the world’s best city for 2026 with a score of 97.68 out of 100 in the Readers’ Choice Awards run by the UK edition of Conde Nast Traveller, announced on 6 October 2026. Paris took second place at 97.14 and Istanbul third at 96.67. The result comes from 296,356 readers in the United Kingdom who answered the survey between 1 April and 30 June 2026.

A Year Ago Bangkok Was Not in the Top 20 at All

The 2025 title went to Valletta in Malta on 97.33, and Bangkok did not appear anywhere in that year’s top 20. The Tourism Authority of Thailand called this year’s result a remarkable rise. Valletta is still on the list, now in fifth:

Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, UK edition of Conde Nast Traveller, announced 6 October 2026. Scores are out of 100.

What Does a Score of 97.68 Actually Measure?

Readers rate on a five-point scale from excellent to poor, and those ratings are converted to a score out of 100. The figure shown is the average rating given by everyone who responded, not the share of readers who picked that city. This was the 29th edition of the UK awards.

The US Edition Put Seoul First, Not Bangkok

The point that causes the most confusion is that Conde Nast runs two separate Readers’ Choice Awards, and the results do not match:

• UK edition (cntraveller.com) — 296,356 readers. Bangkok first among cities, Greece first among countries.

• US edition (cntraveler.com) — close to 800,000 survey responses. Seoul first among big cities, Japan first among countries for a fourth consecutive year.

The two also split their categories differently. The UK edition runs one city category covering every size of city, while the US edition separates big cities from small ones, so setting the two lists side by side compares different categories.

Why Do Published Voter Numbers Disagree?

Because several outlets attached the US figure to the UK list. The correct number for the result that put Bangkok first is 296,356 readers, as stated by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The figure of nearly 800,000 belongs to the US edition.

Thailand Placed 10th Among Countries, Behind Greece in First

In the UK edition’s best countries category, Greece took first on 98.14, followed by Japan on 97.01 and Italy on 96.48. Thailand placed 10th, though no score for Thailand was published. Regional neighbours on the list were Indonesia in 8th on 93.75, Vietnam in 14th on 92.86 and Cambodia in 16th on 92.29.

Which Other Categories Did Thailand Place In?

Five more, and one of them was a world first place:

• Friendliest cities in the world — Bangkok 9th on 96.16, with Melbourne first on 98.52.

• Best countries for food — Thailand 8th.

• Best islands in Asia — Koh Lanta 3rd, Phuket 4th, Koh Samui 9th.

• Best beaches in Asia — Railay 2nd, Ao Nang 10th, Pattaya 16th, Maya Bay 18th.

• Best destination spas — Chiva-Som Hua Hin first in the world, Kamalaya 3rd, RAKxa 8th.
  
  

Bangkok Hotels Took Half of the Regional Top Five

In the UK edition’s best hotels in Southeast Asia category, six Bangkok properties made the list, led by Mandarin Oriental Bangkok in first, The Sukhothai Bangkok in second, Rosewood Bangkok in fourth, Capella Bangkok in fifth, 137 Pillars Suites & Residences in eighth and The Athenee Hotel in twelfth. In the best resorts in the world category, Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle rose from fifth last year to first.

What the Vote Says to Anyone Planning a Trip

The more telling number is not the first place but the margin. Bangkok leads Paris by 0.54 points, and the top three sit within 1.01 points of one another. For anyone choosing a destination, the list reads as a group of cities that British readers scored almost identically, rather than a verdict that one city is decisively better than another.