The Best Resort Hotels in Southeast Asia in 2016

Southeast Asia is as wildly diverse as it is scenic. From Cambodia to Vietnam to Thailand, there are endless destinations worth the long flight — and, in a warm and often crowded continent, also plenty of reasons visitors might be in search of some quiet luxury. They need look no further than our readers' choices for the Best Resort Hotels in Southeast Asia.

The list includes places where the palm fronds seem to touch the blue skies, like Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand. If you want the experience of a lifetime riding elephants across lush green terrain, head to the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Meanwhile, guests of Shangri-La's Boracay Resort & Spa in the Philippines can watch the sun set over crystal-clear water, and wake the next morning to play tennis on the property's pristine courts.

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated hotels on their rooms/facilities, location, service, food and drink, and overall value. Properties were categorized as city or resort based on their locations. Southeast Asia included Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Indonesia was ranked separately.

At any of the resorts on the list, our readers indicate, you will have a blissful time. Unique experiences rank high. So do one-of-a-kind properties and beyond-exceptional service. “Paradise…” is how one survey-taker succinctly described the Nam Hai, a contemporary beachfront resort in Hoi An, Vietnam, that came in at No. 2 this year.

But it was the 137 Pillars House, located in Chiang Mai, Thailand, that rose to the very top. Might that be because it is rumored to be the same building that the king of Siam built for his children’s governess Anna Leonowens? It could be. But it’s also likely that the refined and unfussy service, elegant decor, privacy, and immaculate grounds are just as enticing. “This hotel is a treasure in every way possible,” wrote a reader. 

Read on for the complete list.