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4 Krabi Marine Sites Win Readers' Choice Awards 2026

4 Krabi Marine Sites Win Readers' Choice Awards 2026

Matichon•General•1h ago

Reader Briefing

Four marine tourist attractions in Krabi Province received Asian-level awards in the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards organized by Condé Nast Traveler.

  • •Railay Beach, Koh Lanta, Ao Nang Beach, and Maya Bay were voted as top Asian marine destinations by global tourists.
  • •The survey for the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards took place between April 1 and June 30, 2026.
  • •Railay Beach ranked 2nd best beach in Asia and 1st in Southeast Asia.
  • •Blacktip reef shark populations in Maya Bay increased to a record 451 individuals as of November 3, 2026.

Overview

  • •Condé Nast Traveler organized the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards based on a survey from April 1 to June 30, 2026.
  • •Railay Beach in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park ranked 2nd in Asia and 1st in Southeast Asia for best beach with a score of 94.44.
  • •Koh Lanta in Mu Ko Lanta National Park ranked 3rd best island in Asia with a score of 97.50.
  • •Ao Nang Beach in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park ranked 10th best beach in Asia with a score of 85.56.
  • •Maya Bay in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park ranked 18th best beach in Asia with a score of 79.74.
  • •The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation reported 451 blacktip reef sharks in Maya Bay on November 3, 2026, up from 278 in September 2026.
  • •Suchart Chomklin stated the success resulted from systematic management by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, including carrying capacity limits and area closures for ecosystem recovery.
  • •Suchart Chomklin stated the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will continue supporting natural attraction management to balance tourism and environmental conservation.

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Source: Matichon (Original)

Key Entities

Person

Suchart Chomklin(สุชาติ ชมกลิ่น)ℹ️
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.
Yongyut Nakwirut(ยงยุทธ นาควิโรจน์)
Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

Organization

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment(กระทรวงทรัพยากรธรรมชาติและสิ่งแวดล้อม)ℹ️
The ministry overseeing the conservation and management of Thailand's natural resources.
Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation(กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช)ℹ️
The agency responsible for managing national parks and recovering marine ecosystems.
Condé Nast Travelerℹ️
A world-leading travel magazine that organized the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards.

Place

Krabi Province(จังหวัดกระบี่)ℹ️
The location of the four award-winning marine tourist attractions.
Railay Beach(หาดไร่เลย์)ℹ️
A beach in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park ranked 1st in Southeast Asia for best beach.
Koh Lanta(เกาะลันตา)
An island in Mu Ko Lanta National Park ranked 3rd best island in Asia.
Ao Nang Beach(หาดอ่าวนาง)
A beach in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park ranked 10th best beach in Asia.
Maya Bay(อ่าวมาหยา)ℹ️
A bay in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park ranked 18th best beach in Asia.
Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park(อุทยานแห่งชาติหาดนพรัตน์ธารา-หมู่เกาะพีพี)ℹ️
The national park containing Railay Beach, Ao Nang Beach, and Maya Bay.
Mu Ko Lanta National Park(อุทยานแห่งชาติหมู่เกาะลันตา)ℹ️
The national park containing Koh Lanta.