Koh Samui placed third on the list last year, but has been replaced by Myanmar, or the Land of Golden Pagodas. Off-limits to foreigners for years, the country is back on the international tourist map after its government held general elections last year and released democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi after 15 years of house arrest.
Myanmar, long isolated, boasts numerous tourist and cultural attractions including Inle Lake in the eastern part of the country, Ngapali Beach on its western coast.

Listed in 15th place is the famous Halong Bay in Vietnam where visitors can enjoy a spectacular view of a myriad of limestone islands and islets. The destination is also a Unesco World Heritage site and one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Koh Rong in Cambodia is in 23rd place. It is the country’s second largest island 78km2 in size located in the Gulf of Thailand. It takes about two hours to get there from the mainland. The highlight is not only a stretch of beach 43km long, but also its rich marine ecology.

The last Southeast Asian destination on the list is Malacca. Malaysia’s oldest city, 28th on the list, is also a Unesco World Heritage and it pulls in tourists with its unusual architecture and cuisine that reflect mixed Portuguese, Dutch and British influences dating back to its colonial roots.