World's Best

Travel + Leisure Readers' 15 Favorite Cities in Asia of 2023

India and Japan won big with three reader-favorite cities each in our annual "World’s Best Awards" survey for 2023.

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Published on July 11, 2023

When your vacation kicks off with at least 11 hours on a plane, expectations are understandably high. But for T+L readers, a skip-hop across the Pacific (or even taking the, shall we say, scenic route with a layover in Turkey) is well worth it for a chance to experience some of Asia’s most thrilling urban destinations. Whether you’re honeymooning in a dreamy Indian capital or eating your way through an awe-inspiring Japanese megalopolis, this year’s reader picks for the 15 best cities in Asia all share a wealth of options for fantastic food, layers of history, and a glimpse at the magic that happens when ancient history and modernity intersect.

How Voting Works

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 ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Cities were specifically rated on the criteria below:

Sights/landmarks
Culture
Food
Friendliness
Shopping
Value

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

Families flying kites at Marina Barrage in Singapore with skyscrapers in the background — toonman/Getty Images

What Readers Loved

This year’s picks stretch from coastal Japan (Osaka, at No. 11) to western India (Mumbai, at No. 6) and as far south as the Balinese city of Ubud (No. 3). Several readers cited incredible experiences in second-place finisher Kyoto, highlighting both its innate beauty and a cultural richness “that combines the old and new,” as one voter put it. “The scenery is breathtaking; the gardens make you want to meditate and embrace the moment,” according to one traveler. “The friendliness of the local people can’t be beat,” said another.

Impeccable, welcoming service was a throughline across several of these cities. On a trip that crossed through both Siem Reap (No. 9) and Luang Prabang (No. 8), one reader “felt like royalty,” thanks to the exceptional hospitality they encountered at every turn. Perhaps the experience of visiting any of these cities can perhaps best be summed up by one reader’s glowing review of Tokyo: “worth every penny and every jet lag hour you can experience in your life.”

Read on to find out this year’s first-place winner and see the full list of the best cities in Asia, according to T+L readers.

The Winner

Udaipur, India

Udaipur City Palace in Rajasthan state of India — MR.ANUJAK JAIMOOK/Getty Images

Udaipur is no stranger to the top spot on this list: in the last five years alone, it’s nabbed first place twice. Nicknamed the City of Lakes for the seven bodies of water in the vicinity, this Rajasthani destination sits on the banks of Lake Pichola, nestled within the heart of the Aravalli Range. Among travelers, its most famous sight is the labyrinthine City Palace complex, an ornate granite-and-marble waterfront fortress that’s practically a town unto itself. The lake and mountain vistas alone would make for striking scenery, but fold in romantic architecture like that of City Palace and you’ll understand why multiple readers called out Udaipur’s striking beauty.