Booking.com has unveiled its 13th annual Traveler Review Awards, highlighting the world’s most welcoming destinations for 2025. Topping the list is Sigiriya, Sri Lanka, a village of approximately 1,000 residents located in the nation’s Cultural Triangle. Accessible via a scenic three-hour drive from Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport, Sigiriya is renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. This ancient fortress, rising 1,200 feet above the landscape, served as a royal capital in the late 5th century and features the ruins of an elaborate palace at its summit, which visitors can reach by climbing 1,300 steps.
Beyond the fortress, travelers can explore the Sigiriya Museum to delve into the region’s history, visit the Sigiriya Craft Village to purchase handcrafted batiks and handloom textiles, and observe wildlife at Minneriya National Park, known for “The Gathering,” the world’s largest congregation of Asian elephants occurring annually from July to October. Nearby, the Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka‘s largest and best-preserved cave temple, has functioned as a place of worship for over 2,000 years.
For accommodations, options include the luxurious Jetwing Vil Uyana, an enclave of 36 rooms spread across five habitats, and the six-room eco-luxury Roo Mansala, offering views of Sigiriya Rock and neighboring Pidurangala Rock.
Following Sigiriya, the top five most welcoming destinations are Cazorla, Spain; Urubici, Brazil; Taupo, New Zealand; and St. Augustine, Florida.
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