Sun Aqua Pasikudah, a property run by Maldives-based resort operator Sun Siyam Resorts, has won the award for Sri Lanka’s Leading Beach Resort at World Travel Awards 2017 Asia and Australasia Gala Ceremony.

The gala ceremony was held on June 4 at the Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai.

Sun Aqua Pasikudah beat Anantara Kalutara Resort, Anantara Peace Haven Trangalle Resort, Avani Bentota Resort and Spa, Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort and Spa, and Vivanta by Taj Bentota to win the accolade.

“These awards portray the commitment and loyalty of the entire Pasikudah team. Service with a passion has been their goal from the very beginning,” an announcement by the resort read.

Set on Pasikudah Beach in the Sri Lankan coastal town of Kalkudah, Sun Aqua Pasikudah is the first international property owned and managed by the Sun Siyam Resorts. The all-suite resort takes renowned Maldivian hospitality to the international arena, combining it with highly detailed five-star suites, gourmet dining and a fully stocked cellar of Old and New World wines.

Private excursions are also arranged through jungles, mountains and underwater terrains. Guests can also enjoy the colourful marine life rich with corals and shipwrecks.

Sun Siyam Resorts is a collection of hotel and resort brands born from the inspiration of renowned local hotelier Ahmed Siyam Mohamed. Led by his passion for creating a difference in the Maldives tourism industry that redefines the luxury hospitality experience, Sun Siyam Resorts has a portfolio of boutique luxury resorts operating in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, including The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives, Olhuveli Beach and Spa Maldives, Sun Aqua Vilu Reef Maldives and Sun Aqua Pasikudah in Sri Lanka.

Since it’s establishment in 1993, the World Travel Awards have become known as the Oscars of the global travel and tourism industry. Before the Grand Final, the awards complete a Global Tour, hosting regional gala ceremonies in regions such as Asia and Australasia, Indian Ocean, Latin America, Caribbean and North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.