20 Most Beautiful Islands in the World
20. Mo’orea, French Polynesia
Dreaming of volcanic mountains, white powder sandy beaches and bright turquoise waters? Mo’orea should be your next holiday destination! Just 30 mins from Tahiti by high-speed Catamaran, Mo’orea is a place to relax and appreciate the quietness and beauty of the nature.
Experience authentic Tahitian culture and explore tropical nature by foot. Rent a car or a bicycle and circle Moorea’s 60-kilometer coastline. Pass by white churches and sleepy fishing villages, and stop along the way to buy some tropical fruit, fresh tuna or an ice cold coconut.
Recommended hotels include Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort (pictured) & Sofitel Moorea Ia Ora.
19. Jamaica
In Jamaica you will fall in love with the warm Caribbean weather, picturesque beaches, beautiful sunsets and majestic waterfalls. Our favourite spots: the romantic “Reach Falls” in Portland, “Negril town” for its reggae concerts and psychedelic sunsets. Pop at the Pelican bar, nicknamed for the pelicans that like to perch on its roof. It’s one of the world’s coolest bar and is located in the middle of the sea! If you’re lucky you can even see wild dolphins on the way.
18. Boracay, Philippines
Boracay is a tiny Philippines island and its main attraction is “White Beach”, a perfect postcard white sand beach surrounded by palm trees, dive shops, bars, resorts and restaurants.
Our favourite seat to enjoy the sunset is “Diniwid Beach” located to the north of White Beach. After this perfect sunset, choose a bar to enjoy live music and party all night long. However, the party has begun to take a toll on the environment of this small island and tourism is now restricted.
17. Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Waiheke is just a 35 minutes ferry ride from Auckland. Enjoy this heaven of beautiful vineyards and olive groves, join a wine testing and relax over a delicious vineyard lunch. Waiheke is an immersive adventure, where you can either wander along the cliffs, explore the beaches or fly smoothly in the forest with a zip-line.
If you want to stay on the island overnight, we advise you to stay at the “Delamore lodge”, where you will enjoy relaxing spa treatments, sophisticated food and wine and an irresistible swimming pool overlooking the bay.
16. Capri, Italy
Located less than an hour boat from Naples, Capri is an inevitable step, an idyllic island, where sharp cliff rise majestically above a crystalline blue sea. The most famous sight on Capri island is incontestably “The Blue Grotto”, a magical cavern where the sea glows electric blue. History enthusiasts will enjoy the “Villa Jovis”, ruins of the Imperial Roman villas, where the emperor Tiberius lived.
15. Ko Phi Phi, Thailand
The Ko Phi Phi archipelago is located in the Andaman Sea, a marginal sea of the Indian Ocean. Located off the west coast of southern Thailand, it offers an interesting range of vegetation and animal species. The two main islands of the group are Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Leh.
Ko Phi Phi is the ideal destination for nature lovers, Koh Phi Phis Flora impresses with a mixture of jungle and rocky landscapes. The island guides can take you to an amazing jungle trek where you’ll see many animals, like monkeys, snakes and wild birds.
14. St Lucia
Saint Lucia is just a direct eight-hour direct flight from the UK, and the ideal destination for adventurers. The island have volcanic origins and if you like hiking, you will love “The Pitons”, two mountainous volcanic plugs classed as a World Heritage Site.
The best Caribbean beaches are in St Lucia, the most famous ones are “Sugar Beach” and “Marigot Bay”. “Grande Anse” is the place to go if you want to see sea turtles crawl out of the water and lay their eggs on the sand. Worth mentioning that Sugar Beach luxury resort is one of its kind, perfect for family holidays and romantic escapes.
13. Whitsunday Islands, Australia
Whitsunday islands is an archipelgo of 74 tropical islands of white sandy beaches located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. Sea life amators won’t miss the opportunity to snorkel or scuba dive in the marvellous Great Barrier Reef, which is an emotional and unforgettable experience.
It is difficult to chose where to stay on the archipelgo as there are so many islands. Our favourite resort in located on “the Hamilton island”, the largest and most popular Whitsunday island. “Qualia” is a resort of 60 secluded pavilions hidden away on the northern tip of the island. Condé Nast Traveler labelled Qualia as the best resort on earth in 2012. It is an adults-only retreat with an award-winning spa, two superb guest-only restaurants, a library, two bars and an excellent catalogue of water activities.
12. Kaua’i, Hawaii
Kaua’i is part of the Hawaiian archipelgo and is also named “the garden island”. It is indeed a island made of sharp mountains, green valleys ans cascading waterfalls. Our tips, explore the beautiful cliffs of the Napali coast, on the North side of the island and the Coconut coast on the East side.
On the South shore, you’ll find sites with cultural, historical, and geological significance alongside beautiful beaches. The island of Kauaʻi has been featured in more than seventy Hollywood movies and television shows, notably Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and Jurassic World.
11. Fiji
Fiji is a Melanesian country in the South Pacific Ocean and is divided into nine groups of islands. You can visit Fiji’s all year, the temperatures staying even and around 27°C. Ocean activities like swimming, snorkelling and diving can be enjoyed in all seasons. Scuba divers enjoy increased visibility around coral reefs during the Fijian ‘winter’ months of May – October.
The largest and most important island of the country is called Viti Levu. It is the most economically developed and has a rich cultural heritage to discover. Viti Levu’s best attractions are on the water, our favourite ones are the dolphin-spotting, the kite-surfer paradise of “Nananu-i-Ra”, and the coral reefs of the “Bligh Passage”.
10. The Dalmatian Islands, Croatia
Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast runs along the western edge of the country and is a unique destination made of picturesque islands and seaside towns. It doesn’t matter which of the seventy islands you’ll pick, you’ll come back with amazing memories. Our favourite island is incontestably Cres, known for its population of griffons, where you can wonder in oaky forests, admire the majestic cliffs standing along the sea and rest on quiet beaches.
The largest city and hub of the coastline is Split, haven of UNESCO listed sights and museums. Tourists sometimes neglect passing by the Croatian capital deprived of beaches, georgious Zagreb, an architectural and historical treasure that we recommend to see.
9. Bali, Indonesia
Bali is the favourite destination for surfers and divers but there is much more to discover than its beaches and marine biodiversity. Exotic temples and palaces set against stunning landscapes make the island an experience of its kind.
Pick wisely where to stay on the island as each city offers a different experience. “Seminyak” is Bali’s beach resort area, most of the island best dining options are around and night birds will enjoy its nightlife. On the other end, “Ubud” is very quiet and the ideal place for nature lovers, prefering green valleys to the beach and enjoying art, culture and history. But if you’re a party animal, “Kuta” is known as the ideal destination with its numerous bars and clubs opens till the early hours.
8. The Cook Islands
The fifteen Cook islands are a little warm tropical paradise in the heart of the Pacific. The main island “Rarotonga” is very modern though has a robust culture, firmly anchored by traditional Polynesian values and history. You’ll taste here very good coffee, artisan food and won’t be able to choose between the different outdoors activities, from lagoon cruises and cultural visits to fishing and hiking.
A must do, visit the sublime lagoon of “Aitutaki”, one of the Pacific’s jewels surrounded by tiny deserted islands and swim in the underground cave pools of “Mitiaro” and “Ma’uke”.
7. Santorini, Greece
Welcome to one of the most beautiful destinations in Greece. Santorini offers a unique landscape of beaches in exotic colours of black, red, and white, a product of their volcanic sand. Imagine swimming in the warm mythic Aegean sea, with volcano and stunning sunsets as a backdrop.
The island architecture is very distinctive, churches are built into caves and the whitewashed houses, blue-domed churches and paved paths are astonishingly beautiful.
6. Palawan, Philippines
Treat yourself to delicious local cuisine and local beers in Palawan. One of the thing we loved the most is the “Puerto Princesa Underground River” in Sabang. It was declared one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2012 and make a good day’s worth of adventure along with “Sabang Beach”.
If you’re not a fan of crowds, “Port Barton” is a very quiet village where you’ll find pretty beaches. You can aslo snorkel to see sea turtles and kayak to nearby islets you’ll have all to yourself. Palawan is an important stop for migratory birds and shelter fifteen bird species found nowhere else.”Coron bay” is a very interesting destination for divers, you can find here over half a dozen sunken WWII ships. Experienced divers can enter the ships and discover a dark, lost world of abandoned engine rooms, scattered personal effects and bomb holes opening to the deep.
5. Mauritius, Africa
Mauritius is the perfect holiday destination for any tourist. The island offers a variety of water sports, beautiful white beaches, long mountain treks, wildlife, sightseeing and luxurious resorts.
This is an island filled with history. There are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites to visit: “Aapravasi Ghat” in the colonial capital of Port Louis and “Le Morne”, a mountain used as a shelter by runaway slaves in the 18th century. There are also amazing national parks to see, like the “Black River Gorges” and the “Casela Wildlife Park” where you can walk with lion cubs.
4. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Bora Bora is a remote island in the South Pacific, northwest of Tahiti, popular with tourists for its luxurious resorts with overwater bungalows. One of the best hotels to stay at is the five star Four Seasons hotel. Surrounded by beaches of white sand and turquoise water protected by a coral reef, it is a really nice place to snorkel and dive. The most impressive sight of the island is in the center of Mount Otemanu where there is a sleeping volcano culminating at 727m.
3. Seychelles
Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean, has 115 idyllic islands characterized by long white beaches with huge rocks of pink granite. Anse Lazio is one of the most special beaches to see and widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world. The Aldabra Islands is the world’s second largest atoll, surrounded by coral reef and home to 152,000 giant tortoises.
The green Vallée de Mai National Park is the only place where all six of the palm species endemic to Seychelles, including the Coco de mer, are found together. The Coco de merproduces a fruit that is one of the largest and is valued by a number of Asian cultures for its believed aphrodisiac, medicinal and mystic properties.
2. Maui, Hawaii
Maui is a volcanic island in Hawaii with 30 miles of beach and crystal clear waters. If you love snorkelling, you must see the rainbow of coral and tropical fishes.
There is so much to do on the island too. Don’t miss the popular Haleakalā National Parkwith waterfalls, bamboo forest, Hawaiian geese, dormant volcano and lava flows. Stay the day in the park and witness its spectacular sunsets over the mountains. Wander in Lahaina’shistoric sites and take a road trip to Hana. From Maui island you can sail to the romantic Lanai which is also known for Shipwreck Beach with an offshore wreck of a WWII tanker.
The island consists of a few microclimates and weather varies drastically depending on which side of the island you stay on. The West side is generally the warmest though the tropical weather can even vary day-to-day with extremes such as sunshine and thunderstorms so pack accordingly.
1. Maldives
The Maldives are a beautiful string of atolls in the Indian Ocean consisting of over 1,000 coral islands known for their white sand beaches and warm, turquoise blue waters. The tropical islands are sunny and hot all-year round though the most popular time to visit is between November and April as this is the period of lowest rainfall.
Visit the coral reefs in Maldives for one of the world’s most exceptional destinations for scuba diving and snorkelling where you can see turtles and brightly coloured tropical fish. For the more adventurous types, swim with giant whale sharks and see manta rays at night.
When planning your trip you will be spoilt for choice for luxury hotels, most of which are set on tiny, private islands, and accessed by sea plane or speed boat from the main island.
By: Richard James, Junary 2017, 20 Most Beautiful Islands in the World, Travelden, recovered from: http://www.travelden.co.uk/most-beautiful-islands-maldives?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral&utm_term=msn-msn&utm_content=121371055&utm_site=msn-msn&utm_campaign_item=121371055&utm_campaign=Global-11B
