7 of the Most Beautiful Islands in the World
Dreaming of palm-fringed beaches lapped by warm, aqua-marine waters? Craving dramatic mountains and volcanoes surrounded by endless sea? Fancy strolling around quaint cobbled alleys and enjoying romantic dinners overlooking the ocean?
If so, one of the archipelagos below is sure to fire your imagination.
Here are some of the most beautiful islands in the world...
The Azores
The spectacularly diverse Azores is an archipelago of nine volcanic holiday islands, each with its own unique character and charm. Indeed, the Azores comprises three biospheres: Graciosa, Flores and Corvo; and is home to two of Portugal's 15 Unesco World Heritage Sites.
With enough time, you'll be able to experience the stunning diversity of the Azores for yourself - whether hiking a volcano clad in lush vegetation; seeking out impossibly tall waterfalls cascading down the vertiginous mountains; or spending a day spotting mighty sperm whales.
All this natural wonder is being very well managed by the island authorities, who've created a series of award-winning nature and marine reserves.
And yet despite its awe-inspiring beauty, the Azores remain one of Europe's best-kept secrets, despite being dubbed the 'Hawaii of the Atlantic'.
Where to visit in the Azores?
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel
The capital Ponta Delgada on the most famous island of the Azores, Sao Miguel, is probably where you'll arrive.
Ponte Delgada has a charming, old-school vibe yet is easily the busiest place on the island.
To get the most from your trip to the Azores, we recommend you head out and explore the wilder parts of Sao Miguel (it boasts craters and lakes aplenty) - and the other islands in the archipelago.
Santa Maria
Sun-blessed Santa Maria offers the four-day Grande Trilho hiking trail, which enables you to circumambulate the entire island.
There's also an artisan cooperative in Santo Espirito to enjoy.
Terceira
Explore Terceira's historic Angra do Heroismo before planning outdoor pursuits on this rugged island. Choose from cycling, trekking, kayaking and diving, to name but a few activities.
Pico, Faial and Sao Jorge
The three beautiful islands of Pico, Faial and Sao Jorge jostle together so are easy to hop between.
Portugal's highest peak (2,351m) is found on Pico, as are many of the Azores’ UNESCO-listed vineyards.
You can enjoy sperm-whale and pilot-whale watching year-round on both Pico and Faial.
Sao Jorge is ideal for canyoning and hiking, and is home to many tranquil, picturesque villages.
Getting around: What is the best way to travel around the Azores?
The main airport is on Sao Miguel - which is where you'll land (unless you arrive by cruise ship).
Propeller planes connect the different islands and take between 15 and 50 minutes depending on the distance.
There's also a good ferry network - which is cheaper but, as you might expect, slower.
Palawan, the Philippines
Somehow, despite being one of the most beautiful islands in the world - let alone Southeast Asia - Palawan remains largely off the tourist map.
Visitor numbers have increased in recent years, but they pale next to the hordes that arrived on Thailand's shores, pre-pandemic. And even if numbers do increase in the coming years, there are innumerable places to visit across the 403-mile main island alone.
The main tourist meccas are El Nido and Coron, which do get busy in high season, since they are used as bases to explore (respectively) the Bacuit Archipelago and Calamian Islands.
Where to visit in Palawan?
Coron Island
If viewed from above, you would note the largely inaccessible nature of Coron Island (it’s hardly the classic holiday island), typified by dense jungle and (mostly) impossible-to-reach lakes. That said, you can visit the stunning Kayangan and Barracuda Lakes.
With a view to limiting the negative impact of tourism on this pristine area, the indigenous people who live here - the Tagbanua - only allow access to certain sites - and these lakes are two of the main ones.
While tourism is an important source of income for the locals, they also make a living from fishing and, moreover, gathering balinsasayaw (birds' nests).
For divers, Barracuda Lake will be of most interest, composed as it is of layers of salt, brackish and freshwater, together with unique temperature shifts - where it can get as hot as 38 C!
You can reach Coron Island from Coron Town in about 20 minutes by banca (a Filipino-style boat with broad outrigging).
Miniloc Island
Another must-visit and supremely beautiful island in Palawan Province is Miniloc, home to three of the most photographed spots in Palawan - Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon and Secret Lagoon.
Entering each of these poses certain (but not insurmountable) challenges. For example, accessing Big Lagoon is done so through a shallow channel, which at times may only be accessible by swimming.
Once inside you'll be treated to a stunning natural swimming hole surrounded by jungle-clad karst cliffs.
Seychelles
There’s a tendency to roll one's eyes at the expression "world's best beaches”, but in the case of the Seychelles, it's more than hyperbole.
Scattered across the Indian Ocean, these famous islands are blessed with innumerable spellbinding beaches, often backed by surreal rock formations and pristine jungle.
The blue-green hues of the water, the pale gold sand of the beaches, the deep greens of the vegetation - they really are just as the brochures suggest - but more so.
And the Republic of Seychelles deeply understands the resource it's sitting on: they continue to care for the environment that is their economic lifeblood. As such, snorkelers and divers will be rewarded with an exceptional array of colourful sea life, including the endangered green turtle; and the critically endangered hawksbill turtle.
Bird Island
One of the archipelago's finest islands is Bird Island - it is particularly ideal for turtle spotting, as well as getting glimpses of bottlenose dolphins.
From October to November you may also catch sight of southern right whales, humpbacks and short-finned pilot whales. Of these, humpbacks are the most common - in part because they are protected from whaling.
Luxurious resorts
Few places do beach-side opulence like the Seychelles. You'll find a vast array of top-notch resorts that are ready to pamper you in almost every way you can imagine.
It's this luxury, paired with some of the most incredible natural scenery on the planet, that makes a trip to the Seychelles so memorable.
Your own desert island?
With 115 "proper" islands, there's a lot to explore - many of them of the Robinson Crusoe type, featuring exquisite strips of people-free sand. But you may never even get the urge to explore so far out, such is the beauty of more visited holiday islands like Praslin and La Digue.
Santorini, Greece
Such is the mesmerising beauty of Santorini - particularly when viewed from the sea - that it’s easy to forget it's actually a volcano caldera - dormant yet, confusingly, active.
The last eruption was in 1950 - but that's nothing compared to the 7-rated Minoan Eruption of the 17th century BC, the highest score for a historical eruption.
But to be clear, volcanologists state that another major eruption on Santorini is very unlikely - at least for a few thousand years.
So, now we've allayed your fears of being eviscerated by lava, let's discuss Santorini's more relaxing qualities (after all, it’s one of the best islands in Greece, if not the world).
Where to visit in Santorini?
Pyrgos
The former capital of Santorni, Pyrgos has the best-preserved mediaeval settlement on the island.
While close to Fira, there are far fewer tourists here - so it’s worth visiting for a chill-out day.
Red Beach
Arguably the most beautiful - and certainly the best-known - beach in Santorini, Red Beach is near the ancient site of Akrotiri.
The beach itself is hemmed in by dramatic red rocks, and as such can get a little overcrowded in high season.
Fira
The stunning capital of Santorini, Fira is located on the island's western edge, and is the place to come for nightlife.
Fira is also great for shopping and dining, with innumerable cafes and restaurants.
Soak up the unique atmosphere and get some serious people watching done.
Akrotiri
The ruins of Akrotiri are one of the most fascinating sites in all of Greece - let alone Santorini.
A thriving community from 2000 to 4000 BC, the town was covered in ash after a major eruption in around 1600 BC.
"The Greek Pompeii '' is incredibly well preserved, aided by a vast roof and wooden walkways that take visitors through the ancient streets and two and three-storey buildings. Hiring a guide is highly recommended.
Other key places to visit include Oia, famed for its blue-domed, white-washed buildings, and the caldera itself - which can be explored on a boat trip.
Most excursions stop at key points of the volcano so you get up close and personal with this sleeping giant.
Isle of Skye
Not all epic islands are in the tropics. Indeed, one of the finest islands of all is Scotland's Isle of Skye - or “sky-a” in old Norse which means 'cloud island'.
If you prefer your island adventures wild and rugged, Skye won’t disappoint: a 50-mile-long stretch of glittering lochs, dramatic mountains and atmospheric moors - often accompanied by wind, mist and drizzle.
That's not to say it's never sunny - it can be splendid when the weather is fine. It just doesn’t happen too often.
Where to visit on the Isle of Skye?
The Old Man of Storr
The vast shard of rock that juts from this other-worldly landscape is said to be the thumb of a buried giant. But you won’t need to believe that tale in order to be mesmerised by this most dramatic of vistas.
Since it's so far from population centres such as Portree, Dunvegan and Trotternish (where the tourists mostly aggregate), you could easily have The Old Man to yourself.
Go at dusk or dawn to maximise those Instagram thumbs-ups.
Mealtfalls
Located near the Old Man of Storr, this waterfall drops vertically into the sea, in the most dramatic fashion.
Other not-to-be-missed locations of Skye include The Fairy Glen - with its mystical green landscape; and the Fairy Pools, which are surrounded by some of the most magnificent mountains in Scotland.
Glenfinnan Viaduct
Technically this is en route to the Isle of Skye, but it's such a great sight we decided to include it.
This railway viaduct became famous after appearing in a Harry Potter film, and is about a 3.5 hour drive from Edinburgh - which isn’t far considering how much the landscape changes from point A to point B.
Ko Phi Phi, Thailand
Dramatic limestone karsts rise out of the gas-blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand, creating one of the most iconic scenes in all of Southeast Asia.
Made famous by the 1999 movie The Beach (who's featured paradise beach was actually on the neighbouring island of Koh Phi Phi Leh), a mere five years later this idyllic island was all but wiped away in the tsunami of 2004.
Eighteen years later and the Ko Phi Phi archipelago has recovered remarkably well - assisted latterly by the lack of tourists during the pandemic.
Aside from swimming and tanning on the beautiful beaches, the snorkelling and diving are excellent. And just as before the tsunami, the nightlife in 2022 is not to be missed.
Note that accommodation is only available on Koh Phi Phi Don.
Capri, Italy
Located 13 miles off the Amalfi Coast, Capri is one of Italy’s most visited islands - with good reason.
Soaring cliffs, sea stacks, and a kaleidoscope of flowers make this a truly beautiful island.
Where to visit in Capri?
The Blue Grotto
Aside from its general beauty, one of Capri’s key attractions is the Blue Grotto - a glowing sea cave accessible by rowing boat.
Captains may very well sing a few operatic verses to demonstrate the cave's incredible acoustics.
Marina Grande & Capri Town
If you want to hobnob with the upper end of Italian society (and numerous well-heeled tourists), then hop on the funicular at Marina Grande and ascend to the main town of Capri. Take a seat at a piazza cafe and order an overpriced Americano as you watch the people with their designer shopping bags and oversized Gucci sunglasses.
Top tip: aim to visit in spring or autumn to avoid the sometimes overwhelming crowds!
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