Life can get pretty stressful sometimes and what better way to unwind than to have a little vacay? Just imagine, you’re not bounded by the early 6am alarm, you get to have breakfast in bed before taking a leisure stroll around. If you’re more of an island-hopper, we’ve got you sorted. We’ve handpicked 10 stunning islands sure to inspire and revive you. You’re welcome.
You may have a problem believing your senses that you’re on planet Earth when staying on this tiny paradise of a resort in the Maldives.
As with most resorts in this group of islands in the Indian Ocean, the entire island IS the resort. The little islands, of which there is more than a thousand, are just so small, and so the ‘resort-per-island’ system works well.
Kandolhu is tiny and has just 30 top-end villas so it’s very exclusive, private, on the pricey end of the spectrum and for adults only. It often attracts Hollywood stars. Fine white sand, lush green foliage and colourful birds and blooms will surround you, and your view will fill with the ocean stretching out ahead in all directions in deepening shades of azure with a stunning reef nearby. Stargazing at night is like nothing you’ve experienced before and spa treatments are out of this world.
@kandolhu
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For a slightly more sociable party-life experience you can head to nearby Velassaru, which has 129 villas, several bars and restaurants, plus an abundance of daily activities, making it perfect for a group trip or girlie getaway as well as families and couples.
Velassaru‘s water villas are of incredible standard even in the Maldives, with pools looking out onto the ocean through a glass wall. They offer champagne sunset cruises aboard a traditional Maldivian fishing vessel called a Dhoni boat where you can sit back on a giant bean bag while sipping cool Tattinger as the sun sinks into the horizon.
If you’re in the mood for a little more exclusivity and privacy, you can be taken to a private paradise in the shape of a deserted sandbank out in the ocean – an excursion called Island Escape, complete with champagne and culinary delights.
@velassarumaldives
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Cuba is a photographer’s dream full of Spanish colonial buildings painted in various sherbet-like colours and big, pre-1960 American classic cars, which you can experience yourself. Havana in particular looks like a rough-around-the-edges film set from 1940s Hollywood, but it won’t stay that way for long.
Timely photo-ops aside, Cuba’s music is amazing: you can enjoy salsa or bachata dancing or you can simply just listen to the live Latin bands that play on every street corner. It is enough to move you.
The national cocktail list includes the Cuba Libre, mojito, daiquiri, and canchanchara, so you’ll never be left thirsty, but finding good food and accommodation can be a challenge, so I recommend exploring this beauty by cruise.
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This tiny Caribbean island boasts two very different sides and climates: the wild, wet and windy West, perfect for surfing and kicking back old school, and the elegant East, home to fancy hotels and five-star service like the likes of the House and Colony Club hotels. Embark on a yacht excursion out to sea or a tour round the island’s top ‘rum shops’ (rum bars), of which there are around 1,500!
@eleganthotel
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This Indonesian slice of paradise may have earned a reputation for being a bit too westernised or tourist-y in recent years but head to Ubud and you’ll have an incredible time.
In this lush town, known as the hub of traditional crafts and dance, you can check out amazing Monkey Forest full of friendly Indonesian monkeys (tread with caution), and go on various brilliant tours round the area.
You can take a day trip to the lush Tegenungan waterfall, various holy temples, spots of natural beauty and plantations. You can also get picked up from your hotel at 3am to join a group and climb mighty Mount Batur through the night to make it to the top for a stunning sunrise over the landscape.
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The three tiny Gili Islands in Indonesia are close to Lombok and Bali so you could visit them on the same trip if it takes your fancy. They each boast their own character and highlights, but Gili Trawangan is arguably the most diverse.
What may surprise you is that one of the best things about the island is the food! Dream Divers do amazing giant vegan burgers, The Banyan Tree offer a diverse healthy menu from breakfast to supper and you’ll find little pop-up smoothie bars everywhere offering fresh juice for pennies.
During the day you can sunbathe, snorkel and snack on local delights, while in the evening you can watch the sun go down from a designated ‘sunset bar’ round the quieter side of the island, then watch a movie on open-air cinema, and party all night if you want to.
@mymatesplacegili
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As it’s the smallest island in this area of Thailand, you may expect Ko Tao to be a quiet little paradise, a bit limited or even ruined by tourism. But it’s the exact opposite. Ko Tao offers wonderful landscapes, beautiful pristine beaches, hidden bays and glorious sunsets, and it’s much less explored than Ko Phi Phi or Ko Phagnan. Yet it’s as easily accessible from the mainland as the rest.
You can scuba dive down or snorkel to see the weird and wonderful sea flora and fauna or hire a bike to explore the jungle and neighbouring paradise of Nangyuan Island by day. Afterwards, you can retreat back to your room in peace or drink until dawn if it takes your fancy.
@misskimmyy
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Madagascar sits off the southeast coast of Africa and is the fourth-largest island in the world. It is home to a vast variety of animal life not found anywhere else in the world, such as lemurs. In fact, 5% of all known animal and plant species are ONLY found here. Woah. And the lush national parks and landscape of rainforests, baobab trees, deserts and reefs is spectacular.
It’s a less-spoiled and little-explored paradise perfect for outdoorsy adventurers who love off-road sightseeing via 4X4, hiking, mountain biking, kitesurfing, rock climbing or diving. Some resorts are so remote you’ll need a private plane or boat to get there, but it will all be worth it once you discover the natural pools, beaches and hammocks to relax in.
@ourworldourchoice
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A cruise around the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos can be one of the most romantic holidays for loved-up couples.
Santorini in particular is arguably Greece’s most beautiful island, and one of the world’s most spectacular as well. Its blend of stunning cliffs, deep blue sea, whitewashed buildings and exceptional food and wine make it ubiquitously Mediterranean.
To beat the crowds and soaring prices, head there around October when it’s low season but the water is still warm.
@laurocomolli
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The Great Barrier Reef is an aquatic wonderland known as the largest living structure on Earth, stretching a lengthy 2000km along the Queensland coast in Australia.
The nearby Whitsundays have with safe and smooth waters perfect for exploring it from. If you snorkel in the warm shallow waters you can spot some of its most colourful fish and corals.
If you have a bit more to spend you can go all out and take a seaplane or helicopter to view the otherworldly Whitehaven beach, voted the ‘Best Beach in the South Pacific’, or romantic-looking Heart Reef from the air.
For a closer look you can scuba dive down to see the thousands of species vibrant sea life, whales, dolphins and turtles up close.
@queensland
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The Philippines isn’t famed for its tropical private islands, yet Ariara is amazing. Located in Palawan’s Calamian Archipelago, Ariara’s 125-acres are covered in part by lush jungle, with fine sandy beaches at the edge and brilliant protected corals to explore.
The resort offers spacious accommodation for up to 18 guests and was built using local products like local Romblon marble, and the wood baths were made in the old fashioned boat building way by indigenous Palwan sculptors. You can explore wartime Japanese and American shipwrecks, climb up to the peak of the island and meet the friendly locals.
@matchesfashion
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