Travel

In pictures: The 15 best islands in the world

Jul 11, 2018

The Travel+Leisure World’s Best Awards are a hotly anticipated annual guide to what’s fabulous in the world of travel.

The 2018 results are in, covering everything from cruise ships and hotels to airlines and spas, as voted by the readers of Travel+Leisure.

One of the most spectacular categories is islands of the world – this year, six of the top 15 destinations are from Asia, with one country laying claim to all three top spots.

Without any further ado, here are the 15 best islands in the world for 2018:

15. Azores, Portugal

The Azores, Portugal. Source: Getty — The Azores, an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic and autonomous region of Portugal. Source: Getty

14. Maui, Hawaii

The road to Hana on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Source: Getty

13. Orkney Islands, Scotland

Stromness town on the Orkney Islands, Scotland. Source: Getty — The town of Stromness on the Orkney Islands, Scotland. Source: Getty

12. Cook Islands

One Foot Island, Aitutaki, Cook Islands. Source: Getty

11. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Galap. Source: Getty — Spectacular scenery in the Galápagos Islands. Source: Getty

10. Tasmania, Australia

Source: Getty — Cape Hauy in Tasmania, Australia’s only entry on the list. Source: Getty

9. Páros, Greece

Paros, Greece. Source: Getty — The gorgeous Greek island of Páros. Source: Getty

Read more: 3 lesser-known South Pacific Islands that should be on your bucket list

8. Cebu, Philippines

Cebu, Philippines. Source: Getty — Kawasan Falls in Badian on Cebu, the Philippines. Source: Getty

7. Mauritius

Mauritius. Source: Getty — An aerial view of the underwater waterfall and Le Morne Brabant peninsula on the island of Mauritius. Source: Getty

6. Palawan, Philippines

Source: Getty — The lagoon of Coron Island in Palawan, the Philippines. Source: Getty

5. Waiheke, New Zealand

New Zealand's Waiheke Island, just off the coast of Auckland. Source: Getty — Oneroa Beach on Waiheke Island, just off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand. Source: Getty

4. Maldives

The blue waters and white sands of the Maldives. Source: Getty — The iconic blue waters and white sands of the Maldives, a chain of 26 spectacular atolls. Source: Getty

3. Lombok, Indonesia

Source: Getty — Mount Rinjani, an active volcano on the Indonesian island of Lombok. Source: Getty

2. Bali, Indonesia

Terraced rice fields in Ubud, Bali. Source: Getty

1. Java, Indonesia

The UNESCO World Heritage-Listed Borobudur Temple at sunrise, on the island of Java, Indonesia. Source: Getty — A sunrise shot of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Borobudur Temple, on the island of Java, Indonesia. Source: Getty

Read more: Mediterranean islands where you’ll want to stay forever

Travel The latest news

Share:

Share via email

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on Pinterest

Stories that matter

Emails delivered daily

Explore More

Starts at 60