25 remote islands you should visit in your lifetime
Easter Island is one of the world's most remote islands, located about 2,240 miles from Chile's mainland. The Ahu Tongariki is the largest Ahu — a stone pedestal or shrine — on the island and functions as a base for the large restored moais or statues that sit on top of it (there are a total of 887 on the island). There's also a volcano on the island and breathtaking sunsets.
Surrounded by the Sea of Japan off the coast of the Korean Peninsula, Ulleungdo is an island made completely out of volcanic rock. An ideal destination for outdoorsy types, the island offers fishing, hiking, and boat trips. It's also a great place to try hoe, a Korean dish featuring raw fish.
Ferry over to one of the four San Juan Islands (there are 172 in total) accessible by boat from Washington State. You'll find peace and quiet along with hiking and biking trails and even some Orca whales.
Go snorkeling or scuba diving on one of the Solomon Islands — a group of hundreds of islands in the South Pacific off the coast of Papua New Guinea. Tetepare Island is home to some stunning creatures that live on the island or in the island's waters.
The archipelago of Los Rogues, located 97 miles north of Venezuela’s central coast, is home to around 350 islands and islets, 280 species of fish, and stretches of white sands.
Only five of the 140 Isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain, are inhabited. Tresco is home to Cromwell's Castle, which was built in the 1600s.
The island that Tom Hanks was stranded on in the movie "Castaway" is Monuriki (also known as Modriki). Although uninhabited, Monuriki (one of Fiji's islands) has glistening blue waters and bright white sand beaches.
Home to seals, whales, dolphins, penguins, otters, cattle, and other wildlife, the Orkney Islands are an archipelago near northern Scotland. It's a perfect mix of idyllic Scottish countryside and intriguing animals.
The 64 Penghu Islands, located in Taiwan's Penghu Peninsula, are ideal for water sport aficionados, such as windsurfers. There's also good birdwatching and the twin heart stone (pictured below) in Chimei. The heart stone is a weir, a fish trap that has been used by fishermen for years. This particular weir — made out of basalt and coral reefs — attracts tourists because of its unusual double heart shape.
Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago of 21 islands and islets located 220 miles off of the Brazilian coast, was declared a marine national park in 1988 and allows only 420 tourists on the island at a time. Because of that, you’ll find unspoiled beaches teeming with dolphins and sea turtles amidst stunning waterfalls.
Source: Travel Channel
Isolated from the mainland, the Con Daos Islands in Vietnam are loved for their 16 mountain islets that make for great hiking trails and for its beaches that provide magnificent coral reef diving.
Swim among thousands of jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake located in the Rock Islands of Palau.
Great for history buffs, French Guiana's Devil's Island — known as "green hell" — was formerly a penal colony and prison during the 19th and 20th centuries. Although the island is uninhabited, many of its buildings have been restored, and visitors can take guided tours around the island.
A total of 1,156 islets sitting between Australia and Hawaii, the Marshall Islands include the Kwajalein Atoll, which is one of the world’s biggest coral atolls. It includes 97 of its own islets.
Flores island, located in the most western point of the Azores Archipelago off the coast of Portugal, gets its name from the bountiful amounts of wildflowers that surround the area. It also hosts natural hot springs and lagoons that make for a relaxing swim.
Raiatea translates to "faraway heaven," and the island is known as the "vanilla island" of Tahaa, an island in French Polynesia. Raiatea is considered sacred and is home to both luxury resorts and the best-preserved archaeological site in Polynesia.
Lord Howe Island, located approximately 372 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia, has diverse marine life thanks to its isolated location. It hosts a varied landscape of mountains, valleys, hills, lowlands and seacliffs.
Mykines is the most westerly of the 18 main islands located in the Faroe Archipelago, which lies approximately halfway between Norway and Iceland. Here, villages are filled with grass-roofed houses and the island is known for its large population of puffins.
Thailand's Koh Phayam is increasingly becoming a popular travel destination for those who want to get away from the crowds at the Phangan and Samui islands. In Koh Phayam, accessible via a two-hour boat ride from Ranong, sandy beaches are surrounded by cashew trees to offer a serene setting.
Belize’s Caye Caulker island in the Caribbean Sea is tiny but the perfect place for someone who loves island life. Sand streets, palm trees, colored homes, and thatched roofs can all be found in abundance here.
If you’re looking for a quiet getaway, take the boat ride from Kep in Cambodia to Koh Tonsay, where you’ll find white sand beaches overlooking clear waters. The sea is shallow with a variety of corals, making it a good place to witness marine life while swimming.
Cayos Cochinos is a group of two small islands located 19 miles northeast of La Ceiba in Honduras. Far from the more crowded beaches of Roatán, travelers appreciate the tranquility of the area.
Lundy Island, a tiny island located 12 miles off the north coast of Devon, England, is a prime spot to see grey seals, dolphins, and seabirds.
Of the 62 islands in Tonga's Ha'apai, only 17 have been inhabited so far, but the islands offer breathtaking lagoons and in some areas, waters adorned with vivid pink corals.
A group of 84 islands in Uganda's Lake Victoria, the Ssese Islands recently got a ferry that shuttles visitors to its beaches nestled among tropical forests.
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