20 Little-Known Islands Around the World

It’s a fantasy most of us have: to escape to an idyllic island somewhere, far away from the rat race. The problem is that many island destinations lost their charm when the crowds discovered them. After all, how do you get away from it all when you have to compete with fellow tourists for a spot on the beach?

The good news is that you don’t have to travel to the ends of the Earth to find that secluded island of your dreams. These little-known islands may be popular in their region, but less so further afield. They’re also some of the best in the world.

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1. Caye Caulker, Belize

With no cars, on Caye Caulker you can truly escape the rat race. Kayaking, snorkelling, diving and just swinging in a hammock are the main activities the little island offers visitors. Caye Caulker is budget friendly too.

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2. Tanera Mor, United Kingdom

Tanera Mor is one of the Summer Islands just off the coast of northwestern Scotland. With no roads and only basic infrastructure, it’s a nature lover’s paradise with plenty of opportunities for birdwatching, hiking, fishing, snorkelling or trying to spot dolphins.

If you really like it here and have a couple of million to spare, Tanera Mor is for sale.

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3. San Andres, Colombia

Shaped like a seahorse and actually closer to the coast of Nicaragua than to the Colombian mainland, San Andres is Colombia’s answer to the overdeveloped islands of the eastern Caribbean.

Excellent visibility makes it a great diving and snorkelling destination while palm-fringed beaches, Creole culture and the sounds of reggae makes this just the place to kick back and relax.

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4. Con Son, Vietnam

The largest island in Vietnam’s Con Dao Archipelago, Con Son used to be a penal colony where political prisoners were kept as recently as 1975. This grim past has kept the developers at bay, so today you’ll find a rugged island with pristine beaches and a lush, mountainous interior just waiting to be explored.

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5. Pico, Portugal

One of the islands in the Azores, Pico is home to Ponta de Pico, a volcano that is the highest point in Portugal. Its vineyards are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the delicious local cuisine will give you all the sustenance you need for exploring its natural treasures, including the Gruta das Torres, one of the largest lava tubes in the world.

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6. Gozo, Malta

The nation of Malta isn’t one island but actually an archipelago of several, of which Gozo is the second largest. Rumoured to be the island of Ogygia where the nymph Calypso of Homer’s Odyssey lived, Gozo features stunning limestone formations.

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7. Holbox, Mexico

Only about 60 km from Cancun, Holbox is really a world away from Mexico’s famous tourist playground. Fishing is a bigger industry here than tourism but there’s plenty to keep visitors occupied, including kitesurfing, birdwatching and whale shark viewing.

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8. Skopelos, Greece

Medieval castles, Byzantine monasteries, pine forests, beaches and Skopelos cheese pie are just some of the reasons why you’ll love the relatively unknown Greek island of Skopelos.

If you’re looking for the perfect wedding chapel, look no further than the Church of Agios Ioannis Kastri, built on a huge rock and featured in the wedding scene in Mamma Mia!

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9. Ibo Island, Mozambique

The remains of old Portuguese forts and other buildings create a sense of nostalgia on Ibo Island in the Quirimbas Archipelago off the northern Mozambican coast. Once an important trading port, the island is home to a huge mangrove forest and some prime sites for diving and snorkelling. A magical way of getting here is by dhow from the mainland.

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10. Isle au Haut, Maine

Located in Maine’s Penobscot Bay, Isle au Haut is home to lobster fishing. With about half the island falling within Acadia National Park, it’s a rugged outdoor paradise with great opportunities for hiking in the forest or kayaking or boating along the rocky shoreline.

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11. Great Barrier Island, New Zealand

New Zealand’s sixth largest island, some 100 km northeast of Auckland, acts as a barrier between the Pacific Ocean and the Hauraki Gulf. The mountainous interior makes for great birdwatching and secluded hot springs will reward you after a long hike.

The waters surrounding the island provide opportunities for boating, fishing, kayaking, surfing and snorkelling.

Christina Gou/Wikimedia Commons

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12. Kastellorizo, Greece

The 1991 Oscar-winning Italian movie Mediterraneo is about a group of WW2 Italian soldiers stranded on a remote Greek island, where they soon forget that there’s a war going on.

Their island idyll was Kastellorizo, the easternmost of the Greek islands. The clear blue waters and whitewashed houses will soon have you forget, like those soldiers in the movie, about the state of the world.

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13. Juist, Germany

Germany is probably not the first country to come to mind when you think about romantic island destinations, so Juist in the Wadden Sea comes as a bit of a surprise. The beaches are endless and with its many spas, the island is a popular wellness destination.

The only ways to get around the island are on foot, by bicycle or by horse-drawn carriage.

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14. Koh Rong, Cambodia

Tourism on Cambodia’s second largest island is still a fledgling industry and Koh Rong’s unspoilt beauty has made it the perfect location for several seasons of Survivor. While the island is a paradise to explore by day, it really shines at night, when you can see phosphorescent plankton on the beach.

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15. Chiloe, Chile

Chiloe is the largest island in the eponymous archipelago off the coast of southern Chile. It’s home to a temperate rainforest and a host of marine animals, including whales, dolphins, sea lions, penguins and marine otters. The island is also famous for its wooden churches and the colourful houses on stilts along the waterfront.

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16. Flatey, Iceland

Flatey’s name means “flat island” and it’s one of the remote western islands off the coast of Iceland. There’s a small village with brightly painted traditional houses and sheep walking along the main street. Flatey is also home to birds such as Arctic terns and puffins.

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17. Solta, Croatia

In spite of its vineyards and olive groves, pine-covered slopes and quaint villages complete with medieval stone houses, Solta is often overlooked in favour of Croatia’s more famous island destinations. That means that you can enjoy this hidden gem just 18 km or so from Split without crowds of package tourists disturbing the peace.

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18. Corn Islands, Nicaragua

Getting to Nicaragua’s Corn Islands requires a bit of planning but because it takes time to travel here, they are mercifully free of tourist masses. Big Corn Island has a distinctly Caribbean atmosphere while Little Corn is a car-free paradise with great snorkelling sites.

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19. Cies Islands, Spain

The three islands that make up the Cies Archipelago fall within the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park and are a far cry from Spain’s more famous islands, such as Ibiza. You’ll find rugged mountains, the world’s largest colony of seagulls and the glorious Rodas Beach.

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20. Pelee Island, Ontario

Located in Lake Erie, Pelee Island is Canada’s southernmost populated point and falls on the migration routes of several bird species and monarch butterflies.

Becoming one with nature is a popular pastime here but the island also has historic sites such as Canada’s oldest estate winery to explore and hosts events such as the annual Stone & Sky Music & Arts Series.