ALL over the planet are incredible islands – but these ones have been declared the best in the world.
Travel + Leisure has found the very top destinations from Asia to Africa and Australia – not to mention one spot went to the UK.
The best islands were declared from reader votes of which there were hundreds of thousands.
In top spot was the Thai island of Koh Samui which got a top score of 95.64 out of 100.
The publication said: “This first-time winner in the Gulf of Thailand—with an array of elevated accommodations, luscious jungles, and roaring waterfalls—has become a leading destination for self-care.”
It was also praised for its beaches, vibrant culture and waterfalls.
The island is south of Bangkok, known for its pretty beaches, not to mention bargain cocktails and tasty street food.
Travel Reporter Alice Penwill who went last year said: “The island has luxury resorts and picture-perfect beaches
“But the real Thailand is in the busy beach bars flogging happy-hour deals, tiny restaurants with garish tablecloths, and the constant thump of Thai boxing promotions from crackling loudspeakers.“
In second place was the beautiful Maldives followed by the Galapagos Islands and Bali.
But in 13th place is the first and only UK island to make the list – Skye and the Hebrides.
The wild Scottish archipelago is known for mountainous landscapes, rugged coastlines and rare white-sand beaches.
Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding, who visited Eilean Shona – part of the Inner Hebrides – described it as a “real-life Neverland”.
She said: “Whilst there isn’t much to do on the island, it is the perfect retreat away from the modern world and the stresses of day to day life.
“The island has an endless amount of walks you can take, and a couple of mine included heading to the summit and to the opposite side of the island where I found Shoe Bay, with a white sand beach and crystal clear waters.
“And whilst exploring the island, make sure to keep an eye out for wildlife as birds of prey often circle overhead.
“In less than 24 hours I had completely fallen in love with the island.”
Other top islands close to the UK include Malta which is dubbed one of the ‘jewels of the Mediterranean’.
Its capital, Valletta, is one of the sunniest cities in all of Europe – it gets on average 3,000 hours of sunshine each year.
The Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily which are a short flight away for Brits also got high marks.
In Greece, Milos and Crete placed in the top 25 – as did Paros, which was last year’s winner, some of which are set to be the next big Greek island holiday destinations.
One writer visited Paros last year and loved the island for its “beautiful beaches, traditional villages and a buzzing nightlife.”
She added: “One thing I loved about the island is that it has everything you want out of a holiday.
“Whether that’s a quiet spot on a sandy beach to relax, head off on a wild boat party, or eat authentic Greek food on a candlelit table.”
Here’s the full list of the ‘best islands in the world’…
Here are Travel + Leisure’s best islands in the world – and their scores out of 100…
- Koh Samui – 95.64
- Maldives – 95.38
- Galapagos Islands – 94.99
- Bali – 93.20
- Phuket – 93.18
- Seychelles – 92.95
- Fiji – 92.71
- Sri Lanka – 92.67
- Dominica – 91.87
- Zanzibar – 91.83
- Golden Isles – 91.59
- Sardinia – 91.57
- Skye and the Hebrides – 91.17
- Malta – 91.00
- Grenada – 90.36
- Madeira – 90.33
- Azores – 90.18
- Maui – 89.70
- Sicily – 89.53
- Milos – 89.50
- Virgin Gorda – 89.43
- Crete – 89.39
- Vieques – 89.38
- Paros – 89.33
- Kauai – 89.16