AS the Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor, I’ve certainly racked up the countries, hitting 60 this year.
This has included some insanely beautiful islands along the way, some of which you might not have heard of.
When it comes to island holidays, there is a strict criteria I always look for.
Stunning beaches and beautiful blue waters are obviously a must.
However, I also want a mix of relaxation and adventure, not just one or the other – after all, I want my hiking offset with a sunlounger cocktail.
So here are my top 11 picks I think everyone should visit, ranging from established Spanish islands to barely-known ones further afield.
Holbox
While Tulum and Cancun are great holiday destinations in Mexico, let me pitch you Isla Holbox. It’s a two-hour bus from the airport, followed by a quick ferry ride – but it is worth the trip.
Expect no cars, only golf buggies, people playing live music and dancing into the night and brightly graffitied coffee shops and taco stands.
White sandy beaches, palm trees and slightly dodgy electricity… but it truly makes you feel like you’re a million miles away from the world.
You can get some insanely beautiful hotels to stay in for really cheap as well – try Alcobas Del Mar which is from £30 a night, with an indoor pool. Flights to Cancun start from £507 return.
Tenerife
Sometimes, all you want is a beautiful fly and flop hotel resort – enter Tenerife.
Of course, the Spanish island has its iconic Siam waterpark, named the best in the world for years, its volcanic beaches and crazy Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival every year.
But I went there to celebrate in style for my 30th, and was sold by the pink Ritz Carlton Abama hotel (complete with a hidden beach you can only get to by land train).
I never left thanks to its Villa Ambassadors who are on call for your every need, from better pillows to booking massages.
If you’re looking for that hallowed 1 euro holiday pint you’ll be searching for a while as most of the cheap bars have put their prices up to a minimum of 1.50 (£1.30) euros a pint now – to find these deals, head to the strip in Los Cristianos, Playa De Las Americas and Costa Adeje.
Not every holiday has to be an adventure, and I came away being so relaxed I almost missed my flight back. Deals can be found for £839 each for a seven-night and flight package, via loveholidays.
Mauritius
If you asked me where the best sunsets are found in the world, I’d say Mauritius, an African island which had gorgeous bright pink skies every night.
Yet I was transported to Dubai thanks to the hotel rooftop infinity pools, Bora Bora from the thatched lobbies and Maldives for its overwater restaurants. That’s before exploring the beautiful history via L’Aventure du Sucre, and some rum cocktails at the beach bars….
It’s the kind of island where you never want to leave your resort, with friendly locals always cracking jokes as you laze by the pool.
You can fly directly there with Air Mauritius from £536 return, while you can easily find seven-night package holidays for under £1,000pp.
Ria Formosa
Don’t overlook Faro as a holiday destination, despite it being the gateway to the Algarve – it is home to some tiny, crowd-free islands in Ria Formosa, that only locals know about.
Ilha Deserta is just a few euros and 20 minutes by boat, where its golden sands are compared to the Caribbean of Portugal. The only thing on it? The fabulous Estamine restaurant, serving fresh fish and local wine.
Or there is Isla Armona, with a few more local houses and cafes, and is just as quiet to visit, along with islands Cabanas, Culatra and Tavira.
You’ll have to stay back on the mainland, with Faro hotels from around £80 a night. Flights to Faro start from £30 return with Ryanair.
Naifaru
At this point, the Maldives is on everyone’s bucket list, but there is a way to see the real side of the country, outside of the resorts.
I went on a day trip to Naifaru, where I met rehabilitated turtles at Atoll Marine Center that were injured from boats, as well as learned more about the local way of life from the people themselves.
Of course, if you want luxury you have a lot of options on nearby islands – if you want a larger, more established resort, opt for Atmosphere Kanifushi, while a smaller and more intimate resort is something like VARU by Atmosphere.
Deals for the Maldives are insanely cheap right now – loveholidays has some for as little as £1,179pp for a seven-night and return flight package.
Crete
Trying to name the best Greek island when there are hundreds to choose from seems like an impossible task. But the largest of them all sold itself as the perfect places for both couples and families.
I explored two sides of Crete, with Numo Ierapetra going up there as one of my favourite hotels. Adults-only, live DJ pool sessions, quiet beach and fantastic breakfast buffet – all boxes ticked.
Or head to the other side of the island and swap Chania for the Venetian city of Rethimno, where I hopped between cafes and trendy shops, as well as the tiny village of Margarites known for its ceramics.
Flights to Crete with easyJet are around £56 return, while stays at Numo Ierapetra start from £137 a night.
Sri Lanka
Mix palm-tree lined beaches with the best cup of tea in the world, and you’ll find Sri Lanka. It’s the size of Ireland, so it’s easy to get around, but with an insane amount of things to do.
Catch some waves at Weligama Beach, followed by an elephant safari in Yala, ending on some of the best – albeit spicy – curries of your life. Make sure to spark up a conversation with the locals, where it won’t take long to get onto the topic of cricket.
Hotels are crazy cheap – as little as £25 a night – but it has some of the world’s best hotels for a relatively reasonable price given the quality, like Jetwing Vil Uyana (from £271) or Cape Weligama (from £364).
Or keep it simple with a package deal with On The Beach from £870pp.
St Kitts
If you like hiking volcanos, paragliding in bright blue waters and ziplines through the jungle – St Kitts is the island for you.
Adventure tourism is a huge thing here. Think horse riding, jet skis, snorkelling and buggy rentals, which are the tip of the iceberg of what you can do there.
Although it still has its beautiful beach bars serving cheap cocktails and tasty lobster, alongside live reggae music.
Even better? You can fly there directly with British Airways, with return flights from £420pp. Hotels start from £68 a night, although most tend to sit around £100-£140.
Iceland
Sometimes you don’t want a sweaty, overly-hot holiday – which is where Iceland comes in. Even as a hot-weather girly, I was left in awe of the island’s natural landscape.
I spent my mornings in the famous Blue Lagoon, before getting cosy with a hot chocolate in front of my hotel fire.
Crazy geysers, rocky road trips, Northern Lights – it felt like I was going back in time to a more basic, rural way of living.
You can do it on a budget if you know where to look. Icelandair have a “Just the Basics” package trip from £421 which is return flights and two nights at a hotel.
Puerto Rico
If there is one island that surprised me in how much I loved it, it was Puerto Rico. While it’s popular with Americans, Brits often overlook it as a holiday destination, most likely because it requires a stopover flight.
It was a fascinating mix of American and Caribbean culture, where Medalla Light Beers were just £2.50 chased by great-value pork sandwiches to soak it all up. A tour of the Casa Barcardi distillery includes a lot of cocktails along the way too…
Definitely get a boat trip to Flamenco Beach, frequently classed as one of the best in the world, with the unique feature of a WW2 US army tank stranded on the shoreline, as well as a visit to El Yunque National Forest to see the glowing bioluminescent waters.
Don’t expect super cheap hotels, but you can find some guesthouses for under £100 a night. Return flights start from £610.
Turks & Caicos
Turks & Caicos is no longer as easy to get to, after Virgin Atlantic scrapped flights there – but it is 100 per cent worth the trip.
It’s a place for lazy days spent at resorts. All I did was explore sunrises on Grace Bay (another world’s best beach), kayak in glass-bottomed boats alongside chilled turtles, and drink alcohol on floating pontoons.
Don’t even try to compare it to its nearby neighbours of Jamaica and Barbados – it feels worlds away when it comes to the paradisical island.
Seven-night holidays start from £1,159pp with loveholidays.