The results of one of the biggest annual travel surveys in the world are out, and destinations around the world are celebrating their inclusions on lists like “the best river cruises of 2024″ or “the best safari lodges and operators of 2024.” But while businesses may be happy to be included, it’s travelers who should be making moves — especially if they want to visit one of the 25 best islands in the world before they become overrun by their own popularity.
These Are the Best Islands in the World, According to Nearly 200,000 Voters
The “World’s Best” awards from travel brand Travel and Leisure and Capital One Travel asked 186,000 readers to vote on their favorite islands, ranking them from “excellent” to “poor” on factors like value/cost, friendliness of locals, activities and sights, restaurants, and, naturally, the quality of beaches. While some picks on the top 25 list are well-known, like Galápagos, the islands of Fiji, and Indonesia’s Bali, others are still fairly under-the-radar on the global travel scene.
Milos was one of four Greek islands to make the top 25 list. Photo: Georgios Tsichlis/Shutterstock
Of the top 25 best islands in the world, Greece had not one but four islands rank on the list — perhaps not surprising, since the country has so many islands, there’s no official number (but more than 6,000 is the best guess). Coming in second in terms of listings was perennial favorite Italy, with three appearances. And regionally, several growing tourism destinations in Southeast Asia made the list.
But of the many, many islands considered, just one could take the top spot: Maldives. It’s actually closer to about 1,200 islands, but counted as one for the survey. That likely gave it a leg up on winning, since the country has 172 resorts sitting on separate private islands. It scored 95.63 points out of 100. And for anyone whose been to the Maldives, it’s pretty easy to guess which category made it lose 4.37 points. It’s likely the average prices, considering Maldives is a country where over-the-water bungalows can easily reach $5,000 or more per night.
The rest of the best islands in the world listed in order are:
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- Maldives
- Phú Quốc, Vietnam
- Bali, Indonesia
- Milos, Greece
- Dominica
- Crete, Greece
- Hvar and the Dalmatian Islands, Croatia
- Galápagos, Ecuador
- Koh Samui, Thailand
- The islands of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
- Ischia, Italy
- Cuba
- Palawan, Philippines
- Fiji
- Golden Isles, Georgia, USA
- Phuket, Thailand
- Sicily, Italy
- Anguilla
- Mo’orea, French Polynesia
- Corfu, Greece
- Sardinia, Italy
- Madeira, Portugal
- Isle of Skye, Scotland
- Paros, Greece
- Zanzibar, Tanzania
The 2024 travel survey also queried participants on other island-related topics, including the best islands in the Caribbean (and Bahamas and Bermuda), the best islands in Europe, and the best of the Hawai’ian Islands. The full list of all awarded destinations and businesses, from hotels to cruises to national parks, is available here.