Remote Islands Worth Crossing the World For

There is a particular kind of island that does not show up in the recommendation feed. You reach it by changing planes twice, then a small ferry, then a road that ends at a single guesthouse with two rooms and a kitchen that closes at nine.

The reward, almost always, is silence. Then weather. Then a coastline that has been doing this exact thing for far longer than anyone has been watching it. Our shortlist is small on purpose — five islands we keep coming back to in conversation.

The Faroes, for the cliffs and the light

Eighteen islands in the North Atlantic, connected by a quietly heroic network of subsea tunnels. The cliffs at Vestmanna fall straight into the sea; the lake at Sørvágsvatn appears, from one angle, to hang above the ocean.

Base yourself in Tórshavn for three nights, then move north to Klaksvík. Build the itinerary around the weather forecast, not the map — it changes the country every twenty minutes. Pair this trip with our notes on Road Trips if you can spare a week.

Lord Howe, for the lagoon

Two hours by small plane east of Sydney, with a cap of four hundred visitors at any time. The lagoon is the southernmost coral reef in the world and the kind of clear that makes you doubt your camera.

There are no chain hotels and no mobile phone service in much of the island. Hire a bicycle on the first morning. Walk Mount Gower if your knees and a permitted guide will allow it.

Fogo, off Newfoundland, for the season

Fogo Island has a population of about two thousand and four distinct seasons that are taken seriously. The Fogo Island Inn is the obvious anchor; the studios and saltbox houses scattered across the island are the quieter alternative.

Go in late September for the colour, or in February for the pack ice. Either way, plan for slow days and long, surprisingly excellent dinners. The island sits comfortably in our wider catalogue of Islands & Coastlines.

Socotra, when conditions allow it

An island in the Arabian Sea that botanists describe in the language usually reserved for other planets. The dragon's blood trees, the bottle trees, the white dunes against turquoise water — none of it looks quite like earth.

Access is via Cairo or Abu Dhabi on a charter schedule that changes by the season. Travel with a reputable specialist operator and check current advisories before booking flights.

The outer Stockholm archipelago, in late August

Twenty-four thousand islands and skerries, of which a small handful are inhabited year-round. By the final week of August the summer houses are emptying and the ferries are mostly carrying locals.

Stay one night in Sandhamn, then take the slow boat further out to Möja or Finnhamn. Bring a book, a sweater, and almost no plans.

Travelling to islands well

Always add a buffer day at each end. Ferries cancel. Small planes wait out the weather. The traveller who has built their itinerary down to the hour is the one who ends up missing the place entirely.

Pack lighter than you think — most island accommodations have laundry, and the airports usually do not have jet bridges. For the slower, more considered approach we prefer on these trips, our Travel Guides section is a useful starting point.