Best Undiscovered Islands Worldwide
I keep a private list of places I hesitate to name too loudly, because the whole point of them is that they are still quiet. The islands that get the magazine covers are usually the ones losing their character. The truly worthwhile ones take effort, a ferry, a flight on a small plane, a bus where no one speaks your language, and reward you with beaches that have more footprints from birds than people. Here are the islands I believe still belong to the discoverers.
Raasay, Scotland
Fifteen minutes by ferry from Skye, Raasay somehow holds the secret of the whole Hebrides without any of the crush. Wild cliffs, empty beaches, and a distillery at the island’s heart. I walked a coastline where a red deer stood still as a statue watching me pass. There is one hotel, one campsite, and endless gray-green larch and silver water. It is not tropical, but for pure quiet north of the borders it is unmatched.
Hvar’s Little Sister, Šolta, Croatia
Adriatic islands around Croatia are crowded in summer, but Šolta, a short ferry from Split, stays wonderfully overlooked. I came for the olive groves and the quiet coves and got both. The villages are stone and vine, and the beaches are small, pebbled, and never packed. Everyone else races to Hvar and Brac. Šolta lets you read a book in the shade and feel you have the Adriatic to yourselves.
Corvo, Azores
The smallest of the Azores, Corvo has one village, a huge volcanic caldera, and almost no cars. I hiked to the crater rim and looked down at two blue lakes ringed by green cliffs, with not another soul in view. Getting there takes a small plane from Flores and the weather can be fickle, which is exactly why it stays untouched. This is true island solitude in the middle of the Atlantic.
Mykines, Faroe Islands
Mykines is the westernmost of the Faroe Islands, a slab of grass and cliff where puffins nest by the thousands. I reached it by boat when the sea allowed and spent the day on trails above crashing water, seabirds arcing overhead. The lighthouse walk is hair-raising and glorious. There are barely any services, just one tiny community, and that rough honesty is the appeal.
Siquijor, Philippines
Siquijor keeps its old reputation for mysticism, which keeps the package tour buses away. I found an island of waterfalls, caves, and empty crescent beaches ringed by coral. There are no high rises, just family guesthouses and long quiet stretches. The magic is more about the sunsets and the warmth of the people than anything supernatural, but a little of each made my week here unforgettable.
Hvar Somogy Barrier: Molat, Croatia
Farther north in the Adriatic, Molat is an island of pine forest and hidden bays with almost no development. I anchored mentally on a beach accessible only by boat and had it entirely to myself. The old Austrian forts and the abandoned landscape add intrigue. If you want the Dalmatian coast without the crowds, Molat is a genuine find.
Iceland’s Westman Islands
A short ferry from the mainland, Heimaey in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago is a working island of puffins, dramatic cliffs, and a famous volcanic eruption that reshaped it in 1973. I found the hiking along the sea cliffs spectacular with seabirds by the tens of thousands. It is small enough to cross on foot, and the local museum tells one of the most involving stories in modern Iceland.
Pohnpei, Micronesia
Most Pacific honeymooners go to Fiji or Palau, leaving Pohnpei beautifully off the radar. The island holds the ancient ruins of Nan Madol, a city of stone canals some call the Venice of the Pacific, plus jungle waterfalls and a laid-back renown for its hospitality. I found it raw, green, and gloriously unhurried, a place where the exploration is real.
Mount Stuart’s Neighbors: Small Cyclades
On your way to the better-known Cyclades, slip off toward the Small Cyclades, tiny islands like Koufonisia and Schinoussa. A short ferry and you trade Mykonos crowds for empty beaches and little fishing hamlets. I walked coastlines that felt boundless and swam in water so clear I could see the sand texture from above. These are the Aegean islands your friends will ask about.
Gizo, Solomon Islands
For divers and true castaways, Gizo in the Solomon Islands is a genuine find. WWII wrecks litter the harbor, the reefs are world class, and the islands beyond are simple and welcoming. I came for the diving and stayed for the low-key rhythm of island life. Few travelers make it this far, which is precisely why the Solomon Islands feel like real discovery.
Keeping the Quiet Places Quiet
The honest truth about undiscovered islands is that they only stay that way while people keep them lightly. Travel gently, support the small guesthouses, and leave the sand as you found it. The reward for your tact is a kind of travel that is vanishing, empty coves, real paths, and the rare feeling that on your trip, the island belonged mostly to you.
