Last updated on September 3rd, 2026 at 11:17 am
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Welcome to my ever-expanding list of my top island paradises of the world!
The word ‘paradise’ is thrown around quite easily these days, so Im going to tell you my specs of what I consider a true paradise island hidden gem.
I am, of course, partial to powdery white sand and sparkly turquoise waters, but friendly and welcoming local people are the first and most important requirement on this list. I don’t consider an island/beach owned by a foreign/private resort that locals can’t access a paradise.
The other things I am looking for are the sounds of nature, such as waves crashing and birds singing. No noises of traffic, trance music, or jet skis, please.
Clean, litter-free beaches and clear, warm water. Activities like surfing, snorkelling, scuba, and paddle-boarding are a massive bonus!
Finally, a true paradise island and must not be over-touristed. I know that is ironic considering that I am a tourist myself, but what can I say, I prefer more secret travel destinations that are a bit off-the-beaten-path.
So with that in mind, as of 2026, 5 places have made it to my top island paradises of the world. I have been to 50 countries, so as you can see, I don’t just let any old island make the cut!
1. Foa, Tonga
Best for: Postcard-perfect-paradise & swimming with Humpback Whales
Ideal trip length: 10 Days
Foa, in the Ha’apai Island group, is without a doubt the most magical paradise island I have ever been to; I would even go as far as to say it is the nicest place I have ever been to in the entire world.
The part of the island with the view that made me cry is home to Matafonua Lodge. It is just one of those places – when I first arrived, I quite literally couldn’t believe my eyes; it is that beautiful.
Tonga itself is still very off the beaten path, and I am not really sure why. It has similar, laid-back and big-hearted island vibes to nearby Fiji, but it feels much less polished – which I love.
The majority of people who do visit Tonga come during whale season, which is when 1000 or so Humpback Whales migrate from Antarctica to give birth in the warm, shallow water around Tonga’s 176 islands. The absolute best place to swim with the whales is in Ha’apai, the island group that is home to Foa Island.
Check out my guide on how to swim with Humpback Whales in Tonga, or read my article on planning a 2-week itinerary in Tonga for more information.
In Foa, when you’re not swimming with friendly humpback whales, you can paddle board the crystal clear waters or drift-snorkel along the best coral reef in Tonga with amazing visibility and friendly, local Leopard sharks.
Matafonua Lodge also has bicycles to borrow, so you can pedal to nearby villages, ride their horses, play games, read books in the hammocks, drink cold beers at sunset, all to the backdrop of the gentle music wafting over from the beach bar, and a constant onshore cooling breeze.
Time slips by sweetly and slowly. If I could imagine the ultimate paradise on Earth, it would be here. It’s pure magic.
I am not affiliated with Matafonua Lodge in any way. I just think it is the nicest place in the world.
2. Munroe Island, Kerala, India
Best for: Backwaters, birds, and the ultimate serenity
Ideal trip length: 3 Days
It took me seven trips to India to discover Munroe Island, a place so special I was very close to gatekeeping it, but luckily for you, I changed my mind and decided to share this beautiful place in the heart of Kerala in South India.
Munroe Island is a group of 8 islets in the backwaters of Ashtamudi Lake in the Kollam District, and this is the Kerala backwaters at their best.
If you haven’t heard of the Kerala Backwaters, they are a 900-kilometre labyrinth of interconnected canals, rivers, and lagoons that run parallel to the Arabian Sea. What makes them special is their status as a rare, living ecosystem where entire communities live, farm, and commute entirely on the water.
And they are very, very pretty. This is not your typical sandy beach, Piña-colada in hand, paradise island, but there is something about the backwaters that just makes you feel at peace.
I spent a glorious three days at Munroe Island Backwaters Homestay, run by the lovely Vijeesh and his family. His mum prepared lunch on banana leaves piled high with Kerala rice and an assortment of delicious vegetarian curries.
Vijeesh and his father took me out on the kayaks and traditional canoes at sunrise and sunset, where we weaved through the winding canals and small tunnels, bobbing along the myriad of waterways and through the mangrove lakes, and I genuinely don’t know when I have felt more at peace. Munroe Island is a very special place.
You can read more about my experience at Munroe Island in my article: 48 Hours of Serenity.
Kerala is easily one of my favourite places in the world; I have been ten times now! To help you plan your trip to Kerala, check out my Kerala travel guides:
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3. Koh Lanta, Thailand
Best for: Long stays, live music, & happy doggies
Ideal Trip Length: 4 weeks+
This is Koh Lanta, the laid-back island of dreams!
I LOVE Koh Lanta; it is my favourite Thai island and discovering its charm has completely reinstated my love for Thailand. With its chilled-out vibe and mix of age groups among tourists, you won’t find the full moon/stag party types, but you will get to enjoy an eclectic nightlife scene with live music (normally reggae) most nights.
Koh Lanta is in the Malacca Strait on the West coast of Thailand, between the Phi Phi Islands and the mainland – and it is technically in Krabi province. The fact that Lanta is a little further and a bit out-of-the-way has shielded it from the mass tourism that saturates Koh Phi Phi, Koh Phangan, and Koh Samui.
You could easily spend an entire season on Lanta; there are so many beautiful beaches to explore, an array of amazing restaurants, and lots to do. I stayed for 6 weeks, two years in a row, and I would happily go back again. There is a welcoming expat community along with the locals, and on top of all of that, you also have the fantastic work of Lanta Animal Welfare – which means all of the animals on the island are happy too!
I wrote the ideal trip length as four weeks because that is the minimum commitment to be able to volunteer at LAW, where you can walk the rescue dogs along the beach every morning, bliss!
Check out my guide for the best beaches and where to stay on Koh Lanta here – and make sure to check out my article for all the best things to do in Koh Lanta!
4. Kadavu, Fiji
Best for: Friendly people, Fijian culture, pure relaxation
Ideal trip length: 7 Days
Fiji is a popular holiday destination for a reason. Tropical climate and beautiful beaches? Check. Warm and welcoming people? Check. Beautifully designed luxury resorts where you can briefly take a hiatus from the daily grind? Check.
I am gonna tell you right now, I wasn’t initially sure if Fiji was for me. I have never been interested in staying in luxury resorts, which could literally be plonked anywhere, and the ‘all-inclusive family holiday’ scene just isn’t my thing.
However, call it the ‘Moana effect’, but I was just too tempted to see if I could put together an itinerary to allow me to see the real Fiji, meet the people, explore the less popular islands, and not spend tens of thousands of dollars per night.
After an endless rabbit-hole travel forum research, I kept seeing the name ‘Kadavu’ pop up: a little-known island that is kooky enough not to be over-touristed, but not so cut off that it takes days to get there and uses up extra time of our precious annual leave (damn you, having a job). My interest was piqued… Kadavu it is.
In the end, we planned a trip that actually split our time in Fiji between Taveuni and Kadavu, and when we told the locals we met on Taveuni we were headed to Kadavu next, we were greeted with confused looks… “but why? No one goes there…”
Our week in Kadavu turned out to be one of our favourite weeks ever. The best thing about Fiji? Fijians, of course! I have never met a more warm-hearted and welcoming nationality; everyone we came into contact with just had an amazing spirit, and an incredible sense of hospitality.
There are only four resorts on Kadavu; we stayed at Papageno Resort, named after the Shining Parrot, a species that lives exclusively on Kadavu and nearby Ono Island.
This mountainous island has an incredibly limited road system, so the four running resorts are serviced by boat, and the resort staff will pick you up directly from the airport. This really is Fiji off the beaten path. Kadavu’s vine-tangled jungles, rocky headlands, and isolated beaches are wild, raw, and untouched.
So what to do? This is Fiji, baby! Chill in the hammock, go snorkelling, paddle-boarding, kayak to nearby uninhabited islands, visit a local village, and definitely have Kava and Lovo (Kadavu’s Kava is famous for being the best in Fiji, and Red Snapper cooked in the Earth Oven is fab).
Check out my Fiji articles here to read more about our time in Kadavu, one of the best paradise islands in the world!
5. Nias, Sumatra, Indonesia
Best for: Surfing, smoothie bowls, and simple living
Ideal trip length: 2 Weeks
You may have heard of the Mentawais, those islands off of West Sumatra famous for advanced and professional surfers. It used to be just a handful of Aussies who made the trek there, but now it’s shaping into a little Bali of old, with boutique hotels, busy line-ups, and hoards of boats with camera crews, and in season, no beginner waves.
But you probably haven’t heard of Nias, though- also off the West coast of Sumatra, just further North. Compared to “the Ments”, Nias has stayed largely off the radar, even though they have waves all year round, including a famous right-hand barrel called “The Point”. They also have baby waves for beginners deep in the shelter of Lagundri Bay, which is why I chose to come here over The Mentawais, and I am so glad I did.
What I found was a beautiful little island with a deeply ingrained surf culture among the very friendly and very welcoming locals. One resort, a boutique hotel, and a handful of more rustic but cute surf-focused homestays. Nias Island has now made it to this list of my 5 favourite paradise islands of the world.
Nias does not have the luxuries or conveniences that you may find in Bali, and it’s all the better for it. For one thing, the island is ridiculously pretty, in that balmy Aldous Huxley ‘The Island’ kind of way. Sugar-white sands, jungled hills with villages built from palm fronds and bamboo. Forget traffic, trash, and CrossFit gyms; instead think barefoot, low-fuss lifestyle.
Nias ticked all of my boxes. The locals are incredibly welcoming, the surfing is super-accessible, and there are some great cafes and restaurants to eat delicious Indonesian food.
Read more on how to get to Nias, my experience learning to surf on Nias, and where to eat in Nias.
So those are my 5 favourite paradise islands on earth, as of mid-2026!
You may have noticed that there are no Caribbean islands on here, and that is truthfully because I have never been to the Caribbean (with the exception of Cuba, where I spent an amazing week in Havana sola).
This is mainly because I have been put off by both the high prices and the Americanization of it all (hello, Tulum – my least favourite place I have ever been).
But I know the Caribbean contains beautiful places with distinct, rich cultures – so it’s on my bucket list for 2027. I want to travel the Caribbean staying exclusively at homestays and locally-owned guesthouses, and to keep the ‘travelling between islands’ budget to a minimum. Can it be done? I’ll report back next year!
Thank you for reading my post on my top island paradises of the world!
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Happy Travels! xx
