With summer fast approaching, TripAdvisor has unveiled its Travelers’ Choice islands for 2015. While islands are known for their beaches and often laid-back atmosphere, the 10 that made this year’s cut offer much more. Sure, traveling to some of them won’t be easy. However each has a little something for everyone to make getting there worth it.
Kicking off the list is Turks and Caicos’ most populated island, Providenciales, which earned the coveted No. 1 ranking in 2015. Highlighted by stunning beaches and lagoons including Grace Bay and Chalk Sound, it doesn’t get any more picturesque than this stretch of land in the northwest Caicos Islands.
Hawaii’s second-largest island, Maui, was the only U.S. island to crack the top 10, coming in second behind Providenciales. The fact American travelers don’t need a passport to get there makes it all the more appealing.
Roatan, Honduras; Santorini, Greece and Ko Tao, Thailand round out the top five. Travelers looking for white sandy beaches are more likely to find them in Roatan and Ko Tao, while Santorini boasts some of the world’s most astonishing cliffs.
The second European island on this year’s list is Madeira, Portugal, an often overlooked island located roughly 250 miles north of the Canary Islands. Beautiful views like the one below, courtesy of Belmond Reids Palace, and a variety of tourist attractions await travelers, including the Monte Cable Car.
Bali, Indonesia and French Polynesia’s Bora Bora are two of the more well-known islands to be selected, coming in at Nos. 7 and 9 respectively.
More than 1,000 miles off the southeast coast of Africa is where you’ll find the world’s eighth-best island, according to TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice rankings. Mauritius is situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean and is offering not only white sandy beaches, but excellent opportunities for diving.
Finally, we arrive at Brazil’s Fernando de Noronha, an island with restrictions on visitors but well worth the trip. The UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts vast marine life in addition to a favorable climate.
Here’s the complete rundown of this year’s top 10:
10.Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
9.Bora Bora, French Polynesia
8.Mauritius
7.Bali, Indonesia
6.Madeira, Portugal
5.Ko Tao, Thailand
4.Santorini, Greece
3.Roatan, Honduras
2.Maui, Hawaii, United States
1.Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
