Turquoise water, fine-sand beaches, silky warm seas, lush scenery, and endless sunshine: These are some of the top ingredients of the ideal tropical vacation. But each destination offers its own charms. Many dazzle with their natural beauty. Others add cultural attractions to the mix, with exotic customs, architecture, and delicious cuisine. And some offer eco-adventures and wildlife-rich wilderness.

Of course, each of the islands possess a little something extra that keeps travelers enchanted. Which islands is your flavors? Hope this list below will give you some ideas for your next year vacation!  

1. Maldives

The Maldives is actually a nation of islands in the Indian Ocean. Reefs that offer bands of color, tiny jewel-like islands rimmed with the whitest of soft sand surrounded by the clearest shallow waters that one can imagine. The beauty of the Maldives is not only above the water. The Maldives is home to about five percent of the planet’s reefs that comes with an explosion of color contributed by soft and hard corals that form them. Maldives has its own unique culture and traditions. The local music and dance display strong influences of East Africa, Arabia and the Indian subcontinent. There is a rich tradition of Maldivian crafts; lacquered wooden ornaments, finely woven reed mats, and coral carvings are crafts that have been passed down through several generations.

2. Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is the quintessential South Pacific paradise. This lush and dramatically beautiful island in French Polynesia is a very definition of a tropical getaway. Author James Michener, who wrote “Tales of the South Pacific,” called Bora Bora “the most beautiful island in the world.” The 18th-century British explorer James Cook even coined it as the “Pearl of the Pacific.”  Bora Bora has luxurious resorts, sunny skies, warm waters and friendly locals. You can snorkel, explore Vaitape (Bora Bora’s main port), hike Mount Otemanu and more. 

3. Palawan, Philippines

Palawan is a slice of heaven, a sliver of an island that teems with exotic wildlife, quaint fishing villages, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Best known for its bright blue waters that contrast against the karst stone cliffs of the island, this is one of the most popular resort destinations in the Philippines and is only an 80-minute flight from the capital of Manila. With plenty to explore from the gorgeous beaches, caves, jungles, and the occasional settlement offering rustic Filipino food, and almost bottomless beer, Palawan offers adventures in the water, on land, and at the dinner table!

4. Sri Lanka

Lying between the more trodden parts of India and Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka’s history, culture and natural beauty are undeniably alluring. It’s the place you haven’t been to yet, that you should. Safari tours of Sri Lanka’s pleasantly relaxed national parks encounter leopards, water buffaloes, all manner of birds and a passel of primates. And then there are the beaches. Dazzlingly white and often untrodden, they ring the island so that no matter where you go, you’ll be near a sandy gem. You can surf and dive world-class sites without world-class crowds. Sri Lanka is spectacular, affordable and still often uncrowded.

5. Aitutaki, Cook islands

A little paradise means Aitutaki, home to approximately 1800 people and the world’s most beautiful lagoon.  Secluded and romantic, it holds a compelling allure for honeymooners, many of whom choose this haven for the duration of their stay. You can look forward to languid, leisurely days simply reveling in each other’s company and the jaw-dropping surroundings. Work on your suntan lazing under a coconut palm, relax with a massage or explore the island by cycle or motor-scooter.


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