Note: If you’re looking for our most recent recommendations, check out the 2023 list of our favorite islands in the world. Show
In the eyes of Travel + Leisure readers, the best islands in the world promise much more than aquamarine waters, dramatic coastlines, and pristine beaches. All are evidence that we are not only enthusiastically exploring again but re-examining what an ideal island experience might entail. Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated islands according to their activities and sights, natural attractions and beaches, food, friendliness, and overall value. The majority of the most popular islands offer crystalline sands and thriving marine life that can be explored by divers of any level. Cases in point: the Maldives (No. 2), Bali in Indonesia (No. 3), or Thailand's Phuket (No. 7). Readers also flocked to isles with rich culture and food, from the ancient ruins and unsurpassable food of Mílos, Greece (No. 4) to nightlife on Ibiza, Spain (No. 17). Readers' enthusiasm for Vietnam's Phu Quoc (No. 14) has earned it a place on this list thanks to its white-sand beaches and delectable food. The island is renowned for its production of fish sauce and peppercorns, as well as its coral reefs and dense tropical forest. But this category, according to T+L readers, has a new winner this year. Read on to discover why Italy's Ischia took the title of the No. 1 island. 1. Ischia, ItalyCasa Malcovati e Castello Aragonese, Ischia, Italy. Getty Images Located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, a one-hour ferry ride from Naples, Ischia has attracted more attention among travelers after featuring prominently in Elena Ferrante's novel "My Brilliant Friend," which HBO recently adapted into a series. It earned the top spot thanks to its picturesque villages, thermal springs, and unspoiled beaches, which include Le Fumarole and its geothermally heated sand. One reader added praise for the "very nice and helpful" locals. While there are myriad villas to rent, there's also the full five-star hotel experience of the grande dame Regina Isabella and newcomer Mezzatorre, run by Pellicano Hotels. Have you always dreamed of whiling away your retirement years on an island somewhere but think it's an economically unfeasible pipe dream? Think again, advise the editors at InternationalLiving.com, who have compiled a list of 11 "great value, picturesque islands across the globe" that are not only renowned for a welcoming atmosphere but also boast the type of creature comforts and public infrastructure to which Americans are accustomed. "Folks often dream of retiring to an island — usually it's a search for romance, fun and an escape from the pressures of modern life," said Jennifer Stevens, International Living's executive editor. "But for many it remains a fantasy, as they assume it's too expensive." But, she added, "it doesn't have to be. If you choose the right island, you can actually live well for less than the cost of staying in the U.S." For a sample of prices for rent, restaurants, groceries and other daily items on these islands, try the calculators on Numbeo or Expatistan. Price data may not be available for some areas. 1. MaltaMarina market with traditional "luzzu"fishing boats in Malta. Zoltan Gabor | Getty Images This island nation, situated in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and Tunisia, may be — at 122 square miles — the smallest European Union member state in size, but it's packed with "something for everyone," according to InternationalLiving.com. The weather's warm year-round, and it's easy to communicate, thanks to locals' fluency in English (a legacy of one-time British rule). Although the euro is the coin of the realm in Malta, the dollar goes "surprisingly far," with couples living comfortably for $2,600 per month. 2. Mallorca, SpainPalma de Mallorca, Spain Sean Gallup | Getty Images The largest island in Spain's autonomous Balearic Islands archipelago, Mallorca is a summer holiday hot spot. The island offers 1,405 miles of Mediterranean coastline dotted with marinas, harbors and beach coves. InternationalLiving.com reports that a couple could live well in sunny Mallorca for just $2,500 a month. 3. Penang, MalaysiaPaper lanterns during the Chinese new year holidays in Penang Island, George Town, Malaysia. Getty Images Malaysia might not leap to mind as an obvious place to move for most Americans, but InternationalLiving.com reports that the exotic and largely English-speaking island of Penang has been a magnet for those in the know for decades. Penang offers what the website calls a "luxury life on an affordable budget," with a couple's monthly expenses ranging from just $1,500 to $2,500. 4. Ambergris Caye, BelizePanoramic Images | Panoramic Images | Getty Images Beloved by both watersports enthusiasts and nightlife devotees, the island of Ambergris Caye and its largest town, San Pedro, offer U.S. expats an English-speaking environment at Central American price points. The U.S. dollar and credit cards are widely accepted, reports InternationalLiving.com, and American brands of goods are readily available. Couples can retire in comfort for between $2,700 and $2,900 a month, including rent. Homeowners can spend even less: about $2,000 monthly. 5. IrelandBallyvooney Cove, along Ireland's Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark. Andrea Pistolesi | The Image Bank | Getty Images OK, the Emerald Isle is not exactly in the same category as Ambergris Caye or Penang. For one, it's in chillier northern climes. (Ireland may be a little cloudy, but it rarely snows there, either.) It's also one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and it's an entire nation — actually, two: Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. Locals obviously speak English and, despite their newfound prosperity, haven't lost the friendliness and family feeling for which they're renowned. InternationalLiving.com reports that a monthly budget of about $2,800 will buy a retired couple a comfortable retirement there. 6. Roatan, HondurasRoatan, Honduras. Sorincolac | Getty Images Thirty-five miles off the cost of Honduras, Roatan — an English-speaking speck in Honduras' sea of Spanish speakers — epitomizes what InternationalLiving.com calls the "affordable Caribbean." A couple could live well in this tropical paradise on $2,000 to $2,500 a month, the website reports. 7. Isla Mujeres, MexicoFlags brighten up a local street on Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Katrin Ten Eikelder / EyeEm | EyeEm | Getty Images About 10 miles from Cancun, Isla Mujeres is a world away from the hustle and bustle of its more tourism-developed neighbor. Clear, azure waters and white-sand beaches are never far away, and the cost of living is far lower than a similar lifestyle would cost back in the States. A couple can live well on Isla Mujeres for around $2,500 to $3,000 a month, including rent. 8. Isla Colon, PanamaFerry boat in Bocas del Toro, Isla Colon, Panama. Christian Heeb | AWL Images | Getty Images Isla Colon — along with the rest of the tropical Bocas del Toro Archipelago off the coast of northern Panama — is one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean region, says InternationalLiving.com. A couple can retire among a lively community of English-speaking expats for as little as $1,400 per month. 9. BaliBlue lagoon at Nusa Penida near Bali in Indonesia. Yarygin | iStock | Getty Images InternationalLiving.com calls Bali the "rock star of the 18,307 islands that make up Indonesia." Because the island is only 8 degrees south of the equator, temperatures hover most days between 78° and 90° Fahrenheit, with humidity of around 75 percent — but there is a monsoon season from October to April. A couple can "live well" in most Bali towns for $1,900 monthly. 10. Koh Samui, ThailandTraditional fishing boat on the beach, Thailand. Casper1774Studio | iStock | Getty Images Located off the coast of Thailand some 400 miles south of Bangkok, Koh Samui is the country's second-largest island after far more famous Phuket. Part of an archipelago comprising 80 islets, Koh Samui is increasingly popular among golfers. Expats live well on the island for about $2,000 to $2,500 per couple, per month, according to InternationalLiving.com. 11. Las Terrenas, Dominican RepublicBoats on sand against cloudy sky, Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic. Noelia Magnusson Photography | Moment | Getty Images InternationalLiving.com describes the Dominican Republic as the "front runner" for affordable Caribbean living. "The little beach town of Las Terrenas in the northeast, on the Samaná Peninsula, offers some of the most pristine beaches in the D.R.," writes the website. It's possible for a retiree couple to live in Las Terrenas for $2,000 per month, but InternationalLiving.com editors say most expats "choose" to spend closer to $3,000 — perhaps for better amenities. What is the best island to live on?The 10 Best Islands to Move to After Retiring. Malta. Estimated cost of living: $2,600 per month. ... . Mallorca, Spain. Estimated cost of living: $2,100 per month. ... . Penang, Malaysia. Estimated cost of living: $800 per month. ... . Ambergris Caye, Belize. ... . Roatán, Honduras. ... . Isla Mujeres, Mexico. ... . Isla Colón, Panama. ... . What is the safest and cheapest Caribbean island?Best Cheap Caribbean Vacations. Curacao.. Jamaica.. Trinidad & Tobago.. Martinique.. U.S. Virgin Islands.. Grenada.. Havana, Cuba.. Barbados.. Which Caribbean island has the best quality of life?Cayman Islands Grand Cayman is one of the best places to live in the Caribbean. Extremely livable, it has a ton of real estate options, like private islands, and enough variety in terms of lifestyle, culture, and history to suit a wide range of ex-pats. What is the cheapest US island to live on?6 Affordable Islands You Can Actually Live On. Amelia Island, FL. ... . Daufuskie Island, SC. ... . Chincoteague Island, VA. ... . Mustang Island, TX. ... . Washington Island, WI. ... . Okaloosa Island, FL.. |
