There are a lot of islands in the world, but some are better for vacationing than others. Here are the top ten best islands.

Galapagos

The Galapagos islands are a province of Ecuador and are a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. It is considered one of the best places in the world as far as wildlife viewing goes. It’s somewhat isolated in a lot of ways so there are plants and animals that are unique to the area. A visit by Charles Darwin in the 1800’s is what inspired his theory of evolution, so there’s that historical fact about the place as well.

Bali

Bali in Indonesia has a few different resort towns that are quite popular. The island is known for its beautiful beaches and coral reefs. The tropical setting is an extremely popular place for a relaxing vacation option.

Maldives

The Maldives is located in the Indian ocean and is made up of 26 atolls. The territory is spread over 35,000 square miles which makes it one of the most geographically spread out countries in the world, but it is still one of the smallest Asian countries.

Santorini

Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. In the 16th century it was wiped out by a volcano but the shape of the island these days can be attributed to that. The town is built on the cliffside and it a stark white in contrast to the incredible blue sea.

Tasmania

Tasmania is located of the southern coast of Australia and it has a ton of amazing wilderness and parks to explore. Tasmania is a commonwealth of Australia.

Moorea

Moorea is an island in the French Polynesian that has both beautiful sandy beaches and dark volcanic peaks. It’s located about ten miles from Tahiti. One of the great things about staying in Moorea is that you can rent private bungalows that are located on stilts in the water.

Malta

Malta is located between Sicily and Libya and got its independence in 1964. The island is only 122 square miles in size and it is still relatively inexpensive.

Kauai

Kauai is of course one of the Hawaiian islands, and it is actually the oldest one. Much of its surface is covered by a tropical rain forest, and there many dramatic cliffs to hike.

Maui

Maui is another one of the Hawaiian islands, and is particularly popular with tourists who are looking to relax. The weather on Maui is generally pretty temperate, and there are a ton of restaurants on the beach to enjoy.

Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland in Australia. The reef is the largest living thing in the world and covers 132, 974 miles. The reef is home to 600 different types of coral alone, as well as fish and animals that make it a very popular spot for diving.