The world’s best islands to visit in 2026, according to Condé Nast Traveller

Islands are the ideal holiday destination. They’re self-contained so you can get to know them and the locals pretty well during your trip, and in most cases they come with gorgeous beaches – worth exploring whether it’s sunny or freezing cold.

There are island escapes all over the world, and as it turns out the very best aren’t always the most famous. At least, that’s what the readers of Condé Nast Traveller say.

The travel magazine has just released the results of its Readers’ Choice awards 2025, including an extensive list of the best islands in every region of the world. In order to determine winners, CNT surveyed nearly 500,000 people, and then created rankings based on the percentage of respondents who reported a positive experience. For instance, Valletta, the capital of Malta, was named the best city to visit in Europe with an impressive 97.3 percent approval rating.

Ninety-seven percent is a pretty impressive number of people to have gone home happy, but when it comes to islands, the satisfaction rates are even higher. A whopping 98.91 percent of people who visited Turks and Caicos, the world’s best island, said their stay was ideal. 

It’s not hard to see why. Turks and Caicos is one of those places that’s basically heaven on Earth, with white sands backing onto bright blue waters, loads of sunshine, and friendly islanders. Unless you hate tanning with a cocktail in one hand and a book in the other, you’re pretty much guaranteed to enjoy a trip here.

The second-best island in the world was yet another scenic, sunny Caribbean spot: Saint Barthélemy, aka St Barts. There wasn’t much between it and the number one spot, as it received a score of 98.78 overall. 

It’s a jump across the Atlantic to the Scilly Isles, which received 98.85, for bronze. This little-known archipelago off the south coast of England is a hugely underrated spot, perfect for a laid-back holiday. While the top two spots are very famous, the Scilly Isles coming third proves that sometimes going off the beaten path is the best choice you can make.

You can read more about the Scilly Isles, and the other top-rated UK islands, here.

Best islands in the world

Here are the world’s top five islands, based on data from Condé Nast’s Readers’ Choice surveys:

1. Turks and Caicos (Caribbean). 98.91
2. St Barts (Caribbean). 98.78
3. Isles of Scilly (UK). 98.85
4. St Vincent, St Vincent and the Grenadines (Caribbean). 98.57
5. Guernsey (Channel Islands). 98.57

And here’s the best island per world region. To see the comprehensive list, have a look at Condé Nast’s full rundown here. 

Best islands in the UK and Europe

1. Isles of Scilly (UK). 98.85
2. Guernsey (Channel Islands). 98.57
3. Naxos, Greece (Europe) 95.71

Best islands in the Americas

1. Vancouver Island, Canada (North America). 97.26
2. Isla Holbox, Quintana Roo, Mexico (North America). 97.14
3. Big Island, Hawaii (USA). 92.38

Best islands in the Caribbean

1. Turks and Caicos. 98.91
2. St Barts. 98.78
3. St Vincent, St Vincent and the Grenadines. 98.57

Best islands in Australasia and the South Pacific

1. Bora Bora, French Polynesia. 97.86
2. Tasmania, Australia. 92.78
3. Tetiaroa, French Polynesia. 92.14

Best islands in Asia

1. Bali, Indonesia. 96.86
2. Lombok, Indonesia. 94.86
3. Sri Lanka. 93.57

Best islands in Africa and the Indian Ocean

1. The Maldives. 97.50
2. Madagascar. 92.42
3. Lamu Archipelago, Kenya. Score: 92.38

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