Google Earth Langkawi

[Jule Kue]

Pro tip: There are no jetties or docks leading to the island, so getting to the beach from your connecting boat will require a bit of wading in the water. Save your nice clothes and shoes for after you reach the resort.

Nowhere on the planet offers the same combination of surfing, spirituality, and sun-kissed pleasure as Bali. The island has sadly become synonymous with the concept of overtourism, but there are still enclaves of hidden cultural treasures and undiscovered gems if you know where to look. For a primer on everything Insta-famous and off-the-beaten-track, check out our list of the best things to do in Bali.

Getting there: Air Tahiti offers several 15-minute flights every day from Tahiti International Airport to Moorea. There are also passenger ferries that operate up to eight times per day between downtown Papeete and Moorea.

Famous for its turquoise waters and verdant mountains, Bora Bora is pretty close to heaven on earth. The island has some of the best resorts in the South Pacific as well: Our readers are fans of InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort, Conrad Bora Bora Nui, and Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora.

Getting there: Ambergris Caye is about a 15-minute flight from mainland Belize. Catch an hourly flight from Philip Goldson International Airport with either Maya Island Air or Tropic Air.

Getting there: Most travelers fly to Quito or Guayaquil (which is closer to the islands) before picking up their tour. You can also extend a trip and stay on Santa Cruz or Isabela within the Galpagos, with more lodging options on Isabela.

Getting there: It takes two hours or less to fly to San Andrs from Bogota or Panama City. If Providencia is your final destination, regional carrier Satena offers flights to the island from San Andrs a couple of times a day.

An entire archipelago owned by conservationist Louis Bacon, Islas Secas has the perfect combination of rugged natural beauty and pure resort luxury. The retreat only allows a maximum of 18 guests at one time, with a handful of guest cottages run entirely on solar energy. There's no TV on the island, but you'll be too busy fishing and kayaking to notice.

Getting there: The Split Airport is just a 2.5-hour flight from London. From there, take a cab 20 minutes to the ferry station and board a catamaran or ferry to the town of Stari Grad. The entire journey takes about 90 minutes.

Pro tip: The cherry tomatoes of Santorini are renowned for their sweet intensity. Discover more about this native crop at the Tomato Industrial Museum, then go try the tomato fritters at To Psaraki.

The Azores were virtually unheard of a decade ago, but it looks like the secret is out. Roughly 900 miles off the coast of Lisbon, this Portuguese archipelago can inspire wanderlust with a single photo. The verdant valleys, steep oceanside cliffs, and scattering of waterfalls make this cluster of nine volcanic islands a paradise well worth exploring.

Pro tip: Use Jersey and Guernsey as a jumping-off point to exploring the smaller Channel Islands. Tiny Herm is definitely worth visiting, with only 62 year-round residents, one hotel, and zero cars.

Getting there: Guernsey is easily reached by boat (via Condor Ferries or Channel Islands Direct) or by air at Guernsey Airport, with flights departing from London, Edinburgh, and other U.K. cities. You can get to Jersey via Condor Ferries from Poole or Portsmouth.

The largest island in the Mediterranean has a culture all of its own. Rules by everyone from the Greeks to the Normans, Sicily boasts an entirely distinct food scene, pristine beaches with translucent waters, and cities packed with grand cathedrals and phenomenal markets. For a perfect beach day, visit the stratified white cliffs at Scala dei Turchi or the secluded paradise of Cala Tonnarella.

Getting there: There are four international airports on Sicily, serviced regularly by major airlines from mainland Italy and Europe. You can also take a 20-minute ferry ride on BluJet from Villa San Giovanni.

The largest Greek isle, Crete is also one of the most distinctive, with its own unmistakable culture, landscape, cuisine, and mythological history. If you make it beyond the beach, make sure to visit the Minoan Palace in Knossos.

Getting there: Flying is the easiest way to reach Sardinia, and there are three airports on the island. You can find many direct flights from Rome and many other major European cities, usually on KLM and Lufthansa.

Getting here: You can find nonstop flights to Cozumel International Airport from various U.S. cities, including Houston, Miami, and Washington, D.C. Alternatively, get yourself to Cancun and hop on a quick 20-minute flight down to Cozumel.

Pro tip: Check into the cedar-plank Wickaninnish Inn, which sits at the gateway to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. After a walk on one of the most beautiful beaches in Canada, enjoy a hot soak in an oversized tub with aromatherapy bath salts.

While often thought of as a side trip from Cancn, Isla Mujeres is a destination in its own right. The main beach of Playa Norte is made of crushed coral, has warm shallow waters, and is much quieter than the beaches across the bay.

Only 50 miles from South America, Bonaire is the farthest east of the ABC Islands. And while the island has a dry, rather foreboding desert landscape, its true beauty can be found just below the surrounding waters. The entire coral reef around Bonaire is a national park (Bonaire National Marine Park), with brightly colored coral and wildlife ranging from nurse sharks and seahorses to friendly green turtles.

More than 700 islands and thousands of uninhabited cays make up this sprawling island nation barely 60 miles east of Florida. Although technically in the Atlantic, the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Bahamas are on par with islands farther south.

Pro tip: Grenada is something of a mecca for chocolate lovers, with perfect environmental conditions for growing cocoa trees. At Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel, guests can partake in estate tours, chocolate tastings, and chocolate-forward takes on Caribbean cuisine.

Getting there: American Airlines, JetBlue, and British Airways all have flights that go directly to Grenada. There are also ferry rides from surrounding islands, as well as quick flights on LIAT from Antigua and Barbuda.

Pro tip: Head to Virgin Gorda for one of the prettiest (and most popular) attractions in the BVI: the Baths, a seaside area where huge granite boulders form scenic saltwater pools and grottos.

Getting there: More than a million cruise ship passengers pass through the port of San Juan every year, making it the second-largest cruise port in the Western Hemisphere. If Puerto Rico is your sole destination, most major U.S. cities offer direct flights to the San Juan Airport.

Getting there: From the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on St. Maarten, there are four 10-minute flights per day to the tiny Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA) on Anguilla. A half-hour ferry also runs from Marigot in St. Martin throughout the day.

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Traveller. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

'More than half of the earth's species and animals can be found in just 6% of the Earth'. As you luxuriate in your beach villa which sits on what we could call the 'icing' on the cake of Langkawi, make sure you also taste the delicious fruit-rich, main event that lies within.

Langkawi is home to four major forest reserves covering almost 13,000 pristine hectares of mountains, lakes, waterfalls and golden beaches. We're taking a look at the adventures you can enjoy as part of your relaxing luxury holiday; whether you're a committed trekker and kayaker or simply enjoy a stroll and a cruise, this astounding, lush greenery and its diverse ecosystem is right on your doorstep. The exciting adventures that can be as demanding as you like, simply cry out for family participation too - your kids will adore their experience here,

So you will arrive on the Island of Langkawi - probably by air from Kuala Lumpur which takes just 45 minutes. It is actually part of a more extensive archipelago comprising 99 islands - well nearer to 104 at low tide! Although partly unexplored, it also boasts a tremendously modern infrastructure which includes duty-free shopping, marinas, luxury resorts and a modern road network. Surely this is a dream tropical combination?

South Asia's steepest cable car will offer you a view that is nothing short of jaw-dropping and is a brilliant way to appreciate just what is all around you at ground level. It encompasses a whole raft of experiences from the SkyCab, to SkyWalk (pedestrian suspension bridge), to SkyGlide (a sort of elevator) plus the sensory SkyRex, 6D Cinemotion and several more 'sky' themed attractions - you will no doubt get the aerial picture now! Tickets are multiple and start at a basic SkyCab ride for RM45 going up to RM126 for a combo-package. No-need-to-queue tickets are available at a premium as are VIP/private deals for 3 to 4 persons. They can all be booked in advance at

Finding endemic flora and fauna, visible nowhere else on earth, has never been easier. If you are not interested in a long walk or have children (12+), there are easy one hour treks in the Langkawi Lowlands, on flat gradients that will be perfect.

The sounds that dominate a walk at night are truly magical and a guided tour after sunset should not be missed. Your knowledgeable naturalist will be able to point out bats, flying squirrels and the unique flying lemurs (colugo). They usually last about an hour and a half and will be limited to around 12 persons.

c80f0f1006