With the advent of competitive low-cost air travel and innovations such as home swaps and Air BNB, VIP holiday experiences are now available to most travellers. So, if you’re looking for the perfect holiday hideaway, private islands are tantalisingly within reach.
Trang Province, Thailand
Thailand’s quiet southern province of Trang couldn’t be more different to the heaving resorts of Phuket. You could hire a colourful longtail boat and putter out to the crystalline tidewaters of Ko Kradan, the secret Emerald Cave on Ko Muk, or the limestone verticals on the ultra-quiet twin islets of Ko Lao Liang. Thailand’s beaches are public property but, for the backpacker, the Trang Islands will take you pretty close to that private island experience.
Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
North America’s Great Lakes are peppered with thousands of pine-studded islands, populated with summer homes by Canadians. This makes full-island rentals practically commonplace. For example, Deepwater Island has a cosy cottage for two perched on crisp granite, with other low-cost options off the coast of Pointe au Baril.
Inner Hebrides, Scotland
Dozens of islets spread shard-like away from the Scottish Highlands. There’s Torsa Island, off Oban, with a farmhouse and colony of red deer. You’ll spot dolphins and seals on the boat trip over. Or go upmarket with the Isle of Eriska, featuring classic country-home style complete with a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Society Islands, French Polynesia
Turquoise waters and peachy sand make this the go-to destination for honeymooners. Bora Bora is the famous one, featuring shallow lagoon and overwater bungalows around a centre turret of stone. Tetiaroa – once Marlon Brando’s untouched hideaway – now boasts ultra-luxurious villas with direct access to a labyrinth of Polynesian islets.
Zanzibar, Tanzania
On its main island of Unguja, lies Stone Town, a historic trade center with Swahili and Islamic influences. The archipelago elegantly flaunts its religious roots from the city’s old engraved doors to the small sailboats bobbing in sheltered bays. Private-island accommodation, from the simple suites at Chapwani to the lovely thatched huts of Mnemba, evokes a distinct sense of place with a special solitary charm.
Flatey, Iceland
That’s Icelandic for ‘Flat Island’, one of more than 3000 seaborne crags dotting a broad westerly fjord. There are two feuding families that consider it their permanent home, but you’ll nevertheless have the grassy acre and its 11-room Hótel Flatey largely to yourself. It’s open in summer and the island is served daily by the Baldur public ferry.
Maldives
This sinking nation remains a viable DIY destination for backpacking beach enthusiasts. You have to plan in advance though, in order to take the maximum advantage of the inter-island ferries. Deeply discounted day rates at scenic resorts will keep your cash under control. Maafushi is the busiest of the local islands, but is a good activity base. Temper your private island time with a second destination like quieter Fulidhoo, accessible by speedboat.
Chiloé, Chile
Meaning ‘the place of seagulls’, Chiloé is located about halfway down Chile’s long coastline. Since the local airport opened in 2012, tourism has been rising steadily. Now, the archipelago is dotted with friendly pensiones and unique barn-shaped churches, with a backdrop of snow-capped volcanic peaks on the mainland.
Belize Barrier Reef
Earth’s second-largest barrier reef system lies along the Central American coastline between Mexico and Honduras. Thanks to an environmentally considerate development ethos courtesy of Costa Rica, there are low-impact bungalows instead of ostentatious displays of wealth. You could take over the entirety of Bird Island with a booking on Airbnb or travel out to the far-flung Sapodilla Cayes Marine Park for a bargain rustic hideaway. From the mainland port in Punta Gorda you can hire a transfer for an overnight excursion to the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Park.
Title Image Credit: Shayne Thomas (Image Cropped)