Islands You Have Never Heard Of!

Islands – the name itself conjures an image of a tranquil, turquoise destination surrounded by sea and replete with lush green vegetation and white sandy beaches. A week-long stay in any of the world’s popular islands including the ones at Cambodia, Caribbean, Mauritius, Hawaii, etc., can be refreshing and rejuvenating for your mind, body and soul.

However, most travellers end up visiting islands which are largely popular and visited by tourists round the year. The end result – those seeking a blissful respite from the brouhahas of city life end up landing in a place which is no different from other routine destinations, packed with people.

So, if you are looking to explore a remotely populated island, far from the modern civilization, this article might interest you. Here are 5 uncharted or less-explored islands:

1. The Azores, Portugal: Isolated in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Azores, a Portuguese island chain unknown to most Americans, feels remote but is actually closer to the U.S. than any other point in Europe. Each of the nine volcanic islands—from main island Sao Miguel to the tiny isle of Corvo (population: about 400)—exudes a distinct character. But all of the islands are rooted in Old World charm and offer plenty of ways to experience local culture and the outdoors. Feel the spray from the world’s biggest mammals on a whale watch, hike up calderas to pristine crater lakes, or go spelunking though extinct lava tubes.
2. Ibo Island, Mozambique: Arab trading posts. Portuguese fortifications. Pirates and prisoners. Intrigued yet? Ibo Island in northern Mozambique may have a storied past, but it is still largely undiscovered by much of the modern world. Part of the Quirimbas Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, the island shifted from Arab to Portuguese rule until Mozambique gained independence in 1975. Arab influences are still evident in dhows (handmade wooden sailboats) now used for island-hopping and in silver filigree jewelry crafted by generations of skilled artists. When it comes to food, Portuguese culture shines; highlights include paozinho (a type of roll), cassava-leaf pesto, and dishes spiced with piri-piri pepper sauce. There has been very little island development since the Portuguese ended their 500-year stint. Now, the main tourist draws and centers for the local economy are the unspoiled reefs and mangrove lagoons filled with the likes of red snapper, barracuda, and other tropical fish. Part of Quirimbas National Park, these coastal areas remain protected through conservation efforts.
3. El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain: The smallest of the Canary Islands, El Hierro is a windswept island off the African Coast, far flung from the cheap and cheerful package resorts on Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Once considered the ‘end of the known world’, this island is a remote wilderness, with the coast and lush forests inland protected by UNESCO. The island is a haven for nature lovers, with acres of rugged wilderness ripe for exploration. With its crystal clear blue water, it’s also one of the best scuba-diving spots in Spain.
4. Isla Holbox, Caribbean: Despite its proximity to the perpetually thronged Riviera Maya, this 25-mile-long island off the northern tip of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula has managed to stay sleepily unspoiled. Surprising, given that Isla Holbox is one of the best places on earth to snorkel among whale sharks — enormous, harmless creatures that migrate to the waters here each year between June and September.
5. Ynys Llanddwyn, Newborough Bay, Anglesey: Ynys Llanddwyn is very nearly not an island at all. Only at particularly high tides does the sea reach far enough up the sandy beach of Llanddwyn Bay to cut it adrift from Newborough Forest. The isle is very much a creature of the sea. It was created in the absurdly ancient Precambrian era by small volcanic eruptions. When the molten lava hit the cold seawater above, it formed a small blob, which dropped onto other small blobs that had already cooled. The resulting oddly shaped “pillow lavas” give Ynys Llanddwyn the look of a billowing sheet. Further outcrops appear to have burst out of the island’s grassy skin, hurling themselves into the sea as if they knew the fate that’s coming to us all.

So, which island you plan to visit in your next expedition? Do you have any other uncharted island on your wishlist?