Luxury Islands in the world

Réunion Island, France

If You Love: St. Barths, for its chic French vibe.

Instead Try: Réunion, a French region in the Indian Ocean, about 500 miles east of Madagascar. Réunion is about as French as you can get outside France itself.

Getting There: Take a direct flight from Paris.

Koh Surin Nua, Thailand

If You Love: Koh Phi Phi Le, Thailand, for its once quiet stretches of white sand.

Instead Try: Koh Surin Nua, one of five islands that make up Thailand’s Mu Koh Surin National Park.

Getting There: It’s reachable only by a boat from Phuket, virtually guaranteeing you’ll be one of the only visitors. (There’s also no commercial activity to draw visitors.)

You Should Know: Phi Phi Le might not sound familiar, but the Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach changed the island from an untouched getaway into one of Thailand’s more popular tourist destinations. But Thailand’s Koh Surin Nua island is still genuinely pristine.

Pátmos, Greece

If You Love: Skiathos, for the quaint Greek island life.

Instead Try: Pátmos, the northernmost island of Greece’s Dodecanese chain.

Getting There: Fly into Sámos, Kos or Léros Island and take a hydrofoil to reach Pátmos.

You Should Know: Ever sinceMamma Mia! was filmed on Skiathos and neighboring Skopelos, tourism has exploded, so it’s well worth moving on to a Greek island that isn’t overrun. Like Skiathos, Pátmos has beautiful beaches (sand beaches are only on several of the Greek islands) and a healthy does of charm. It also has a history of spirituality (it was once the pilgrimage location of choice for Christians for its association with St. John the Divine) and it’s easy to see why: The island’s mostly untouched terrain makes it a serene retreat.

Cyprus

If You Love: Ibiza, for its beaches and never-ending nightlife.

Instead Try: Cyprus. Ayia Napa, Cyprus’s chief clubbing town, has given the island a reputation as an up-and-coming party destination.

Getting There: Take an hour and 40 minute flight from Greece.

You Should Know: Cyprus emerged as a music destination about a decade ago. Initially focused on garage music, a subgenre of electronic dance music originating in the UK, the island is now exploding with headliner DJs who spin the full-spectrum of electronic mixes.

Montserrat, West Indies

If You Love: Volcanic Caribbean islands such as Nevis.

Instead Try: Montserrat, which is resort-free and just one island over from Nevis.

Getting There: Take a 15 minute flight from neighboring Antigua or a one hour boat ride from Antigua.

You should now: The lack of development in Montserrat gives that way off the beaten path feeling, despite being relatively accessible. While Nevis’s volcano is extinct, Montserrat lets visitors get near its active volcano (last showing activity in 1995).

Makepeace Island, Australia

If You Love: Necker Island, Richard Branson’s private paradise.

Instead Try: Makepeace Island. Branson just started renting out the heart-shaped piece of land off Australia’s Suhshine Coast this summer.

Getting There: Take a boat or helicopter from nearby Noosa, just north of Brisbane, Australia.

source : departures.com