You can already imagine yourself enjoying a Key Lime Pie on the beach as the sun gradually declines over the horizon. The ocean adorns itself in its most beautiful evening dress. It’s the most pleasant way to end an intense day’s vacation spent discovering an island’s thousand riches: to come and admire a sunset on the West Coast.
Island travel is a postcard holiday…
1. Between beach and mountain, the islands offer wild and varied landscapes
On an island you can walk through green volcanic landscapes and watch the sun set over a sand beach in the shade of the coconut trees, glass of ti’ punch in hand, both on the same day. Island travel offers an extraordinary range of possibilities: beaches, lagoons, volcanoes, majestic cirques or small villages of picturesque charm.
Whether you are after a white sand beach in a hidden cove to laze on, or adventure on walking trails through lush forest, on a volcano or along a cliff face, you will certainly find an island that answers exactly what you had in mind.
2. The friendliness and hospitality of the islanders
If we love island travel so much it is not only for the beauty of the landscapes but also for the people who live there. They are generally very welcoming, warm and always smiling.
In love with their island, islanders are glad to share their culture and their traditions, whether in the course of a simple conversation, through their crafts or through music and dance. Immerse yourself in island life and you are sure to come away with a memorable experience.
3. A wide range of activities
Whether you are an active and sporting traveller, an adventurer after a thrill, a couple on honeymoon or a family on holiday, island travel is for everyone. On land or at sea, the islands open the door to a wide range of activities.
The most sporting can try kitesurfing, parasailing, stand up paddle, scuba diving or snorkelling, surfing, rafting or canyoning.
An island holiday is the ideal chance to explore nature along the many walking trails, to watch local wildlife or to wander past the small stalls of the local markets.
Whatever your character, your way of life or your interests, you will find a myriad of things to do. And for anyone whose idea of a holiday is doing nothing at all, choose a stay by the sea and relax with your feet up, rocked by the wash of the waves.
4. Island gastronomy: a treat for the taste buds
On most islands the local cooking, fragrant and exotic, will wake up your taste buds. Seafood and fish are generally fresh and delicious. Sea produce, chicken, coconut milk, tropical fruit and spices come together in dishes full of flavour and colour.
Among the many tropical fruits, each more colourful than the last, some flavours are still unknown to us. Have you ever tasted jackfruit or dragon fruit?
Spices are the other great secret of island cooking: turmeric, ginger, curry, cardamom, colombo spice and chillies of every kind. In island cooking, a pinch of spice is never refused, for dishes that are full of flavour and, yes, hot.
5. A mixed culture
Island travel means discovering a mixed and very living culture. Shaped by the mingling of peoples through the island’s history, islanders have a way of life all their own.
Everything is different on an island: the pace of life, the traditions, the music. So dive into the art and the culture of the island and discover another side of it through its music, its dances and its crafts.
Travelling to the islands offers a total change of scenery and an unrivalled experience.
After these 5 good reasons to travel to the islands, I hope you’ll be convinced to treat yourself to an island destination for your next trip.