This article was originally published as a NaturePic Challenge: A seven-day series with pictures of epic nature and places that trigger a natural high. This particular chain of NaturePics is about Blissful Remote Islands. Over the years, these short stories have all developed into extended articles. You can find the link to each island in this overview.

Fascinating islands around the world

There are plenty of beautiful islands in the sea to be discovered. Unfortunately the lack of having a digital camera left out some fascinating islands I travelled to before 2006 – at least for this series. Such as Easter Island, Lord Howe Island (Australia), White Island (New Zealand), the Outer Hebrides (Scotland) and Bora Bora (French Polynesia). The pictures I took there are all old-skool photos printed on paper.

In this article I will share some of my other favourite islands, which I visited more recently.

Wilderness Coffee @ Las Playas Bay, El Hierro (Canary Islands).

Seven blissful remote islands

Sprinkled across the oceans and seas, these islands are all very different in character. This overview gives you a short summary of each island.

If you want to find out more and see how to get there, just click on the link in the title to read the full story. I update these articles on a regular basis, so you’ll often find new information and practical stuff, or fancy decorations like the handy interactive map at the bottom of this page. The date above each article shows the last update.

Make sure to check back in, and enjoy reading & exploring. 🙂

Hinchinbrook Island – Unspoiled tropical wilderness

Hinchinbrook Island in Australia is pure bliss. The island lies just off the coast of north Queensland and features rugged mountains covered in lush jungle vegetation, broad sweeping beaches and meandering estuaries. Unspoiled wilderness that can only be explored on foot. The Thorsborne Trail follows a 32 kilometre route along the east coast of Hinchinbrook Island. It’s one of the most beautiful hikes in the world.

El Hierro – A volcanic hotspot underneath the sea

El Hierro is the most remote and authentic of the Canary Islands, with volcanic activity still bubbling underneath the sea. Once considered as the edge of the known world, El Hierro consists mostly of huge cliffs rising straight up from the sea to over 1000 metres high, and an enormous crescent shaped valley. It’s absolutely spectacular.

Hawaii – Volcanic fields of fire

The enigmatic Big Island of Hawaii, where flows of lava tumble down its rocky shores into the sea. I walked across the fields of fire from Kalapana to the Kilauea coastal lava flows, and stood utterly mesmerized looking upon the creation process of Earth itself. It is one of the most mindblowing things one could ever hope to see.

Faroe Islands – Atlantic weather systems moving overhead

The Faroe Islands are an enticing stopover in the north Atlantic ocean between Denmark, Norway and Iceland. There are impressive mountains everywhere, stupendously rising up from the sea. The capital of Tórshavn is a charming little town with colourful and grassy houses. And the weather on the Faroe Islands archipelago is surprisingly mild.

Stromboli – The ancient lighthouse of the Mediterranean

Stromboli is the stuff of legends. The volcano island is the ancient lighthouse of the Mediterranean. It has been erupting its mesmerizing glow for over 2000 years, in such a way that it actually became the ‘type locality’ for it. When I saw its triangular shape looming on the horizon, it was pulling me like a force from the centre of the earth, excited to finally see the strombolian action from up close…

Cook Islands – The stuff of Pacific dreams

The Cook Islands are the stuff of Pacific dreams. White, sandy, coconut-strewn palm beaches, translucent lagoons in all shades of shimmering blue, and a laid-back atmosphere where everything just circulates on island time. But there are also craggy peaks beckoning in the interior of Rarotonga, the main island. You can discover them on the Cross-Island Track, an adventurous hike across the jungle.

Vestmannaeyjar – A force of nature that can’t be denied

When I saw the volcanic island shapes of Vestmannaeyjar shimmering on the horizon, I felt immediately drawn to them. It was like a force of nature that couldn’t be denied. I just had to go there. Sailing into Heimaey harbour, through a narrow opening surrounded by a jumbled chain of steep cliffs and a huge field of lava flows, is mind-blowing. The Vestmannaeyjar archipelago – also known as the Westman Islands – contains the youngest volcanic island in Iceland.

Iceland eruption 2021 🌋

Vestmannaeyjar also boasted the youngest volcano in Iceland. Until 19 March 2021, when Fagradalsfjall erupted to the scene on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Fagradalsfjall mesmerized people around the world with rows of craters and scenic lava flows, and even turned into a spectacular lava geyser for a while. In this extensive article you can read all about the extraordinary Fagradalsfjall volcano – and how to get there.

Where are all these islands?

Explore this handy interactive map and find the locations of these beautiful islands. You can also zoom in for more details of each island itself.

@ What is your favourite island? Let me know in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you! Your questions, comments and suggestions are also helpful for other readers and travellers. Thank you for sharing.

Follow Wilderness Coffee & Natural High on Facebook and Instagram for more stories.

The hidden beach of Stafsnes on Vestmannaeyjar.

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More to explore & discover

Mountains & Volcanoes – 7 Epic mountains and volcanoes

Island hopping on the Aeolian Islands – A volcanic archipelago

Most popular stories across all pages – An overview

Vestmannaeyjar – De vurige magie van de Westman Eilanden

First Wilderness Coffee @ Jökulsárlón

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This article was first published on 4 February 2017 and last updated on 12 January 2025.