Last update: 19 November 2020

NaturePic Challenge is a series of pictures of epic nature. It highlights inspiring places that will definitely induce a natural high 😉 The theme of this NaturePic series is Blissful Remote Islands.

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 photo’s printed on paper.

In this NaturePic series I will share some of my other favourite islands I visited more recently. Find your island and see how to get there.

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. In this overview you can find a short summary of each island. Click on the link in the title to see more. The stories are all updated on a regular basis. So you’ll often find extra information and new practical stuff, or fancy decorations like the handy interactive map at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check back in, and enjoy reading & exploring! 🙂

Hinchinbrook Island – Unspoiled tropical wilderness

Hinchinbrook Island in Australia is pure bliss. 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, 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 to over a 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 lava flows and stood utterly mesmerized looking upon the creation process of Earth itself. It is one of the most mindblowing things one could 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 colorful and grassy houses, and the climate is surprisingly mild.

Stromboli – The ancient lighthouse of the Mediterranean

Stromboli is the stuff of legends and the ancient lighthouse of the Mediterranean. The volcano island has been erupting its mesmerizing glow for over 2000 years, in such a way it has actually become 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. Vestmannaeyjar – also known as the Westman Islands – boasts the youngest volcanic island and the newest volcano in Iceland.

Where are all these islands?

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

(c) Nancy Claus – Wilderness Coffee & Natural High

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More stories & inspiration

Most popular stories across all pages – An overview

Island hopping on the Aeolian Islands – A volcanic archipelago

Vestmannaeyjar – De vurige magie van de Westman Eilanden

Mountains & Volcanoes – 7 Epic mountains and volcanoes

The first Wilderness Coffee photo