Beyond the Maldives– 6 Alternative Indian Ocean Islands

Tourism

This post was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

The Indian Ocean has actually long been cast as the supreme unique escape. Paradisical blues, white-sand beaches and swaying palm trees conjure pictures of honeymoon happiness, making it seem like the sort of location you check out simply when and invest years recollecting about. The truth is rather various. After experiencing this corner of the world for the very first time, possibilities are you’ll be preparing your return before you’ve even unpacked.

A 2nd journey does not have to indicate backtracking your actions. Beyond the area’s best-known locations– Mauritius, the Maldives and the Seychelles– lie quieter islands with wilder landscapes and different special cultural experiences. Here are 6 options to think about.

Tourism For web surfer cool

Love Bali? Attempt: Mentawai, Indonesia

Bali might have assisted put surfing on the map, however those yearning the easygoing environment that initially made the island popular needs to set their sights on the Mentawai Islands.

Around 90 miles west of Sumatra, this remote Indonesian island chain is comprised of around 70 islands. They’re best understood for their long, reef-break waves, however inland the islands provide a various type of draw: Indigenous Mentawai neighborhoods, a number of whom still practice standard tattooing and live off the rain forest much as their forefathers did.

Constant swells and warm tropical waters have actually made the Mentawais among the world’s most well known browse locations, drawing in everybody from skilled experts to daring intermediates. In spite of its track record, the islands keep an incredibly remote feel. Direct charter flights from Kuala Lumpur are anticipated to release in 2027, however for now, a journey of around 10 hours consisting of a flight to Padang followed by a ferryboat, assists to keep visitor numbers low.

Days are invested going after famous reef breaks such as Lance’s Right, snorkelling reef or checking out jungle-fringed coasts, before collecting for sundown beverages and fire-cooked seafood with fellow web surfers.

The Mentawais stay mainly subtle. Lodging is centred around unwinded browse camps and intimate beachfront resorts instead of massive advancements, maintaining the relaxed spirit that has actually long specified the islands.

Tourism For wildlife

Love Madagascar? Attempt: Comoros

Madagascar is appropriately commemorated for its wildlife, however neighbouring Comoros provides impressive biodiversity in a much more intimate setting. Set in between Madagascar and mainland Africa, the volcanic island chain is among the Indian Ocean’s least-visited locations, and its beautiful reefs, lavish forests and marine reserves shelter an outstanding variety of wildlife.

A directed trip is the very best method to check out properly. Emphasizes consist of the Mwali Unesco Biosphere Reserve, where humpback whales, spinner dolphins, manta rays and exotic fish flourish together with among the world’s crucial green turtle nesting beaches. Inland, forests shelter Livingstone’s fruit bats and mongoose lemurs.

Tourism For historical marvel

Love Zanzibar? Attempt: Lamu, Kenya

If it’s the winding streets, sculpted wood doors and abundant Swahili history of Zanzibar that appeal, Kenya’s Lamu Archipelago uses a quieter however similarly fascinating option. At its heart lies Unesco-listed Lamu Old Town, a settlement constantly occupied for more than 700 years and when East Africa’s crucial trading centre. Developed from coral stone and mangrove wood, its stylish homes expose Arabic, Persian, Indian and European impacts, while labyrinthine alleys lead previous mosques, dynamic markets, craft workshops and dining establishments serving newly grilled fish and aromatic coconut curries.

Invest a couple of days roaming its climatic streets, enjoying conventional dhows wander throughout the harbour, searching artisan workshops or taking a boat to seven-mile-long Shela Beach.

Subira House, set behind the sculpted exterior of a 200-year-old Arab-style structure, is a perfect base. Meals display produce from the home’s own farm, and visitors can participate in activities consisting of Arabic calligraphy, woodcarving and Swahili poetry.

(Wish to See a Different Side of Kenya? Explore its Sacred Swahili Coast)

Tourism For outside experience

Love Mauritius? Attempt: Réunion, France

With its rich mountains, jungle treking tracks and wealth of outside activities available, Mauritius has actually long attracted visitors who choose to remain active in between beach days. Some 140 miles to the south west of Mauritius, its Mascarene island chain neighbour Réunion provides a likewise daring
spirit, however maybe on an even grander scale.

Increasing considerably from the Indian Ocean, the volcanically active island is a landscape of skyrocketing peaks, lava-formed valleys and deep forest, with almost half its area safeguarded as a Unesco-listed national forest. Hikers are ruined for option, whether taking on Piton des Neiges– a 9.5-mile round-trip climb that’s either a tough one-day trip or a two-day getaway– or checking out the island’s 3 cirques, huge natural amphitheatres sculpted by ancient volcanic collapse. Cirque de Salazie, with its waterfalls, cloud forest and unusual orchids, is amongst the most available.

The islands likewise share an abundant cultural heritage, formed by French, African, Indian and Chinese impacts. Réunion’s food shows this variety, with whatever from aromatic cari (curry) and samosas to baguettes and stir-fried noodles. Refuel with conventional rougail (sausage stewed in a spiced tomato sauce) or chicken cari at Chez Maillot in Cilaos or sample vanilla-infused duck at the farm-to-table Ferme Auberge Annibal.

Tourism For island-hopping

Love Seychelles? Attempt: Lakshadweep, India

Island-hopping is among the terrific enjoyments of the Indian Ocean, and while the Seychelles has actually long been the area’s traditional multi-island escape, India’s little-visited Lakshadweep island chain provides a quieter option. Spread throughout the Arabian Sea, off Kerala’s coast, its 36 coral islands are fringed by stunning lagoons, powder-soft beaches and dynamic reefs, yet get just a portion of the visitors.

Taking a trip in between lived in islands such as Agatti, Kavaratti and Kadmat by ferryboat or high-speed boat is all part of the experience. Along the method, you’ll experience deserted sandbanks, crystal-clear waters and a few of India’s finest diving and snorkelling, along with an unique Muslim culture formed by centuries of maritime trade.

Tourist is thoroughly handled, with all visitors needing authorizations to go into the islands. Taking a trip with a professional operator such as State Express makes checking out uncomplicated, with travel plans taking in Kochi, Agatti and Bangaram.

Lodging is subtle, with easy homes and thatched stays below coconut palms. For included convenience, Bangaram Island Resort provides roomy sea-facing suites.

(Can AI Save the Maldives’Coral Reefs?

Tourism For castaway high-end

Love the Maldives? Attempt: Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique

Honeymooners and households have actually long been drawn to the Maldives for its private-island resorts, blue-green lagoons and barefoot high-end. Tourists looking for a more remote castaway experience ought to look to Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago, a safeguarded nationwide park set around 10 miles off the mainland’s south coast. Its 5 primary islands– Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Santa Carolina and Bangué– provide the exact same dreamlike mix of low-lying white sands, blue-green shallows and lavish plant, while including a wilder sense of experience.

Days here can be invested snorkelling reef, cruising standard dhows in between islands, identifying marine life on boat safaris, diving in clear waters or heading inland to find imposing dune, freshwater lakes and remote neighborhoods. The waters surrounding the islands are likewise home to among the Indian Ocean’s wealthiest marine environments, with nesting turtles, whale sharks, dolphins and dugongs.

For those who wish to integrate wilderness with convenience, there are a handful of standout lodges. The flagship is Kisawa, a 740-acre retreat in the south of Benguerra Island, whose thatched-roof cottages mix into the landscape. On the island’s west coast, andBeyond Benguerra Island Lodge provides beachside lodging plus experiences consisting of dhow cruising and horse-riding.

Released in the Indian Ocean Collection 2026 by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

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