As the final hours of 2024 crept up, I sat on my parents’ hardwood floor with a giant whiteboard, a box of colorful markers, magazine cutouts and a Don Fulano Margarita. It’s become a New Year’s Eve tradition to make a vision board, my creative outlet to manifest what’s to come, along with picking a color and a word to live by for the upcoming year.
I’m a full-time traveler, one of those obnoxious people who doesn’t know how to answer the FAQ, “Where do you live?” (My go-to answers are “Where don’t I live?” or “Out of a suitcase.”) In 2024, I had focused almost entirely on cold climate destinations: Antarctica, Latvia, Alaska, northern Norway and Seattle, to name a few. I wanted a full 180 for 2025, so in yellow marker, I wrote “EDEN” in giant letters at the top, officially marking my word and color of the year. As the board came together, themes of water, sand, palm trees, cocktails and islands all came into play. Right then and there, I made the decision that 2025 would be my year of island travel.
I followed through with the commitment and learned more than I had anticipated. Far beyond being a monolith of sipping cocktails on a beach (though, there was plenty of that, too), islands have so much more to offer than just a dreamy getaway for those who need a break. So after having visited more than a dozen islands in 2025, here were the 10 standouts.
Sardinia, Italy
“Am I stranded on an island, or have I landed in paradise?” Miley Cyrus’s “Island” blared through my headphones as I walked through Cagliari. The first island I visited in 2025 was Sardinia, an impulsive decision I made while going through some personal turmoil. As soon as I arrived at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday, a weight was lifted. I made my way to a small bar in Piazza Yenne and ordered a glass of vermentino with fluffy focaccia, piled high with mortadella. I was texting a friend I hadn’t spoken to in years, and we had a “virtual date.”
I wound up spending one week in southern Sardinia, exploring Villasimius’ busiest beaches like Spiaggia di Porto Giunco, which I wound up having entirely to myself because I chose to visit in February (and it was still 75 degrees and sunny). I saw a couple sharing fresh cracked sea urchins by the sea, feeding each other while taking breaks to sip white wine. I ate pardula (a pastry filled with ricotta, saffron and citrus), malloreddus (a small ribbed pasta), Pecorino and seada (a fried pastry filled with cheese and drizzled with honey).
Travel isn’t always transformative, nor does it always have to be, but spending a week in sunny Sardinia at a time my soul needed reviving reminded me of the importance of listening to my gut. I had avoided Sardinia for a while because everyone said I would need a car and that it wasn’t worth spending time in the capital. In my impulsivity, I debunked both of those theories. And on a broader scale, that spontaneous trip reminded me of the beauty of visiting places during the low season.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
One can’t possibly have a year of islands and not pay a visit to the Caribbean. A few years back, I learned firsthand how much even I had been duped into thinking the Caribbean is a one-size-fits-all region. Every island is vastly different, from cultural norms, to beaches, to food and beverage. In 2025, I stumbled upon one of my favorite sleeper hits: St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
While I’m usually not an all-inclusive type of gal, I was drawn to Sandals Saint Vincent, located on pristine Buccament Bay, consisting of a mix of natural black sand and imported white sand. And while the beaches and sparkling water onsite at Sandals, along with a day trip to snorkel in Bequia, were serene, my visit to Hand2Earth wound up being the most impactful part of my visit. Run by Vonnie Roudette, Hand2Earth provides a space for formerly incarcerated people to create hand-woven furniture, baskets, bags, rugs and other products made of vetiver, a sturdy and vital grass native to the island. Seeing this strong sense of community beat the views of any Caribbean beach, even the stunning ones of St. Vincent.
The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
One of the biggest ticks that lived on my bucket list was seeing the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands, and what better time to tackle that feat than in my year of island travel? After a few days in Quito, where I stayed at Hampton by Hilton La Carolina Park (and also accidentally spent the weekend in the capital during a major election, where laws were temporarily in place, like alcohol being completely banned), I was ready for some wildlife and a cocktail in one of the world’s most protected lands.
I had always contemplated if I would take the cruise or hotel route when I finally visited this protected paradise, where each visitor must pay $200 to enter. Once I arrived at Royal Palm Galapagos in my own private villa on Santa Cruz Island, however, I knew I made the right choice. I still booked tours to see wildlife and go snorkeling alongside Galapagos fur seals and baby scalloped hammerheads, but I was able to end my days resting in the comfort of one of the nicest hotels I’ve personally ever slept in. And while I was absolutely there for the wildlife, I was taken by surprise when one night, I got to trek 60 feet underground to dine at Lava Tunnel Restaurant, located onsite at Royal Palm Galapagos, where I enjoyed a fine-dining meal paired with sips of Ecuadorian wine.
Visiting the Galapagos Means More When You Were Raised on Creationism
For those taught that evolution was a lie, few places on Earth feel more radical — or more redemptive — than the islands that proved it trueSt. Kitts and Nevis
The island adventures continued to call me as I made my way to St. Kitts and Nevis, a set of island nations that are split between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. My time in St. Kitts wound up being spiked with adrenaline. I biked around the island, learned how to sail a hobie cat and braved one of the most difficult hikes in the Caribbean, Mount Liamuiga, the highest peak in St. Kitts. The tradeoff of steep, slippery trails was worth it when I reached the top, met with sweeping panoramic views that bled into the distance. But then I was met with torrential rain, making the hike down a very different story. I quickly learned how dangerous this hike can become with the addition of rain, and my body thanked me with a quadriceps contusion (hey, I do it for the plot).
With a little hobble in my step, I still found time to bounce over to Nevis, where I found even more adventure. Nevis is the home island of Alexander Hamilton, and as a fan of the musical, I paid a visit to the Hamilton House & Museum. I also learned about their annual Mango Festival (Nevis produces 44 types of mangoes) and imbibed in a famous Killer Bee cocktail from Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, which quickly made me forget about my injured leg.
Madagascar
Entering Madagascar felt like entering the unknown — with roughly 300,000 tourists visiting the remote island nation each year, I didn’t have tons of information from which to draw inspiration. It’s understandable why tourism numbers are lower here, with a typical trip requiring a lot of logistics, from flights, to itinerary, to cost. I didn’t want the headache of trying to plan on my own, so I booked a 14-day trip with Intrepid Travel. As a staunch solo traveler, I was in for quite the treat for two reasons: One, I had to do quite literally zero planning, and two I got to hang out with likeminded people. It takes a certain mindset to agree to a trip to Madagascar, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group.
I couldn’t possibly run through everything we did, but one of my favorite days was when we hiked through canyons in Isalo National Park, followed by an outdoor lunch surrounded by lemurs in their natural habitat, followed by another hike to a natural swimming pool. Another hiking day led us through rice fields in Fianarantsoa, ending in a village where we were invited in to eat a lunch consisting of zebu (the typical grilled meat of the island), Chinese cabbage, stewed beans and mounds of rice in a woman’s home.
There were lemurs, leeches and one day involved me having a real “What would Bourdain do?” moment and drinking mystery street rum. There were local hot springs and a series of sleepless nights in Ifaty because of 24-hour blaring music, where the source wasn’t a nightclub but a weeklong funeral. If I had to pick one, Madagascar wins for my greatest adventure this year, and after having visited more than 90 countries in my 10 years of solo traveling, it’s easily in my top three favorite trips.
The Seychelles
I had a feeling Madagascar would wipe me out mentally and physically, so I strategically planned a “solo honeymoon” to the Seychelles directly to follow. Taking inspiration from my own trip to Ecuador earlier in the year, I went for a private villa at Hilton Northolme Resort & Spa on northern Mahe, an adults-only boutique hotel. While the comedown from the nonstop Madagascan adventure was intense, the burden was lessened when I saw I had my own private infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean.
To continue riding my adrenaline, I jumped on the back of a local’s jet ski my first morning there, and while that was an exhilarating experience, I had to succumb to the fact that the Seychelles are a destination designed around relaxing. So, I spent long, sleepy days lounging on the island’s various beaches. Some of my favorites were Port Launay, Anse Soleil and Anse Royale, all of which are on the southern side of the island. No beach in the world tops Petite Anse, however, the secluded beach located at Four Seasons Hotel Seychelles. Luckily, you don’t need to be a guest to access it.
Mauritius
Mauritius was my 90th country visited, which felt like a feat in itself. I was fully planning on my time there to be a wellness retreat, largely tied to having booked four nights at Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas, a resort with a plethora of activities available onsite. But shortly after landing, I came down with a sickness that ended up being giardia, a parasite. Did you really travel to 90 countries if you didn’t get a worm?
After some antibiotics and a good 48 hours in bed, I pulled myself together and redeemed my last few days on the island. I signed up for onsite Qigong at Anantara Iko Mauritius, my first time partaking in the meditative workout. Afterward, I tried noni, a local stinky fruit that could give durian a run for its money. The beach on property, Le Chaland, reminded me that salty water is more healing than any medicine in the world, and I spent ample time floating in the Indian Ocean.
On my final day, I was able to finally leave the resort, much against my doctor’s advice. I took a quick boat tour to see Ile Aux Cerfs, a flat island with some of the country’s best beaches, visited Chamarel Seven Colored Earth Geopark and even swung by a local market to try dhal puri (a flatbread stuffed with yellow split peas), a questionable choice for someone recovering from a parasite but one that was well worth the risk.
Puerto Rico
Bad Bunny had a great influence on American pop culture in 2025, and I was not spared from his impact. I based myself out of Rio Grande, more specifically Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico, a 579-room resort across 72 acres of a natural reserve. While I originally had plans to hike nearby El Yunque Rainforest on my first day, I instead sat by Puerto Rico’s largest lagoon-style pool, located right on property, with a rum-spiked coconut in hand. Sometimes you just need a vacation.
When I finally did leave the oasis of the resort, it was to head to Guavate, home to the infamous “Pork Highway.” Lined with lechoneras, or “open-air style” pork shops, I bounced from one to the next to try lechón asado, a staple in Puerto Rican cuisine, alongside other traditional dishes like alcapurrias (deep-fried fritters stuffed with savory picadillo), pasteles (very similar to tamales) and, of course, coquito. But I didn’t have to go far from the Hyatt Regency for a taste of the island: On my first morning there, I had pan sobao, a fluffy Puerto Rican bread stuffed with cheese, delivered right to my room for breakfast.
Ayutthaya, Thailand
The catalyst to this wild lifestyle of mine was 10 years ago with a trip to Thailand, and last year, I would finally return. My first time in Thailand, I stayed in hostels with upwards of 20 people in a room, but this time, I’d go back in style to stay at the newly-opened KROMO Bangkok. Their 28th-floor infinity pool was the antidote after a 12-hour flight, and with my enervating jet lag, I was grateful for their daily breakfast that went until 3 p.m.
When I texted my friend that I was in Thailand, he encouraged me to check out Ayutthaya, a small island near Bangkok with UNESCO-protected archaeological ruins, Buddhist temples and palaces. Ayutthaya is the ancient capital of the country, and while many think they need to fly to Koh Samui or Krabi to get their island fix, ToursByLocals makes visiting the island of Ayutthaya easier than ever. Pro-tip: Check out the giant river prawns.
Traveling to this Thai island was the only time I missed the mainland. Bangkok is nearly a perfect city of contrasts: You can eat some of the world’s best street food in night markets, or you can go for Michelin meals like the one at Mezzaluna, followed by a visit to one of the world’s tallest rooftop bars at Sky Bar (both of which are located inside lebua at State Tower). You can sip cocktails at one of the world’s 50 Best Bars at BKK Social Club, located inside Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, or you can drink Chang beer bought from a vendor at a floating market. Even 10 years later, I can confirm a trip to Thailand will never go out of style.
Taiwan
I’m a big fan of taking advantage of a long layover, and when I booked an EVA Air flight from Bangkok back to New York City that would be stopping in Taipei, I finagled the schedule to give myself 15 hours there. I had been to Taipei once before in 2019, and it remains one of my favorite sleeper hits in Asia. Taipei is fun, point blank. The Ximen neighborhood is a Harajuku dupe, with plenty of street food and shopping at a fraction of the Japanese cost. Unique wellness options like ear cleaning can be found around the city, and there are even massage parlors right in the airport. Public transit is efficient, with the express train from Taichung Airport to Taipei Central Station taking exactly 36 minutes, never a minute early or late. The city is generally more progressive than other Asian capitals, with a bustling LGBTQIA+ community, and you can eat well without breaking the bank (you didn’t really go to Taipei if you don’t eat some xiao long bao). If you have the chance to visit Taiwan, even for 15 short hours, do yourself a favor and go.
Meet your guide
More Like This
This article appeared in an InsideHook newsletter. Sign up for free to get more on travel, wellness, style, drinking, and culture.
