Ten Island Escapes That Still Avoid Mass Tourism

French business daily Les Echos has published a selection of ten islands it describes as spectacular and still largely protected from mass tourism. The list spans several continents and climates: Socotra in Yemen, St Kilda in Scotland, Raja Ampat in Indonesia, Disko Island in Greenland, Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, São Miguel in the Azores, Fernando de Noronha in Brazil, New Zealand's South Island, Little Corn Island in Nicaragua and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea.

Each destination is framed around a distinct appeal. Socotra is singled out for unusual landscapes and endemic biodiversity, while St Kilda is presented as a place where wild nature has reasserted itself. Raja Ampat stands out for marine richness, and Disko Island for whales and volcanic cliffs.

The selection groups Ha Long Bay and São Miguel as combining natural beauty with accessibility, while Fernando de Noronha and the South Island are aimed at travellers looking for varied terrain and protected ecosystems. Little Corn Island and Príncipe are offered as simpler, more disconnected escapes, with Príncipe noted for endemic fauna and dense jungle.

Rather than a practical guide with fixed prices, the article presents these islands as realistic alternatives for travellers who want to avoid crowded circuits, while acknowledging that many are difficult to reach and require attention to budget and season.

What Actually Keeps These Islands Off the Crowd-Packed Circuit

The selection filters for low-density tourism

The common thread is not luxury but constraint. Most of the places named — Socotra, St Kilda, Raja Ampat, Príncipe — require extra flights, ferries, permits or weather windows, which naturally limits visitor numbers. The article's framing treats that difficulty as part of the appeal: the barrier to access is what has kept these destinations outside mass tourism.

Accessibility is framed as a spectrum, not a single type of trip

The list does not present all ten destinations as equally demanding. Ha Long Bay and São Miguel are described as more accessible, making them realistic for travellers with standard holiday windows. In contrast, Fernando de Noronha and the South Island are positioned as adventure-oriented, offering protected ecosystems and a wider range of landscapes, while Little Corn Island is praised for its disconnected atmosphere rather than infrastructure or services.

Because the article stays at selection level, readers should treat the biodiversity and preservation claims as editorial descriptions rather than current, independently verified conditions. Access, permit regimes and local infrastructure can change quickly, particularly for remote or politically sensitive places.

Choosing by Access, Season and What You Want From the Trip

  • If you want the lowest logistical friction, start with the list's own accessible pairing: São Miguel in the Azores or Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, which the article presents as balancing natural beauty with ease of travel.
  • For Socotra, St Kilda, Raja Ampat or Príncipe, plan around the access constraint itself — limited transport, permits and weather — and do not assume standard travel insurance or fixed daily routes apply.
  • Match the choice to what you actually want: Raja Ampat and Disko Island are framed around marine and wildlife encounters, while Little Corn Island is a better fit for a deliberately simple, disconnected stay rather than a feature-rich itinerary.
  • Before committing, verify current entry rules, safety advice and conservation restrictions for any destination named, especially Socotra and Fernando de Noronha, where access and environmental controls can affect the trip.