Top luxury island resort destinations
Top luxury island resort destinations
High-end island resorts for luxury travel
Luxury island travel is at its best when the setting and the experience reinforce each other, when the quality of what surrounds you matches the quality of where you are staying. The destinations on this list have been chosen because they offer that combination reliably, with accommodation and services that are genuinely exceptional set within natural environments that would be worth visiting regardless.
The range covers overwater villa resorts in tropical lagoons, private island retreats with very few guests, clifftop properties with dramatic ocean views and intimate boutique hotels on islands where the surrounding landscape does most of the work. Price points vary but the common thread is a level of attention to detail and quality of setting that justifies the investment.
Timing, transfer logistics and understanding what is and isn't included matter more at the luxury end of the market than elsewhere. Some of the most impressive properties are in remote locations that require seaplane or boat transfers and the additional planning that involves. Getting the season right and arriving with a clear sense of what the resort offers beyond the room itself tends to produce the most satisfying experience.
Lists by region
Country
Maldives
Coral atolls, lagoons and overwater villas
Overwater villas here stand on stilts above shallow, brilliantly clear lagoons. Each resort typically occupies its own private island across the scattered atolls. Visitors can book villas with glass floor panels revealing marine life below. Rising sea levels have made the low-lying islands a focus of climate concern.
Island in Japan
Okinawa Island
Reef beaches and Ryukyu Kingdom heritage
Luxury resorts line this Japanese island's coast facing some of the clearest reef water in the region. Traditional Ryukyu architecture influences the design of several high-end properties. Visitors can book resorts with direct access to coral reefs just offshore. The Kerama Islands nearby offer day trips to even clearer water.
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