There are hundreds of thousands of islands dotting our oceans and lakes—as many as 180,000 in Finland alone, but we curated the 15 best islands across the globe that you absolutely must visit before you die. Time to get out the bucket list. Seclusion, sprawling beaches, rolling waves and untouched pockets of wilderness are all credentials to be included among the best islands in the world. For most of us, there’s something romantic and intriguing about the idea of visiting an island, set apart from the mainland and enjoying a unique culture in a place that’s surrounded by water, water and more water.

Kauai, Hawaii

islands (1)
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Bora Bora

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Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

islands (3)
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Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand

islands (4)
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Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

islands (5)
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Mnemba Island, Tanzania

islands (6)
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Fiji Island

islands (7)
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Maldives

islands (8)
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Seychelles

islands (9)
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Tahiti

islands (10)
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Korcula

islands (11)
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Mykonos, Greece

islands (12)
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Isla Bastimentos, Panama

islands (13)
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Sicily

islands (14)
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Santorini

islands (15)
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