If most travellers were compelled to conjure up an image of the ultimate travel destination in their mind’s eye, an exotic tropical island with leaning palm trees dotting white sandy beaches would probably make for the most popular picture. But why are islands so popular as a travel destination though and why have islands become the very face of a coveted holiday retreat, a periodic vacation, or even a permanent vacation (a certain Sir Richard Branson springs to mind, with his Necker Island in the British Virgin Isles)?
The Illusion of Seclusion
It’s perhaps more than an illusion and rather a reality that islands generally provide the type of seclusion which makes a holiday retreat exactly that – a retreat! Whether it’s one of the alluring Greek islands you’re visiting for some time or if you’re going fully tropical with a visit to a seychelles luxury resort, the mere process of traveling to an island and finally arriving is quite a mission, reinforcing the fact that you are indeed “retreating.” Being cut off from any mainland starts to feel like the retreat it is very quickly, sometimes in the most quirkiest of ways, like not being able to drive a few kilometers to finally get a fix of a particular type of favourite food you otherwise can’t do without.
It’s really nice to be secluded at times and in a sense “get away from it all,” and island destinations offer this in abundance. Smaller islands such as Paros and Antiparos in Greece are perfect examples of this. If you were to book one of the many luxury villas in antiparos, you would find yourself largely undisturbed, and most of your needs would be taken care of.
Perfect Weather
The Greek Islands and the Caribbean come to mind again as perhaps the ultimate epitome of ideal island holiday getaway options, particularly with regards to the fine, fine weather most of these locations enjoy. Yes, it may rain quite a lot, but the rain isn’t cold and miserable, otherwise what is more than the region’s fair share of sunshine and warm weather accounts for a buffet of outdoor activities to choose from. I mean what’s a holiday without a dip in the sea? All the better if it’s in the warm Caribbean Sea, as just one of the many fun activities to engage in under the sun.
It’s Never Enough
It’s been said that too much of a good thing isn’t good, but ask any islander if they’d trade the fundamentals of island life for anything else and they’d answer you with an emphatic NO! While limited economic opportunities beyond tourism may compel islanders to want to seek better opportunities in mainland continental countries, fundamentally, the majestic views never get tiring, and so to the slow pace of life and the ability to catch your fish fresh and live an overall healthy life with markedly reduced levels of stress.
