Dreaming of an island getaway? While white sand beaches and turquoise waters often come to mind, some islands offer more than just scenic beauty. They hold secrets, fascinating histories, and unique quirks.
For the adventurous soul, exploring these lesser-known islands reveals stories that range from awe-inspiring to downright creepy. Let’s journey to ten unique islands around the globe and uncover some of their most intriguing, lesser-known facts.
10. Suwarrow
Located in the Cook Islands, Suwarrow is a very low-lying atoll prone to storm surges. Declared a National Heritage Park in 1978, it’s home to just two caretakers and over a million seabirds across eleven species.
Once called the world’s most romantic island, Suwarrow’s real allure lies in its reputation as a treasure island. In the mid-19th century, a ship captain unearthed an iron chest brimming with gold and silver coins. Later, in 1876, Henry Mair found another rusted box in a turtle nest, filled with gold necklaces, coins, and brooches. Unable to carry the treasure, he reburied it and made a map. Unfortunately, Mair died in 1891, and his map vanished, leaving the treasure’s location a mystery.
9. Flatey Island
Despite being named one of the world’s best islands in 2019, Flatey Island remains relatively unknown. Just under 1.25 miles long, this Icelandic gem has only six permanent residents.
Situated off Iceland’s west coast, Flatey is the sole inhabited island among 3,000 in Breiðafjörður Bay. It holds historical significance as the location of Iceland’s first library and the picturesque Flatey Church. Accessible only by ferry and car-free, its stunning landscape inspired the movie The Honour of the House (1999).
8. Mou Waho
New Zealand’s Lake Wanaka hosts five islands, but Mou Waho is the most remote and obscure. Once home to Maori, Europeans, and sheep farms, it’s now a thriving bird sanctuary, particularly for the buff weka.
Mou Waho, meaning “Outer Island,” boasts a geographical marvel: it’s an island within a lake (Arethusa Pool), which is on an island (Mou Waho), in a lake (Lake Wanaka), on an island (New Zealand’s South Island), in the ocean. A short 1.86-mile walk leads to a viewpoint showcasing this incredible island-water-island-water-island vista.
7. Okinawa
Perhaps familiar from The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai as Mr. Miyagi’s homeland, Okinawa has a unique identity. Part of Japan, its inhabitants are known as Nippon-jin, and the island is renowned for the longevity of its residents. It’s also the birthplace of karate, developed as a defense against samurai attacks.
Beyond martial arts, Okinawa holds a darker reputation as one of the world’s most haunted places. Building 2283 on the Kadena Air Base was infamous after a tragic murder-suicide in the 1970s, followed by another violent incident with the next occupants. The building, later used for storage, was reportedly demolished in 2009 after workers experienced unexplained phenomena. Even creepier, children at a nearby daycare allegedly threw toys over the fence, saying kids on the other side asked them to.
6. Saba
Saba, the smallest island in the Dutch Caribbean, features Mount Scenery, the highest point in the Dutch Kingdom at 2,910 feet. This peak is actually a potentially active volcano, last erupting in 1640.
Saba also hosts the world’s shortest commercial runway. Stretching only 1,312 feet along a cliff edge, overshooting means plunging into the Atlantic. Despite this thrill, Saba is remarkably safe, especially for solo female travelers, boasting virtually no crime and friendly locals. Its dramatic silhouette was even used for Skull Island in the 1933 King Kong movie.
5. Andros
While most Bahamas visitors flock to Nassau or Grand Bahama, Andros remains a hidden gem. It’s the largest island in the Bahamas (2,300 sq miles) and the fifth largest in the Caribbean.
Often called the ‘Secret Garden of the Bahamas,’ Andros harbors over 60 wild orchid species and the world’s third-largest barrier reef. The deep Tongue of the Ocean (TOTO) separates Andros from New Providence. Local legend speaks of the Chickcharney, a mythical creature possibly inspired by sightings of a prehistoric barn owl, although no remains have been found on Andros yet.
4. Fadiouth Shell Island
Off the coast of Senegal lies Fadiouth, an island uniquely constructed from millions of clam shells accumulated over centuries. Even the streets are paved with shells.
A wooden bridge connects Fadiouth to a second, smaller shell island which serves solely as a cemetery. Despite Senegal being about 90% Muslim, this cemetery is entirely marked by white Christian crosses. It stands as a quiet monument to religious tolerance and the country’s Christian minority, offering a striking and unusual sight.
3. Danger Islands
For decades, scientists thought Adelie penguin populations were declining. Then, in 2018, a supercolony of over 1.5 million Adelie penguins was discovered on the Danger Islands, near the Antarctic Peninsula’s northern tip.
This massive colony remained hidden due to the treacherous, ice-filled waters and the islands’ remote location. Discovered in 1842 by James Clark Ross, the islands were aptly named for the hazard presented by the concealing sea ice, which nearly caused Ross’s expedition to run aground before they even saw the landmasses.
2. Corregidor
Guarding the entrance to Manila Bay in the Philippines, Corregidor Island has a rich military history. Fortified with coastal defenses, it played a crucial role during World War II, sustaining heavy damage during the Philippines’ invasion and liberation.
Today, the island’s ruins serve as a memorial. Key sites include the Pacific War Memorial, a Japanese Garden of Peace honoring fallen soldiers, and one of its oldest structures, the lighthouse. Given its bloody past, Corregidor is widely considered haunted. The ruins of the Old Corregidor Island Hospital (1912) are said to be particularly active, with reports of disembodied screams, crying, and phantom hospital sounds.
1. Santa Catalina
Just 20 miles off Southern California’s coast, Santa Catalina Island is a popular escape known for its glass-bottom boat tours and lively atmosphere. During WWII, the island was closed to tourism and served as a military training base, a history explored in the Catalina Island Museum.
Beneath the sunny exterior, Catalina has its share of spooky tales. Visitors report spectral sightings at the Catalina Country Club, apparitions in 1920s clothing walking through walls at the local theater, and even encounters with a white-robed female figure floating in a restroom. It seems even paradise has its ghosts.
These ten islands prove there’s often more than meets the eye. From buried pirate treasure and volcanic peaks to shell-paved streets and penguin supercolonies, the world is full of unique island destinations waiting to share their lesser-known stories.
Which of these unique island facts surprised you the most? Have you visited any of these hidden gems? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
