9 Hidden Islands and Towns You Might Not Have Known About

Thanks to Instagram's captivating travel photos and the growing availability of flights, modern travelers are exploring the world at unprecedented levels. Once-secluded locations such as Iceland and Antarctica are now experiencing a surge in tourist numbers.

However, don’t lose hope, adventurous souls: There are still remote, nearly undiscovered places waiting to be explored. With careful preparation, thorough planning, and a solid budget, you can embark on a journey to these nine secluded, lesser-known islands.

1. Niue

Niue isn’t merely a secluded island—it’s also one of the tiniest nations on the planet. Situated roughly 1500 miles northeast of New Zealand, nestled between Fiji and the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, Niue is a tropical haven offering exceptional natural experiences like limestone cave exploration, swimming with wild spinner dolphins, and discovering one of the globe’s largest raised coral reefs. This self-governing nation, linked with New Zealand, has been inhabited for over a millennium. Unlike many remote destinations, Niue is relatively accessible, with Air New Zealand providing weekly flights to Hanan International Airport.

2. Bouvet Island

The volcanic and uninhabited Bouvet Island lies 1600 miles southwest of Cape Town, South Africa—and is far removed from nearly all other populated areas, earning its place as one of the most isolated islands on Earth. First spotted by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier in 1739, the island was later claimed by the UK in 1825 and eventually by Norway in 1928. Now a nature reserve, the island, famously featured in the 2004 movie Alien vs. Predator, is home to fur seals and penguins. While some cruise ships visit Bouvet Island, landing there is highly unpredictable, as Polar Cruises highlighted in 2017, dedicating two days (days 13 and 14 of their itinerary) just for potential landings.

3. Tristan da Cunha

Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, Tristan da Cunha is another extremely isolated island, requiring a week-long, 1750-mile voyage from South Africa. As part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, the island was first spotted in 1506 by Portuguese explorer Tristão da Cunha, though treacherous waters prevented him from landing. Today, with just 275 inhabitants and strict restrictions on new residents, Tristan da Cunha holds the title of the most remote populated island on Earth. The community is predominantly Christian, relying on farming as their primary livelihood. Reaching Tristan da Cunha is no simple feat, as the only way to get there is by ship or expedition cruise.

4. Bear Island

Situated within Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, Bear Island (Bjørnøya) is a 110-square-mile protected nature reserve lying midway between Norway and Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard group. The island’s landscape is harsh and unforgiving, featuring steep cliffs, sea caves, powerful winds, and limited safe harbors for boats. Although uninhabited by humans, Bear Island hosts vast colonies of seabirds. Polar bears occasionally make appearances. Like many remote islands, reaching Bear Island is challenging—but these three brothers proved it’s possible by boarding a cargo ship and spending two months surfing its icy, secluded waters.

5. North Sentinel Island

On North Sentinel Island, located 750 miles from Myanmar in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, modern conveniences like selfies and binge-watching Game of Thrones are nonexistent. The Sentinelese tribe, recognized as one of the planet’s last uncontacted groups, has lived in isolation for an estimated 60,000 years. This means no internet, no HBO, and, as some unfortunate visitors have learned, no tolerance for outsiders. Known as “the most inaccessible place on Earth,” the Sentinelese respond to intruders with spears and arrows. Even researchers observing from helicopters have faced attacks with arrows and stones.

As a result, very little is understood about the Sentinelese tribe. What is known includes their diet of coconuts, fish, turtles, and small birds; their survival of the 2004 tsunami; and the potential risk of disease wiping them out if they interact with outsiders—a growing concern in recent years, even before COVID-19. Infections among isolated tribes on nearby islands alarmed scientists, who feared the Sentinelese could be exposed to the virus by poachers operating near their shores.

Is visiting North Sentinel Island possible? Out of respect for the tribe and for your own safety, the answer is almost certainly no.

6. Ittoqqortoomiit, Greenland

Though not an island itself, Ittoqqortoormiit—one of the most secluded areas of Greenland—is blanketed in ice and snow for nine months annually and is often referred to as “Greenland’s most isolated town.” In terms of area, Ittoqqortoormiit is roughly the size of Great Britain, but its population? A mere 450 people. The town features vibrant wooden houses and stunning Arctic landscapes. During summer, icebergs drift through the nearby Scoresby Sund, the world’s longest fjord. Ittoqqortoormiit can be reached by cruise ships or flights, with two weekly connections from Iceland and West Greenland.

7. Hans Island

Despite having no natural resources—essentially just a barren rock—Canada and Denmark are engaged in a lighthearted “dispute” over this half-square-mile territory, situated between Ellesmere Island and northern Greenland. The island is named after Hans Hendrik, a Greenlandic hunter and explorer who participated in 19th-century British and American Arctic expeditions. Today, the battle for Hans Island is fought without weapons or violence. Instead, the Canadian and Danish militaries engage in a “whiskey war,” leaving bottles of Danish snaps or Canadian whiskey along with their national flags for the opposing side to discover. Visiting Hans Island is theoretically possible, but its small size and lack of facilities mean there are virtually no organized tours.

8. Socotra Island

Often called “the most alien place on Earth,” Socotra Island boasts 800 rare species of plants and animals, some of which are as old as 20 million years. Remarkably, a third of Socotra’s species are endemic, making it the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean. This 80-mile-long island, part of Yemen, is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site but remains largely unexplored by tourists. Around 50,000 inhabitants live in towns like Hadibu and Qalansiyah. Most visitors reach Socotra via Yemenia Airways or Felix Airways, with a mandatory stopover in Yemen, approximately 240 miles away. While sea travel is an option, air travel is preferred due to the island’s two annual monsoons and risks of piracy.

9. Longyearbyen, Svalbard

As the northernmost town with a substantial population, Longyearbyen sits on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen in Svalbard. Winters here are harsh, with average highs of 12° F, and homes are built on stilts to prevent sinking during summer permafrost melts. For tourists, Svalbard offers unparalleled chances to witness the aurora borealis and observe native wildlife like reindeer, polar bears, walruses, foxes, seabirds, and whales. The island features affordable lodging options, and direct flights are available from Oslo and Tromsø, Norway.