Southeast Asia · 25,000+ islands
Where the hell
is that?
Island travel across Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and beyond — from deck-class ferries to private charters. Shoestring to silver spoon.
Six ways in
However you travel, start here
Luxury Escapes
- Private islands
- Villas
- Exclusive resorts
- VIP experiences
Backpacker Routes
- Local ferries
- Guesthouses
- Homestays
- Overland connections
Boat & Yacht Charters
- Catamarans
- Yachts
- Liveaboards
- Sailing
Island Hopping
- Multi-island routes
- Ferries
- Boats
- Connections
Hidden Destinations
- Remote islands
- Little-known beaches
- Off-the-map
Local Intelligence
- How to get there
- How to leave
- What to know
Featured islands
Places worth rearranging a trip for
Twelve sample islands in this preview. The real index will run to thousands.
West Papua, Indonesia
Raja Ampat
The most biodiverse reef system on earth, four days from anywhere.
Palawan, Philippines
El Nido
Limestone cathedrals and hidden lagoons, backed by a very busy town.
East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Komodo
Dry savannah islands, ferocious currents, and the world's largest lizard.
Terengganu, Malaysia
Perhentian Islands
Cheap diving, clear water, no roads and no hurry.
Surigao del Norte, Philippines
Siargao
Surf island turned island-hopping base, still mostly coconut palms.
Surat Thani, Thailand
Koh Tao
Where half of Asia learns to dive.
Shoestring to silver spoon
Same ocean. A thousand different journeys.
Move the slider. The islands, the beds and the boats change with it — the water does not.
Travel style
Comfort
$80 – $180
Air conditioning, hot water, and a boat that shows up.
- Sleeping
- Boutique hotels, dive lodges, mid-range resorts
- Moving
- Private transfers, scheduled flights
- Eating
- Hotel restaurants and good local kitchens
Islands that work at this level (4)
West Papua, Indonesia
Raja Ampat
The most biodiverse reef system on earth, four days from anywhere.
Palawan, Philippines
El Nido
Limestone cathedrals and hidden lagoons, backed by a very busy town.
East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Komodo
Dry savannah islands, ferocious currents, and the world's largest lizard.
Terengganu, Malaysia
Perhentian Islands
Cheap diving, clear water, no roads and no hurry.
Hidden destinations
Islands you have not heard of, and the reason nobody goes
Usually the reason is simple: getting there is hard. We tell you exactly how hard.
HiddenMaluku, Indonesia
Banda Islands
The original spice islands. A volcano, a colonial harbour, and almost no one.
HiddenEast Kalimantan, Indonesia
Derawan
Turtles, jellyfish lakes and a stilt village off Borneo.
HiddenCentral Sulawesi, Indonesia
Togean Islands
A long, awkward journey into the middle of the Gulf of Tomini.
Experiences
Search by what you actually want to do
Sixteen experience categories, cross-referenced against every island.
The Journal
Local intelligence, written like it matters
Indonesia
The 25 Islands Beyond Bali
Bali is one island in seventeen thousand. Here is where to go when you want the other 16,999.
14 min read
Philippines
How to Cross the Philippines by Ferry
Seven thousand islands, one ferry network, and a great deal of patience.
Luxury
10 Private Islands You've Probably Never Heard Of
Whole islands, staffed, that almost nobody writes about.
Routes
The Backpacker Route Through Eastern Indonesia
Flores to Ambon overland and by sea, on roughly $35 a day.
Collect islands. Not things.
IslandToursTravel is being built as the definitive island discovery platform for Southeast Asia. This is the first look at how it will feel.
About the project