6 Indian islands to travel to paradise

From Zanzibar to Indonesia , there are several archipelagos and islands that bring us everything necessary to have an unforgettable trip. Places where you can practice marine sports, destinations for diving , sunbathing on the beach or getting to know other exotic cultures.

We have selected our favorite islands in the Indian Ocean to travel and we explain what you will find in each of them. They are all good options, so it will depend on what you are looking for.

Also the time of year. These paradises usually have monsoon or heavy rain during half of the year. Therefore, you have to know when to travel . In any case, many of them like the Maldives are a good destination even in the rainy season, with only one or two hours of rain a day before the sun rises on the horizon again.

We are going to see these six islands or archipelagos to visit on your next trip. Don’t forget your swimsuit, sun cream and a desire to disconnect and have a good time.

Zanzibar Island (Tanzania)

The island of Zanzibar is one of our favorite options. One of the reasons is that it combines perfectly with the best safaris in Tanzania. If after doing a safari in Kenya or Tanzania you want to disconnect for a few days on the beach, for price and proximity it is the best option.

Its beautiful hotels with private beach are not only interesting for a couple of days, but are also prepared for longer vacations. Diving and snorkeling have a special role, although you can also practice other land and sea sports such as kayaking, sailing or canoeing.

Among the best hotels in Zanzibar there are all-inclusive resorts and small charming boutique hotels , both prepared to accommodate the whole family with special activities for children and for adults only.

Beyond its accommodations, both luxury and more affordable categories, the cultural value of the island must be highlighted . Zanzibar has been occupied by Arabs, Portuguese and British, also maintaining a great Indian influence, being one of the main commercial links in the southern hemisphere.

We can see all this millennial history in its capital Stone Town , a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the ideal destination for an excursion from the hotel.

Nor can we forget its terrestrial fauna, especially the Zanzibar red colobus monkey , a unique species in the world. In the sea, turtles, dolphins, whales and other animals await us.

The best time to travel to Zanzibar is from June to October. During this period we have the dry season.

Another of the places known for its luxury resorts is Mauritius . Located a little further than Zanzibar , to the west of Madagascar , it is another destination that is often combined with safaris. In this case with safaris in South Africa , a country with which he has a very good combination of flights.

Even so, Mauritius is also a very common destination for getaway holidays and honeymoons. This is a small island country, with a main island 53 kilometers wide and 72 kilometers long. Surrounded by paradisiacal beaches and reef lagoons, it is perfect for diving.

Mauritius is also noted for its unique culture. Occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and English, it has one of the largest Indian communities in the diaspora. In fact, many of the Bollywood movies are shot on the island. In February or March every year there is a famous Hindu pilgrimage to the sacred lake of Grand Bassin , with more than half a million pilgrims.

Mauritian gastronomy is a mixture of European, African and Indian recipes, which gives it a very original unique touch. The interior of the island also stands out, especially the Black River Gorges National Park, where you can do activities in nature or see its different animal species.

The best time to travel to Mauritius is from June to November.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is another very interesting country to travel to. In this case, it is not an island that is especially famous for its beaches but for its ancient ruins and its Buddhist culture. This does not mean that the beaches of Sri Lanka have nothing to envy to other islands in the Indian Ocean (some, because being a larger island, there is more variety), but it is not the main reason why it is chosen as a destination.

In Sri Lanka you have to see yes or yes several things. The ancient caves with golden Buddhas of Dambulla , the Sigirya fortress , the ruins of the ancient capitals Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura or the sacred temple of the Buddha’s tooth in Kandy .

We also have beautiful colonial cities like Galle , the best scenic train route in the world from Ella to Nuwara Eliya or places to go on safari like Minneriya National Park or Yala , famous for being home to tigers and elephants.

It is quite common to combine a trip to Sri Lanka with a few days at the beach in the Maldives . In fact, the original inhabitants of the Maldives come from this island and both countries have a lot in common in gastronomy, customs and cultural ties.

When it comes to the best time, Sri Lanka is a very special place. There is always a monsoon in Sri Lanka, but depending on the time of the year it affects one area or another . In the tourist area of ​​the west and the center you can visit without rain from October to mid-April .

The north and west area, less touristy but interesting, if we want to see something less known or surf, can be visited from May to September.

Maldiva’s Islands

We have told you a lot about the Maldives islands and their hotels on private islands . And it is that this is the great attraction of the archipelago compared to the rest of the Indian Ocean islands . In the Maldives you will be on islands only for tourists, either with a single hotel or several.

In this way, we have a more consistent legislation that allows you to enjoy the trip. We cannot forget that on the islands where the local population lives, bikinis or alcohol consumption are not allowed, while on the islands with hotels we can have everything.

Maldives hotels are places to rest. Where to recharge batteries in overwater cabins or by the sea, diving, snorkeling and other activities. A place to lie down with a book under a coconut tree and just rest.

If you want some culture, we can combine with Sri Lanka or even with Dubai , getting to know the desert before reaching the archipelago.

The best time to travel to the Maldives is from November to April, with Christmas being the peak season. It is the opposite time to Mauritius or Zanzibar , so depending on when we want to travel we can choose one destination or another.

Seychelles island

Another very interesting option is the Seychelles archipelago . This destination is similar to the Maldives with one difference, here if you stay on the same islands where the population lives.

Also, while the Maldives are very small coral atolls, in the Seychelles the islands are much larger. There are also small islands and private islands with hotels, but almost all visitors are concentrated on the three main islands: Mahé , where the capital is located , La Digue and Preslin .

All three are very beautiful with nature options inland beyond the beach. Although all the beaches are amazing, we have to mention Anse Source D’Argent beach on La Digue , considered the best beach in the world. In Preslin , for its part, the Valley of Mai stands out , a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In this valley the peculiar coco de mer is cultivated.

The most usual combination is with Kenya, although it is not as close as Zanzibar . There is also the option of going from Tanzania, but it is not as common because Zanzibar offers a similar and more comfortable experience. From Kenya , however, there are very good connections to the Seychelles.

The best time to go to Seychelles is from April to November , especially the months of June, July and August.

Bali (Indonesia)

Although much of Indonesia is in the Indian Ocean, if we want to highlight an island we have to mention Bali . We have already told you about the best luxury hotels in Bali and how the island has become a true paradise for tourism.

Its luxury hotels with spas with traditional treatments stand out, as well as being able to follow some of their rites such as Balinese weddings. In Bali there are a lot of incredible temples of the Balinese Hindu religion, being the only island in Indonesia that remains a Hindu and has not converted to Islam.

Together with its beaches and its exuberant nature, including its volcanoes, this is a very complete travel destination. There are beaches, although they are mostly urban and not as paradisiacal as other options on the list, there is nature and there are plenty of temples and ruins to discover, by the sea, in lakes, in caves, everywhere.

If we want to combine it with more paradisiacal beaches, it is usual to opt for the Gili Islands, which are very close and are located in a protected reserve, with no motor vehicles allowed.

Apart from Bali , other islands in the Indonesian Indian Ocean that are worth visiting are Java , Lombok and Borneo . Thus, we can choose between traveling only to Bali or taking a tour of several different Indonesian islands, depending on the time we have.

We couldn’t finish this list without one of our favorite unknown countries to travel to. Madagascar , the great red island of East Africa, has everything to offer us a unique experience.

If we are looking for the best beaches in Madagascar , we can start with Nosy Be . In this archipelago to the north of the main island are the most famous hotels in Madagascar and some of its most incredible islands.

On the same main island we cannot forget its majestic Avenue of the Baobabs , its tsingys or stone forests, the Isalo National Park and its most characteristic animals: the lemurs . The insularity and isolation of the island for millions of years has allowed the development of a unique fauna and flora in the world.

A country that will allow you to enjoy the beach, but also a unique nature that has not yet been discovered by mass tourism.