Island-Hopping Holidays
Beautiful islands, unforgettable experiences and perfectly planned routes for your next island escape.
Destinations
Five regions, each with a route that works: how long to go for, when the sea behaves, and which islands are worth the crossing.
Aegean Sea, Greece
Caldera sunsets, marble villages and the best ferry network in the world.
Santorini · Mykonos · Paros · Naxos · Milos
Explore Greek Islands
Palawan & the Visayas
Limestone lagoons, wreck dives and the most dramatic boat days in Asia.
Palawan (Puerto Princesa) · El Nido · Coron · Cebu · Bohol
Explore Philippines
Andaman Coast
The smoothest ferry chain in Asia, from Phuket down to the Malaysian border.
Phuket · Phi Phi · Krabi (Railay & Ao Nang) · Koh Lanta · Koh Lipe
Explore Thailand
Bali & the Lesser Sunda Islands
Volcano sunrises, manta rays and four islands within a two-hour boat ride.
Bali · Nusa Penida · Gili Islands · Lombok
Explore Indonesia
Eastern Caribbean & the Grenadines
Volcanic peaks, rum distilleries and sailing routes through the Grenadines.
Barbados · Saint Lucia · Grenada · Antigua · Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Explore CaribbeanItineraries
Every itinerary lists morning, afternoon and evening plans, where to sleep, how you travel between islands and an estimated daily spend.
7 daysGreek Islands
Two islands, one ferry, no wasted days. Santorini for the caldera and the wine, Naxos for beaches, mountain villages and prices that let you breathe.
Estimated total ≈ €1,675 per person
View day-by-day plan10 daysGreek Islands
Three islands with genuinely different characters: Santorini's caldera, Paros' harbour towns and beaches, and Mykonos for the last two nights of food and noise.
Estimated total ≈ €2,490 per person
View day-by-day plan14 daysGreek Islands
Five islands in two weeks, ordered so no ferry leg wastes a day. Milos for coastline, Santorini for the caldera, Naxos for mountains, Paros for harbours and Mykonos to finish.
Estimated total ≈ €3,270 per person
View day-by-day plan10 daysPhilippines
Palawan done properly: four nights in El Nido for the Bacuit Bay lagoons, then Coron for wrecks, Kayangan Lake and quieter water.
Estimated total ≈ $1,930 per person
View day-by-day plan14 daysPhilippines
Both halves of the country: Palawan's lagoons and wrecks, then the Visayas for canyoneering at Kawasan, Moalboal's sardine run and Bohol's tarsiers.
Estimated total ≈ $2,910 per person
View day-by-day plan10 daysThailand
The Andaman ferry chain at a civilised pace: Phuket Old Town, two nights on Phi Phi, Railay's climbing cliffs and four slow nights on Koh Lanta.
Estimated total ≈ $1,640 per person
View day-by-day planGetting between islands
Each day of every itinerary is tagged with how you travel, how long it takes and what it costs. Route maps show the order of the hops.
Sample route · Cyclades
Activities
Every day in every itinerary is tagged by activity type, so you can build a route around diving, food, hiking or doing very little at all.
Slow mornings on white sand, reef-sheltered swimming bays and sunset stretches.
Shallow coral gardens, turtle grass beds and drift lagoons reachable from shore.
Wall dives, wrecks and manta cleaning stations, from first bubbles to technical.
Catamaran day charters and multi-day skippered routes between anchorages.
Classic hopping circuits by bangka, longtail or speedboat with lagoon stops.
Caldera rims, volcano ridges and rainforest trails, usually best at dawn.
Harbour tavernas, night markets, rum shacks and private chef dinners.
Temples, colonial ports, village weaving and living maritime traditions.
Beach clubs, sunset DJ bars and old-town streets that stay open late.
Cliff jumping, kite surfing, canyoning, caves and volcano sunrise treks.
Cliff-edge yoga, thermal springs, spa rituals and quiet retreat islands.
Whale sharks, turtles, manta rays, tarsiers and seabird colonies.
Travel guides
How hopping works, what it costs, how many islands to attempt and what to put in the dry bag.
Planning
The mechanics behind a multi-island holiday: gateways, hubs, ferry corridors and the difference between hopping and day-tripping.
Read guidePlanning
The order to make decisions in, from region to ferry tickets, so nothing has to be undone later.
Read guidePractical
Soft luggage, one dry bag and far less than you think. What actually earns its place on a small boat.
Read guidePlanning
The arithmetic of transfer days, and why three islands in a week is the most common planning mistake.
Read guidePractical
Which transport to use on which leg, what it costs, and what to do when the crossing is cancelled.
Read guidePlanning
Per-day estimates by region and budget tier, plus the four costs that ruin otherwise careful budgets.
Read guideFor partners
Placements for accommodation, flights, ferries, tours, insurance, eSIMs, car rental and sponsored travel content sit inside the pages travellers already read.
Hotels & villas
Compare stays across every island
Flights
Long-haul and regional fare search
Ferries & boats
Book crossings and joiner tours
Tours & activities
Dive trips, catamarans, guides
Travel insurance
Named-storm and dive cover
eSIMs
Data before you land
Car & scooter rental
Island transport, pre-booked
Premium itineraries
Downloadable day-by-day PDFs
Partner links are added per destination and itinerary. We only recommend operators we would book ourselves, and every price on this site is an estimate.
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