If you like exploring the most remote places on the planet, we have a few unique island destinations you could consider for your next holiday with kids whether you are travelling solo or with kids. With the growth of social media, smartphones, and the internet, it may seem like nowhere is truly off the beaten path, but there are still a few ultra-remote islands under the radar. Single Parents on Holiday has done some research to find some of the best places for your next remote island trip. These destinations are truly off the beaten track, take you far away from the hubbub of daily life, and make for amazing unique solo adventures:
Rapa Nui, Chile
Also known as Easter Island, Rapa Nui is as far away as you can get from the rest of the world. Named the most remote inhabited island on the planet by UNESCO, it sits around 2,200 miles off the coast of Chile. Through colonisation, the indigenous people of Rapa Nui met a significant decline, but the rich cultural traditions remained intact and now around 3,000 people continue to carry the lineage. To visit the island, travellers can either use one of many cruise ships that have included Rapa Nui on their itinerary or make things simple by flying directly by private plane. This is a remote island trip that can be combined well with a holiday in Chile or Patagonia.
Los Roques, Venezuela
A hundred miles south of the country’s capital Caracas lies the Los Roques Archipelago National Park. It is known for its clear Caribbean waters, scenic beauty, and ecological diversity. The archipelago consists of over 150 islands, some of which get less than a dozen visitors at any given time. There are no roads on these islands, and only one is inhabited, namely Gran Roque. If you decide to visit Los Roques’ remote islands, you will likely be one of very few visitors since no building is taller than two stories and hotels have fewer than 10 rooms. Getting here is only possible by plane.
Flores Island, Azores
The most beautiful island of the Portuguese Azores archipelago, Flores, was discovered around 1452. It is best known for its abundant golden flowers blooming all over its 54 square miles, including up and down its craggy coast. This remote island is a fairy tale destination of unspoilt nature, lush green hills and forests, as well as countless lakes, waterfalls, and natural pools. It comes to no surprise that the whole of Flores is UNESCO protected Flores as a World Biosphere Reserve. Azores Airlines offers flights from mainland Portugal to the island, so it’s easier to get to then some of our other remote island getaways.
Pitcairn Islands, South Pacific
The cluster of small volcanic islands known as the Pitcairn Islands is found over 1,300 miles away from Tahiti and over 3,300 miles from the closest mainland of New Zealand. Only the biggest island, Pitcairn, is inhabited by people. With clear, tropical waters, this place is paradise on earth and a must-see destination if you are looking for an immersive remote island trip. The islands are part of the so-called French Polynesia islands, which are considered to have the world’s cleanest air according to Mybiosource‘s air quality index. The only way to get to the Pitcairn Islands is by boat from Mangareva, which has an airport.
Niue, Polynesia
Niue is indeed a paradise, located approximately 1,500 miles off the coast of New Zealand. Just over 1,600 people live on the wild and rugged small island in the Pacific Ocean. There is no shortage of things to do here, from biking along the dirt roads to snorkelling in the clear waters taking in the beauty of the world’s largest coral island. One of the top things to do on Niue is watching and swimming with whales during whale season: Between July and September humpback whales migrate from the Antarctic to the island’s warm waters to breed. During this time, you can even watch these giant marine mammals from the shore.
Keeling Islands, Australia
If you are looking for a remote island trip in a tropical oasis, let’s head south! 1,700 miles off the coast of Western Australia in the Indian Ocean, you will reach the Keeling Islands. These islands will feel like paradise on earth, with palm trees, white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and more space than you could ever need, as only two of these 27 islands are inhabited by people. It’s a perfect paradise for beach lovers featuring high on our list of must-see beaches in the world, as well as scuba divers, snorkellers, and kite surfers. As there is no mobile reception here, you will be able to truly switch off from the worries of everyday life.
Skellig Islands, Ireland
You won’t be able to spend your single parent holiday on this small rocky island, but if you are on a road trip through Ireland, don’t miss out the Ring of Skellig and the Skellig Islands. The Ring of Skellig is the lesser known extension of the Ring of Kerry, part of the Wild Atlantic Way. It will take you past Portmagee from where you can take a boat trip to the remote Skellig Islands. Only the bigger one of the two rocky islands allows a few visitors a day, and access is only possible by boat and climbing up the steep stairs cut into the rock face. This is only for the fit and fearless!
You might only be 16 km away from the mainland, but you will instantly fee like time has stood still on Skellig Michael Island, one of only two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ireland. Aside from its brush with fame when it featured in Star Wars Episode 7, the island is best known as one of the best places in Ireland to see Puffins. The exotic birds flock here in spring and summer for breeding.
Remote Island Trips
Getting away from it all, to a place with no mobile reception can make for an incredibly relaxing solo family holiday, if not a profoundly transformative experience. These remote islands may be hard to reach, but if you plan sufficiently, you can set off and indulge in new cultures, get back in touch with nature, explore a new cuisine, and enjoy a slower pace of life. There are countless more places around the world, some closer than you may think at first, but with careful planning you can make a remote island trip become reality! Go on, find your passport, pack your bag, and set out on a journey you’ll remember for a lifetime.
