10 The Canary Islands Start our top 10 volcanic islands. This group of Spanish islands in the Atlantic off northwest Africa are made up of many volcanoes and are some of the oldest islands on earth created solely by volcanic activity under the sea. Today, the Canary Islands are among some of the most popular holiday islands in the world throughout the year and especially for winter sun breaks, with a constant flow of sun-loving tourists to their black sand beaches. Warm, dry winters make it an ideal vacation destination, and we can take comfort in the fact that its volcanoes are currently dormant!
9 Fiji This beautiful volcanic island in the South Pacific radiates life and color, with exotic wildlife and rich marine life. One of the few benefits of being a volcanic destination, or in this case an extinct volcano, means that the soil is wonderfully fertile, allowing for an ecosystem to flourish around it. Fiji is well known for its scuba diving, but for those of us who aren’t big fans of diving deep into the water with an oxygen tank strapped to our backs, there’s plenty to see in Fiji just by scuba diving. There are many coral reefs just off the beach in many areas for a wide variety of colorful reef fish and soft corals. Flora thrives in Fiji’s many parks, such as the Garden of the Sleeping Giant in Nausori, or wildlife in Kula Eco Park. Deep white coral sands make Fiji one of our top 10 volcanic island holiday destinations.
8 Iceland We all know this volcano after the chaos it caused in 2010, but can we pronounce it? Eyjafjallajokull, which caused so much travel chaos, is just one of Iceland’s many active volcanoes. However, this densely volcanic island remains among the best vacation destinations. The incredible scenery caused by volcanic properties has given Iceland some of the most exciting natural attractions including geysers, steaming blue lagoons, bubbling mud pools, contrasted with spectacular glaciers overseen by ethereal ribbons of the Northern Lights. Being the largest of our top 10 islands, it has the great city of Reykjavik as its capital and is an excellent starting point to discover this fascinating island.
7 Dominican Republic This tiny heavenly island nestled between Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean has several mostly dormant volcanoes, with the slim chance of an eruption in the next 100 years. Thanks to science, we can be warned well in advance of an eruption so we can happily visit this lush green island and enjoy its many natural delights. Visit Dominica’s Boiling Lake, natural hot springs, and cool off in waterfalls. Catch a glimpse of Dominica’s sea turtles at this great snorkeling destination.
6 Réunion Island Far out in the Indian Ocean, this French island has 2 volcanoes, however Piton de Neige is extinct and leaves behind a fascinating crater to explore. Réunion is also home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Piton de la Fournaise, the volcano is quite accessible with some fantastic viewpoints all around it, smoldering with very recent eruptions leaving the ground around it hot and steaming. . Not far from Madagascar and Mauritius, this tropical destination is noted for its many sparkling waterfalls that cascade over the island’s high plateau. One of the most modern islands in the Indian Ocean with good roads, pretty French towns and a laid back surf vibe. Some of the best surfing can be found in St Leu and the glorious views of the deep blue Indian Ocean will enchant you as you walk its steep rises or cycle its many trails.
5 Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa is fast becoming one of the top holiday destinations and is in our top 5 of the best volcanic islands in the world. Being much less traveled than the other islands in the top 10 means you won’t find the crowds here yet, but hurry, they will be here soon! Numerous volcanoes are spread across the 10 islands, with the most active being found on Fogo Island, located right on a volcanic hotspot, with eruptions as recent as the mid-1990s. The fertile soil that surrounds it provides a rich growth space for coffee and vine plantations. You’ll find a lot of culture here, both African and Portuguese, and being a fairly new vacation spot, you’ll find some very new modern hotels and all-inclusive resorts. Both volcanic black-sand beaches and pristine white-sand beaches line the shorelines, and one of its biggest activities, windsurfing, thrives in its turquoise waters. Cape Verde is an important nesting ground for loggerhead turtles and much is being done here to protect this endangered species.
4 Montserrat This small island is located below Saint Kitts and Nevis, above Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. The active Soufriere Hills volcano is in the south of the island and recent eruptions mean that virtually the entire southern half of the island has been engulfed by lava destroying its capital and many roads. The volcano that began erupting in the 1990s is still very much alive, yet many tourists still visit the rich contrasting green of the northern part of the island outside the exclusion zone to see this amazing phenomenon of Mother Nature. You’ll still find plenty of hotels and beautiful silvery beaches at the back of this mighty, towering caldera. Enjoy all the usual benefits of the Caribbean Sea such as snorkeling, diving, boat trips around the island and its warm temperatures throughout the year.
3 Azores A group of volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic, now inactive, is a very popular tourist destination. Although none of its volcanoes are active, it still offers some incredible views, such as the Santiago lagoon on the island of Sao Miguel. This is the caldera of an ancient volcano, and it also has a beautiful blue lagoon next to it. Full of history, pretty towns and beautiful beaches, the climate here is very mild but also changeable. Whale watching is one of its main tourist activities, as well as the sighting of its famous jumping dolphins. The islands of the Azores are often described as a garden with around 60 plants completely unique to these islands.
2 bali In Indonesia it ranks second in our top 10 volcanic island destinations, one of the world’s favorite holiday islands. Batur Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia is located here in Bali. It has had quite a few small eruptions in recent years, however it is one of the main tourist attractions here. If it is safe to do so, you can hike up the volcano in time to see the incredible sunrise and spectacular views of the surrounding Caldera. Tourists flock to this tropical spot for its brilliant blue waters, white beaches, and gorgeous weather, often in the mid-30s during the dry season from April to September. Don’t be put off by the rainy season, as it can sometimes only mean an hour of tropical rain in the afternoon, and slightly cooler temperatures can be a refreshing change from the humid high season.
And finally, first place goes to…
1 Hawaii The Pacific volcanic island group has made it to our number 1 volcanic island destination. So what made it number 1 in our top 10? Well, we think it really does have it all. Big Island is home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea. Located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, it is one of Hawaii’s many volcanoes. But perhaps the reason it’s most fascinating is due to the fact that you can witness the flow of red-hot lava cascade through the park and into the sea. Thousands of tons of lava are produced every day adding to Hawaii’s land mass and changing its landscape since it began erupting in the early 1980s and has continued ever since. Hawaii offers rainforests, deserts, incredible surfing, exotic marine life, romantic coves, fantastic hotels, and something to interest every age group and type of traveler.