\n<\/p>\n
\n\tIf you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.<\/p>\n
\n\tAruba, Bali and the Dominican Republic are among the destinations topping Expedia\u2019s 2025 Island Hot List, a guide to the most popular island locales, based on recent booking and search trends.<\/p>\n
\n\tAruba, a Southern Caribbean country with Dutch ties, was named the best island for \u201cYear-Round Sunshine,\u201d with Expedia reporting a 15% surge in travel interest over 2024. Calling it \u201cDesert Beauty Meets Caribbean Bliss,\u201d Expedia cites Aruba\u2019s \u201carid landscapes and consistent sunshine,\u201d that make it a popular destination for hiking and biking, or just a relaxing day at the beach.<\/p>\n
\n\tBali, meantime, was ranked as the \u201cBest for Relaxation,\u201d with the Indonesian island topping the wish-lists of eco-conscious travelers looking for \u201czero-waste hospitality, wellness, and cultural connection.\u201d Think mindful escapes and spiritual awakenings in a lush and tranquil setting.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Dominican Republic ranked third on Expedia\u2019s list, with the Latin American Caribbean nation listed as \u201cBest for Adventure.\u201d Expedia says travel interest in D.R. is up 10% year-on-year, and tourists are now looking beyond the all-inclusive resorts the country is known for, and opting to book outdoor excursions like waterfall treks, mountain biking, snorkeling and ziplining instead. A number of top-ranked golf courses have also popped up on the island, offering picturesque views of the ocean across the 18 holes.<\/p>\n
\n\tOther international destinations that made Expedia\u2019s Island Hot List include Fiji, Jamaica, Koh Samui (Thailand), Maldives, Paros (Greece) and Sardinia (Italy). <\/p>\n
\n\tHere in the U.S., Oahu,\u00a0<\/strong>Hawaii tops the domestic destinations, with Expedia rating it as \u201cBest for Surfing.\u201d Other popular U.S. island towns include Nantucket and Palm Beach, with travel interest up 40% and 30% year over year, respectively.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tRaymond Forbes LLC \/ Stocksy Uni<\/p>\n \n\tExpedia\u2019s report found that global interest for island vacations overall is up an average of 30% over 2024, with the site citing factors like better connectivity (via more air travel routes and options) and an increased range of cultural, natural, and recreational attractions.<\/p>\n \n\tThe report was culled from verified traveler reviews, travel advisories and search data from Expedia.com. Special consideration was given to affordability, accessibility (I.e. having enough hotels to satisfy demand), the weather, traveler safety and inclusivity. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThese destinations go beyond the postcard \u2013 embracing sustainability, authenticity, and cultural richness,\u201d reads a press release. \u201cBeyond the beautiful photos, they offer culture and authenticity, demonstrating how islands are adapting and redefining what it means to travel to these unique edges of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAs for the best month for island travel: you still have some time to book, as Expedia says September is the optimal time to be on island time, owing to the \u201cbest mix of affordability and weather.\u201d The site says you can also save yourself some money by traveling during off-peak months, with guests saving up to 50% on average stay prices when booking off-season.<\/p>\n \n\tSee the full Expedia 2025 Island Hot List here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Aruba, Bali and the Dominican Republic are among the destinations topping Expedia\u2019s 2025 Island Hot List, a guide to the most popular island locales, based on recent booking and search trends. Aruba, a Southern<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14649,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[8272,8271,2961,2950,572,1168,2460],"class_list":{"0":"post-14648","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-destinations","9":"tag-expedia","10":"tag-island","11":"tag-locations","12":"tag-reveals","13":"tag-top","14":"tag-travel"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14648"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14648\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}