During the cold winter months, it’s easy to dream about traveling to a tropical destination where you can spend days basking on the beach, and participating in activities that don’t involve winter attire. While there are countless tropical islands to travel to, these five are some of the most beautiful, adventure-packed islands you can visit.

Tahiti

Tahiti is a large island in French Polynesia that lies in the South Pacific. Some of the more popular attractions are the black sands of Papenoo Beach, the great eats at La Plage de Maui, or hiking at Fautaua Waterfall. Tahiti is a great location to sit back on the beach and get a tan. You can snorkel, surf, hike, eat, and enjoy the local culture. While it is a beautiful and romantic travel destination, it isn’t as visited as you’d think. Unlike other popular Polynesian islands, Tahiti remains uncrowded.

Santorini

Santorini is a Cycladic island located in the Aegean Sea and is part of Greece. This iconic island is made famous by its whitewashed mountain buildings topped with lapis lazuli blue roofs.  The islands off the coast of Greece have a unique composition as a result of the Hellenic Volcanic Arc. The shape and coastal composition of Santorini was created during the Minoan eruption. This island is perfect for a romantic getaway and has history along with rich cultural experiences.

Galapagos

Off the coast of western South America, this Ecuadorian province contains some of the world’s oldest and rarest wildlife from plants to animal species. The evolutionary trajectory that some species underwent as a result of special environmental phenomena makes the Galapagos a unique island with very unique species – like the giant tortoise, for example. See the expansive variety of wildlife, snorkel, hike, surf, and more on these beautiful islands off the coast of Ecuador.

Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are made up of seven individual islands off the coast of Northern Africa. The seven islands are Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro. These islands are a Spanish archipelago and are dominated by Spanish culture. The seven islands all offer different experiences, from seeing one of the tallest volcanoes in the world to visiting huge sand dunes.

Phuket

Phuket is a beautiful, forested island in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Thailand. The beautiful turquoise waters and expansive stretches of beaches will give you a relaxing vacation experience. You can also take boat rides, paddle board, visit the big Buddha, and experience local culture and food.