I always wondered what the difference was between an island and a continent; for example, why is Greenland the biggest island in the world instead of Australia, which is a continent? Isn’t that an island too?
Regardless of my frustrations, many of the biggest islands in the world are surprising. I would have suspected that many of them were countries in their own right, but that’s not the case. Do you know the top ten? Get your geography on with these stunning photos from the ten biggest islands in the world.
Greenland
As mentioned, Greenland is the biggest island in the world. They say that underneath the ice sheet they believe it might actually be three separate islands, but for now it is one. During the summer you’ll get to experience the Midnight Sun, where the sun sits on the horizon for a couple of hours. Hiking is also another great activity on Greenland – don’t forget your boots! It’s also home to some of the world’s most beautiful fjords, so consider a cruise while you’re there.
New Guinea
As second biggest island in the world, New Guinea is home to two countries: Papua New Guinea to the east, which is known for fantastic scuba diving and the vivid culture of the indigenous tribes there. You can also enjoy some “flightseeing” – the island is littered with tiny landing trips and tours are possible.
The western portion of the island is the Papua province of Indonesia, home to Lorentz National Park, an UNESCO World Heritage site. Hiking trails to see some of the indigenous population is great, but be sure to employ a guide – this is no place to get lost on your own.
Borneo
Borneo is the third biggest island in the world and three countries claim portions of the land: Malaysia, Indonesia, and the sovereign country of Brunei. Brunei is an interesting place; though tiny, it is very wealthy thanks to its reserves of natural resources. It offers access to ecotours such as canopy walks as well. In the Malaysia section, you’ll find fantastic scuba diving and national parks.
Madagascar
Madagascar, fourth biggest island in the world, is sometimes called the world’s eighth continent because of the unique flora/fauna not found anywhere else on earth. It’s because of the island’s isolation from the rest of the world for so long (the phenomenon is similar in other islands, such as New Zealand). The best place to see these strange animals and plants is in the country’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tsingy de Bemaraha. Their Boab trees are some of the most amazing trees around the world.
Baffin Island, Canada
Canada is the world’s second largest country by land mass, and in the midst of the country’s icy reach to the north we find the fifth biggest island in the world. This is where life resembles that of a National Geographic episode – the local Inuit people wear animal skins, live in igloos, and the landscape is virtually iced-over every day. It’s beautiful but not for the week hearted. If it wasn’t obvious, it is best to go here with a guided tour – and you’ll have to fly in; flights are available from Ottawa and other major airports.
Sumatra, Indonesia
As the sixth biggest island in the world, Sumatra is one of the more rugged of the provinces of Indonesia. Accessible by both boat and plane, the biggest draw here is nature. Alternate relaxing on the untouched beaches with time hiking around volcanoes, mountain valleys, and maybe even an eco-tour through the jungles.
Honshu, Japan
Japan is an island nation and Honshu is the bulk of the country’s land coverage and is the seventh biggest island in the world. Japan is one of the world’s oldest countries and thus full of amazing things to do. This is where you’ll find the city of Tokyo, beautiful Mount Fuji, the poignant Hiroshima, and one of the country’s most important religious sites, the Ise Shrine.
Victoria Island, Canada
Canada takes another winner on our list with the eighth biggest island in the world, Victoria Island. This is not to be confused with Vancouver island – there isn’t any city sights or Victoria sightseeing here in the wilds of the north, between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The island is made up of a series of peninsulas, which makes for lots of outdoor sightseeing, including dogsledding, hiking, and heli-ski.
Great Britain
The ninth biggest island in the world is no stranger – Great Britain is a huge tourist destination. The island is home to three nations – Wales, England, and Scotland – and there is no shortage of stops to visit, from Edinburgh trips, some serendipity in London, or checking out all the things to do in York, England. For a reminder that this is indeed an island, visit the white cliffs that flank the south coast of England, or visit the wilds of northern Scotland, where the harsh weather means there is little but Mother Nature and her beauty.
Ellesmere Island, Canada
Last but not least, Canada takes another one with the tenth biggest island in the world, Ellesmere Island. One could also consider it as one of the world’s most beautiful islands, if a picture says a thousand words. In northernly Nunavut, you’ll find incredible lakes, fjords, and glaciers as well as Canada’s second largest national park. The base for hikes and other tours is Resolute Bay, which also offers access to the North Pole, one of the dream adventures in Canada.
Photo Credits: nick_russill,fran tapia, tylerdurden1, belgianchocolate, DarienGS, bonbongirl, Travis Hornung, Paula Reedyk, Treehouse1977, paanchu
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting post. Glad to see Canada made multiple appearances! How cool does Greenland look in that photo?!
My favourite photo is the last one, but yes, that Greenland photo is awesome.
From the list, I’ve only been to Victoria- I want to go to Madagascar and more islands in Indonesia, but after seeing some of these photos, I think I need to add a few more to my travel list!
Get that list updated, Laura – these islands won’t be around forever
I’m sort of fascinated by how many of those islands are in my adopted home country: Canada. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Baffin…WOW. Those Canadian islands are NOT easy to get to. I did it on an Arctic cruise with a very cool company called Cruise North Adventures who actually employs a bunch of Inuit kids on their ships…fantastic touch point to the local culture.