"As the final hours of 2024 crept up, I sat on my parents' hardwood floor with a giant whiteboard, a box of colorful markers, magazine cutouts and a Don Fulano Margarita. It's become a New Year's Eve tradition to make a vision board, my creative outlet to manifest what's to come, along with picking a color and a word to live by for the upcoming year."
"I'm a full-time traveler, one of those obnoxious people who doesn't know how to answer the FAQ, "Where do you live?" (My go-to answers are "Where don't I live?" or "Out of a suitcase.") In 2024, I had focused almost entirely on cold climate destinations: Antarctica, Latvia, Alaska, northern Norway and Seattle, to name a few. I wanted a full 180 for 2025, so in yellow marker, I wrote "EDEN" in giant letters at the top, officially marking my word and color of the year."
"I followed through with the commitment and learned more than I had anticipated. Far beyond being a monolith of sipping cocktails on a beach (though, there was plenty of that, too), islands have so much more to offer than just a dreamy getaway for those who need a break. So after having visited more than a dozen islands in 2025, here were the 10 standouts."
A traveler created a New Year's Eve vision board, choosing yellow and the word "EDEN" to declare 2025 a year of island travel. After years of cold-climate trips in 2024, the traveler intentionally pivoted to islands, focusing on water, sand, palm trees, cocktails and relaxation. The commitment produced unexpected learning and depth: islands offered cultural richness, nature, restorative breaks, and memorable social moments, not just beaches. The traveler visited more than a dozen islands in 2025 and identified ten standout destinations, beginning with Sardinia, where arrival in Cagliari brought immediate relief and simple pleasures like vermentino and focaccia.
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