Top 20 Best Islands to Live On

Now with home photos and featured real estate listings! ISLANDS editors rank the best islands to live on -- No. 20 Puerto Rico to No. 1 (?), from Hawaii to St. Croix, Grand Cayman to Tahiti, and more whether you want to retire, relocate, invest in real estate, be living on an island for cheap or just enjoy the island life.

Fifteen miles off the east coast of Puerto Rico is this tiny island with a public school and a year-round population of about 2,500. Flying a family of four to the U.S. and back can be done on the cheap through San Juan. Ferry to mainlaind Puerto Rico is only $2.50.

No. 19 - Bocas del Toro, Panama

A solid expat community organizes barbecues and beach outings. Another plus: There's no minimum age requirement to be considered a retiree and collect benefits in Panama.

One of these authentic jungle lodges starts at $175,000 in Bocas del Toro, a great price for a vacation home or a place to retire to. They're part of a "jungle" community with pool and beach access. See more photos and info atredfrogbeach.com. 

No. 18 - Hvar, Croatia

This Croatian island straddles the line between trendy and undeveloped. The 300 days of sunlight per year help the orange and olive groves thrive.

This villa on Hvar has a view of the sea and a large garden, all for about $400,000. And there are still numerous listings for historic stone houses and undeveloped land on Hvar, just waiting for you. See more photos and info about this villa athvarestatescroatia.com. 

No. 17 - Penang, Malaysia

Relocating here is a relatively simple process because of Malaysia's "My Second Home Program." Deposit $90,000 in a local bank, and you can come and go as you please.

Major new residential real estate is in development in Penang. One such project that caught our eye is the Ferringhi Residence, specifically these pictured Town Villas nestled on a hillside in this 30-acre community that's designed to preserve 60 percent of the original nature. It's a promising blend of urban and relaxing island living. No prices are set yet but you can see more info on theFerringhi Residence website.

No. 16 - Fiji

The expat community on Taveuni is growing because of available beachfront property and easy access to the main Fijian island of Viti Levu. English is spoken in schools, but lessons in Fijian culture are central to the curriculum.

If you're going to make the big move to Fiji, it makes sense to surround yourself in the natural setting of the island. That's easy to do in this beautiful oceanview 3-bedroom home on a beachfront acre of Koro Island. Imagine stepping out on your balcony, strolling gthrough your tropical garden and relaxing in your native-timber home with solar power and rain-water catchment. It's listed at $475,000. See more photos and info onfijirealestate.com.

No. 15 - Tonga

Dedicated expats who make it here typically live in the Vava'u group, where beachfront homes are available from less than $100,000. Even locals can't own property (per the Tongan constitution), but long-term leaseholds are common. So are sailboats.

Escape to Tonga's Pangaimotu Island with this 2-bedroom oceanfront home, 1,300 square feet on 1 acre for $219,500. It's especially prized for its 99-year lease. See more photos and info in the listing on investintonga.com.

No. 14 - Ambergris Caye, Belize

Life moves slowly on this tax-free, English-speaking island off Belize. Transportation is by golf cart or bicycle, but telecommunications are modern and the postal system is advanced. There's a fun night-life scene in San Pedro, and as the town's main sign says, "You won't be a stranger for long."

Ambergris Caye in Belize is remarkable for both the authentic island culture and the fully modern resorts that offer real-estate investments. Belizean Cove Estates, for example, has a 3-bedroom, 2,300-square-foot furnished villa available for sale for $800,000, right on the beach. These villas are designed both for people looking to retire to the best islands or to have a vacation home. See more photos and info in the listing on southwindproperties.net.

No. 13 - Vanuatu

Beachfront homes on Vanuatu's Efate Island start at around $300,000. The town of Port Vila is full of sidewalk cafes, and there's also an amateur expat theater group. 

Look out over Port Vila's harbor in this four-bedroom, two-story home on a hillside along the water. It's great for entertaining, with a swimming pool, spa and terraces on both levels, plus a waterfront bar and a deepwater mooring for your yacht. The price is available upon request through thelisting on islandproperty.vu.

No. 12 - Anguilla

Pictures of the island's centenarian population line the walls of Anguilla's National Heritage Museum -- a positive sign for retirees. With enough beaches to visit one per day for a month, it's no wonder people live to 100 here.

This may be not just the best home for sale on Anguilla, but one of the most beautiful houses on any island in the world. Yes, it has a very expensive asking price of $32.5 million, but you get the ultimate dream home: 28,000 square feet with two master suites along a very long stretch of Barnes Bay. We can't do this home justice in just a few sentences and one photo. See the full listing on sothebysrealty.com.

No. 11 - Mallorca

The cost of living on this Spanish island is less than it is in other European population centers, with villas and homes available from around the mid-$300s. A network of exclusive (and costly) private schools offers British curriculums and bilingual language lessons.

Mallorca's coast is absolutely majestic, so to be perched above the Mediterranean Sea could be the island dream come true. This 6-bedroom waterfront estate has nearly 10,000 square feet plus gardens and stunning pool, listed for$20.8 million. The ground floor is perfect for building your personal spa or home theater. See the full listing on sothebysrealty.com. 

No. 10 - Palau

Most islanders speak English, and the currency is the U.S. dollar, yet your feet are far away -- 500 miles east of the Philippines. Those who move to this South Pacific island group typically do it for the diving.

Granted, there doesn't seem to be much real estate available in Palau at the moment. If you're looking to buy an entire mini island in Palau, you'll find some choices. But for houses for sale, we could only find this three-bedroom, two-bath oceanview offering for$195,000. See the listing and more onsummitrealtypalau.com.

No. 9 - Turks and Caicos

The majority of people live on Providenciales (aka Provo), including expats who have obtained residency by investing at least $250,000 in property. Eight airlines offer nonstop service from the States, and tourism has created a job market.

A Caribbean beach vacation to one of the Turks and Caicos' famed resorts is at the top of many travelers' wish lists. So imagine living at one of the resorts, Amanyara, which has ranked as a top editors' and readers' pick. In fact, Villa 32 at Amanyara can be yours for a cool $10 million. It's absolute luxury with expansive space: 4,480 interior square feet and nearly 10,000 total under roof. Amanyara also trains your personal butler and chef for you. That's living the dream. See more photos and the full listing on sothebysrealty.com. 

No. 8 - Whidbey, Washington

Lavendar farms, family-run wineries and the oldest commercial mussel farm in America dot the mostly rural 35-mile-long Whidbey Island, a 20-minute ferry ride from Seattle. Along one of the most scenic drives in Washington is the artsy town of Coupeville, where modest homes mingle with waterfront mansions.

If you're going to make the move to an island, might as well go big or go (back) home. Whidbey Island in Washington State may be a surprising choice for this exotic Best Islands to Live On ranking, but houses like this show why Whidbey is so wonderful. This is a fairly new estate, built in 1992, but its 7,400 square feet are designed to mesh perfectly with the island surroundings. Look out over Puget Sound and your park-like grounds, then retire to your stunning library. See the greatness of this Whidbey estate in thefull listing on skagitvalleyliving.com. 

No. 7 - Maui, Hawaii

Children can grow up in an exotic culture but still receive an education on par with that in major American cities. Field trips embrace nature: whale-watching tours, hiking and snorkeling excursions. You'll also find kalua pig, poi and Hawaiian shave ice.

Own your own piece of Mauiwith this spectacular plantation estate, nearly 6,000 square feet offered at a reasonable $6.5 million. You get five acres against the West Maui Mountains, plus a view of Lahaina and the islands of Lanai and Molokai. Enjoy the main plantation house and a two-bedroom guest cottage plus a barn. Yes, a barn. See more photos and the full listing on our favorite website for island real estate, sothebysrealty.com.

No. 6 - New Zealand

The majority of North Island is rolling and undeveloped, playing right into the hands of those who want to try to live organically on the other end of the globe. World-class wineries are everywhere, as are diverse climates.

Certain ISLANDS editors have long dreamed of living in New Zealand. These rolling green hills perfect for hobbits have graced the cover of ISLANDS magazine's "Best Islands to Live On" issue. As if there wasn't reason enough to move here, this waterfront estate could be the final push. Perched on the Tutukaka coastline, one of the most scenic in the world, this five-bedroom estate, built in 1998, is close to four coves and beaches, an orchard, a pond and a scenic valley. You'll have to ask for the price. See the sweet video and the full listing on realestate.co.nz.

No. 5 - Indonesia

As Nathan Myers writes in his story from ISLANDS magazine, "Word has gotten out about Lombok: 'The next Bali' is the specific phraseology. It's a complicated turning point in the island's impending gold rush, but that's often when the getting is good. Scott paid about $30,000 for his land 10 years ago. Today, his beach and hill parcel might go for a million.

While Bali is the island that gets the most attention in Indonesia, Lombok made our Best Islands to Live On list. As one expat there told us, "Bali just feels like Disneyland to me. It's a great place to party, but Lombok is a great place to live." That's especially true if you find a two-bedroom villa like this one, with beautiful pool, private theater, verandah and more, all for $275,000in West Lombok. See the full listing onlombokpropertyandvillas.com.

No. 4 - Siargao, Philippines

As David Haldane writes in his story about the Philippine island of Siargao in ISLANDS magazine, "Though we live in Southern California, we have journeyed to the island often enough to feel at home. And sometime in the next couple of years we hope to make it the permanent berth."

While many of the real estate listings on Siargao Island in the Philippines are for undeveloped beachfront property, there are some listings for, well, "rustic" homes and villas for a traditional island life. Or you can buy a three-cottage beach resort. Yes, property is cheap here but something is lost in translation because this resort can't be going for$171.50, right? See the full listing on sulit.com.ph.

No. 3 - Roatan, Honduras

Away from Roatan's busy West End, the Honduran island is largely undeveloped. There's a close-knit American expat population and a handful of weekly direct flights to five U.S. cities. "Retirees don't have time to rot in front of the TV," says one local. Volunteering bonds the community.

Even if you've never been to Roatan, let alone considered living on this Bay Island in a quiet corner of the Caribbean Sea, just look at this house. It's set high atop a bluff with expansive views -- so the house is literally built to allow for 360-degree viewing. Well worth the$950,000 asking price. What you can't see here is the gorgeous beach just down the hill or the two acres that butt up against the national forest preserve. See many, many more spectacular photos of this house -- seriously, you have to see this -- in the gallery with the listing on margotandmatt.com. 

No. 2 - Bahamas

As Chantelle Euteneuer writes in ISLANDS magazine of living in Nassau, "Our kids are exposed to the whole world through their classmates at school. Besides Bahamians -- both black and white -- we have friends from South Africa, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, India, Italy, Spain, Peru, France, Mexico and Venezuela." 

Many private islands are for sale throughout the world, but there's something magical about the Exumas in the Bahamas. Yes, Johnny Depp owns an island here. So can you. This heavenly jewel of an island, just 30 minutes from Nassau, is going for$85 million. And it's move-in ready, with living quarters for 22 in the main house and guest cottages, plus boats, jet skis, golf carts and more. As an added bonus, you get a Cessna 208 floatplane. This is theultimate island wish. Please buy it -- then invite us over. See more photos and the full exquisite listing at sothebysrealty.com. 

No. 1 - Big Island, Hawaii

As Bill Harby writes in his story from ISLANDS magazine, "How did I wind up in a village called Volcano, atop Kilauea, on the Big Island of Hawaii? First, I had to ignore the advice of more than a few nervous Nellies. I eventually admitted, 'Yes, I'm foolish. Maybe I'll come back to Earth in six months.' That was nine years ago."

You can really go big on the Big Island of Hawaii with this expansive luxury estate on 25 acres along the island's northern tip. The six bedrooms, three fireplaces, 2,000-bottle wine cellar and more are spread out across 11,300 square feet. You can't put a price on living on the best island to live on, though Sotheby's tries:$13.75 million. You only live on an island once. Why not? See more photos and the full listing on sothebysrealty.com. 

via: http://www.islands.com/