An ocean of islands
The Atlantic is full of islands. Most travellers only know a handful. The Canaries and Madeira get the volume, Iceland and Ireland get the attention, but the ocean holds hundreds more, some of them barely on the maps tourists carry.
This guide is for the ones in between. Places served by one airline a few times a week, or reachable only by a regular cargo ferry.
Northern Atlantic
The Faroes I've already mentioned, but smaller still are the offshore islets like Mykines, with its puffin colony and a population that drops to about ten in winter.
Atlantic Canada has Fogo Island off Newfoundland, with painted houses and a famous architect-designed inn but also a long tradition of small guesthouses that pre-date that.
Mid-Atlantic
The Azores are no longer obscure, but the smaller islands of the Azorean group such as Corvo and Flores remain quiet. Corvo has one village, one school, one cafe.
Madeira has its outlying island of Porto Santo, ninety minutes by ferry, with a long beach and a small population.
Southern Atlantic
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha form a sparse chain in the South Atlantic. Saint Helena is now reachable by air. Ascension requires a specific permit. Tristan, the most remote inhabited island in the world, is reachable only by occasional supply ship from Cape Town.
Travel tips
- → Check airline schedules carefully, many fly only weekly
- → Carry travel insurance with medical evacuation
- → Pack for variable weather even in summer
- → Bring backup payment methods
Best season
May through September for most northern and mid-Atlantic islands.
How to get there
Usually two flights, sometimes three. South Atlantic islands often require advance permits.
What to expect
Long approaches, small populations, dramatic coasts, and small but devoted travel communities.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need visas?
Most are part of larger countries with standard visa rules. Some, like Tristan, require advance permission.
How is medical care?
Basic on most islands. Plan to evacuate to the mainland for anything serious.
Is English spoken?
Variable. In Atlantic Canada and Saint Helena yes, in the Azores increasingly so.
