Journalism of Courage
Top 10 Quietest Islands in the World 2026: How India’s Havelock Island made the list
Top 10 Peaceful and Quiet Islands Destination in the World 2026 Rankings: New Zealand's Stewart Island is No. 1 and Havelock Island in the Andamans is No. 9 in the 2026 Unspoilt Index of the world's quietest islands.
Havelock Island ranked No. 9 on the World's Quietest Islands list released by bookretreats.com. (Photo Credit: wikimedia commons)
Quietest islands for a peaceful vacation in 2026: BookRetreats.com has released an index ranking the world’s quietest islands. As international travel has become much more frequent and accessible, popular tourist spots have become extremely crowded and subject to excessive noise levels.
The website’s Unspoilt Index evaluated destinations across six key factors: population density, naturalness, airport noise, main road density, night-sky brightness, and coastal accessibility.
Stewart Island in New Zealand claimed the No. 1 spot with a score of 94.6 out of 100. It is the third-largest island in New Zealand and one of the least-known islands globally. It is also the world’s southernmost International Dark Sky Sanctuary and one of the few places in the country where tourists can observe the Aurora Australis virtually free from artificial light. Only 2.3 per cent of the island registers any light pollution at all.
Havelock Island in India made the top 10, ranking at No. 9 on the list. Officially known as Swaraj Dweep, Havelock Island is located in the Andamans and boasts a large stretch of pristine jungle. Although the island has become a popular beach destination, it remains a relatively untouched haven due to its remote location. Visitors typically travel to the island via a ferry from Port Blair, located about 60 km away.
On its west coast, Radhanagar Beach has been voted the best in Asia. Kalapathar Beach is ideal for early risers, while Elephant Beach, accessible mostly on foot or by boat, invites visitors for easy going snorkelling. Havelock has also established itself as India’s scuba capital, drawing divers to sites like Dixon’s Pinnacle, which features clear waters, vibrant coral reefs, and high fish density.
Anafi (Greece), Ilha Grande (Brazil), and Lord Howe Island (Australia) were ranked No. 2, 3, and 4, respectively. St Martin’s (England), Tioman Island (Malaysia), and Koh Chang (Thailand) came in at No. 5, 6, and 7. Koh Rong (Cambodia) was ranked at No. 8, and Santa Catalina (US) rounded out the top 10 list.
Data from the European Environment Agency shows that more than one in five Europeans is exposed to harmful noise levels from transportation, while roughly 94.5 million people in the US experience similar conditions.
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The website’s State of Retreats report revealed that approximately 56 per cent of US travellers want to go on retreat for quiet in nature. The report also estimated that global Google searches for quiet destinations have increased by 1,268 per cent year-on-year.
| Rank | Island | Country |
| 1 | Stewart Island | New Zealand |
| 2 | Anafi | Greece |
| 3 | Ilha Grande | Brazil |
| 4 | Lord Howe Island | Australia |
| 5 | St. Martin’s | England |
| 6 | Tioman Island | Malaysia |
| 7 | Koh Chang | Thailand |
| 8 | Koh Rong | Cambodia |
| 9 | Havelock Island | India |
| 10 | Santa Catalina | US |
Source: bookretreats.com
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