6 undeveloped islands

7/26/2019 6 Undeveloped Islands

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Home / Destinations / 6 Undeveloped Islands Worth Visiting

6 undeveloped islands worth visitingTim Patterson | Matador Network | SIGHTSEEING , WORLD

25 years ago, a fewintrepid travellersfound paradise in the Andaman Sea. Phi Phi Island,

off the coast of southern Thailand, was almost totally undeveloped. There were no resorts

on Phi Phijust white sand beaches and palm trees, plus a small village of sea gypsies who

called themselves 'the island people'. Travellers who made the epic journey to Phi Phi

returned to the mainland with glittering eyes and epic stories. More travellers caught the

once-a-week cargo ship to this new island paradise, then more and more and more. Today,

Phi Phi is packed with tourists. Dozens of resorts line the once-empty beaches and trash

floats in the water off concrete piers built to accommodate large ferries. Phi Phi is still

beautiful, 'a discovered paradise still worth checking out' as Matador founder Ross Borden

puts it, but for those who knew the island before the crowds arrived, Phi Phi is a tragic

example of Paradise Lost.

A call for respect

Some of the islands described below are on the track to development, though early in the

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stage. Some are already protected. It's up to you, as a sensitive and engaged traveller, to

respect the information below, to preserve the natural environment and to honour the

people who call these island Edens home.

Koh Rong, Cambodia

Koh Rong is bigger and more beautiful than the most famous Thai islands, but there are no

established beach resorts on Koh Rong yet, simply because it's in Cambodia. In 2007, your

faithful Koh Rong correspondent camped in an abandoned house on 6 miles of white sand

beach, and survived scary encounters with illegal loggers and Cambodian Navy men. In

2014, there still isn't running water, and electricity is only available for a few hours a day,

but there's Wi-Fi everywhere on the island. There's also word of heavy investment on Koh

Rong, with big money flowing to the boss man in Phnom Penh and rumours of Russian,

Japanese, and Chinese investors. By 2020, there should be a luxury resort built.
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Bohol, Philippines

I have a confession. The Philippines intimidate me. There are just too many islands, too

many languages, too much history. How to pick just one of more than 7,000 islands?

Matador expert Casey Gusto lived on Bohol island in the Philippines for 2 years. Bohol getsa lot of tourists, he says, which it shouldit's one of the most beautiful islands in the whole

archipelago. But there are gorgeous parts of Bohol that are not developed, including

outlying islands, where you can chill with some of the friendliest locals in the world.

ADVENTURE HOLIDAYS WEEKEND GETAWAYS DRIVING HOLIDAYS

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Cuttyhunk, Massachusetts, USA

Cuttyhunk is one of the most laid-back island 'summer communities' off the coast of New

England. There's nothing to do except catch enormous striped bass, breathe fresh sea air,

and sniff about the new money that ruined Nantucket.

Cuttyhunk does not have discos, bars, malls, a singles scene, a party life, video games,

parking lots, traffic, or much action. What Cuttyhunk does have is a quiet, isolated, beautiful,

ocean environment, perfect for getting in touch with yourself. For bonus points, arrive in

Cuttyhunk on your own sailboat.
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Teuri-to, Japan

Teuri-to is a lot like Cuttyhunk, except it's off the northern coast of Hokkaido, the

northernmost island of Japan, way north of Vladivostok, Russia. The fresh sushi and sashimi

on Teuri is quite simply the best and cheapest I found in 2 years of travelling aroundJapanand the locals will be thrilled to see you.
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Providencia, Colombia

Providencia is the less developed of two isolated islands that lie off Colombia's Caribbean

coast, near the border with Nicaragua. Construction on the island is limited and the

inhabitants own all the hotels so as to contain the dangers on the environment of becomingtoo popular for tourists. Thanks to Richard, one of Matador's many Colombia experts, for the

heads-up:

Long stretches of white sandy beaches, verdant hillsides and palm trees lining the streets.

Over the five days, we rented a moped to explore the island, lazed on deserted beaches,

drifted in the breeze in hammocks, slept late and enjoyed some cold ones with the locals. It

was a cliche, it was paradise.
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Salt Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands

I thought I'd never write about Salt Cay. It's a special place to my friends and family, truly a

second home, just a low-lying slab of coral, sand, and memories 90 miles north of Haiti, as

far from the corruption and resort glitz of the capital island Provodenciales as you can getin the Turk and Caicos islands (which are south of the Bahamas). Salt Cay is the most

beautiful island I know, not because of the sunsets, empty beaches, neighbourly humpback

whales or free-range donkeys, but because of the pious, good-humoured and hard-working

people who live there. The project of the whole island being ripped in half for a mega-

resort, complete with golf course and yacht marina came to a halt recently, but the future of

the island is looking grim. The airport has been lengthened to accommodate private jets

and the rapid growth of tourism on the island has already damaged the coral reef and the

shorelines. The development in the Turks and Caicos is getting ugly. I wonder if I'll ever go

back there, and I can't write about this anymore.

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6 undeveloped islands

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