20 tropical destinations to fantasize about in the summer

The Caribbean Sea is the gift that keeps on giving, with islands galore that each offers a tropical refuge. Antigua is Antigua and Barbuda's southernmost island. "Antigua’s coastline is intricate, with bays and headlands fringed with reefs and shoals; several inlets, including Parham and English Harbour, afford anchorage for shipping, and St. John’s has a deepwater harbor," writes Britannica. 

The Bahamas has plenty of physical beauty to offer, but there is one unique selling point worth highlighting: Pig Beach! Where else can you swim peacefully with cute little piggies? Nowhere, apparently. This experience is located on Big Major Cay, an otherwise uninhabited island in Bahamas' Exuma. 

Bali is a magical Indonesian island—its own little world away from the mainland with gorgeous rice terrains, monkey forests, and beaches for days. Pictured here is a neighboring island called Nusa Penida with an unrivaled landscape and view absolutely worth the bumpy boat ride.

First and foremost: we are all indebted to Barbados for Rihanna. The Caribbean island's capital and largest city is Bridgetown (no relation to Netflix's Bridgerton), but there are several other breathtaking beaches worth your time. 

Bora Bora sits in the South Pacific Ocean and to the northwest of Tahiti in French Polynesia. Pictured here is Mount Otemanu—"made of the jagged remnants of an extinct volcano" and "the island’s crowning landform," per Expedia.com. 

Australia is abundant in landmarks. You've got the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, and Bondi Beach, also in Sydney. You've got Brisbane. You've got the outrageous and unrivaled wildlife. Pictured here is the Heart Reef within the Whitsundays' Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system.

Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman make up the Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory situated in the Caribbean Sea between Central America and Cuba. There are at least 15 beaches worth visiting and even more culturally to immerse yourself in. Pictured here is one of the most popular: Stingray City.

The Cook Islands, loosely associated with New Zealand but self-governed, occupy the South Pacific. Rarotonga, pictured here, is the largest of the 15 islands and considered to be the hub. Other highlighted islands are Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke, and Mitiaro.

The Dalmatian Islands, cleverly named as a nod to the dog breed because of the way the 79 islands dot the coast of Croatia in the Adriatic Sea. Vis, pictured here, is one of the predominant Dalmatian islands.

Dominica is just one island away—Martinique—from St. Lucia in the Caribbean Sea. The gorgeous beaches are a given, but the nation's lone UNESCO World Heritage site is Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a tropical forest with volcanic elements. Dominica also sports several natural geysers and hot springs for your visiting pleasure.

Fiji is located in the South Pacific—relatively not too far from the Cook Islands—and consists of 300 islands, though only 100 are inhabited. Pictured here is Wainibau Waterfall on Fiji's Taveuni island. Click here for a thorough list of picturesque beaches, too.

Yes, we know Hawaii consists of seven inhabited individual islands. Yes, any and all of them fulfill the requirements of this list. So, generalized Hawaii it is. Pictured here is the Na Pali Coast on Kauai.

There could be a list (and probably already are plenty of lists) just about all of the different ways Italy satisfies any traveler's itch. From Rome to Venice to Lake Como, the possibilities are endless. For our purposes, though, we'll focus on the Amalfi Coast. Pictured here is Positano, a renowned cliffside village overlooking the Amalfi Coast.

You've surely seen Instagram photos of pristine bungalows bobbing atop absurdly blue waters, and chances are, you were looking at the Maldives. The island is located off the coast of South Asia, specifically India and Sri Lanka, in the Indian Ocean.

Palawan, a Philippine archipelagic province between the Philippines and Indonesia. National Geographic puts it best: "Named after the largest of its 1,780 islands, biodiversity hotspot Palawan is the 'last ecological frontier' of the Philippines. The emerald archipelago is strung across turquoise waters, making island-hopping the best way to experience signature Palawan experiences like floating through an underground river, swimming in hidden lagoons, and diving among World War II shipwrecks."

Saint Barthélemy, most commonly known simply as St. Barts, is a predominantly French-speaking island further boosting the Caribbean's status as vacation royalty. The good news is that, per Travel and Leisure, St. Barts's peak season is December, and maybe—just maybe—traveling will be allowed by then. Maybe?

Count St. Lucia is yet another breathtaking Caribbean island. St. Lucia is between Martinique and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Pictured here is the view from the majestic Jade Mountain Resort, with the Pitons (a UNESCO World Heritage site) in the distance. Your unique opportunity to explore this volcanic island is waiting for you here.

Thailand offers equal parts stunning beaches and bustling city life in capital Bangkok. Away from mainland Thailand are the coveted Phi Phi Islands. Pictured here is the Pileh Lagoon.

Turks and Caicos Islands, often referred to as Turks & Caicos, is a British overseas territory located to the southeast of the Bahamas and to the north of the Dominican Republic. Pictured here is Sapodilla Bay. To learn more about the various cays (keys) and islands, visit here.

Tulum has a beautiful vantage point of the Caribbean Sea, but what truly sets this destination apart are the Mayan ruins sprinkled around the Mexican city. While in Tulum, you could venture about two hours south to the Bacalar Lagoon near the Mexico-Belize border. Even nearer, Riviera Maya lays about 45 minutes north up the coastline.