Go west: 16 highlights of the other great ocean on our coast

For an island continent with massive oceans on both its epic seaboards, the one on the eastern, not the western side, dominates our attention.

But as any self-respecting Sandgroper knows, the world’s third-largest ocean has as much, if not more, to offer than even the planet’s biggest expanse of water.

The Indian Ocean stretches from Western Australia to the east coast of Africa – down as far as the islands of the sub-Antarctic, then north to the Arabian Peninsula and out along the coastlines of 18 – yes, 18 – Asian nations.

What’s more, the Indian Ocean, more exotic than its counterparts, is also the warmest (handy for swimming year-round) and home to 20 per cent of the planet’s salt water.

These 70 million square kilometres of ocean are strewn with thousands of islands, many of them with white-sand beaches ringed by coconut palms and aquamarine water.

The Maldives – with those romantic resorts on those perfect little private islands – are the region’s best known and most popular destination. And there’s Bali, of course, the most iconic of Indonesia’s string of 17,000 islands, and Mauritius and Sri Lanka.

But there’s a lot more on offer in the Indian Ocean – for here are some of the most exotic islands on Earth: full of fused ancient cultures and history, unique and wonderful landforms and some of the most bizarre yet beautiful creatures to be found anywhere.

While Australia may be blessed with 25,000 kilometres of coastline, the Indian Ocean offers a host of tropical, less-trammelled destinations. Here is Traveller’s pick of the best Indian Ocean island destinations to consider on your next overseas trip.

THE MALDIVES

Best for romantics and water adventurists

Tell me more Stay in some of the world’s most glamorous, innovative and romantic resorts on your own tiny island among the world’s most biodiverse waters. The Maldives is the Indian Ocean’s most popular destination by far. You can do everything from swim with whale sharks to sleep in a luxurious bedroom beneath the ocean. Once most popular with the honeymoon market, it’s now become a hotspot for water adventurists, with everything on offer from world-class surfing to diving/ snorkelling and kite-boarding. Island-hop by boat, catch a seaplane between luxury resorts, or stay put on your own private island escape in the clearest of clear waters.

Essentials Fly to the Maldives from Australia from $1048 with Singapore Airlines with holiday options for all sorts of travellers, from families at Club Med to high-end romance seekers at Six Senses on your own remote atoll. Or for a range of holiday options, check out deals from $3999 for five nights with Luxury Escapes which include accommodation, meals, activities and transfers. See singaporeair.com; clubmed.com.au; sixsenses.com; luxuryescapes.com

MAURITIUS

Best for sun-loving foodies

Tell me more Famous for its blue water, silky white-sand beaches and proliferation of high-end resorts set on the very best beaches, there’s a lot more yet to experience at this island paradise, 2000 kilometres east of the African continent. You can hike thick forest within its wild mountainous hinterland and explore cultural attractions offering insight into centuries of French and British colonial rule. Though you could come here for the cuisine alone: foodies will love its unique fusion of Indian, Chinese, African and European influences. Mark Twain described it best: “Mauritius was made first, then Heaven; Heaven being copied after Mauritius.”

Essentials Fly to Mauritius via Perth (a 10-hour flight) with Air Mauritius or Emirates. Flight Centre offers a six-night stay at the five-star Intercontinental Resort with breakfasts and dinners, a sailing cruise and transfers from $3909, or a six-night stay at the 4½-star Mauritian Beachfront Escape from $2279, including breakfasts and dinners and transfers. See airmauritius.com; emirates.com; flightcentre.com.au; ihg.com

REUNION ISLAND

Best for thrill seekers

Tell me more A French overseas territory, Reunion has long been overlooked in favour of its better-known neighbour, Mauritius, 175 kilometres to its north-east. But the two islands have few similarities, except a proliferation of stunning white-sand beaches (Reunion has more than 30 kilometres of them on its west coast). One of the planet’s most active volcanoes has created a wild landscape for avid hikers and canyoners. Three cirques – natural amphitheatres inside a volcano, lined with hundreds of waterfalls to canyon down – set it apart.

Essentials Fly to Mauritius from Perth, then take a 45-minute flight with Air Mauritius from $1866 return. Stay on a west coast beach near the bustling sea resort town, Saint-Gilles-les-Bains at Akoya Hotel & Spa from $450 a night. See airmauritius.com; reunionisland.net; akoya-hotel.com

THE SEYCHELLES

Best for island-hopping

Tell me more The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands, 1600 kilometres east of Kenya in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Favoured by Europeans, Australians should see what we’ve been missing: it’s full of stunning beaches ringed by boulders, calm lagoons and huge green mountains. Throw in the local Creole culture and a wealth of endemic species, and it’s about as close to the ultimate island escape as you can get. The most popular islands – Mahe, Praslin and La Digue – are handily connected by cheap and efficient ferry services, allowing visitors to glide easily between colonial-era towns, tortoise reserves, rum distilleries, dive sites and national parks on one trip.

Essentials Fly via Dubai with Emirates from $2900, it’s easy to island-hop by ferry, most resorts and attractions are on Mahe (the largest island). Try the five-star Constance Ephelia from $640 a night, or go further afield to Praslin and stay at Le Vasseur Eco Resort from $395 a night. See emirates.com; seychelles-ferry.com; constancehotels.com; ilesdespalmes.com

ZANZIBAR

Best for history buffs

Tell me more While this island 25 kilometres off the African coast is famous for the blue waters of Nungwi and Kendwa on its north-western coastline, it’s Stone Town Australians should come for. The island’s capital city is one of Africa’s most fascinating urban centres. Given World Heritage protection in 2000 for its cultural significance, the city is built from coral stone, with 18th-century buildings that are a mix of Swahili, Persian, Indian and British influences. Stay in historic inns where breakfast comes served on rooftops above a maze of narrow alleys lined by bazaars and mosques, where cars cannot go. And enjoy sundowners on the balconies of colonial British houses like The Africa House Hotel looking over the Indian Ocean.

Essentials Fly to Doha with Qatar Airways, which offers a direct connection to Zanzibar, from $3050. Stay in one of 11 rooms in the heart of Stone Town at Kholle House in a hotel built in 1860, from $125 a night, including breakfast on a rooftop. See qatarairways.com; khollehouse.com

THAILAND’S WEST COAST

Best for explorers

Tell me more There are many more islands off Thailand’s west coast worth exploring than just Phuket. Fly an hour west of Bangkok for glorious beach-hopping with barely another tourist at the country’s best-kept secret destination, Koh Phayam. Or venture south to Koh Lanta from Krabi for an authentic Thai experience full of deserted, magical beaches. Venture out to tiny Koh Lipe from southern Thailand (or from Langkawi, Malaysia) for a walkable beach utopia far removed from mass tourism; or for a total escape from it all, take a boat to the Similan Islands, 11 isles with stunning clear waters set within a national park.

Essentials To get to Koh Phayam, fly to Ranong from Bangkok with Nok Air from $110 return, then take a speed boat with Ranong Ferry from $30 return; consider a luxury stay among 40 hectares of forest on the beach at Koh Lanta’s Pimalai Resort from $950 a night, take a boat to Koh Lipe from Langkawi in Malaysia or from southern Thailand, take a tour to the Similan Islands with Similan Islands Tours. See nokair.com; ranongferry.com; pimalai.com; kohlipeisland.org

LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA

Best for eco-luxury lovers

Tell me more Located 30 kilometres off the north-west Malaysian coast, there’s a lot to love – and not love – about this mostly unheralded Asian island. Its main beaches can be overrun by tourists, where beach bars empty out along the sand. But there are treats for those prepared to escape into its wilderness. Langkawi’s north coast is dominated by 10 million-year-old rainforest set in some of Asia’s oldest mountain ranges, all within South-east Asia’s only UNESCO-listed Geopark. You’ll find some of Asia’s best eco-resorts within this forest, including The Datai , built in the heart of the ancient trees overlooking a beach below, where villas and restaurants are built like treehouses among the forest canopy.

Essentials It’s easy (and cheap) to get to, fly direct in an hour from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore from $100 return with Malaysia Airlines, stay in 750 hectares of private rainforest from $3580 for four nights in a canopy deluxe room, or in a beachfront villa within forest further east at the Four Seasons Langkawi resort from $790 a night, malaysiaairlines.com; thedatai.com; fourseasons.com

MADAGASCAR

Best for wildlife

Tell me more Madagascar has some of the world’s oddest animals; cartoonish creatures such as the Beetlejuice-worthy endangered black lemur, the puffy white silky sifaka and peachy coua birds. Evolving in isolation from the African continent for more than 80 million years, there are many creatures here you won’t find anywhere else. There are also upside-down trees, stone forests and the kind of beaches you might’ve only expected in Mauritius. It can be difficult to travel around, but there are tours from Australia to take you to the hotspots. Visit between June and October and you can also catch humpback whales on their migration trail.

Essentials Take a 14-day tour to the island’s hotspots, including rainforests and beaches with Intrepid Travel from $4900. Or take a 14-day tour with G Adventures from $4900. See intrepidtravel.com; gadventures.com

LOMBOK, INDONESIA

Best for “The next Bali” dreamers

Tell me more For two decades the island of Lombok, 150 kilometres east of Bali, has been on the verge of taking off with Australian visitors (especially when its new international airport opened in 2011) but it never has. Why that is so is anyone’s guess. It is home to Indonesia’s second-largest mountain (the active volcano, Rinjani, which provides one of Asia’s best adventure hikes), a south coast of surf and beaches as world-class as Bali’s, a string of vehicle-free islands off its north-west coast which includes one of South-east Asia’s best party destinations (the Gili Islands) and some of Indonesia’s least heralded luxury resorts.

Essentials There are no direct flights from Australia; fly to Lombok via Bali with Thai Lion Air in 50 minutes from $75, or take a two-hour speed boat with Lombok Fast Boats, rent a car with Car Rental Lombok then stay on the heavenly south-east coast above your own secret bay at Innit Lombok from $425 a night. See lionairthai.com; carrentallombok.com; lombokfastboats.com; innithotels.com

COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS, AUSTRALIA

Best for total escapism

Tell me more There are two Virgin flights from Perth a week, but that’s where the link to the outside world ends. This tiny island archipelago (there are 27 islands, two are inhabited) is barely 14 square kilometres, but with its coconut trees, dazzling white sand beaches and turquoise water, it’s like a bonsai version of the Maldives, minus any resorts or tourists. Home to less than 600 people, there are few cars and nowhere to drive to anyway. Those who visit are generally here for world-class diving and snorkelling, staying in bungalows beside the water. But you don’t have to be a total hermit; happy-hour sundowners at the Cocos Club from 5.30pm are a great way to meet the locals.

Essentials Virgin Australia flies twice a week from Perth from $1098 return, via Christmas Island. Take a seven-day tour of Cocos (Keeling) Island from $2850 or a two-week tour including Christmas Island from $3650 with Indian Ocean Experiences. Or book your own tours and accommodation via the official Cocos (Keeling) Islands tourism website See virginaustraila.com; indianoceanexperiences.com.au; cocoskeelingislands.com.au

CHRISTMAS ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

Best for budding biologists

Tell me more Christmas Island is actually much closer to Asia, but belongs to Australia. It is never crowded due to its isolation. Visitors fly four hours from Perth to discover one of the planet’s best diving spots, on the edge of the Java Trench (the deepest point of the Indian Ocean). Dubbed the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, there’s everything here from whale sharks to 60 million red crabs migrating in what David Attenborough calls one of the greatest wonders on Earth. Two-thirds of the island is covered in rainforest or wetlands, while the culture is a fusion of Malaysian, Australian, Chinese and Singaporean.

Essentials Virgin Australia fly twice a week from Perth from $825 return. Take an eight-day wildlife tour with Australian Wildlife Journeys from $3400 to come face to face with the island’s most interesting creatures, or stay at Swell Lodge, a stunning eco-lodge in the wilderness from $1495 a night. See virginaustralia.com; australianwildlifejourneys.com; swelllodge.com

FIVE MORE INDIAN OCEAN IDYLLS TO EXPERIENCE

Penang, Malaysia

Penang is home to South-east Asia’s best street food, Malaysia’s smallest national park (full of flying lemurs and silvered leaf monkeys) and beautiful beaches. Located just off the west coast of Malaysia, Penang’s capital, George Town, is UNESCO World Heritage-listed and offers traditional shophouses converted to boutique hotels. See mypenang.gov.my

Rottnest Island, Western Australia

Just a 25-minute ferry ride off the coast from Fremantle, Perth’s favourite holiday spot might be tiny, but it’s home to 63 beaches and 20 bays. It’s blissfully car-free. Hire a bike and watch whales and dolphins pass by in crystal-clear water. And it’s home to quokkas – small marsupials found (almost) nowhere else. See rottnestisland.com

Sri Lanka

Not long ago a recipient of Lonely Planet’s coveted world’s best country to visit, Sri Lanka attracts millions of travellers, despite recent economic and social turmoil. Sri Lanka offers everything from quiet beach towns to ancient World Heritage-listed ruins, to safari experiences with elephants and leopards. See srilanka.travel

Bali, Indonesia

The so-called “Island of the Gods” is Australia’s favourite international getaway, with everything from Asia’s best restaurants and resorts to volcanic mountains, endless beaches, bustling seaside tourist towns and some of the most sought-after wellness retreats in the world. See indonesia.travel

Masirah Island, Oman

Visit the capital Muscat’s mosaic-clad mosques, ancient buildings and fragrant souks before bobbing over to nearby Masirah Island. Oman’s largest island, known for sandy beaches and palm oases, is the place to ogle leatherback turtles, flamingos and nocturnal ghost crabs. See experienceoman.om

This cover story is an edited version of an article which originally appeared in the Telegraph UK