Sand – glorious, wave-washed sand – often provides the finale on journeys into the most thrilling natural environments imaginable. You could soak off the dust from a safari deep into the Ngorongoro Crater in a shoreline lodge in Zanzibar, or wake up to views of golden sand and turquoise shallows of Lankayan Island, Borneo, having seen orangutans swinging through the trees the day before. Indian Ocean alternatives include snorkelling in the warm waters of the Maldives after an exhilarating pursuit of leopards in Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park and lazing on the beaches of Nosy Be, Madagascar, after trekking through the thick forests amidst the rustlings of lemurs in the leaves above.

To really immerse yourself in the animal magic of islands, spend a week exploring the Galapagos on a luxury launch. You can laze on the beach with sea lions, swim in the sea with turtles and watch gannets fold themselves up when diving for fish from the comfort of your private balcony.

Whether you’d prefer to explore jungles and savannahs first then head to a stunning sweep of sand or would like to have shoreline front and centre of your experience, the best islands and beaches will enrich your journey into the wonderful natural world with times to treasure.

We love to hear from clients after they return from their extraordinary journey and we hope this selection of island and beach blogs gives you a little inspiration for planning your next island adventure:

• Discover the worlds's fourth largest island with this Wonder of Madagascar blog by NWS client Denise.
• Read Will's Galapagos Islands Highlights blog to learn about the best bits of this amazing region.
• For a wildlife filled island blog read about Searching for Orangutans in Borneo by NWS client Gail.
• Not all island holidays have to be hot. Read about Why you should book a photography trip to Svalbard for information about an icy break.
• Read James and Sophie's Tanzania and Zanzibar blog to discover how to perfectly combine wildlife and beach.