Indian Ocean & West Africa

Ranked · where to go & why

The Top 20 in Indian Ocean & West Africa

The planet’s dreamiest islands — overwater villas, granite-boulder coves and lemur forests — paired with the music, colour and deep history of West Africa. Here it is, ranked.

1. 1MaldivesExplore →The ultimate beach fantasy — overwater villas, house reefs, and 1,000 islands of impossible blue.
2. 2SeychellesGranite-boulder beaches like Anse Source d’Argent — arguably the most beautiful sand on Earth.
3. 3MauritiusTurquoise lagoons, luxury resorts and a multicultural island soul — honeymoon royalty.
4. 4MadagascarA world apart — lemurs, the Avenue of the Baobabs, and wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.
5. 5RéunionA French island of volcanoes and cirques — Europe’s most dramatic tropical hiking.
6. 6Cape Verde (Sal & Boa Vista)Atlantic islands of dune-backed beaches and irresistible morna music — sun all year.
7. 7Ghana (Accra & Cape Coast)Vibrant culture, moving slave-castle history, and the welcome behind the “Year of Return.”
8. 8Senegal (Dakar & Gorée)A music-soaked capital, the poignant Île de Gorée, and the pink waters of Lac Rose.
9. 9Praslin & La Digue, SeychellesThe Vallée de Mai palm forest and ox-cart-slow island life — Seychelles at its most idyllic.
10. 10Nosy Be, MadagascarMadagascar’s beach-and-dive escape — lemur islets, whale sharks, and ylang-ylang air.
11. 11The GambiaA sliver of a country on its river — superb birding, golden beaches, and easy warmth.
12. 12São Tomé & PríncipeTwo untouched equatorial cocoa islands — jungle, empty beaches, and eco-luxury hideaways.
13. 13Benin (Ouidah & Ganvié)The cradle of Vodun and the stilt-village of Ganvié — West Africa’s living heritage.
14. 14Aldabra & the Outer SeychellesA UNESCO atoll of giant tortoises — one of the planet’s last great untouched marine wildernesses.
15. 15Le Morne & the South, MauritiusA UNESCO peninsula, kitesurf flats, and the famous “underwater waterfall” illusion.
16. 16Sine-Saloum Delta, SenegalMangrove channels, shell islands and birdlife — Senegal’s serene, watery wild.
17. 17Rodrigues, MauritiusMauritius’ tiny, time-warped sister island — lagoon picnics and zero crowds.
18. 18Bijagós Islands, Guinea-BissauA remote, dreamlike archipelago — saltwater hippos, turtles and Bijagó culture.
19. 19Côte d’Ivoire (Abidjan & Assinie)A resurgent, stylish capital and the breezy beach lagoons of Assinie.
20. 20Anjajavy, MadagascarA barefoot-luxury reserve where dry forest, lemurs and a private Indian Ocean beach meet.

Curated by TravelWell, in the spirit of the great travel guides. Linked picks open a full guide + Safety Card; more are being added.