Best Islands to Visit in September 2026: 12 Destinations Around the World

There is something about islands that makes even a short trip feel more removed from everyday life. A few hours after landing or stepping off a ferry, the landscape has changed completely, and the sea is no longer somewhere in the distance but a very real boundary around you.

September is a particularly good month for island travel. In southern Europe, the most intense summer heat begins to fade while the sea remains warm. In the Atlantic, conditions become more comfortable for driving and hiking, while in parts of the Indian Ocean the dry season is still underway.

And an island does not have to mean a week spent between the beach and the hotel. In Crete, you can drive through mountains and small villages. In Sicily, the coast can be combined with cities and vineyards. Madeira is made for walking high above the ocean, while on Hawaii's Big Island you can travel from the beach to volcanic landscapes in the space of a few hours.

We have chosen 12 island destinations around the world where September is a particularly good time to combine the sea with nature, cities and long days on the road.

Crete - An Island That Deserves More Than a Week

Crete is large enough to feel less like a traditional island holiday and more like a proper journey, especially if you rent a car and avoid staying in just one part of the coast.

The sea remains warm in September, while temperatures gradually become more comfortable. A morning on the beach can be followed by a drive into the mountains, with the evening spent among the narrow streets and Venetian harbour of Chania.

Some of Crete's most famous beaches, including Balos and Elafonissi, are in the west. The southern coast feels much quieter, while roads through the interior pass olive groves, gorges and small villages where the rhythm of the tourist season is noticeably different.

September works particularly well for this kind of trip. The beach season is still in full swing, but spending an entire day driving or walking through towns is much easier than it is in July or August.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for Greece.

Sicily - The Sea, Old Cities and a Volcano on the Horizon

Sicily is difficult to fit into a single idea of an island holiday. The east and west feel so different that even after several visits, there is often the sense that part of the route is still unfinished.

On the eastern coast, a journey might begin in Catania, continue towards Etna and then follow the coast through Taormina and smaller seaside towns before heading south. The western side offers Palermo, Trapani, historic towns and a noticeably different atmosphere.

The beach season continues in September, but travelling around the island becomes more comfortable. There is still plenty of time for the sea during the day, while evenings are better suited to long walks, lingering in town squares and dinner outdoors.

In Sicily, the beach is usually only one part of the itinerary. Even a short trip can easily include the sea, history, volcanic landscapes, markets, small towns and the roads connecting them.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for Italy.

Malta and Gozo - Stone Cities in the Middle of the Mediterranean

The Maltese archipelago is small enough to explore without long journeys, yet varied enough to fill an entire week.

Valletta, Mdina and the smaller coastal towns are built from pale limestone that takes on a warm golden colour towards evening. Between them are rocky coves, clear water and places where stone steps lead directly into the sea.

In September, the water around the islands is still warm, while the hottest weeks of summer are beginning to pass. It is easy to spend the morning swimming, walk through Valletta in the afternoon and take a ferry to Gozo the following day.

Gozo is noticeably quieter than Malta's main island. There are fewer built-up areas, more villages and country roads, and a rugged coastline that feels more remote. If time allows, it is worth staying overnight rather than returning with the daytime crowds.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for Malta.

Mallorca - Beyond the Resort Coast

Mallorca is often associated with large seaside resorts, but the island changes quickly once you leave the best-known stretches of coast.

The Serra de Tramuntana rises across the northwest, with small towns and villages scattered between the mountains. Roads wind along the slopes and regularly open onto viewpoints high above the sea. Elsewhere, smaller coves are reached on foot or along narrow country roads.

September makes it much easier to combine beaches with travelling around the island. The sea remains warm, but walking and driving become more pleasant as the August heat begins to ease.

Palma also deserves at least a full day. The old town, cathedral, markets and evening streets offer a welcome change of pace from the coast and show a side of Mallorca that has little to do with resort life.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for Spain.

Madeira - An Island Where the Road Is Almost Always Climbing

Most travellers do not come to Madeira for a traditional beach holiday. Long stretches of sand are rare, but the Atlantic surrounds an island covered with mountains, forests and deep valleys.

The roads are constantly climbing or descending, disappearing into tunnels before emerging near small towns built into steep hillsides. A journey of only a few dozen kilometres can easily turn into a full day of stops at viewpoints and short walks.

September is usually a good time for the levadas and mountain trails. You can spend the morning above the clouds, descend towards the ocean in the afternoon and return to Funchal for the evening.

The north coast is known for its natural pools, the east for the dry, open landscapes of Ponta de Sao Lourenco, while the island's interior offers high mountain routes where Madeira looks very different from the coast below.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for Portugal.

Sal - Atlantic Beaches and a Nearly Desert Landscape

Sal looks very different from most tropical islands. There are few dense forests or lush green landscapes. Much of the island is made up of dry plains, sand and volcanic ground, surrounded on every side by the Atlantic.

The main resort area is around Santa Maria, where a long pale beach runs along the southern coast. But the island is compact enough to explore beyond the beach in a single day, including the salt pans inside the Pedra de Lume crater, small settlements and the northern coastline.

September is among the warmest months in Cape Verde, and the ocean is pleasantly warm. The weather can be less predictable than in winter, but towards the end of summer the occasional rain can briefly bring touches of green to otherwise dry landscapes.

Sal works well for a few quiet days by the ocean, particularly for travellers looking for somewhere that feels very different from the Mediterranean or Southeast Asia.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for Cape Verde.

Zanzibar - An Island Where the Sea Changes the Landscape Twice a Day

On Zanzibar, the ocean shapes everyday life. This is especially visible along the east coast, where low tide can pull the water far from the shore, revealing wide stretches of pale sand, shallow water and traditional dhow boats resting on the seabed.

September falls within the dry season, so rainfall is relatively limited, humidity is lower and the weather suits both beach days and exploring the island.

The north coast, particularly around Nungwi and Kendwa, is more popular for swimming because the tides have less impact there. The east coast feels quite different, with smaller villages, longer walks along the shore and a slower rhythm of life.

It is worth setting aside several days for Stone Town as well. Old houses, narrow streets, markets and the harbour tell the story of an island shaped by East Africa, Arabia and the wider Indian Ocean.

Zanzibar can also be combined with a safari on mainland Tanzania, making it possible to experience two very different parts of the country in one trip.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for Tanzania.

Mauritius - An Island Made for Exploring Beyond the Beach

Mauritius is often presented as a purely resort destination, although the interior deserves just as much attention as the coast.

September falls during the local winter. The coast remains warm, humidity is relatively low and the weather is well suited to driving and walking around the island.

The west and north coasts are usually preferred for calmer sea conditions, but a car quickly opens up the rest of Mauritius. Within a short drive, beaches can give way to mountain roads, waterfalls, tea plantations and Black River Gorges National Park.

The southwest is particularly varied, with Le Morne, lagoons, small villages and hilly landscapes close together. Distances are manageable, so even a week-long trip can be planned around seeing a different part of the island almost every day.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for Mauritius.

Bali - An Island Where the Beach Can Easily Become Secondary

September falls towards the end of Bali's dry season, making it a good month for travelling around the island.

The south is known for beaches, surfing and a large choice of restaurants and hotels. A few hours inland, however, the landscape changes completely, with rice terraces, dense vegetation, temples and cooler areas in the centre of the island.

Ubud makes a convenient base for exploring central Bali. From there, it is easy to reach waterfalls, rice fields and areas around the volcanoes before continuing north or east.

A trip of several weeks can easily be built around much more than the coast. That is one of the reasons Bali works both as an introduction to Indonesia and as a place to return to when you want to explore parts of the island you missed the first time.

Lombok - Bali's Quieter Neighbour

Lombok is close to Bali, but the atmosphere is noticeably different.

Tourism is less concentrated, and many parts of the island still feel much quieter. The south is known for long beaches and small coves around Kuta, while the northern part of the island is dominated by mountains and Mount Rinjani.

September falls within the dry season, making it a good time both for the coast and for travelling inland. A few days can be spent in the south before moving towards the centre of the island or continuing to the Gili Islands.

Lombok is particularly easy to add to a Bali itinerary. A few days here change the pace of the trip and offer a different side of Indonesia without requiring a long journey between islands.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for Indonesia.

Oahu - Between a Major City and the Pacific

Oahu is unusual among island destinations because a major city, famous beaches, green mountains and quieter stretches of coast all exist within a relatively small area.

You can spend a few days in Honolulu and then rent a car to explore the north of the island. The scenery changes quickly, with urban development giving way to mountains, small towns and beaches along the Pacific.

September remains one of the warmest months in Hawaii, and the ocean is still well heated. The south coast makes it easy to combine the beach with city life, while the north offers a slower pace and long drives beside the ocean.

Oahu is a good reminder that an island holiday does not have to mean an isolated resort. Within a few days, you can move from the streets of Honolulu to mountain trails and beaches where the city feels very far away.

Hawaii's Big Island - Volcanoes, Black Sand and Several Climates in One Day

The Big Island lives up to its name not only because of its size. Distances are much greater than on Oahu, and the scenery can change so quickly that a single road sometimes feels as if it passes through several different countries.

One coast has resort areas and dry volcanic fields, while other parts of the island are covered in rainforest, waterfalls and black-sand beaches. Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa rise in the centre, while Hawaii Volcanoes National Park lies further south.

It is worth allowing several days and renting a car. Trying to explore the island through short trips from a single hotel quickly turns into too many hours spent driving.

The ocean remains warm in September, so long road trips can easily be broken up with stops at beaches and along the coast.

The Big Island is most interesting for the variety of its landscapes. Time by the sea is part of the journey, but rarely the only reason to come.

For your trip: fedafone eSIM for the United States.

Which Island Should You Choose in September?

For warm Mediterranean water and relatively short journeys, Crete, Malta and Mallorca are all strong choices. Sicily is better suited to travellers who want to add cities, food and longer road trips to their time by the sea.

Madeira is best chosen for nature, mountains and the Atlantic, while Sal offers a much drier landscape and a more unusual version of an island holiday.

For a tropical trip in September, Zanzibar, Mauritius, Bali and Lombok are all good options. In each of them, the beach can be combined with travelling around the island, although the character of each route is completely different.

Hawaii takes longer to reach, but both Oahu and the Big Island make it possible to combine the Pacific with mountains, volcanic landscapes and long days on the road.

It is worth choosing an island for more than the temperature of the sea. In some places, the beaches define the trip. Elsewhere, the main reason to come may be the mountains, cities, roads or the possibility of combining all of them in a single journey.

Mobile Internet on Island Trips

Mobile internet is particularly useful on island itineraries that extend beyond a single resort. Navigation can be essential on mountain and coastal roads, ferry and boat schedules may change, and smaller beaches or walking trails are not always easy to find without a map.

A fedafone eSIM can be installed before departure while keeping your main SIM card in the phone. For a trip within one country, you can choose a local plan, while regional eSIMs are convenient for itineraries that include several countries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best islands to visit in September?

In the Mediterranean, Crete, Mallorca, Sicily and Malta are all good choices. For longer trips, consider Zanzibar, Mauritius, Bali, Lombok and the Hawaiian Islands.

Which islands have warm sea temperatures in September?

Warm water can still be found around Crete, Malta, Mallorca, Sicily, Zanzibar, Bali and Hawaii. Around Madeira and Sal, the Atlantic is generally cooler than tropical seas.

Which islands are best for a road trip?

Crete, Sicily, Mallorca, Madeira, Mauritius and Hawaii's Big Island are particularly well suited to driving. All of them offer enough variety in landscapes and towns to fill several days on the road.

Which islands are good in September if I want to avoid extreme heat?

Madeira and Mauritius are both worth considering. September is generally more comfortable for walking and travelling around these islands than the hottest months of the year.

Bali or Lombok - which should you choose in September?

Bali offers more infrastructure, restaurants, towns and attractions, while Lombok is generally chosen for a quieter atmosphere, beaches and nature. The two islands are easy to combine in one trip.

Which islands are best for late September?

Towards the end of the month, Crete, Malta, Zanzibar, Mauritius, Bali, Lombok and the Hawaiian Islands remain reliable choices. In the Mediterranean, the more southerly destinations tend to be the safer option.