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Adventurous excursions, endless sightseeing and packed itineraries seem to be all the rage when it comes to traveling, but sometimes, you need your vacation to be an actual vacation, where you can just sit back, relax and do nothing.

If this sounds like your idea of a good time, consider one of these five beautiful islands around the world where you can do nothing on your next vacation.

Anguilla

The shores of Anguilla are some of the most peaceful you’ll find thanks to a blissful absence of cruise ship ports and over-the-top resorts. Enjoy Anguilla’s calm turquoise waters at Rendezvous Bay or Shoal Bay, where you’ll find little reason to leave your umbrella-shaded beach chair – unless, of course, you’re going for a cocktail refill.

Kauai

Hawaii is all about slowing down and relaxing, and you’ll find the laid-back vibes are especially persistent on the island of Kauai. Sure, you could explore the island’s gorgeous forests and volcano-riddled landscape with a hike or helicopter tour, but why rush around when you can lap up the breezy sights as the sun sets on Hanalei Bay or Lumahai?

Taveuni

You really can’t go wrong with any of Fiji’s tropical islands, but you’ll find plenty of ways to kick back on the garden isle of Taveuni. You could opt for a relaxing treatment at the local spa, but we wouldn’t blame you if you spent your entire vacation lying in a hammock, enjoying the palm trees, rugged coasts and ocean waves surrounding you.

Tonga

Water activities, including whale-watching, diving and snorkeling, are a big draw in the Polynesian island of Tonga, but you’ll be just as happy kicking back on these relatively untouched beaches as you adjust to the slow pace of “Tonga time.” Tonga actually has nearly 200 islands to choose from, but for those looking to relax, stake out your own slice of white-sand beach on the Ha’apai Group.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Put your feet up on the relatively unexplored shores of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. White sand beneath your toes, clear blue waters as far as the eye can see and lush green hills at your back beckon you to do nothing more than soak up the sun as you slip into island life. 

(Main image: anoldent used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)

About the author

Marissa WillmanMarissa Willman earned a bachelor's degree in journalism before downsizing her life into two suitcases for a teaching gig in South Korea. Seoul was her home base for two years of wanderlusting throughout six countries in Asia. In 2011, Marissa swapped teaching for travel writing and now calls Southern California home.

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