Is It Castaway Time?

Private islands are synonymous with seclusion no background hum of strangers, no pressure to dress up for dinner. But there's also no slipping into town for a respite (or better food). These make us happy. Choosing the right companions is entirely up to you.

- BY SARA CLEMENCE

GUANA ISLAND BVI If Katharine Hepburn had owned a Caribbean island, this would be it. The rooms are borderline basic, you mix your own drinks at the honor bar on the beach, and meals in the main house play out like dinner parties. It feels—though it isn’t—like the kind of place you have to be whispered into. Heaven. Access A boat from Beef Island.

AMBERGRIS CAY Turks & Caicos The island to book if you can't bear being away from your Peloton. Its resort-style amenities include a bar, biking trails, a yoga deck, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. Take a tennis lesson in the morning and a guided nature walk in the afternoon, and go bone fishing the next day—refinement cum wilderness.