Staying on an island barely larger than your own accommodation offers a rare kind of escape, one that feels properly detached from the usual pace of things. From old lighthouse outposts battered by salt and wind to tiny scraps of land set down in the middle of a river, there are places around the world so small they seem almost improvised, yet still offer somewhere to sleep for the night.
Belle Island, New York, USA
Belle Island sits in the St Lawrence River in New York’s Thousand Islands, a small private island that feels cut off in the simplest possible way: water in every direction and nothing but river noise and passing boats. At just under an acre, it’s rented as a whole, so there are no neighbours, no shared spaces, just one cottage and the landscape around it.
Things To Do
On the water: You can swim or fish straight from the dock, or take a kayak out into the river when it’s calm.
Around the islands: Boat trips pass through the Thousand Islands, with lighthouses and old homes scattered across the water, and Boldt Castle on Heart Island close enough for a short visit.
Slow island living: Time is often spent on the wrap-around porches, watching the river flow past the island at an unhurried pace.
Local trips: A quick boat ride returns you to Alexandria Bay for restaurants, cafés, and small-town wandering.
Practical Info
Accommodation: The island sleeps up to 10 guests in a historic cottage with five bedrooms, including a master suite with a massage unit.
Amenities: It includes an indoor hot tub, solarium, Wi-Fi, satellite TV, and spacious outdoor decking for river views.
Getting there: Access is by a five-minute private boat ride from Alexandria Bay, itself around 90 minutes from Syracuse or Ottawa airports.
Bishop Rock, Cornwall, UK
Bishop Rock sits 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall in the Isles of Scilly, a granite outcrop in the Atlantic that looks more like a warning than a place. At just 150 feet long, it’s almost entirely taken up by a towering lighthouse, which rises straight out of the sea and has long been known as the smallest island in the world with a building on it.
Things To Do
Boat around the rock: Trips from St Mary’s bring you close to Bishop Rock, where the lighthouse rises out of the sea, and the swell hits hard against the granite.
Wildlife watching: Seabirds wheel constantly around the outcrop, and grey seals often break the surface nearby between dives.
Island-hopping: Most people see Bishop Rock as part of a wider trip through the Isles of Scilly, moving between calmer islands and this exposed edge of the Atlantic.
Practical Info
Access: You cannot land on Bishop Rock, as waves regularly wash over it and the tide can cover it entirely.
Tours: Boat trips depart mainly from St Mary’s and are weather-dependent due to Atlantic conditions.
Nearby stay: Inspired accommodation is available on the mainland at places such as the Lizard Lighthouse cottages on the Cornish coast.
Just Room Enough Island, New York, USA
Just Room Enough Island sits in the St Lawrence River in New York, and lives up to its name in the most literal way. At around 3,300 square feet, roughly the size of a tennis court, it holds a single cottage, a lone tree, and just enough ground left over for a small strip of shoreline where the water laps almost directly against the house.
Things To Do
View from the water: Visitors pass by on boat tours or kayaks, circling the island to see how tightly everything fits onto the tiny patch of land.
River cruising: Most trips through this stretch of the St. Lawrence include slow drifting past small private islands, each with its own odd proportions and summer homes.
Practical Info
Access: The island is private property and cannot be visited or landed on by the public.
How to see it: It is viewed from the water via local boat tours or kayak rentals from Alexandria Bay.
Location: It lies on the US–Canada border in the Thousand Islands region, surrounded by busy but calm river channels.
Little Peter Oasis, Hopkins, Belize
Little Peter Oasis sits just off the coast of Hopkins in Belize, a small private island in the Caribbean Sea surrounded by shallow blue water and the distant line of the Belize Barrier Reef. At around three acres, it still feels intimate in scale, designed for a single group at a time, so there is no sharing, no passing traffic, just uninterrupted sea and sky.
Things To Do
In the water: Snorkelling and kayaking happen straight off the island, with shallow clear water all around and coral not far beyond the shore.
Out at the reef: A short boat ride brings you to the Belize Barrier Reef, where the sea shifts to deeper water and you’re suddenly in the middle of open ocean life.
On the island: Days tend to settle into slow routines, moving between shaded decks, swimming spots, and open stretches of sand with nothing else in sight.
Mainland excursions: Trips to Hopkins offer access to jungle hikes, waterfalls, cave tubing, and local food spots.
Practical Info
Accommodation: The island has a single two-bedroom overwater bungalow with private decking and direct ocean access.
Getting there: It is reached by a short boat transfer from Hopkins, roughly eight miles from the mainland.
Trinity Island, County Cavan, Ireland
Trinity Island sits in Lough Oughter in County Cavan, Ireland, a wooded island with water on all sides and very little sound beyond wind in the trees. It’s thick with old oaks and willow, and broken stone walls from a 13th-century abbey sit half-hidden among the growth.
Things To Do
Walking the island: Forest trails cut through old oaks and willow, leading past ruins of a 13th-century abbey that sits quietly at the centre of the island.
On the water: Canoeing and boating are part of daily life here, with calm stretches of lake opening out in every direction.
Wildlife watching: Deer, otters, and birdlife move through the trees and shoreline, often seen in the early morning or late evening light.
Hot tub evenings: A wood-fired hot tub sits tucked into the landscape, used more for the setting than the soak itself.
Practical Info
Accommodation: A restored stone boathouse lodge sleeps up to six guests in a simple, rustic style.
Getting there: Access is by a short boat crossing or canoe, depending on conditions on Lough Oughter.
Nearby access: The island is not far from Killeshandra, where shops and pubs sit within a short drive from the lake.
FAQs
What counts as a “small island stay”?
It usually means a place so small that the accommodation takes up most of the land, often with only one cottage or structure on the entire island.
Can you stay on all of these islands overnight?
Not all of them. Some are private rentals, others can only be viewed by boat, and a few offer limited accommodation.
How do you usually get to these islands?
Most are reached by boat, small ferry, or water taxi. Some are accessible only in good weather conditions.
Are these islands remote?
Yes, but “remote” varies. Some are minutes from mainland towns, while others sit far out in open ocean.
Why stay somewhere so small?
It’s the feeling of isolation without going completely off-grid — space, silence, and water in every direction.
