This year’s results are in from Travel + Leisure magazine on their reader poll on the best islands in the world. This year, Maui was in the top ten in slot nine.

There are a lot of islands out there in the world, which make for some pretty stiff competition. The magazine stressed one quality above the rest in this poll, and that was “astonishing natural beauty.” Last year, Maui was eighth and the year before, it was sixth in the same poll, but the beauty of the island hasn’t changed in any remotely significant way, so it seems the opinions of the readers account for these changes in rank.

Unsurprisingly, Santorini in the Mediterranean came in first, followed by Bali, Cape Breton Island in Canada, Borocay in the Philippines, the Great Barrier Reef, Sicily, the Big Island and Kauai. Next was Maui with the Galapagos coming in at tenth place. It says a lot that three of the islands in the top ten are in Hawaii.

One factor was noted by editors that made Maui stand out. It happens to be the favorite of Hollywood A-listers, as they call them. Such individuals look forward to the island’s rejuvenating spas. Readers also lauded its natural attractions, sights and activities, including the Maui Film Festival.

Despite the opinions of Travel + Leisure readers, the Conde Nast Traveler poll, which is also based on reader votes, ranked Maui as the number one best island in the world this year, and has done so for the 17th time in 23 years! Who knows what influences such a distinct difference in opinion between the readers of these two magazines. Perhaps they attract slightly different demographics.

In any case, one thing is certain. Maui is still widely considered one of the best vacation locations in the world, and despite the economic difficulties of the U.S. and many other countries, Maui’s visitor industry has picked up substantially this year, and is responsible for the bulk of the improvement we’ve seen in our economy. We are looking forward to the continued success of our island as a desirable place to visit, as well as a desirable place to live. Oprah certainly likes it here. If you are looking to buy Maui real estate yourself, we would be more than happy to assist you in choosing the best property to suit you. While we do specialize in West Maui homes and condos, our knowledge of the island is broad. Feel free to try our convenient Maui real estate search tool if you would like to find properties based on your own criteria. If you need our assistance, you’ll find our contact information at the bottom of the page. Mahalo, and remember Maui’s motto: Maui no ka oi! It means, “Maui is the best!”