Being marooned on a desert island is the kind of tune that would make it to our (warning: pun ahead) Desert Island Discs list.

And yet, the dream of being stranded on a small tropical island with just palm trees and mysterious footprints for company could turn into a nightmare. For William Golding’s boys in Lord of the Flies, their desert island becomes a dystopian battleground between Ralph and Jack. This theme is further explored in Danny Boyle’s film The Beach, where Richard soon discovers that the island paradise that he finds isn’t so heavenly after all.

Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None becomes a murderous countdown as eight guests on an island start being murdered one by one. Things can turn dramatic, as in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, or really weird: in Concrete Island, JG Ballard tells of Robert Maitland, who is marooned on a traffic island outside London after he crashes his car.

However, life on a desert island can be pretty peaceful. Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe has it good and the Swiss Family Robinson have all they need on their island: in their 10-year sojourn, the worst thing that happens to them is when their donkey gets eaten by a boa constrictor. Life is so good that when help arrives, some of the Robinsons decide to stay on the island.

Which is what you might decide to do when your honeymoon is nearing the end of its wick. But would that ensure a lifetime of happiness? Probably not. The beautiful thing about spending your honeymoon on a tropical island is that you can return to society, save up, and plan a second honeymoon.

Where: Seychelles

There isn’t much to do in the Seychelles. Now that is only true if you decide to spend your honeymoon days lounging around, napping on the sun lounger and sipping at colourful cocktails. Admittedly, that’s nothing to grumble about. However, if you want some action, you can snorkel in search of cupcake coloured corals and fish, picnic on deserted beaches or just walk and explore.

And since this is your honeymoon, there are plenty of things to do for happy couples: cue romantic dinners on the beach, stargazing, open-air cinemas and endless selfies against the most perfect sunsets.

Stay: North Island, Seychelles

The Seychelles boasts 155 islands. Some are nature reserves, others solely for the locals. Still, you have a wide choice, from the most luxurious resorts to other, more affordable options.

North Island is one of the best resorts in the Seychelles: after all, it’s where Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge spent their honeymoon. Your villa is simply, yet stunningly, designed to make the most of its surroundings and the in-villa treatments will help you relax and unwind. And when there’s a knock on the door, open to find your butler bearing dinner.

Where: Maldives

Should you go to the Seychelles or the Maldives? The cocktail includes pretty much the same ingredients: a kind sun, the finest sand and delicious seafood. With the Maldives, there is a bigger choice since the republic includes 1,192 islands.

Despite their beauty, the islands are at the mercy of climate change. A report drawn up by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007 predicted that the sea level in the area will rise by 59cm by 2100: that means that most of the inhabited islands may need to be abandoned. Given this scenario, it’s best to visit before this paradise disappears.

Stay: Niyama

A 40-minute seaplane ride from the capital Male, Niyama has the best that beach life has to offer. You can spend your days just staring at the bluest sea and the splashes of crimson across the sky at sunset. Then when night falls, take a boat ride to Edge, a fine floating restaurant which also houses the world’s first underwater club.

Where: Princes’ Islands, Turkey

Istanbul has become one of the hottest destinations. This city has everything. The views over the Bosphorus are stunning, the street food cheap and cheerful, and the shopping at the Grand Bazaar a unique experience. And the hotels certainly know how to pamper you.

When life in Istanbul gets a bit hectic, you can board the ferry and retire to Princes’ Islands, around 20km southeast of the city. The nine islands make for a great escape: there are no cars on the islands and the permanent residents only amount to around 15,000. Rent a bicycle and explore these beauties.

Stay: Splendid Palas

The Splendid Palas on Buyukada, the largest island in the group, is an iconic landmark. Beneath its twin domes is an old world elegance that has survived since 1908, when the hotel first opened. And the views are just staggering: one side of this magnificent building faces the Sea of Marmara while from the other side, Istanbul winks at you, inviting you over.

Where: Panarea

You think you know Sicily. You’ve had a quiet morning coffee in Noto, stayed at an agriturismo outside Catania, sampled the chocolate in Modica, swam off Acitrezza, mingled with the yachting crowd in Marzamemi, enjoyed an aperitivo in Taormina and dined in beautiful Ragusa. Yes, you know Sicily. And yet you don’t because up north, there is a group of islands which, despite their proximity to Sicily, have a personality all of their own. The Aeolian archipelago includes seven islands: the largest is Lipari and the other islands are Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi and Panarea.

The ferry from Milazzo will take you to all seven islands. Panarea is the second smallest island yet it is probably the most beautiful. The whitewashed buildings gleam in the sun while the kind of yachts that cost as much as a small nation’s GDP huddle around the harbour. There are no cars on Panarea, which means that you can flip-flop along the promenade like the happily married couple that you are.

Stay: Hotel Cincotta

Hotel Cincotta has one of the best views in Panarea. If you’re lucky, you can even see the volcano on Stromboli spark up at night. The rooms at Hotel Cincotta are basic but comfortable and at night, live musicians entertain the diners. If you want a slice of nightlife, go next door to the nightclub at Hotel Raya or head down to the beach where the Bridge Sushi Bar serves cocktails and spins records until the early morning.

Where: Sri Lanka

Floating between India and Africa, Sri Lanka successfully marries the best of both. It has the architecture of India and the friendliness of Africa while its food simmers with the spices of the continent and the subcontinent.

Frequently called “the teardrop of India”, Sri Lanka is a beautiful island. The architecture in Galle is wondrous, the beaches along the southeast coast are lush, and the wildlife variety enough to keep Sir David Attenborough busy for a coupleof seasons.

Stay: Kandy House

Tucked away in the hills around Kandy, the small Kandy House was once an ancestral manor house that has been transformed into a stylish, exotic boutique hotel. There are only nine bedrooms – each named after a different butterfly – and all individually designed and themed.