Wildest: Islands

The Zanzibar Archipelago has been labeled the most exotic island chain in the world. Pristine sands and azure blue sea make it a much loved holiday destination, but many bizarre creatures also roam these islands.

The Caribbean is a tropical paradise. From just a few meters wide, to hundreds of kilometers across, each of the over 7,000 islands are different, and each has its own unique wildlife.

The Galapagos archipelago contains 13 main islands and a hundred or so smaller rocks and reefs. The region's wilderness is so pristine and rich in life it altered our entire view of the natural world.

Lying like a teardrop in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is an island that defies convention. Poised just six degrees above the equator, it's less than 75,000 km sq in size. But it has enough wildlife to rival a continent.

Lying just off the coast of west Scotland, the Hebrides archipelago is made up of more than 500 islands and islets. Isolation from the mainland has made it the perfect breeding ground for millions of creatures.

Japan's 7,000 islands stretch for over 2,400km, and cover an incredible range of climates. Winter in the central and northern islands can be savage, but summer in the sweltering southern islands couldn't be more different.

The Anavilhanas and Mariua archipelagos are deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Flooded for 6 months of the year, the islands are a fortress of submerged trees and wandering vines, and home to some of the most unusual creatures in the world.

Vancouver island is the largest island off the west coast of North America. Glaciers fuel the flow of some of Canada's tallest waterfalls, and an endless network of rivers and creeks provides the ideal habitat for the pacific salmon.

The Philippines are a chain of around 7,000 tropical islands in the western Pacific. Plants-turned-predators line the edge of the forests, while rivers help carve one of the world's most spectacular cave systems.

The Falkland's bleak, battered and windswept archipelago lies 460 km from the South American mainland. Rugged mountains and expansive pristine coastline are a unique home for wildlife - especially for one of the world's most iconic flightless birds.