Top 10 Mysterious Tidal Islands Around The World

A piece of land that is connected to the mainland at low tide and can be reached by foot is known as a tidal island. However, at high tide, it completely separates from the mainland and transforms into an actual island. Even though tide islands sometimes have man-made causeways that connect them to the mainland and make it easy for tourists to cross, even these can be submerged by the sea. Therefore, before you visit, always check the tide times or prepare to swim back.

10 Mysterious Tidal Islands

• Enoshima
• Castle Tioram
• Lindisfarne
• Ko Nang Yuan
• Haji Ali Dargah
• St Michael’s Mount
• Jindo and Modo
• Eilean Donan
• Sveti Stefan
• Mont Saint-Michel

10. Enoshima

Enoshima is a small tidal island in Japan's Sagami Bay that is about 4 kilometers in circumference and is located at the Katase River's mouth. It is a part of the city of Fujisawa and is connected to the mainland by a bridge that is 600 meters long. At low tide, you can walk to the island on the sandbars that are exposed.

The island and the coast are the heart of a popular resort area, right next to the closest beach to Tokyo and Yokohama. The botanical garden, which was established in 1880 by a British merchant and draws over half a million visitors annually, is a major draw on the island.

9. Castle Tioram

Ruined castle can be found on the tidal island Eilean Tioram in Scotland's Loch Moidart. The castle controls access to Loch Shiel, even though it is hidden from the sea. The curtain wall is thought to have been built in the 13th century, but the tower and other interior structures were built between 15 and 17th centuries. The castle can be reached by foot across the tidal causeway, but due to the risk of falling masonry, there is no way to enter the interior.

8. Lindisfarne

Lindisfarne also known as Holy Island, is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. On Lindisfarne, a monastery was established in the year 635 AD, serving as the starting point for Christian evangelism in the North of England. A Viking raid on Lindisfarne in 793 was widely regarded as the beginning of the Viking Age because it sparked outrage among Christians in the west. In the 16th century, a small castle was built on this site.

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The island is now a popular destination for tourists. Keep to the marked path, check the weather and tide times carefully, and seek local advice if in doubt if you want to walk between the mainland and the island.

7. Ko Nang Yuan

Ko Nang Yuan is a small island off the northwest coast of Ko Tao. It is called Ko Nang Yuan. The stunning island is made up of three distinct rocky outcrops linked by a long sandy beach. The majority of the beach is submerged at high tide, forming three distinct tidal islands.

The transparent blue waters clearly show the marine life and coral reefs just 10 meters from the shore. Daytrippers flock to the island. On the middle island, there is also a resort with all of the amenities.

6. Haji Ali Dargah

The Haji Ali Dargah is a mosque on an island off Mumbai's coast. The dargah is a stunning example of Indian Islamic architecture and houses Sayed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari's tomb. In 1431, a wealthy Muslim merchant built the Haji Ali Dargah, giving up all of his material possessions before making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

A slender causeway that is nearly one kilometer (0.6 miles) long connects the islet to the city. The dargah can only be accessed at low tide because the causeway is submerged at high tide. One of the best parts of going to the shrine is walking on the causeway with the sea on both sides.

5. St. Michael's Mount

St. Michael's Mount is a tidal island in Cornwall, south-western England, 366 meters off the coast of Mount's Bay. It is connected to the mainland by a man-made causeway made of granite setts, only accessible between high tide and low tide. The 15th-century chapel of St. Michael has an embattled tower with a small turret in one angle that was used to direct ships.

According to some studies, St. Michael's Mount and a portion of the Cornwall coast would be at risk from rising ocean waters and natural erosion.

4. Jindo and Modo

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Two islands, Jindo and Modo, can be found in the southwest of South Korea. A natural causeway connects the islands for an hour twice a year when extremely low tides cause it to open. The causeway is over 40 meters (120 feet) wide and almost 3 kilometers (2 miles) long.

Every year, people from all over the world gather to celebrate this natural wonder at a festival called the Jindo Sea-Parting Festival or the Jindo Moses Miracle. Visitors and tourists from each island typically walk to the center of the causeway on each of these days to meet and celebrate.

3. Eilean Donan

In the western Highlands of Scotland, Eilean Donan is a small tidal island in Loch Duich. It is about a half-mile away from the Dornie village and has a footbridge that connects it to the mainland. A picturesque medieval castle dominates the island. As a defensive measure against the Vikings, the original castle was constructed in the early 13th century.

The castle is now one of Scotland's most photographed attractions and a popular location for weddings and movies. It has appeared in Highlander and The World Is Not Enough, among other films.

2. Sveti Stefan

Sveti Stefan is a seaside resort on the Budva Riviera in western Montenegro. The island was a small fishing village in the 15th century. The village's last occupants were driven out in the 1950s, and Sveti Stefan became a posh townhouse.

The buildings' streets, walls, roofs, and facades were kept, but the interiors were changed to provide the most cutting-edge luxury hotel comfort. Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Kirk Douglas, and Claudia Schiffer were among its guests.

Following the dissolution of the former Yugoslav federation, it began to decline. A luxury resort operator based in Singapore was awarded the lease of Sveti Stefan in 2007 for a period of thirty years. After that, the island was closed, and extensive renovations began with the intention of opening it up again in 2009.

1. Mont Saint-Michel

Mont Saint-Michel is a small tidal island in the Normandy region of northern France. It is just off the coast. The island is best known for its spectacular and well-preserved Norman Benedictine Abbey of St. Michel, which is located on the highest point of the rocky island and is surrounded by the medieval town's winding streets and intricate architecture.

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The monastery of Mont-Saint-Michel supported the claim of duke William of Normandy to the throne of England in 1067. It received properties and grounds on the English side of the Channel, including a small island that became a Norman priory and was named St. Michael's Mount after the Mount.

Visitors who choose not to use the causeway and instead attempt the risky walk across the sands from the neighboring island can still be put in danger by the mount's fluctuating tides.