If you have ever dreamed of that white sand, palm fringed lagoon idyll then you are not alone! The desert island fantasy must be the most desired holiday experience in the world. For some that would be the ultimate lifestyle. Imagine waking up with the sun every day, apart from Monsoon season of course.

Imagine having nothing to do but swim, breakfast, swim and lie in your own hammock. Perhaps spend the afternoon fishing or diving. Cocktails arrive as sundowners and then you’ll eat delicious food underneath the stars. And on it goes.

No matter how adventurous or soporific you feel there is a desert island waiting for you somewhere right now. You could make this happen. Here are some of the best places in the world to experience it.

The good news is you only have to go halfway around the world to start getting your tropical island fix. That’s probably less than ten hours flying time from wherever you are. That’s not even half a day! If that sounds incredible, then book yourself a ticket to Singapore. You’ll know you’ve hit the heat the moment you step out of Changi airport.

Stay in Singapore for a night or two or jump in a taxi and head for Mersing in Malaysia, just across the border. The colourful fishing boats in the old port will start to give you a feel for the adventure ahead. Take the ferry across to Tioman Island and you could be eating lunch on your beach front chalet gazing at the ocean. Not bad, since you only left yesterday. Sunglasses are compulsory.

You don’t even have to go that far. The East Coast of Africa has been slowly gaining in popularity in the search for that perfect desert island feeling.

There are the Seychelles of course but why not check out thandaisland.com for a real taste of what a luxury tropical island resort can offer you? You’ll be off the coast of magical Tanzania with all the incredible contrasts that East Africa can provide.

Classical beachcomber territory lies over the Atlantic. Just of the coast of Florida are the Bahamas. The deeper you explore the islands the closer you will get to the classic Robinson Crusoe experience.

If you want white or even pink sand and emerald sea and that sensation of following your footprints, this the place to be. Nassau has every water sport you could think of. Acklins, Mayaguana and Crooked Island can offer you the palm fringed tropical island experience. Don’t forget to stock up on a good sunscreen. You find a good selection at cosmopolitan.com

Dive on down to the Caribbean and discover yourself in the world of calypso, reggae, rum and beach bars galore. St Lucia and Barbados await for you to unleash your hidden Jack Sparrow. Seaclusion Villa in Barbados should be at the top of your list for destinations. This is classic Mutiny on the Bounty territory.

A few hours from glorious New Zealand you could find yourself in the Cook Islands. All coconut trees, black pearls and coral reefs. Rarotonga the capital will give you the classic island experience but if it is solitude you are seeking then head out to Aitutaki. Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia are all located in this part of the world, giving you hundreds of island getaway options. All of which goes to show you that your tropical island experience could well be a lot closer than you think.