hawaii weather

It boasts small ponies, few trees, wet and windy weather, ferocious cliffs and access to rather a lot of oil. Not to mention the Shetland Islanders themselves, who like dressing up as Vikings and burning things.

But this far-flung archipelago of the UK, possessed of a very raw and strange beauty, has been voted the fourth-most desirable island in the world ― ahead of Hawaii, Bali and any Caribbean destination.

According to a survey by the National Geographic Traveller magazine, Shetland is a more desirable location than 107 other islands around the globe and is bettered only by the Faroe Islands, the Azores and Lofoten, Norway.

The 522 panelists who contributed to the survey are, unsurprisingly, not exactly fans of vibrant nightlife, sunbathing or amenities for children. They are all experts in ecology, culture or sustainable tourism.

In the magazine, they said of Shetland: "These islands have got everything 'with bells on': spectacular sea cliffs; pristine beaches; fascinating geology; over a million breeding seabirds; the highest density of otters in Europe; regular sightings of killer whales; and superb displays of rare sub-Arctic flora."

They remarked on the unique blend of Scotland and Nordic culture, and said that Shetland's remoteness had protected the environment and maintained the fishing and oil industries. Shetland's assets were, they said, its location, climate and the fact that tourist numbers were low.

There was "extremely high integrity" in all aspects of heritage and ecology and they praised the planning controls and attitude.

Andy Steven, the area director for VisitScotland, said: "This is absolutely fantastic news for Shetland and reflects our commitment to ensuring Shetland remains a world-class visitor destination with a range of qualities and attributes unlike anywhere else in the world. This is right and proper recognition of a uniquely beautiful and sustainable destination."

For the magazine's fourth annual destination scorecard, islands in the survey were ranked on six different criteria, including the environmental and ecological quality, social and cultural integrity, the condition of their historic buildings and archaeological sites, their aesthetic appeal, the quality of their tourism management and their outlook for the future. Shetland fell within the score range designated "authentic, enhanced, and likely to remain so".

The Isle of Skye, also in Scotland, came sixth on the list. Other British territories included were the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and Anguilla in the Caribbean. At the reverse end of the scorecard, islands "in serious trouble", were Ibiza, Jamaica, Phuket, Key West and Grand Cayman.