Among Earth’s rocky formations with many shapes and different sizes, one stands out: the heart-shaped Island in Croatia called Galesnjak. It’s uninhabited, with nothing more than low shrubs covering its surface. No beaches, no mountains, nothing striking at first glance. It has become one of the most talked-about islands in the world because of its shape. Now, as tourists and companies are wondering when the island will cease to be an impressive destination, the idea of a heart-shaped island please the lovers more than ever.
The Island became famous over 200 years later: Napoleon found it first
Galešnjak first drew global attention in 2009, when its heart shape became visible on Google Earth. Long before that, though, the island had already been charted. Napoleon’s cartographers mapped it in the early 1800s, and it later appeared in the 1806 Atlas of the Dalmatian Coast. Still, it was Google that turned Galešnjak into an online sensation.
Today, it’s better known as “the island of love.” Couples visit for honeymoons, anniversaries, and even proposals. Over the years, it’s become a quiet symbol for romance, a simple stretch of land that people see as something more than just an island.p Now, as tourists can actually spend time on land, It won’t go away that easy.
Activities around the heart-shaped island: Have fun with your partner
So what can you actually do on Galešnjak? Not much in terms of facilities — the island is uninhabited, with no buildings or tourist infrastructure. That, however, is part of its appeal. Visitors come for the sense of isolation, the quiet, and the chance to spend time away from the crowds that fill most of Croatia’s coast.
The heart-shaped island has a few pebble beaches, good enough for a swim in the clear waters of the Pašman Channel. Staying overnight isn’t easy — there are no hotels, and the only option is to camp. Most people who visit end up booking accommodation in nearby Pašman or in the city of Zadar, then arrange a private boat or yacht to reach the island, since there are no ferry lines.
Beyond its reputation as “the island of love,” Galešnjak is also called “the island of peace.” The family that owns it has planted olive trees there, tying into the olive branch as a symbol of both peace and love. There have even been talks of connecting Galešnjak with other heart-shaped islands in a project called “the World Archipelago of Love.”
Other strange shape piece of land: It’s in South America
In the Paraná Delta of Argentina, there’s a strange floating island locals call El Ojo — “the Eye.” It was first noticed in 2016 by filmmaker Sergio Neuspiller while scouting locations, and its shape immediately stood out: a near-perfect circle in the middle of the swamp.
What makes El Ojo even more unusual is that it moves. Unlike the irregular mats of floating vegetation that are common in wetlands, this island keeps its circular form while slowly drifting and rotating in its surroundings. Some researchers suggest that underground water currents could be driving its motion.
America has its own odd Island: It’s far and powerless
While the heart-shaped Island and El Ojo have the beauty, another island suffers in America. Eastport is the easternmost island in the United States. Today, about 1,300 residents live there, relying on a single power line that stretches 40 miles from the mainland. The electricity runs along the coast of Maine, across rocky terrain, and over a causeway before it reaches the island. Life in Eastport comes with a harsh climate of heavy rain and strong winds. Winter storms off the Atlantic — like the back-to-back systems that hit in January 2025 — often knock out power when the fragile connection to the mainland goes down.