Well, it does beat Alcatraz...

National Geographic Traveler magazine has ranked the five best and worst island destinations in the world. I've never been to the four worst, but I do have intimate knowledge of the fifth: Hilton Head Island.

The reasons given "monotonous in a squeaky-clean way" and "poster boy for tourism development gone wild" are pretty weak. That latter one isn't even close to being true; look at the (admittedly non-island) destinations of Myrtle Beach and Orlando for much better examples of uncontrolled tourism growth. And with the reasons given, ranking Hilton Head almost as bad as #4 Jamaica, where vacation houses list armed guards among the amenities, is pretty silly.

Now I know what you're all thinking... "Brian is defending Hilton Head? Isn't Hilton Head the place he bitched about until he finally moved away and shut up about it last year?"

Let's not be too hasty.

I said the ranking was harsh - based on the reasons listed. If the anonymous experts had used better arguments, you could make the case. A mention of how native islanders (almost all of whom are black) are being taxed off their ancestors' land; the crappy way Hispanic immigrants (legal or not) are treated even though the island's economy would crash without them; the general intolerance of anything not conservative, wealthy and white; and the mess just over the bridge in Bluffton, and you may have earned yourself a #5 ranking.

Although it is fun to read how island officials try to spin this.

• Posted by Brian at 11:53 PM
• Comments (3)
• Category: Rant