The little-known Japanese island that's the most trending travel spot on the planet...

Ishigaki attracts visitors for its azure waters and superb diving.

A small island with a population of around 50,000 in Japan’s southwestern Okinawa Prefecture – which has been compared to Hawaii in the past – has been named the top trending travel spot for this year by the users of TripAdvisor.

Ishigaki has seen a significant rise in visitor numbers in recent years for its sandy beaches, mangrove forests and world-class diving spots. The travel website's top accolade for 'destinations on the rise' went to the Japanese island in its pick of the world’s top trending destinations for 2018 for its annual Travellers’ Choice awards.