Donauinseln: Danubian Island of the year 2025

20 November 2025

Danubian Island of the year 2025

Autumn is here again, and the Danube Islands blog is announcing the Danube Island of the Year vote for the thirteenth time! The selection of islands follows the usual pattern: you can choose from one foreign island, one existing Hungarian island, and one disappearing Hungarian island. However, this year's selection is a bit provocative, as the list includes an artificial island in Slovakia, a revived island, and one in its final stages.

Voting for the three nominees will take place until December 30, 2025.

Last year's winner, the Rafás island in Szigetszentmárton has been named after the guy on the left.

In the usual introduction, it is important to reiterate that the main purpose of the vote is to highlight the thousands of islands along the nearly 3,000-kilometer stretch of the river, as even locals are often unaware of the diversity of habitats and the rich and ancient history of the Danube islands. This is particularly true in light of the fact that since the start of the competition in 2013, there have been winners that have since lost their island status. Many people have visited the Seychelles islands before visiting any of the islands listed below. As this is already the thirteenth vote, it seems that a tradition has been established and, alongside other votes such as "Fish, Mineral, Insect of the Year," etc., this initiative is slowly gaining popularity not only in Hungary but also in neighboring countries.

Our winners so far:

2014. Helemba Island, Esztergom

2015. Kismarosi Island, Kismaros

2016. Szalki Island, Dunaújváros

2017. Csallóköz/Žitný ostrov, Slovakia

2018. Molnár Island, Soroksár, Budapest

2019. The Great Island of Rácalmás

2020. Kerekzátony Island, Ráckeve

2021. The Island of Mohács, Hungary

2022. Prímás Island, Esztergom

2023. Gubacsi Island, Soroksár

2024. Rafás Island, Szigetszentmárton

Current events played a role in selecting this year's nominees. This year, we visited the revitalized Erebe Island, which currently resembles a construction site, the Pap Island branch in Szentendre, where the spread of vegetation seems unstoppable, and thirdly, the Bird Island (Vtáčí ostrov, Madár-sziget) built in the Gabčíkovo reservoir, which we almost managed to reach this year with a maintenance team that weeds the island every year.

We present the nominees in alphabetical order from the Bős reservoir to the Szentendre Danube:

Erebe islands, Nagyszentjános-Ács (Gönyű)

One of the most important Danube revitalization projects in 2024 took place east of Gönyű, in the tributary of the Erebe Islands, and several videos were made about the dismantling of its parallel structures. Its ceremonial inauguration took place in February 2025, and in March we presented the newly "completed" riverbed on our blog. The nature conservation project had three objectives: to increase the biodiversity of the area, which is characterized by a network of side branches and varied gravel banks, to restore wetlands, and to improve the quality of life of the local population. In addition to its Natura 2000 classification, the importance of the archipelago is highlighted by the fact that, apart from Gemenc, it is the only place where the Danube Forest Reserve can be found. It is worth spending a whole day exploring it.

Erebe Islands and what can be seen from it during the 1965 flood

The new riverbank, spring 2025.

Bird Island (Vtáčí ostrov, Madár-sziget) - Somorja (SK)

The Euglena viridis-shaped artificial island in the middle of the Gabčíkovo reservoir is a beauty patch on the face of the unprecedented island destruction caused by the Gabčíkovo dam. Its shores are protected from wave erosion by stone embankments, its surface is a nesting place for many bird species, and it is a safe haven for migratory birds. Since artificial habitats can only be maintained artificially, enthusiastic nature conservationists move in every year and weed out the undergrowth and trees they consider unsuitable. Other than that, access is impossible and strictly prohibited.

The location of Vtáčí ostrov (Bird Island) just before it was destroyed by the Gabčíkovo dam.

Keyhole for seagulls wishing to reproduce

Pap island, Szentendre

If we hurry, we can still see something of Szentendre's last island on the Danube, where the tributary increasingly resembles a forest, and where water is becoming a rare visitor in the disappearing riverbed. The fate of Pap Island, would probably have been sealed by the silting up of the Szentendre Danube, but the earthworks built across the tributary greatly accelerated this process, which was not helped by the fact that the dam was later replaced by a bridge. The change is striking even over a period of decades, with this Danube island practically disappearing before our eyes.