The beaches, mixed with traditional and exotic wildlife on the island, made the perfect canvas for this gorgeous and colorful Sanibel-Captiva Island map. 6000 years ago when Sanibel Island and Captiva Island joined, they created one of the best beach landscapes on the planet. Pillow soft white sands graced with an eclectic and broad range of gorgeous seashells make this now single island one of the most visited in the world.