How do I create low poly style terrain How do I create a ico sphere type flat surface, like a low poly terrain for an island

I can create a surface using subdivide and triangulate but the result just isn't the same

Here is an example of what I desire:


Edit: Here is the best that I can do, and the faces just aren't rotated in the same way, and that's what I want to accomplish (notice that I'm quite new to this program)
Albeit the somewhat vague description of your problem, let's give it a try...

Creating low poly models as shown in the above image require a little more polygons to start with. The more data Blender has to work with, the better the result. 

Let's start with a nice terrain (in my case done with the ANT Landscape addon) that has a decent amount of geometry. My model has 16k faces.

 

Now go to Properties Window - Modifiers - Add Modifier - Decimate



In the Decimate modifier's settings chose "collapse", check "triangulate" and lower the ratio until you have the desired effect.



This is what your model should look like (reduced to 3k faces).