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Formentera (Balearic islands): The detained island
Just twelve miles of navigation separate the ports of Ibiza and Formentera, a boundary of space and time that made the difference in character between these two Pityusic islands. Its pristine sands of incredible beauty, its leisurely pace and its small size turn the smallest of the Balearic Islands into a true paradise.
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Cies Islands (Galicia): The islands of the Gods
Legend has it that, after six arduous days of creating the world, God rested on the seventh day on Earth and, by placing his hand in it, he created the Galician estuaries. The Cies Islands, in the Rias Baixas, are all a whim of supernatural beauty with a beach which was declared the best in the world. Since 2002 the Cies Islands are part of the National Maritime Terrestrial Park of the Atlantic Islands.
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Laccadives Islands (India): On the route of Captain Nemo
Seen from above, they look like tiny bits of India that one day split off the continent to get lost at sea. The Laccadives are other of the fortunate Indian Ocean islands, thirty terroir protected by beautiful coral reefs and dressed with atolls. They are the dream of every diver. Only part of the Laccadives is open to tourism and provides access to their atolls.
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Madeira (Portugal): The green heart
Paths between volcanic slopes next to kilometric mechanisms that carry water to the crops of delicious fruits and beautiful tropical flowers, stylish hotels and locations of deep Portuguese tradition, cellars where you can taste universal wines… And the nature is always present. That and more is in Madeira. Porto Santo is a 9-kilometer beach.
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Saona Island (Dominican Republic): Out of range
It has no airport or hotel infrastructure. Only a few hundred inhabitants live there, but this place is visited by thousands of people every year. This Dominican paradise is part of the National Park of the East and its pristine beaches and coral reefs can make you fall in love with them. This is so true that many visitors come back to do the tour all over again.
Image courtesy of felicidade at Flickr.com
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Saint Martin (French and Dutch): One island, two styles
The island with two names -Saint Martin in French and Sint Maarten in Dutch- is one of the best Caribbean destinations for those who do not want complications: Direct flights to Europe, good hotels and a wide variety of attractions, among which are some of the best casinos in the islands. The Caribbean in its most pure form. With 37 beaches, the waters of Saint Martin allow you to practice a variety of sports.
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Bora Bora (French Polynesia): In the blue lagoon
For decades, this island in the archipelago of the Îles de la Société, whose singular landscape has remained unchanged since the first European expeditions arrived in the eighteenth century, has been on the lists of the most desired and valued destinations in the world. It has beauty and luxurious hotels. The coral reef of the island shows the evolution of sharks and sea turtles.
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Hayman and the Whitsundays (Australia): In the Great Barrier
Consisting of nearly a hundred islands and islets with a subtropical climate and welt with mangroves, the Whitsundays Australian archipelago coexists with the Great Barrier Reef, the largest underwater spectacle of the planet and home to some of the best beaches in the world.
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Bazaruto and Quirimbas (Mozambique): Intact beaches, full of life
Some of the most attractive destinations arise in countries that have not normally been included in the list of the most touristic ones. Forgotten by travelers for decades, Mozambique has been for over fifteen years gradually forging a reputation of being a quiet place, full of natural parks and islands to discover. Portuguese traders found in these waters the best pearls of the Indian ocean.
Image courtesy of E at Flickr.com
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Mykonos (Greece): The darling of the Cyclades
The island where it is said that Apollo and Artemis were born is now famous for its lively nightlife.
Small and arid, it could be just another one among the 5,000 islands scattered in the Aegean Sea. But the gods did not forget about it. Its precious and austere architecture, its coves and its famous nightlife have made of it one of the preferred destinations in Greece.
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Corsica (France): The mountain that rises from the sea
South of the Cote d’Azur, Corsica is one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean, which has a deep historical past that is reflected in a rich architectural and cultural heritage. Its curious terrain, where it is not uncommon to find snowy peaks and bays that are difficult to access, create a landscape of great beauty.
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Cyprus: Nine thousand years of civilization
At the far end of the Mediterranean Sea, between Africa, Asia and Europe is an island designed for travelers who love art and history. Rich in Byzantine churches, Roman mosaics, mosques and Greek temples, the only problem you’ll encounter in Cyprus is finding the time to lie by the sea. In addition to good beaches, the coast of Cyprus is home to natural, archeological and historical treasures.
