When you actually want to get away from it, set your course for these beautiful, stunning islands, as chosen by Leisure + Travel readers. Bora-Bora actually seduces couples with visions of bungalows over the water above the turquoise lagoon. But that is actually not all: island also offers coral reefs and, do you need backup, St. Regis romance concierge (duties have also included spelling of “Marry Me” in coconut husks on the beach). The Tahitian island has surely captured hearts of Leisure + Travel readers, who voted Bora-Bora No. 1 Island for romance, a novel category in this year’s World’s Best Awards survey. Spin globe and you are bound to land by one of the top beautiful and romantic islands. From Indian to the Mediterranean Ocean, they share the prevailing ingredient of fantasy. Along with family and loved one there is nothing like escaping to an island to spotlight shine eyes in most jaded traveler.
Consider Kauai’s Hawaiian island, whose primeval rainforest, dramatic scenery, photo-ready waterfalls has more than sufficient film credits to complete those of an A-list actor, including Avatar, The Descendants, &the steamy noir Body Heat.“People see an island on screen&they desire that fantasy,” says Worldview Travel’s Adam Rog, citing the influence of books and movies on romantic and beautiful getaways. Celebrities also raise a profile of the island, as is true of St. Bart’s, a white-sand favorite in French West Indies, &Mustique, part of Grenadines, a Caribbean island chain where Mick Jagger actually have a villa.
And the secret is out about more accessible Puerto Rican island of Vieques (No. 9), along with substantial National Wildlife refuge—protecting lagoons, sea turtles and mangroves—and the dreamy bioluminescent bay. Eco mindset actually carries through at intimate Hix Island House, which in recent times opened its solar-powered 6-room Casa Solaris.Even couples who get antsy afterward an hour at beach or recoil from outdoor adventures could find more than enough diversions on islands like Santorini (No. 3), where there are literally extraordinary archaeological sites to explore. As ever with romance, little secret goes a long way. Below mentioned the top 10 most beautiful islands in the world.
(10) Bali
Bali’s been at the apex of romance circuit for lots of years, if not centuries, with couples drawn to mountainous landscapes, mist-shrouded temples, Balinese art, &world-famous friendliness of locals. The island actually got a recent boost from the success of Pray, Eat, and Love, whose film crew chose white-sand Padang-Padang beach as the backdrop. Just short drive away from here is novel Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran, along with saltwater lagoon pool.
(9) Vieques, Puerto Rico
The secret is definitely revealed about Vieques, which promises key ingredients for romance, among them, a slew of pristine coves & beaches &languid pace. Portions of island are actually designated a National Wildlife refuge, protecting sea turtles, mangroves and lagoons—and the famous bioluminescent bay of island is filled with microscopic organisms that literally flash bright blue &illuminate water. The eco mindset here actually carries through at intimate Hix Island House, which recently opened its solar-powered 6-room Casa Solaris in the past year, built by John Hix, a Canadian-born architect.
(8) Moorea, Tahiti
The fewer-visited Bora-Bora’s sister island provides a powerful blend of blue lagoons, rugged jungle interior&scents of Pamplemousse, tiare, and vanilla that swirl in the air. It is believed that author James Michener’s Bali Hai in Stories of South Pacific was actually inspired by the island. To get lay of the land, drive up Magic Mountain, and you will see Opunohu &Cook’s bays sparkle beneath. Tahitians are actually typically friendly and open& could point you to the wild, coconut-strewn beach where Mutiny on Bounty was once filmed.
(7) Maui
Peel back tropical-paradise façade of this Hawaiian island to expose a rich variety of landscapes: the sugarcane farms and fields like O’o Farm; the unearthly summit of volcanic crater Haleakala; &1900s cowboy town of Makawao, with horses running down back roads. For ultimate tucked-away-ness, the eastern town of Hana at the edge of tropical forest is like falling back in time&after day out exploring, you could retreat to luxe Travaasa Hana Maui, a very special place that highlights tradition and culture of Hawaii, from indigenous patterns utilized in textiles to ukulele &hula lessons.
(6) Maldives
This remote Indian Ocean archipelago actually greets travelers with atolls, white-sand beaches, and secluded high-end resorts that tempt celebrities and honeymooners. The lowest-lying nation of the world has actually close union with the sea: where else will you find a hotel with the coral nursery. That will be Niyama Maldives, a Per Aquum Resort. It actually has a restaurant reachable with the help of a boat only.
(5) Boracay, Philippines
Once backpacking haven with only most basic accommodations, this 5-mile-long island now competes for better-known Asian destinations like Koh Samui and Phuket Thailand. A forty-five-minute flying from Manila brings you to either Caticlan or Kalibo, where boats will link directly to White Beach, whose fine sand might just be softest in the world.A short tuk-tuk ride from the southern end of White Beach, Mandala Spa and Villas feels like a true retreat, with daily massages and yoga classes included in room rates, along with all mangoes you could eat. Cliffside Pool Villa has actually best vantage point over the Sulu Sea.
(4) Kauai, Hawaii
It is the oldest of eight main islands of Hawaii and perhaps most dramatic, with scenery that starts from red-walled canyons and wind-eroded mountains to photo-ready waterfalls and primeval rainforest.Share succession of little plates (honeycomb with goat cheese; slow-braised short ribs) at laid-back, Hanalei’s open-air Bar Acuda. Do not miss a 6-hour hike of Kauai Nature Tours with Chuck Blay; you will learn myths of every flower and fruit along the way.
(3) Santorini, Greece
Santorini classically Thera and officially Thira is actually an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 120 mi (200 km) southeast of mainland Greece. It’s the largest island of a circular, small archipelago that bears the same name and is a remnant of a volcanic named caldera. It forms the southernmost member of Cyclades group of islands, with an area of almost 28 sq. mi (73 km2) and 15,550populations according to 2011 census. Municipality of Santorini comprises inhabited islands of Therasia and Santorini and uninhabited islands of Palaia Kameni, Nea Kameni, Christiana, and Aspronisi. The whole land area is 34.990 sq. mi (90.623 km2). Santorini is part of the Thira regional unit.If there were ever a place that can get by on its looks, it will be Santorini. Whitewashed cave houses literally backed by blue-domed churches and framed by bougainvillea spill down the rim of an ancient volcanic crater; at sunset, Sea of Crete is bathed in the blushing glow. Yet as compelling as scenery might be, the true appeal of Santorini actually lies in wealth of diversions, red, black or white beaches and archaeological sites from the prehistoric era. You can enjoy Perivolas hotel’s The Perivolas Suite, whose Cliffside terrace appears to hover at the edge of the crater.
(2) Capri, Italy
Capri is actually an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in Italy’s Campania region. The main town Capri that is positioned on island shares name. It has been a resort since the time of the Roman Republic.Some of the main features of the island include the following: the Marina Piccola, the Belvedere of Tragara, the limestone crags known as sea stacks that project above sea, the Blue Grotto, the town of Anacapri, and ruins of Imperial Roman villas.
Known for its waterfront villas and limestone cliffs, this 4-square-mile speck in the Tyrrhenian Sea completely embraces the concept of la dolce vita. (For proof, look to afternoon crowds stretched out on rocks and sipping Prosecco at beach club named glamorous La Fontelina.) A funicular railway whisks visitors from the main port to boutique-lined streets of Capri town; privacy-seekers have heading upward by bus or foot to the quieter village of Anacapri. There, stroll through gardens of 19th-century Villa San Michele with only ivy-covered statues. You can stay at No. 2 at J. K. Place Capri for a beautiful roomy terrace &dreamlike water views.
(1) Bora-Bora, French Polynesia
Bora Bora is actually an island in the Leeward group of Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. Island is actually located about 143 miles (230 kilometers) northwest of Papeete, is encircled by a barrier reef and a lagoon. In the center of the island are remnants of an extinct volcano rising to 2 peaks, Mount Otemanu and Mount Pahia, the highest point at 2,385 feet (727 meters). Bora Bora is actually a major global tourist destination, re-known for its aqua-centric resorts. Vaitape, major settlement, is on the western side of Main Island, opposite the main channel in the lagoon. Produce of the island is mostly limited to what could be obtained from the sea and plentiful coconut trees, which were generally of economic importance for copra. What can be more seductive than a bungalow above turquoise lagoon? That is the essence of Bora-Bora, French Polynesia’s geographically blessed sliver. At its heart lies jagged peak of Mount Otemanu; on its fringes, a coral reef with a spin of colorful marine life &tiny Motus (islets).