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Do you know where the world’s most beautiful islands are? If you are in need of nice weather, white sand and crystal clear water, here are a few islands that you must definitely visit one day.
1. Bali, Indonesia
Bali is known for its forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddies, beaches and coral reefs. It is also famous for its yoga, meditation retreats and surf camps.
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2. Hawaiian Islands, United States
Formerly known to Europeans and Americans as the Sandwich Islands, the Hawaiian Islands form an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean. Oahu is the most popular island. That is where the capital Honolulu is located. Oahu is also home to one of the most famous beaches in the world, Waikiki.
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3. Maldives
This archipelago is composed of 26 coral atolls, which are made up of hundreds of islands. It’s known for its beaches, blue lagoons and extensive reefs. More than 90% of its government tax revenues come from imports and tourism-related taxes.
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4. Balearic Islands, Spain
The four largest islands of this archipelago are Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. There are many smaller islands and islets such as Cabrera, Dragonera and S’Espalmador. The four major islands are all popular tourist destinations. Ibiza is a famous international party spot.
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5. Greek Islands, Greece
Greece hosts between 1,200 and 6,000 islands, depending on the minimum size to take into account. The Archipelago offers a very diversified landscape with beaches stretching over many kilometers, sheltered bays and coves and sand-dunes.
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6. St. Lucia
St. Lucia is another island famous for its gorgeous beaches and its rainforest. It is a popular cruise ship stop.
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7. St. Barts
St. Barts or Saint Barthélemy is a French-speaking Caribbean island. It is known for its white-sand beaches, chic hotels and designer shops. The cuisine in St. Barts ranks among the Caribbean’s best.
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8. Seychelles
The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean off East Africa. The island is surrounded by beaches and coral reefs. It is one of the few places where you will find giant Aldabra tortoises.
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9. Sicily, Italy
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy officially referred to as Regione Siciliana. There are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the island.
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10. Mauritius
Mauritius is one of the world’s top luxury tourism destinations. It has a wide range of natural and man-made attractions, a tropical climate, attractive beaches and tropical fauna and flora. The island is relatively young geologically, having been created by volcanic activity about 8 million years ago.
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11. Lombok, Indonesia
Lombok has always been overshadowed by Bali, but it is now considered Indonesia’s next big tourist destination. It is known for palm-fringed, coral-ringed beaches and world-class surf.
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12. Cuba
Cuba has been opening up and you can expect an increasing number of tourists in the island. It has long been an attractive destination for tourists. The island treasures hundreds of protected areas, 257 national monuments and 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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13. Malta
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Malta hosts 1.6 million tourists per year. It is also becoming a popular medical tourism destination.
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14. Sardinia, Italy
The Sardinia economy heavily relies on tourism. The island has almost 2,000km of coastline, sandy beaches and a mountainous interior that is very popular for hiking.
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15. Capri, Italy
Tourists love Capri. You will find secret swimming coves, turquoise waters, terraced gardens, and ruins of Emperor Tiberio’s palace.
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16. Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef is where you will find world’s largest coral reefs collection. It has about 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc.
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17. Antigua
Antigua is the home of many paradisiacal beaches of every size.
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18. Barbados
Barbados is the easternmost island in the Lesser Antilles. The island has more than 70 miles of beaches of both pink and white sands.
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19. Jamaica
Jamaica has a lush topography of mountains, rainforests and reef-lined beaches. Most of its resorts are located in vibrant Montego Bay and Negril, which is renowned for diving and snorkelling.
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20. Koh Samui, Thailand
Ko Samui is one of Thailand’s largest islands. The island is famous for its palm-fringed beaches circling coconut groves and dense rainforest. There are many luxury resorts, posh spas and nightclubs.
SEE ALSO: 10 Places You Must Visit Before It’s Too Late.
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