Beautiful Island

1. Mallorca (Spain)

Rock Es Pontas, Cala Santanyi, Mallorca, Spain

The beautiful Balearic Island of Mallorca is located off the east coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea. Mallorca, also spelled Majorca, is a beautiful paradise popular with European tourists on holiday. Visitors to Mallorca enjoy lounging on the white sand beaches, enjoying the coastal scenery, and just taking it easy. The island also has a lively nightlife and club scene. Mallorca is a perfect summer beach destination with hot and sunny day, warm nights, and little rain. Getting to Mallorca is a breeze, with flights arriving daily from most major European cities. A ferry can also be taken from the other Balearic Islands and several points on Spain’s coast.

2. Cook Island (New Zealand)

The stunning Cook Islands are a tropical paradise located deep in the South Pacific Ocean. The Cook Islands are self-governing and are in free association with New Zealand which lies to the southwest. Also nearby are French Polynesia (including the islands of Moorea and Bora Bora) and American Samoa. Within the Cook Islands are 15 major islands divided into two groups: the Northern Cook Islands and the Southern Cook Islands. The Northern Cook Islands consist of six coral atolls. The capital of the Cook Islands is the city of Avarua, on the most populous island Rarotonga. The island of Aitutaki is also a popular destination for tourists. Visitors to the Cook Islands can enjoy swimming in the crystal blue ocean waters, sunbathing on the spectacular white sand beaches, or snorkeling over the fertile reef. The Cook Islands are also popular for weddings and honeymoons.

3. Solomon Island (Papua New Guinea)

The breathtaking paradise of the nearly 1000 islands that make up the sovereign state of the Solomon Islands is a haven for divers, snorkelers, and beach loungers alike. The Solomon Islands are located in the Oceania region of the Pacific Ocean, East of Papua New Guinea, and are home to just over half a million people. The ancient peoples of the Solomon Islands first arrived an estimated 32,000 years ago, and were known for headhunting and cannibalism before the arrival of Europeans in the late 1500s. Today, the Solomon Islands area has been rising in popularity as a destination for scuba divers, though the growth of tourism has been slowed due to lack of infrastructure and transportation difficulties. But for those who can get there, the Solomon Islands are an unmatched slice of heaven on Earth.

4. Ibiza (Spain)

Nestled in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain, Ibiza is a stunningly beautiful island paradise. Known for its gorgeous white sand beaches and lively nightclubs. The three largest cities on the island are Ibiza Town (also called Vila), Santa Eulària des Riu, and Sant Antoni de Portmany. Ibiza isn’t all partying though, it is also home to numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Benirràs Bay’s “God’s Finger”. After checking out the tourist stops, most visitors opt to sunbathe on the beautiful beaches before hitting the towns for all night clubbing.

5. Moorea, French Polynesia.

The stunning white sand beaches and beautiful mountains of Moorea amaze even the most seasoned traveler. A small tropical island in French Polynesia, Moorea is neighbor to the island of Tahiti, and the island of Bora Bora is also nearby. Romantic Moorea is a popular honeymoon destination, known for its exquisite scenery, excellent snorkeling and diving, and enchanting rain forests. Visitors can get to Moorea via a ferry that departs daily from Papeete, Tahiti. The island of Tahiti is home to Faa’a International Airport, the gateway to this region.

Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay - Moorea, French Polynesia

6. Martha's vineyard (Massachussets, USA)

Martha’s Vineyard is a small island off the southern coast of Cape Cod in the state of Massachusetts on the east coast of the United States. The island is home to a number of quaint beach towns, the three most popular being Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, and Edgartown. Martha’s Vineyard has a land area of 232 square kilometers (87 square miles) and has an estimated year-round population of 15,000 residents, though over 60,000 people have been known to visit at once during the summer which is the island’s busiest season for tourism. Most visitors to Martha’s Vineyard simply enjoy the beach town life, bike the extensive trail network and admire the stunning Victorian architecture of the old houses in Oak Bluffs. Gay Head Cliffs is a popular landmark on the western-most part of the island. The cliffs are made entirely of colorful clay. Tourist to Martha’s Vineyard can find excellent accommodation in any of the coastal towns, or opt for a more secluded stay on the interior of the island.

7. Santorini (greece)

Southeast of mainland Greece in the southern Aegean Sea lies the stunning island of Santorini. A volcanic island, Santorini is an arid environment with a hot desert climate and very little rainfall, one of the only two environments of its kind in Europe. Fira, the capital, and Oia are the two main cities to visit on the island. The buildings and home of Santorini are the island’s most striking feature, consisting of whitewashed cube shaped houses, many with beautiful blue domed roofs. The hot climate and lovely black sand beaches make lounging on the beach with a delicious drink a favorite activity for visitors. Santorini is also home to wine vineyards, and a variety of world renowned vegetables, including tomatoes, white eggplants, and cucumbers. The island also has an airport which receives flights from Olympic Air, Aegean Airlines and Athens Airways. Fantastic accommodation for any budget can be found on this magnificent unique island.

8. Bora bora (french, Polynesia)

Officially a collectivity of France, the island of Bora Bora lies in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia. With its amazing reef, fantastic white sand beaches, and laid-back local population it is easy to see why Bora Bora is considered by many to be paradise on Earth. The island itself features an extinct volcano in the center and is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. Bora Bora is a tourist hot-spot and many resorts and over-the-water bungalows have been built on the island. The population of locals is just under 9,000 with Tahitian, French, and some English spoken. Visitors can enjoy world-class diving and snorkeling, as well as sunset catamaran cruises, fishing trips, and jet ski rentals.

9. Seychelles Island (Africa)

The island nation known as the Seychelles can be found in the Indian Ocean off the East coast of Africa, North of Madagascar. There are 115 islands in the archipelago. Seychelles has become a popular tourist destination, thanks to its stunning tropical beaches and interesting wildlife. Popular activities include diving, fishing, sailing, and laying around on amazing white sand beaches. Visitors can find any range of accommodation on the main islands of Praslin, La Digue or Mahé, as well as a variety on outlying islands.

10. Phi Phi Island (thailand)

Once a backpacker’s secret, Thailand’s Phi Phi islands exploded onto the tourist map after the release of The Beach, a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio that was filmed on one of the islands. Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Lee are located between the island of Phuket and mainland Thailand off the West coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Ko Phi Phi Don is the larger of the two islands and is home to permanent residents and a myriad of accommodations for tourists. Ko Phi Phi Lee has spectacular white sand beaches and can be visited by boat only, with trips leaving from the larger island throughout the day. Visitors can enjoy diving, snorkeling and kayaking in the waters off both islands.

11. Maldives (Sri Lanka)

Southwest of Sri Lanka in the Laccadive Sea lies a paradise like no other, the island country of the Maldives. The Republic of the Maldives consists of twenty-six atolls in an area spanning 90,000 square kilometers (34,749 square miles). The Maldives are popular for their picture-perfect lush islands ringed by gorgeous white sand beaches. The tiny country is the smallest in Asia both in land mass and population (309,000 people). It also has the lowest high point of any country in the world at 2.3 meters (7 feet 7 inches) and because of this the rising sea level threatens its very existence. All total, the Maldives consists of roughly 1,190 coral islands, only 185 of which are inhabited. The islands were discovered as a tourist destination in the 1970s and today tourism accounts for just under 30% of the country’s GDP. A range of accommodation for any budget can be found on the Maldives, and the country’s capital city of Male is home to an international airport.