10. Galápagos, Ecuador
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The payoff for traveling to this archipelago 600 miles off Ecuador’s coast? For starters, face time with prehistoric marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and red-pouched frigate birds. At Puerto Ayora’s Tortuga Bay, you can snorkel and sunbathe with indigenous tortoises, sea lions, and lava gulls.
Where to Stay: A stay on Quasar Expedition’s recently revamped 32-passenger M/V Evolution luxury yacht comes with expert naturalist guides and glass-bottomed kayaks for underwater sightseeing. galapagosexpeditions.com
9. Koh Samui, Thailand
Serenity-seekers, beach lovers, golf enthusiasts, backpackers, and jet-setting partiers all descend on this 13-mile-wide, coconut-grove-laden island, a longtime Thai fishing community. Chaweng Beach has glistening turquoise waters with the best nightlife, while palm-lined Bophut offers a quieter slice of paradise.
Where to Stay: Banyan Tree for its 88 private-pool, hillside villas occupying a secluded peninsula on idyllic Lamai Beach. banyantree.com
8. Sicily, Italy
Sicily puts its own enigmatic spin on what it means to be Italian, with its fusion of culinary traditions, east-meets-west architecture, and layered history. Ancient ruins and vineyards vie with crumbling seaside villages for your attention. One place to start: the beach at San Vito Lo Capo near Trapani, where you can soak up the island’s intense sunshine.
Where to Stay: Check in to Grand Hotel Timeo for its spectacular views of Mount Etna and proximity to the ancient city of Taormina, or rent a villa on the island’s western coast.
7. Kauai, Hawaii
A playground for nature enthusiasts, laid-back Kauai is covered with verdant mountainous landscapes, plunging waterfalls, scenic hiking trails (layered along the dramatic Na Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon), and more than 60 beaches. The South Shore’s Poipu Beach or Princeville’s Hanalei Bay beach will put you in instant vacation mode—especially if you have a mai tai in hand.
Where to Stay: Poipu’s Koa Kea Hotel & Resort provides a more intimate escape than nearby mega-resorts, while St. Regis Princeville is carved into a cliff with an 11,000-square-foot spa and 5,000-square-foot infinity pool.
6. Bali, Indonesia
Sugary beach landscapes, jewel-green rice paddies, and ancient temples: the physical and spiritual beauty of Bali was enthralling travelers well before the Eat, Pray, Love phenomenon—and continues to do so. Start your quest for inner peace by watching the sunrise on Sanur beach’s sweeping sands, then experiencing a Balinese massage along the promenade.
Where to Stay: The new Regent Bali is the ultimate place to meditate, with 94 ultra-luxe beachfront suites on 10 acres of tropical gardens. regenthotels.com
5. Prince Edward Island, Canada
While it’s known as the setting of the much-loved children’s series Anne of Green Gables, Canada’s smallest and least populous province also attracts visitors with its cobalt blue seas, vibrant emerald pastures, and red sands. Head to Thunder Cove beach and prepare to be wowed by the rust-colored dunes and crashing waves.
Where to Stay: Dalvay-by-the-Sea, Tudor-style cottages on the edge of picturesque Prince Edward Island National Park, with Adirondack chairs dotting the expansive lawn and water views.
4. Santorini, Greece
Gleaming white houses and blue-domed buildings perched on soaring cliffs above the sparkling Aegean Sea—it must be Santorini, a distinctly picturesque island among the many-splendored Greek Isles. Roam the palapa-shaded black sands of Perissa Beach or ogle the dramatic sunsets of cliff-top village Oia, one of the most photographed spots in the world.
Where to Stay: Oia’s Katikies Hotel overlooks the sweeping caldera basin with 27 whitewashed cubist cottages situated around two infinity pools.
3. Maui, Hawaii
Maui has won over T+L readers once again as the most sought-after Hawaiian island. Can you blame it? Just consider the evidence: the surfer haven of Paia; the heart-stopping scenic drive past secret waterfalls to Hana; miles of perfect coastline like Napili Beach; lush valleys; and otherworldly trails along Haleakala volcano.
Where to Stay: Favored celebrity hideout Four Seasons Resort at Wailea caters to every whim with three stellar restaurants, Pacific and volcano views, and customized spa packages.
2. Boracay, Philippines
Boracay, which ranked No. 1 last year, has made room for up-and-coming Palawan, yet the island continues to exert its own powerful appeal on travelers. Boracay is smaller and more accessible, with more nightlife. White Beach boasts of the world’s softest sand, while Puka Beach offers beautiful seashells and the romance of seclusion.
Where to Stay: Discovery Shores Boracay, voted the No. 1 hotel spa in Asia in the 2013 World’s Best Awards, or Shangri-La Boracay Resort & Spa for its two private beaches and Sulu Sea vistas.
1. Palawan, Philippines
This lightly populated archipelago of 1,780 islands makes a splashy debut on the World’s Best Islands list by nabbing the No. 1 title thanks to its unspoiled beauty, abundant wildlife, and seascapes, which T+L readers deemed second to none. Seek out the serenity of the beaches of El Nido, where Bacuit Bay’s coral reefs teem with tropical fish, or, for bragging rights, the world’s longest underground navigable river.
Where to Stay: On the edge of a tropical rainforest, the palm-thatched villas of new luxury hideaway El Nido Pangulasian Island front a sandy cove where you can dive with sea turtles. elnidoresorts.com
