Islands naturally ignite wanderlust. Whether your journey is a short ferry ride or oceans away, the extra effort it takes to get to that island seems to heighten the experience exponentially.
But which islands are most worthy of the trip? We asked readers to cast their votes in T+L’s 16th annual World’s Best survey, and the results reveal one universal truth: a predilection for islands with astonishing natural beauty. Bali continues to hold on to its ranking in the top five, but there are also surprises. Two of last year’s European islands fell off the list, while a desire for the far-flung raised the profile of destinations in the South Pacific and Asia. One such newcomer, Boracay in the Philippines, may be one of the last undiscovered Asian beach getaways............................................ see the list world best islands for 2011
No. 15 Mykonos, Greece
This year was the first that readers were able to vote on Mykonos as an individual island (and not as part of the Cyclades), and clearly, it was time to make the change—the destination surged directly into the list of top 5 islands of Europe. The Greek island of sun-bleached churches and throbbing nightlife may be a must-visit destination for club kids, but it’s also recapturing some of the low-key sophistication of its 1960s heyday, when Jackie O. and friends would sail into town. Then there are those legendary sunsets, which you can admire from the glamorous hillside spot CBar at the Belvedere Hotel.
No. 19 Corfu, Greece
Centuries of visitors and rulers—among them, Italians, Brits, and Turks—have felt the urge to claim this alluring Greek island for their own. It’s the farthest north of the seven Ionian islands and the greenest, with countless olive groves. And although the Ionian Islands (minus Corfu) made the World’s Best list for three years between 2004 and 2006, Corfu itself has never broken into the top 5. What’s changed? An improved score in the activities and sites category helped lift the destination’s rank in 2011.
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