Top 10 forgotten spots of paradise

A Reuters report says that everyone enjoys a touch of paradise, whether it’s a white-sand beach or untouched rural setting, but it seems to get harder to find a spot that is not already teeming with tourists.

Men’s web portal AskMen.com has come up with a list of its top 10 paradises on earth that have long been forgotten. This list is not endorsed by Reuters:

1. Tristan da Cunha

Officially the world’s remotest island, Tristan da Cunha rises out from the South Atlantic Ocean like a prehistoric volcano. Comprised of several uninhabited islands, one inaccessible island and the Nightingale Islands, this archipelago is like the lost world.

2. Cotswolds, England

It’s good enough for a bevy of British celebrities who descend here every weekend. Located in the county of Gloucestershire, the Cotswolds feature swooping hills, acres of lush greenery, shimmering lakes and winding roads.

3. Patagonia, Chile

Patagonia in southern Chile is seriously underrated otherwise it would probably be overrun. With beautiful forests, islands, fjords, glaciers and ice fields, coming to this paradise on earth is like stumbling onto the edge of the world.

4. Kauai, Hawaii

While the rest of Hawaii may have been overrun with developers, volcanic Kauai is so lightly developed that it has been dubbed The Garden Island. Over half of Kauai is declared parkland and most of the island’s interior is roadless, with thick forests, cascading waterfalls and the only navigable rivers in Hawaii.

5. Kiribati, Micronesia

The world’s most eastern point, Kiribati is an island nation about 4000 kilometres southwest of Hawaii in the Pacific. It comprises 33 islands and is home to the world’s largest protected marine reserve.

6. Algonquin Park, Canada

Just a three-hour drive from Toronto, Algonquin Park is a natural paradise on earth with its wind-sculptured pines, craggy shorelines and rushing rivers. Aside from a few camping grounds, lodgings and park buildings, the park is completely free from the burden of human civilization.

7. Thornybush Game Reserve, South Africa

Africa is arguably one of the most stunning continents on earth, teeming with exotic animals not found elsewhere and miles of untouched wilderness. Stay in one of the luxury thatched tents, where you’ll be able to unwind in a four-poster bed and watch the sunset from the hot tub on the viewing deck. During the day, take to the plains in a jeep, safari-style.

8. Morzine, France

A chic alpine paradise, Morzine, nestled in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, is the perfect place to get back to nature. Stay in a low-key chalet-hotel and enjoy traditional mountain hospitality with modern-day comforts. It boasts powdered snow, green pine trees at every turn and fresh air galore.

9. Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Sitting 380kms off Brazil’s northeastern coast, only 240 people are allowed on the archipelago at any one time, all of whom are required to pay environmental taxes to preserve the beauty of the 21 islands. Only the main island is inhabited, and that’s where you stay in boutique-style bed-and-breakfasts.

There’s not much to do other than swim in the Atlantic Ocean and bask beneath the sun.

10. Isla Vieques, Puerto Rico

Isla Vieques is an untouched paradise with verdant forests, never-ending stretches of white sand and a backdrop of rolling hills. Up until 2003, it was under the control of the Navy, but now they’re gone and it’s worth getting there soon.

by: The Mole