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(CNN) — Spin the globe, pick a spot and odds are good you’ll alight on the color blue: 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water.
Vast stretches of ocean spread from the edges of the continents, and what lies between the coasts is true wilderness. Far from terrestrial plants and light-filled shallows, the open ocean makes no accommodation for human comfort or survival.
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Islands are the exception. These widely scattered landing places offer respite in the form of fresh water, abundant food and the occasional fruity cocktail.
Every single one invites travelers to leave familiar shores behind.
Whether you’re dreaming of a beachy escape or plotting a course for the edges of the Earth, these are the world’s 10 most beautiful islands:
Milos (Greece)
This is where the famous Venus de Milo statue was discovered in 1820.
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This is where the famed Venus de Milo was discovered in 1820, and the island — like the statue — does spectacular justice to the ancient goddess of love.
Whitewashed houses with blue shutters mirror the island’s natural color scheme, and the coast has eroded into a wonderland of arches, coves and white-sand beaches that invite discovery. The Kleftiko caves, which you can reach only by water, are amazing.
Bartolomé (Ecuador)
Visitors can’t stay overnight at Bartolome Island in the Galapagos.
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The bald summit of Pinnacle Rock looks out across pale beaches and blue-green water, their colors offset by the coal-black lava flow at Sullivan Bay.
It’s not possible to overnight on Bartolomé, which is named for a friend of the naturalist Charles Darwin, but the island is just a day trip away from Santa Cruz, the Galápagos’ main base for visitors.
Go to: Don a snorkel and swim with Galápagos penguins, the only penguins to live north of the equator. Spot the native birds as they dart below the surface while looking for food.
Fregate (Seychelles)
Wild landscapes still thrive on the private island, which is a haven from the Seychelles’ more developed shores. Giant aldabra tortoises saunter through the understory here, while two species of sea turtles crawl ashore to lay their eggs.
Granite cliffs swerve for the breakers, giving way to powdery beaches: one, Anse Macquereau, can be turned into a perfectly private getaway. A “beach occupied” sign dangles from a nearby palm tree, inviting visitors to reserve the picture-perfect cove for themselves.
Go to: Channel castaway fantasies gone luxe. (Eating breakfast in a banyan tree platform is where Swiss Family Robinson meets fine china, pressed linen and impeccable service.)
St. Lucia (Lesser Antilles)
The Pitons are twin volcanic spires located in Saint Lucia.
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A matched set of volcanic peaks, the Pitons, are the spectacular centerpiece of this beautiful island.
Jura (Scotland)
The Jura mountains dominate the view on the isle of the same name.
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Walking trails ramble through mountains home to native red deer, while golden eagles and sea eagles wheel overhead.
Komodo Island (Indonesia)
Komodo Island will close to visitors in 2020 to protect its most famous residents.
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From a lipstick-pink beach to free-roaming lizards, Komodo Island is a topsy-turvy tropical paradise pulled straight from a fever dream.
Here, thorny savanna rolls towards a shoreline lapped by crystalline water, dramatically varied ecosystems that provide shelter for oddball wildlife.
Senja Island (Norway)
High mountains swoop toward indigo water off Senja Island, a showstopping destination in a country with more than 50,000 beautiful islands.
From the rocky summits of Ånderdalen National Park to deep, ice-chilled fjords, Senja Island is a dramatic stage for the natural beauty of the Arctic.
Mo’orea (French Polynesia)
A fringing reef wraps the island of Mo’orea in a sheltered embrace, creating a creamy blue lagoon that’s a natural playground for swimming and snorkeling.
But it’s a dramatic backdrop of jungle mountains that make Mo’orea one of the most beautiful islands on Earth. The summits rise from the forest like jagged stone teeth, a rugged contrast to the paradise scenes at the water’s edge.
Go to: Sleep in an overwater bungalow with views of the mountains, then sip your morning coffee as tropical fish dart beneath your front porch.
Palawan, Philippines
Palawan offers many secert beaches with clear water and pale sand.
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Go to: Ride a tidal river deep into a limestone cave system, then bask away the afternoon on a postcard-ready beach.
Kaua’i (United States)
Cooled lava forms tubes on the rugged Nā Pali Coast. The rest of the island is pretty spectacular, too.
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Native forest here provides habitat for bird species that only live in the Hawaiian islands, and a trip into the wilderness reveals hanging valleys and towering waterfalls above crystal-clear freshwater pools.
The most spectacular wilderness on Hawaii’s “Garden Island” flanks the Nā Pali Coast, which intrepid hikers can reach via a challenging trail known as one of America’s toughest walks.
Go to: Hike the wilderness Nā Pali Coast Trail to an untouched beach that can’t be reached by road.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story included a photo that misidentified the location of Senja Island, Norway, and misstated that there’s more than one black sand beach on Kaua’i.
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