Top 10 Paradises on Earth

NO.10 - ISLA VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO
We knew there was a reason why the U.S. Navy stayed so long in Puerto Rico. Just six miles off the coast is Isla Vieques, an untouched paradise on Earth with verdant forests, never-ending stretches of white sand and a backdrop of rolling hills that only Monet could have dreamed. Up until 2003, it was under the control of the Navy, but now they’re gone, so we can go there. Stay at the blissfully chic Bravo Beach Hotel, which has direct access to the coastline. Here you’ll be able to saddle up and gallop across the sand Black Beauty-style. If you do go, be sure to do it soon. With Starwood’s W Retreat having opened, Isla Vieques’ undiscovered appeal could soon be lost forever.

NO.9 - FERNANDO DE NORONHA, BRAZIL
As soon as you restrict access to a place, its allure increases. Such is the case with Fernando de Noronha, which sits pretty 200 miles 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’ll stay in quaint boutique-style bed-and-breakfasts. The jet set may prefer Pousada Maravilha, where they can unwind in one of its ocean-facing bungalows. There’s not much to do on this paradise on Earth other than swim in the Atlantic Ocean and bask beneath the sun, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?

NO.8 - MORZINE, FRANCE
A chic alpine paradise on Earth, 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 like La Chaumiere and enjoy traditional mountain hospitality with modern-day comforts. With powdered snow, green pine trees at every turn and more fresh air than your polluted lungs are used to, you’ll never want to leave.

When you’re not zooming full pelt down the side of the mountain, you’ll find more than enough outdoor activities here to keep you busy and reaffirm your masculinity. Why not fill up your days mountain biking, walking, caving, or golfing? If you’re not the active type, relax at the hotel beside a crackling fire with that book you’ve been meaning to get into for the last two years. By night, head into the town for a little après-ski action. Go to the macho Ridge Bar, which features guest DJs, live music, big-screen sports, and the only garden terrace in the entire town. Clink beer glasses with your buddies and celebrate being a man. Afterward, head to the plush Buddha Bar for your picking of the loveliest French ladies who are clad in fur and not much else.

NO.7 - THORNYBUSH GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA
Africa is arguably one of the most stunning continents on the planet, teeming with exotic animals not found elsewhere and characterized by thousands of miles of untouched wilderness. Check out Thornybush Game Reserve, located in the heart of the rolling Lowveld and adjacent to Kruger National Park. Stay at the Chapungu Luxury Tented Camp, which boasts an old-world colonial atmosphere and has a strict policy of no more than 16 guests at any one time. Indeed, it’s the perfect way to take in this gold-tinged paradise on Earth.

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, and watch in awe as the “big five” appear before you. One of the most awe-inspiring places on Earth; everywhere else you’ve been will pale in comparison.

NO.6 - ALGONQUIN PARK, CANADA
Found in the center of Southern Ontario, 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. Indeed, if you can’t get a little rest and relaxation here, you’re screwed.

Stay at one of Killarney Lodge’s log cabins, tucked away between the trees on the shore of a shimmering trout-filled lake. Explore the surrounding wilderness during the day, canoeing on the lakes, swimming in the streams, fishing in the rivers or hiking along the trails, and soak up this relatively untouched Garden of Eden before you return to the big, bad city. If you’re lucky, you’ll encounter moose and beavers during your ramble, but if you’re not so lucky, you’ll meet one of the park’s 2,000 black bears.

Hunker down in your cabin at night and sleep well against the backdrop of croaking frogs, hooting owls and howling wolves.

NO.5 - KIRIBATI, MICRONESIA
The world’s most eastern point, Kiribati (formerly known as the Gilbert Islands) is an island nation found about 2,485 miles southwest of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Straddling the equator, it comprises 33 islands (only 21 of which are inhabited), and is home to the world’s largest protected marine reserve.

Thought to be one of the last untouched coral archipelagos, it’s about the size of California and offers more marine life than any Western museum could. With coconut trees galore (its main economy), white-sand beaches and crystal-clear lagoon waters, it’s like a luxurious Sandals resort, only natural.

NO.4 - KAUAI, HAWAII
While the rest of Hawaii may have been overrun with soul-destroying developers, volcanic Kauai is so lightly developed that it has been dubbed The Garden Island -- and that’s not just brochure speak. Fortunately, the state of Hawaii has declared over half of Kauai as parkland, meaning that developers will never get their grubby little paws on it. Most of the island’s interior is roadless, with thick forests, cascading waterfalls and the only navigable rivers in Hawaii.

Be sure to visit the famed 3,567-foot-deep Waimea Canyon, as well as the untouched Nepali Coastline. With 43 white-sand beaches -- more beach per mile than any of the other islands -- it’s not hard to see why Kauai attracts surfers, backpackers and hippies from around the globe. For low-key luxury, stay at the Hanalei Bay Resort.

NO.3 - PATAGONIA, CHILE
A little-known region of Chile, Patagonia is seriously underrated -- and thank god, otherwise it would probably be overrun with bucket-and-spaders. With beautiful forests, islands, fjords, and ice fields, coming to this paradise on Earth is like stumbling onto the edge of the world.

Located in Southern Chile, the region is divided into two halves: Northern Patagonia and Southern Patagonia. Among them you’ll find virgin forests, stunning glaciers, gushing rivers, and twinkling ice fields. With very few roads cutting through Patagonia, you’ll need to take ferries across the fjords if you want to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking scenery. To the east of the Andes you’ll find a desert (one of the five largest in the world), as well as hot springs where you’ll be able to enjoy the best damn Jacuzzi ever. With long days, blue skies, a polar climate, and an abundance of wildlife (such as penguins and whales), Patagonia is Chile, but not as you know it.

NO.2 - COTSWOLDS, ENGLAND
If it’s good enough for the bevy of British celebrities who descend on this paradise on Earth every weekend, it’s certainly good enough for you. Located in the county of Gloucestershire, the Cotswolds feature swooping hills, acres of lush greenery, shimmering lakes, and winding roads.

Stay at the Cotswolds House Hotel in Chipping Campden, one of the prettiest towns in Central-West England. Set in a stunning brick house, the luxury hotel caters to country bumpkins with style. Roaring open fireplaces, manicured gardens, a croquet lawn, a Michelin-worthy restaurant, a rustic brasserie, and Monet-like views out of every window, it’s the perfect retreat for the city slicker looking to get away from it all. Stay in any one of its 30 sumptuous rooms, each with wide-screen TVs, power showers, giant egg-shaped baths, pillow menus, and bespoke minibars.

For extra luxury, ask for the Longborough Suite, with its own four-poster bed, private garden and outdoor hot tub. This charming place also welcomes man’s best friend, so if you want time alone with the dog, it’s your ideal place. When you can stand to leave, take a trip into the nearby town in a rented open-top classic, drop by a pub and have a good old-fashioned British pint in one of the many beer gardens. Afterward, take a stroll through the country.

By night, dine at the hotel restaurant -- we recommend the 21-day matured beef and the selection of locally produced cheeses -- and sit beside the fire in Juliana’s Bar with a glass of the finest malt and the company of a gorgeous regular such as Kate Moss. Go in the autumn when the weather is mild and the countryside is golden with red and yellow leaves.

NO.1 - TRISTAN DA CUNHA
Officially the world’s remotest island, Tristan da Cunha rises out from the South Atlantic Ocean like a prehistoric volcano. Situated 1,242 miles from St. Helena and 1,739 miles from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, it really does cut a lonely but beautiful figure.

There’s not just the main island, either; comprised of several uninhabited islands, one inaccessible island and the Nightingale Islands, this archipelago is like the lost world. In fact, you might expect a T. rex to come crashing through the trees. With windswept beaches, views of a tempestuous blue sea, magnificent basalt cliffs, a thriving economy, zero unemployment, and a nonexistent crime rate, this is the way life should be lived.

Visit the settlement of Edinburgh, which boasts a distinct air of yesteryear, and talk with the warm, hospitable islanders you find there. With only eight families on the island, it’s likely the women will flock around any foreign strangers who come for a visit.