The other day, when TripAdvisor listed the ten top islands in its new Travelers Choice poll, I decided I needed to get out more. Id been to only three.<\/p>\n
Then I noticed what was missing. <\/p>\n
So to Hellas (thats Greece) with their list. Since these things are just arbitrary conversation-starters anyway, Im pretending to be incensed and making my own. No crowd-sourced wisdom, just my memory. <\/p>\n
I should admit it's been 20 years since I've laid eyes on some of these places, but I have seen them all. One of the reasons we love islands, I think, is that the way they hold onto their own cultures, even as the surrounding world changes by the day. <\/p>\n
Also, these are not all swimsuit destinations. I don't blame East Coast folk for spending their February days imagining warm distant beaches, but out here in the hot, dry West, we're willing to fantasize about islands of all stripes. <\/p>\n
Anyway, here (with photo gallery above) are 10 islands the Trip Advisor voters missed. <\/p>\n
10. Krk, Croatia. Despite an appalling lack of vowels, this Adriatic island has a wealth of pebbly beaches, deep blue sea, low-key atmosphere and small-scale affordable lodgings. But be careful of the home brew. Plenty of islanders make it (fig schnapps, for instance), and many are so generous that theyll offer you some. You need to stop at one shot, if not sooner. <\/p>\n
9. Moorea, French Polynesia. Glass-bottomed hotel rooms (not the whole floor, just a bit under the coffee table). An amazing array of fish that are easy to see, even if you snorkel on the surface. You can circle the island by bike in half a day. It was here that a waiter once beckoned my wife and me by saying: Live music tonight. American girl. Autoharp. Interesting. <\/p>\n
8. Paros, Greece. Santorini and Mykonos get most of the attention, but their lazier neighbors in the Cyclades have much to offer. Naxos (beloved by the TripAdvisor people) is one, but I preferred the windmills and whitewashed walls of Paros. <\/p>\n
7. Santa Cruz Island, California. This is part of Channel Islands national Park, off Ventura -- no restaurants, no hotels, no retail, just a raw reminder to kayakers and campers of what coastal California looked like 200 years ago. If you camp on a slow night, itll feel as though you have the island to yourself. <\/p>\n
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The rest is here: <\/p>\n
10 islands to love--none in the latest TripAdvisor list<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The other day, when TripAdvisor listed the ten top islands in its new Travelers Choice poll, I decided I needed to get out more. Id been to only three. Then I noticed what was missing Continue reading