Some of the most beautiful natural arches and bridges from around the world:

Vallon-Pont-d'Arc - France

Vallon-Pont-d'Arc is a commune in the Ardèche department in south-eastern France. Vallon-Pont-d'Arc is a capital of prehistoric and cultural tourism. This small village, peaceful in wintertime, sees its population multiply 10 times in summer. Its touristic importance largely comes from the fact that it is the departure point for the descent of the gorge of the Ardèche river from Pont d'Arc to Saint-Martin-d'Ardeche.

Vallon-Pont-d'Arc is situated at the threshold of one of the most beautiful tourist sites of France: "les gorges de l'Ardèche" (the Ardèche canyon). The famous Pont d'Arc, a natural arch of more than 30 meters height, carved out by the Ardèche and classified as Great Site of France, gave it its name.

1.8 km (1.1 mi) southeast of the village, the river Ibie flows into the Ardèche, which forms all of the commune's south-western border.

Natural Bridge - Utah, USA

A natural arch or natural bridge is a natural formation (or landform) where a rock arch forms, with a natural passageway through underneath. Most natural arches form as a narrow ridge, walled by cliffs, become narrower from erosion, with a softer rock stratum under the cliff-forming stratum gradually eroding out until the rock shelters thus formed meet underneath the ridge, thus forming the arch. Natural arches commonly form where cliffs are subject to erosion from the sea, rivers or weathering (sub-aerial processes); the processes "find" weaknesses in rocks and work on them, making them bigger until they break through.

Rainbow Bridge - Utah

Rainbow Bridge National Monument is administered by Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, southern Utah, USA. Rainbow Bridge is often described as the world's largest natural bridge. The span of Rainbow Bridge is 275 feet (84 m), and at the top it is 42 feet (13 m) thick and 33 feet (10 m) wide. Two other natural arches, Kolob Arch and Landscape Arch, both also in southern Utah, have confirmed spans several meters longer than Rainbow Bridge, but by most definitions of the terms are described as arches but not bridges. With a height of 290 feet (88 m) Rainbow Bridge does indeed stand taller than either of its longer competitors, but it is outdone by Aloba Arch at 394 feet (120 m), which is in turn dwarfed by the world's tallest arch, Tushuk Tash in China at an estimated 1,200 feet (366 m). It is probably the most accessible of the large arches of the world, as it can be reached by a two-hour yacht ride on Lake Powell or by hiking several hours overland from a trailhead (obtain a permit from the Navajo Nation in Window Rock, Arizona).

Pravcicka Brana - Switzerland

This splendid rock formation is located in Bohemian Switzerland. This area is also known as Czech Switzerland, a picturesque region in the north-western Czech Republic.

Natural Bridge - Kentucky, USA

Natural Bridge State Park is a Kentucky state park located in Powell and Wolfe Counties along the Middle Fork of the Red River, adjacent to the Red River Gorge Geologic Area and surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest. Its namesake natural bridge is the centerpiece of the park. The natural sandstone arch spans 78 ft (24 m) and is 65 ft (20 m) high. The natural process of weathering formed the arch over millions of years. The park is approximately 2,300 acres (9 km2) of which approximately 1,200 acres (5 km2) is dedicated by the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission as a nature preserve. In 1981 this land was dedicated into the nature preserves system to protect the ecological communities and rare species habitat. The first federally endangered Virginia big eared bats, Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus, recorded in Kentucky were found at Natural Bridge State Park in the 1950s.

Azure Window - Malta

The Azure Window is a natural arch in the Maltese island of Gozo featuring a table-like rock over the sea. The Inland Sea, Gozo, and Dwejra Bay, were created millions of years ago when two limestone caves collapsed. This and the near by Blue Hole and Inland sea are popular scuba diving sites. Dwejra is a tourist village that belongs to the town of St. Lawrence, Gozo, Malta.

Turret Arch - Utah, USA

Our next beautiful and interesting natural arch formation is located also at Arches National Park and it is the Turret Arch.

El Arco de Cabo San Lucas - Mexico

El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, or Lands End, Cabo San Lucas is a distinctive rock formation at the southern tip of Cabo San Lucas, which is itself the extreme southern end of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. The arch is usually known as El Arco in the town of Cabo San Lucas.

Skyline Arch - Utah, USA

Offcourse! - Utah ! Name of this beautiful arch is Skyline...

Arch of Akakus - Libya

Acacus Mountains or Tadrart Acacus is a mountain range in the desert of western Libya, part of the Sahara. They are situated east of the Libyan city of Ghat. They streach north from the Libyan border about 100 km. Tadrart means 'mountain' in the native language of the area (Tamahaq language). The area has a particularly rich array of prehistoric rock art.

Metate Caprock Arch - Utah, USA

Metate Arch is one of the main attractions of the Devils Garden natural area now part of the Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument in southern Utah. It is reached via the historic Hole in the Rock road and is about 18 miles southeast of Escalante, Utah.

The Wonderful Bridges - Bulgaria

The Wonderful Bridges is a rock formation in the Rhodope Mountains in southern Bulgaria. It is located in the Karst valley of the Erkyupryia River in the Western Rhodopes at 1,450 metres above sea level, at the foot of Persenk Peak. The "bridges" were formed by the erosive activity of the once high-water river. It transformed the marble clefts into a deep water cave, the ceiling of which whittled up through time and collapsed, allegedly during an earthquake. Geologists suppose that the water carried the debris away.

As a result, the two remaining bridge-shaped boulders remained. The large one (situated upstream) is 15 metres at its widest and 96 metres long, and shaped by three vault arches, the largest of which is 45 metres high and 40 metres wide. The Erkyupriya River flows under the middle-sized arch. The large Wonderful Bridge is passable under the vaults where birds nest in the marble clefts. The smaller bridge is located 200 metres downstream. It is unpassable, 60 metres in length, with a total height of 50 metres, 30 metres at the highest place of the arch. A third, very little and hardly reachable bridge-like formation follows, constituting the entrance of a pothole cave where the river waters disappear underground, and show back up after 3 km.

Double Arch - Utah, USA

Double Arch is a famous close-set pair of natural arches—one of the more impressive features of Arches National Park in Utah, USA. The arches are reached by a short walk (approx. 200 meters) from the area parking lot. There are no guardrails or fences to prevent visitors from exploring directly beneath and through the arches. The area was used as a backdrop for the opening scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, in which the arches are briefly visible. However, the cave shown in the movie does not exist.

Cerro de Arcos - Ecuador

The Cerro de Arcos (English: Hill of arches) is a windswept rock formation in the high paramo of the Ecuadorian southern sierra. It is situated on the border between the provinces El Oro and Loja, on the elevated plain between the Cordillera de Chilla and the Cordillera de Timbayacu at an altitude of 3700 m (12140f). The rock formation features towers, columns and several of the eponymous arches formed by wind and weather erosion. The formation covers an area of about 300 m by 300 m.

Landscape Arch - Utah, USA

The extraordinarily beautiful Landscape Arch is the world’s longest natural arch. The arch is among many in the area known as Devil’s Garden. The arch has a span of 290.1 ± 0.8 feet or 88.4 meters.

Durdle Door - England

Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth in Dorset, England. It is privately owned by the Welds, a wealthy landowning family who own 12,000 acres of Dorset in the form of the Lulworth Estate. It is open to the public. The name Durdle is derived from an Old English word 'thirl' meaning bore or drill.

Grosvenor Arch - Utah, USA

Grosvenor Arch is a unique sandstone double arch located within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah. It is named to honor Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor (1875-1966), a president of the National Geographic Society, publishers of the National Geographic Magazine. Located in northern Kane County, it is close to and south of Kodachrome Basin State Park and is accessed from the north or south via Road 400, a dirt road that traverses Cottonwood Canyon, Utah and skirts the Grand Staircase on its western margin.

Delicate Arch - Utah, USA

The amazing and world-famous Delicate Arch is a freestanding natural arch located in Utah. It is the most widely- recognized landmark in Arches National Park and stands at 52 feet or 16 meters tall.

Natural Bridge - Wisconsin, USA

Natural Bridge State Park is an 530-acre (214 ha) Wisconsin state park featuring the largest natural arch in the state. Directly beneath the arch is a rock shelter once used by Paleo-Indians. The park is located southwest of Baraboo between the unincorporated communities of Leland and Denzer, in the town of Honey Creek.

Natural Bridge - California, USA

Natural Bridges State Beach is a protected area in Santa Cruz, California, featuring a natural bridge across a section of the beach. It is also well known as a hotspot to see monarch butterfly migrations.

Sewanee Natural Bridge - Tennessee, USA

Sewanee Natural Bridge in Franklin County, Tennessee, is a 25 feet (8 m) high natural sandstone arch with a span of 50 feet (15 m). It is essentially a giant sinkhole partially eroded to form a large stone bridge. A wet weather spring located behind the bridge in a rock cave probably contributed to the erosion forming the arch. It is called the Sewanee Natural Bridge as it was once owned by the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. It is a 3 acre (12,000 m²) designated state natural area.

Cedar Tree Arch - Colorado, USA

Rattlesnake Canyon is a scenic area within the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness which in turn forms the core of the Bureau of Land Management administered McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area in west central Colorado. The canyon contains 9 natural arches, the second highest concentration of such arches in the United States, after the much better known Arches National Park. Limited access and primitive facilities limit visitation and help preserve the wilderness in its natural state.

East Rim Arch - Colorado, USA

East Rim Arch (also known as Akiti Arch or Centennial Arch) has a span of 40 feet and an opening height of 120 feet.

Bridge Arch - Colorado, USA

Bridge Arch (also known as Hole-in-the-Bridge Arch) has a span of 40 feet and an opening height of 30 feet.

Natural Bridge - Virginia, USA

Natural Bridge, known by locals as Natty B, in Rockbridge County, Virginia is a geological formation in which Cedar Creek (a small tributary of the James River) has carved out a gorge in the mountainous limestone terrain, forming an arch 215 ft (66 m) high with a span of 90 ft (27 m). It consists of horizontal limestone strata, and is the remains of the roof of a cave or tunnel through which the creek once flowed. It is crossed by a public road, U.S. Highway 11. There are fences on either side of the highway, blocking the view from the top of the bridge. Natural Bridge has been designated a Virginia Historical Landmark and a National Historical Landmark.

Sipapu Natural Bridge - Utah, USA

Sipapu Bridge is a natural bridge or arch located in the Natural Bridges National Monument in the U.S. state of Utah. The bridge spans White Canyon. Sipapu was long reported to have a span of 268 feet by the National Park Service, ranking it as the fourth longest natural arch in the world. A more accurate measurement obtained by laser survey in 2007 revealed the measurement to be a significant overstatement. The Natural Arch and Bridge Society has published a revised span of 225 feet, demoting the arch to a seventh place ranking.

Kachina Bridge - Utah, USA

Kachina Bridge is one of three natural bridges in the Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah.

Owachomo Bridge - Utah, USA

Another spectacular geological formation located in Natural Bridges Monument is the Owachomo Bridge which means “rock mound” in Hopi and is named after the rock formation on top of the east end of the bridge.

credited to wikipedia

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A gravity hill, also known as a magnetic hill (and sometimes a mystery hill or a gravity road), is a place where the layout of the surrounding land produces the optical illusion that a very slight downhill slope appears to be an uphill slope. Thus, a car left out of gear will appear to be rolling uphill. There are hundreds of gravity hill locations around the world.

The slope of gravity hills is an optical illusion, although tour guides may claim natural or even supernatural forces are at work. The most important factor contributing to the illusion is a completely or mostly obstructed horizon; without a horizon, judging the slope of a surface is difficult as a reliable reference is missing. Objects one would normally assume to be more-or-less perpendicular to the ground (such as trees) may actually be leaning, offsetting the visual reference. The illusion is similar to the well-known Ames room, in which balls can also appear to roll against gravity.

Websites devoted to the paranormal also tend to have names like "Haunted Hill", "Magnetic Hill", or "Anti-gravity Hill", reflecting attribution of the properties of the area to the supernatural or magnetism. While humans also have a sense of balance to determine the inclination of the ground, visual cues can override this sense, especially if the inclination is shallow.

credited to wikipedia and youtube

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Central Park, New York City

Really? No, of course it’s not quiet—but it is amazingly quieter. You start hearing birds instead of brakes, wind in the trees instead of gusts coming up subway grates. Consider the sensory shift it brings as an opportunity, in a hugely crowded city, to remember the pleasures of listening. Marie Javins, author of Stalking the Wild Dik-Dik, says, “When I went to Shakespeare in the Park, I couldn't help but marvel that the actors spoke against a backdrop of crickets, not buses. We were just a few blocks in from the surrounding city but somehow the buses, horns, and voices of Manhattan can't reach into the park, as if the stage were surrounded by wilderness.”

Asolo, Italy

An hour outside Venice (another carless place that could have made this list), Asolo is a perfect medieval hill town of walls and cobbled streets and afternoons of nothing to do but sip a drink in an open-air café. Once home to Robert and Elizabeth Browning, in Asolo, the only alarm clock you’ll ever need here are the songbirds. According to Dr. Cheryl Fraser, “On a circular hike through the hillside farms and vineyards, over the top of the old castle and down the ancient winding stone path, the predominant sounds are the buzz of various insects (I wonder, do they buzz in dialect?) and the beating of my own heart.”

The Troll Ladder, Norway

Roads tend to be noisy places. Engines and wheels are not at all kind to the soundscape. But the Troll Ladder has something very few roads do: a soundtrack. Famed Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg wrote his piece “Hall of the Mountain King” with exactly this place in mind: Hairpin turns so close to a towering waterfall that it’s a good idea to check your brakes and windshield wipers before starting the drive. Norway’s mountains block the horizons in scenery that looks like you thought The Lord of the Rings should have looked like, if the producers hadn’t been from New Zealand.

Yap

Once you get past the fun of just saying the place’s name—YAP—this Pacific island (take a left at Guam), might just be paradise. It’s a jungle island, with endless coastline, mangrove swamps where giant fruit bats play, and under water, manta rays with ten-foot wingspans glide without a sound. Yap’s entire culture is built on adherence to social peace, so that, according to resident Richard Flow, even playing your car radio too loud when you drive simply isn’t done. “Do it,” he says, “and you’ll come back the next day to find your windshield broken.” So the loudest sound in Yap? Waves hitting the reef, more than a mile from shore. And occasional broken glass.

The Hoh Valley, Washington state

Deep in the rainforests of Olympic National Park, the largest roadless area in the contiguous United States, the Hoh is home of the "One Square Inch Project", a fight to preserve just a single inch of landscape from human sound. Keep that one inch quiet, says founder Gordon Hempton, and the silence will radiate out for thousands of acres. And he’s right: the Inch offers few sounds louder than water dripping from leaves and the occasional clack of a grouse.

The Grand Canyon, Arizona

Some of the box canyons off the main river have been measured to be half as loud as human breath. But nobody can take that for long, so head back out to the Canyon proper, where the signature sound, says Mike Buchheit, director of the Grand Canyon Field Institute, “as it grows from the graveyard silence of any hike, is the roar of the Colorado River.” Of course, some people come just because they think all the red rocks are pretty.

Anzo-Borrego State park, California

So big it makes up roughly half of the entire California state park system, Anzo-Borrego is “only four hours from 20 million people,” says park interpreter Michael Rodriques. Yet “there’s no place where you’ll find solitude like this. This is a place where you can experience quiet—real quiet.” Anzo-Borrego is desert with a palm oasis where click of hooves from endangered Borrego sheep—a subspecies of bighorn—make the loudest sound.

Big Bend National park, Texas

Big Bend is a kind of acoustic greatest hits record. Because the park, located in southwest Texas, has such a diverse landscape—mountains, deserts, river, with more species of birds, bats, and cactus than any other park in the country—only a few minute’s change in location can dramatically change what you hear. And one of the best things about Big Bend? It’s not on very many airplane flight routes. In fact, the sound of planes is still very rare here. And that makes it one of the most unusual, noise-free environments anywhere in the world.

The Kalahari desert

Simple math: the greater the distance from people, the quieter a place is going to be. the Kalahari—which lies mostly in Botswana, but also spreads into five other African nations—may be one of the emptiest landscapes on the planet, over 350,000 square miles of low scrub and acacia trees, nibbled on by giraffes. But then, giraffes aren’t noted for being noisy. Photographer Jad Davenport says of the Kalahari, “No sound out there at all. Nothing.”

Victoria Falls, Zambia

The rumble of the falls—water dropping 350 feet—is audible more than a mile away. So why put it on a list of the world’s quietest places? Because the falls may be the most natural sound the world still contains; up close, you simply can’t hear anything else. “The Kololo tribe called these cataracts ‘The Smoke that Thunders,’” says Patricia Schultz, author of 1000 Places to See Before You Die. “But it should be called the Silence that Thunders—an oxymoron that makes sense to anyone enveloped by its mist.”

credited to forbestraveler.com

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Like your life and limbs intact? Then you'd better get skilled before visiting these trails.

Horseshoe Canyon, Utah

Horseshoe Canyon, formerly known as Barrier Canyon, is in a remote area west of the Green River and north of the Canyonlands National Park Maze District in Utah, USA. It is known for its collection of Barrier Canyon Style (BCS) rock art, including both pictographs and petroglyphs, which was first recognized as a unique style here. A portion of Horseshoe Canyon containing The Great Gallery is part of a detached unit of Canyonlands National Park. The Horseshoe Canyon Unit was added to the park in 1971 in an attempt to preserve and protect the rock art found along much of its length.

Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon, AZ

The trail originates on the south rim of Grand Canyon and descends 4380 feet in elevation to the Colorado River. It has an average grade of 10% along its entire length. At trail's end, the River Trail continues another 2 miles to the Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch. These two trails combined are the most common method used to access Phantom Ranch by hikers and mules.

There are two trails that cross or join this trail. The first being the Tonto Trail at Indian Gardens which leads towards the Monument Use Area to the west (the east leads to the South Kaibab Trail 4.7 miles (7.6 km) from the junction), and the River Trail which officially begins when the Bright Angel Trail reaches the Colorado River at the River Resthouse, although some consider that the Bright Angel Trail officially ends after crossing the Colorado River at the Silver Bridge.

Pikes Peak, Colorado

Pikes Peak is a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, 10 miles (16 km) west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, in El Paso County. It is named for Zebulon Pike, an explorer who led an expedition to the southern Colorado area in 1806. At 14,115 feet (4,302 m)[1], it is one of Colorado's 54 fourteeners. Drivers race up the mountain in a famous annual race called the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The peak is also the annual site of the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent foot races on the Barr Trail. An upper portion of Pikes Peak is a federally designated National Historic Landmark.

Mount Washington, New Hampshire

Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288 ft (1,917 m). It is famous for its dangerously erratic weather, holding the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, at 231 mph (372 km/h) on the afternoon of April 12, 1934. It was known as Agiocochook, or "home of the Great Spirit", before European settlers arrived.

The mountain is located in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, in Coos County, New Hampshire. It is the third highest state high point in the eastern U.S. and the most prominent peak in the Eastern United States.

While nearly the whole mountain is in the White Mountain National Forest, an area of 59 acres (0.24 km2) surrounding and including the summit is occupied by Mount Washington State Park.

Mount Rainier, Washington

Mount Rainier is an active stratovolcano (also known as a composite volcano) in Pierce County, Washington, located 54 miles (87 km) southeast of Seattle. It towers over the Cascade Range as the most prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and Cascade Volcanic Arc at 14,411 feet (4,392 m).

The mountain and the surrounding area are protected within Mount Rainier National Park. With 26 major glaciers and 35 square miles (91 km2) of permanent snowfields and glaciers, Mount Rainier is the most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48 states. The summit is topped by two volcanic craters, each over 1,000 feet (300 m) in diameter with the larger east crater overlapping the west crater. Geothermal heat from the volcano keeps areas of both crater rims free of snow and ice, and has formed the world's largest volcanic glacier cave network within the ice-filled craters. A small crater lake about 130 by 30 feet (40 m × 9.1 m) in size and 16 feet (5 m) deep, the highest in North America with a surface elevation of 14,203 feet (4,329 m), occupies the lowest portion of the west crater below more than 100 feet (30 m) of ice and is accessible only via the caves.

Mount Rainier has a topographic prominence of 13,211 feet (4,027 m), greater than that of K2 (13,189 feet (4,020 m)). On clear days it dominates the southeastern horizon in most of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area to such an extent that residents sometimes refer to it simply as "the Mountain." On days of exceptional clarity, it can also be seen from as far away as Portland, Oregon, and Victoria, British Columbia.

Huckleberry Mountain, MT

The Hike In Glacier National Park, you could spit and hit a grizzly. Well, almost–the park features the highest bear density in the Lower 48. One recent study counted 563 individuals, and researchers suspect the actual population may be even higher. That's .35 bears per square mile–or one bear within a one-mile radius of every backcountry campsite. Come summer and fall, aptly named Huckleberry Mountain becomes a magnet for hungry grizzlies, which are commonly found foraging the plump, purple fruit that ripens along the Apgar/Huckleberry Lookout Trail. "Large numbers of bears congregate there when there's a bumper crop," says supervisory ranger Gary Moses. In high huckleberry season, rangers often close the trail to dayhiking–but backpackers may still complete overnight trips in the area.

Kalalau Trail, Hawaii

The Kalalau Trail is a trail along the Nā Pali Coast of the island of Kauai in the state of Hawaii. The trail is very strenuous and runs approximately 11 miles (18 km) along the island's north shore from Keʻe Beach to the Kalalau Valley. An experienced, very fit hiker can complete the trail in about a day, but most people require two days and will camp along the trail.

The trail is located in the Nā Pali Coast State Park and access is controlled in the cause of conservation. A limited number of permits are issued for camping in Kalalau Valley every year. In spite of the efforts of the state of Hawaiʻi, many people hike the trail without paying money to the State Park office.

The trail starts on the north shore of the island, where the main highway ends at Keʻe Beach. The first two miles (3 km) of the trail are moderately strenuous and open to the public. This portion of the trail leads to Hanakapiai stream and beach. The trail beyond Hanakapiʻai is open only to those with camping permits.

The trail continues for approximately four miles to Hanakoa Valley, which is a hanging valley with no beach access. After Hanakoa, the trail turns more toward the dry side of the island. About five miles (8 km) later is Kalalau Valley, a large, flat-bottomed valley almost a mile across.

Buckskin Gulch, Utah

The Buckskin Gulch in southern Utah is one of the main tributaries of the Paria River, which is itself a major tributary of the Colorado River. It is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the southwest United States and may very well be the longest in the world. As such it is one of the premier destinations for slot canyon hikers, and receives a high amount of foot traffic. At over 13 miles (21 km) in length it is often visited in conjunction with the longer Paria Canyon, although some prefer to make a long day trip out of the hike. With a distance of 20 miles (32 km), hiking this canyon in one day is do-able but not easy. Wire Pass, a short tributary to the Buckskin, is an ideal alternative for a short day hike that still takes hikers through the narrow, curving features that are the hallmark of slot canyons.

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee-North Carolina

The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee-North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains or the Smokey Mountains, and the name is commonly shortened to the Smokies. The Great Smokies are best known as the home of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which protects most of the range. The park was established in 1934, and with over 9 million visits per year, it is the most-visited national park in the United States.

Half Dome, California

Half Dome is a granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located in northeastern Mariposa County, California, at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley — possibly Yosemite's most familiar sight. The granite crest rises more than 4,737 ft (1,444 m) above the valley floor.

credited to wikipedia, backpacker.com and flickr users: wildintel, duroc2006

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While city breaks, country retreats and resort getaways are all well and good, nothing beats the decadence of an island escape. Just ask Sir Richard Branson, who snapped up his own private island just to get away from the maddening crowds. With tropical palms swaying in the breeze and turquoise waters lapping at crisp white sand, luxury islands are a favorite vacation for the rich, famous and fabulous. Follow our lead and check out the world’s top 10 luxury islands; trust us, they’re out of this world.

No.10 - Cousine Island - Seychelles

Part luxury resort, part nature reserve, Cousine Island is one of the most visually stunning remote islands in the world, and it's just 62 acres in size. One of the 115 islands that make up the Seychelles, this tropical isle is like something out of Robinson Crusoe and can only be reached by helicopter. The five-star Cousine Island Resort and Spa is the perfect place to stay on the island for travelers looking for high-end creature comforts, while the stillness and natural beauty that surrounds it affords all-important peace and quiet so desperately sought by city slickers. Brimming with lush vegetation and all kinds of birds and turtles, Cousine Island is like the Garden of Eden of the modern-day world.

No.9 - Necker Island - British Virgin Islands

Second home to Sir Richard Branson, Necker Island is the Virgin entrepreneur’s very own private island in the heart of the British Virgin Islands. Spread across 74 glorious acres of tropical forest and fine sand beaches, this luxury island was snapped up by Branson in the late '70s and transformed into a glamorous, first-class island retreat for no less than $10 million. For $47,000 a day, well-heeled guests can have free reign of the island, which includes a Balinese-style villa with 10 bedrooms, two private beaches, a number of swimming pools, tennis courts, a personal chef, water sports, and amenities galore. Decked out with luxurious Brazilian hardwoods, antiques and authentic Balinese furniture and fabrics, it’s no wonder the likes of the late Princess Diana, Mariah Carey and Oprah Winfrey have stayed here. Fortunately for us, Branson is a man who likes to share -- and who can blame him?

No.8 - Mnemba Island - Indian Ocean

Although it’s a mere 2.8 miles off the eastern tip of Zanzibar, Mnemba Island is about as far from civilization as you’re ever likely to feel. Every vista here looks like a shot from a honeymoon brochure, with 10 romantic beachside lodges each with their own verandas overlooking the sea, untouched white beaches, shimmering blue waters, and the type of glowing sunsets only ever seen in the movies. The island is just one mile in circumference, with a conservation barrier that protects the coral reefs, giant turtles, ghost crabs, and tropical fish that surround it. It’s no wonder it was voted one of the top three most romantic islands in the world by trusty Condé Nast. Walk barefoot along the shore in your linen trousers, indulge in fresh fruit for breakfast and fresh lobster for dinner, enjoy a spot of windsurfing, deep-sea fishing or kayaking, and sink into crisp linen sheets all in one day at Mnemba Island.

No.7 - Cocoa Island - Maldives

The perfectly named Cocoa Island has it all: silky white sand underfoot, a lagoon that couldn’t be bluer if it tried, and a specifically built five-star resort that, for once, matches the pictures in the travel brochure. Set over water, 33 villas are available for guests to check into, while facilities include beautifully manicured gardens, shimmering swimming pools, an on-site spa, yoga pavilion, water-sport center, and an elegant restaurant offering lip-smackingly good Thai food. The actual island itself is about as eco-friendly as it gets, with a strict green policy that ensures its pristine natural environment remains pristine. Think Castaway, but with romantic teak decking.

No.6 - Barbados - Caribbean

While it may be one of the most prominent luxury islands out there, Barbados still hasn’t lost its exclusive appeal. Hundreds of celebrities still flock there each and every January, hoping to catch a ray or two of glorious winter sunshine. The 166-square-mile island is completely flat, meaning luxury hotels and fine-dining restaurants are aplenty along its stunning, white-sand coastline. Highly recommended is the Sandy Lane - Luxury Golf & Spa Resort at St James, the island’s most prestigious place to stay and much-publicized wedding venue to Tiger Woods a few years back.

No.5 - Bermuda - North Atlantic Ocean

While sailors may get mysteriously gobbled up trying to get to the island, Bermuda does offer old-world luxury for those who make it ashore. The second-oldest British settlement in the New World, Bermuda’s aesthetic is a mix of colonial-style architecture and paradisiacal settings -- a heady mix that has attracted the filthy-rich for years. The Fairmont Southampton is the best place to stay; from there you’ll be able to enjoy Bermuda’s iconic pink-sand beaches, smudged amber sunsets and lush green gardens. While away your day beneath a crisp white umbrella at the hotel’s private beach club, enjoy a game of tennis (very popular on the island), or indulge in the finest cuisine at The Newport Room, the only AAA five-diamond restaurant in the entire Caribbean/Atlantic. Breathtaking stuff, we’re sure you’ll agree.

No.4 - Palm Island - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Made up of 32 jaw-droppingly beautiful islands, it would be easy to miss Palm Island in the cluttered archipelago that makes up Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Nevertheless, once you’ve found it and taken the mile-long boat trip from Union Island, you’ll never want to leave; 135 acres of tropical paradise await you, with a private resort catering to your every whim no matter how frivolous. Casuarina Beach runs along the entire length of the western coastline, and is quite a sight to behold. Crystal clear waters swoosh against its sand beaches, coconut trees shimmy on its coast and general gorgeousness abound. The resort itself is small but perfectly formed, with just 40 guest rooms to maintain exclusivity, a Michelin-star restaurant serving up the best international fare, and a bar in which you and your loved one can grab an umbrella-free sun-downer at dusk. Wish you were here? We certainly do.

No.3 - Turtle Island - Fiji

Although Lost is actually filmed in Hawaii, it’s supposed to be set in Fiji -- meaning that a real Fijian island is going to be even more beautiful than the sets on the TV show. Turtle Island lives up to that promise, with more than 500,000 trees planted over 30 years by its entrepreneurial owner, Richard Evanson, dozens of private beaches and a stunning resort comprising 14 eco-friendly villas -- it’s no wonder The Blue Lagoon, the 1970s film starring Brooke Shields, was filmed here. If this place doesn’t take your breath away, then we’re afraid nothing will. And this is the place to honeymoon if you’re serious about your marriage.

No.2 - Mustique - West Indies

There’s a very good reason rock stars and royal family members jet across the globe to vacation on the private island of Mustique. Spreading across 1,400 acres of tropical paradise, Mustique is located in the southern Caribbean and is owned and operated by the Mustique Company (made up of the island’s privileged homeowners). Upholding its exclusivity and protecting its natural beauty, the firm allows only a select group of people to stay on the island, with visitors ranging from Prince William to Mick Jagger. While there, designer-clad guests can frolic in the aquamarine surf, sprawl on its pristine white beaches or party the night away at Basil’s Bar, a favorite haunt of the jet-set vacationers.

No.1 - Musha Cay - Exuma Cays

You’ll have to be friendly with famous magician and owner David Copperfield to pay a visit, but once you’ve touched down in Musha Cay with your Louis Vuitton bags in tow you’ll never want to leave. Comprising four private islands, 85 miles southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas, the mini-archipelago offers some of the best diving on the planet, with transparent waters and miles of jaw-dropping coral reef. There are five houses in which to hunker down for the night, with every conceivable luxury found inside, and more than 30 staff members to cater to your every whim. Copperfield also claims to have found the Fountain of Youth on the island, but even if you don’t find it while you’re here, you’ll still return home looking 20 years younger.

credited to askmen.com

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