Vila

There are few thrills left in modern travel quite like hopping on a rickety boat and drifting toward Mystery Island-an absurdly tiny dot of paradise so idyllic, you half expect a tattooed pirate or misplaced reality-TV contestant to greet you on arrival. Historically, Mystery Island was avoided by locals who feared vengeful spirits-but nowadays, the only spirits you'll encounter come bottled, preferably chilled and consumed beneath palms swaying with postcard-perfect precision. Aim to arrive early, around sunrise, as the morning light bathes the sand in Instagram-friendly gold, and-more practically-before cruise ship hordes descend, turning your rugged Robinson Crusoe fantasy into a suburban barbecue on sand. Plan at least a couple of weeks ahead to snag a reliable boat captain and budget roughly fifty dollars for transport and another twenty for delectable street eats and trinkets shaped suspiciously like seashells. Remember sunscreen, water, and insect repellent-because while Mystery Island is blissfully free of bothersome Chick-fil-As and selfie-stick vendors, it remains happily hospitable to mosquitoes the size of small aircraft. Trust me, this slightly chaotic voyage is worth every inconvenience-if only because you'll forever hold bragging rights to having spent an afternoon exploring a place whose very name sounds like a rejected Agatha Christie novel.

Plunging into Espiritu Santo's Blue Hole is a bit like cannonballing straight into Mother Nature's margarita glass-shockingly blue, absurdly clear, and surrounded by enough lush greenery to film three sequels of Jurassic Park. Forget your polite municipal swimming pools, this place is pure natural indulgence: a luminous, mineral-rich oasis courtesy of limestone-filtered spring waters that locals swear contain magical life-extending properties (or at the very least, a great hangover cure). Aim to hit this gem early in the morning, before crowds spill out of tour vans, for maximum peace, pristine reflections, and the smug satisfaction of having paradise briefly to yourself. A modest entry fee of roughly $10 USD helps sustain the place, and bringing water shoes, biodegradable sunscreen, and a waterproof camera is advisable to capture envy-inducing selfies. Book a ride and plan your trip at least a day ahead, as this isn't exactly Uber territory. Frankly, even if dipping your toe into nature's sapphire pool doesn't grant immortality, the story of swimming in waters so vividly blue you'll spend years convincing friends it wasn't Photoshopped is totally worth the price of admission.