“Heaven is a place on Earth” is not just the title of a hit song by American singer Belinda Carlisle. Anyone who has been to Formentera can understand its appeal. The island is breathtakingly beautiful. Though it may be just a few miles off Ibiza's coast, Formentera feels as wild and untamed as a distant Pacific island. Unspoiled landscapes and white powder-fine sandy beaches lapped by unblemished turquoise waters, its beauty is made of simplicity, peace, and harmony with nature.

Life on Formentera unfolds at a gentle, timeless pace. Both visitors and residents find contentment in a simple, healthy lifestyle. The most popular modes of transport are cycling or walking along the excellent cycle paths and well-marked hiking trails, adding to the island's serene atmosphere.

But it's the island's beaches, where naturism is widely and enthusiastically practiced, that steal the show. Platja de ses Illetes, on the north-western coast, is considered one of the most beautiful in the Med. However, this fame attracts the day trippers from Ibiza and the Super Yachts.

Platja de Llevant, on the other side, a long, broad sandy beach backed by sand dunes and trees, stretching nearly 5 km from the island of Espalmador in the north to Es Pujol in the south, is the official naturist beach

Es Trucadors, north of both Illetes and Llevant, is a strip of land that offers solitude away from the crowds, especially in high season. More secluded and not easily accessible for day drippers, Platja de Migjorn is located on the southern coast and is the longest beach on the island. Es Cavall d'en Borras is the closest beach to the port and provides very calm conditions, to name a few.

Formentera never gets as crowded as the other Balearic Islands, so it's a great destination even in high summer when temperatures reach about 29ºC. July is the best month. By mid-September its beaches become empty, and bars and restaurants close while farmers and fishermen reclaim the scene.

The island's secret weapon against tourist invasion is its lack of an airport. Formentera can be reached by ferry from Ibiza, which lies at a short distance of less than an hour. The ferry service is frequent and reasonably priced, making it a convenient option for travelers. La Savina, the island's port, is a constant hive of activity as the island attracts a large number of sailors, including a dazzling display of SuperYachts.

If you have the chance to visit, you will feel you've never been anywhere like this – the place can be at once so near and yet so far away.