Love is in the air and all around us. Perhaps the most hopeless romantic is Mother Nature herself. Scattered throughout the world off coastlines from the United States to Argentina and Fiji are several naturally formed heart-shaped islands. Some are uninhabited, others privately owned, while still others draw tourists looking for a little romance.
The United States is home to Harbor Island, which lies in the center of Bucks Harbor, Brooksville, Maine. The island belongs to a conservation group to preserve its natural beauty. A small, unnamed heart-shaped island is amongst the beautiful landscape of Alaska in Prince William Sound. On Lake Mahopac, a short distance from New York City, Petre Island is home to nature trails, rock formations, and 200-year-old beech trees.
These next islands have all become tourist destinations for newlyweds across the globe. Galesnajak Island, known as Lovers’ Island, Croatia was discovered only in 2009 on Google Earth and has since become a popular travel site. Tavarua Island, part of the Fiji Islands provides honeymooners a luxurious all-inclusive resort. Tupai Island, French Polynesia offers wedding packages to couples who want to get married amongst its magnificent scenery of white sand beaches and turquoise lagoons. Australia’s Heart Reef, located in the Great Barrier Reef, is actually a protected coral formation and can only be appreciated by air, but that doesn’t stop sweethearts from using its romantic allure for in-air proposals.
Various lakes are home to several small uninhabited heart-shaped islands. Isla Corazón located in the middle of Mascardi Lake, Argentina only takes on a heart shape when viewed from a certain angle. Two of Germany’s lakes, Lake Kleine Müritz and Lake Walchensee, house small tree-covered, heart-shaped islands. In the Orinoco River of Venezuela lies a lush unnamed heart-shaped island.
Botswana, India, and Greece are also home to other heart-shaped islands, just to name a few. And like Galesnajak Island of Croatia, which was undiscovered until 2009, there are probably more of Mother Nature’s heart-shaped wonders waiting to be discovered.