Islands off the beaten path

CNN writer Gordon T Andersen writes about 'where to go if you're looking to get away from it all in the Mediterranean'. Gozo is one of his 5 hot spots:

What's the point of travelling to distant lands if the people you meet there are just like the people back home? Or if, in fact, they are the people from back home? It's a familiar issue for any American who goes to Europe: the most popular areas are teeming with visitors from the States. Mix in some cultural globalization, and it's as if the New World has colonized the Old.

In London pubs, young men swill Budweiser like they're in St. Louis. In Venice, orchestras on the Piazza San Marco play Sondheim more than they do on Broadway. The biggest party in St. Tropez is the one where Puff Daddy hosts the Bush twins. But if the downside of a shrinking planet is finding crowds of compatriots halfway around the world, there is a silver lining. It's easier than ever to get away from it all. If Europe is in your travel plans this summer, why not venture a few steps off the regular routes? You can find remote locations just a boat ride away.
To be sure, there will be plenty of other tourists around. But at least they'll be from Rome, Italy instead of Rome, Georgia. Five hot spots - On dozens of little islands scattered around the Mediterranean Sea (click here to see photos), you'll find exotic beaches, charming fishing villages, and the most vivid flora imaginable. Here are just a few possibilities:

Gozo, Maltese Republic (Maltese islands). The Maltese archipelago is full of mystery and history, not to mention a bizarre local dialect that blends Romance languages with Arabic. (Don't worry about speaking it: Malta was a British colony for more than 100 years, so English is an official language, spoken by all.) Gozo, the country's "second" island, has about 30,000 residents. With a green, rugged landscape, it's rural and slow. It's hard to decide which is better: the spectacular coastline, best seen by boat, or the tranquil, red beaches, best seen on a blanket...