Sao Jorge Island

São Jorge is an island where you want to visit on a ferry day trip from Pico or Faial. There's nothing in S. Jorge that you have no seen in the other islands. The island is narrow and long with interesting "fajãs" or water-front planes that are accessed via very steep roads. S. Jorge claim to fame is the famous S. Jorge cheese and dive fishing. Skip the stay in its only hotel, as the petulance and arrogance of its management permeates the service along with its low cost/quality value. If you stay overnight try the quaint charming boutique places such as Casa do Antonio, Quinta do Canavial and Residencial Neto.

The island of Sao Jorge belongs to the central group and lies 21,6 miles off Graciosa, 11 miles off Pico, 32,4 miles off Terceira and 16,2 miles off Faial. It has an approximate area of 95 sq. miles (246 km2). The island has about 9500 inhabitants. The main municipalities are Velas and Calheta.

S.Jorge Island has an indented coastline appearing with an oblong shape. A mountain range forms the back-bone of the island, its highest peak the Pico da Esperança at 3455 feet (1053 m) it offers views of the other islands of the central group.

French Polynesia

French Polynesia is the essence of true romance. What other tropical destination is more romantic than "Tahiti?" We have all said, "Someday I will visit Tahiti."

Among these idyllic islands of soaring volcanic peaks and low island atolls, each new day is more perfect than the last. Imagine the crystal clear reef protected lagoons with fairytale colors of jade green and luminous turquoise, so gorgeous that you will want to pinch yourself to see if you are dreaming. The islands are surrounded by sandy islets called motus which invite a castaway picnic or a romantic interlude.

Polynesians are genuinely warm, hospitable and so very proud of their islands. Everywhere you turn you will see the islanders greeting you with a warm Ia Orana and a warm smile. From your flower lei greeting upon arrival in Tahiti to the songs performed by cheerful Tahitians, you will know that these lovely people are truly happy that you have come at last to visit the legendary islands of French Polynesia. The awe-inspiring beauty of each island is certain to remain etched forever in your memory.

Line Islands

The Line Islands, or Equatorial Islands, is a chain of eleven atolls and low coral islands in the central Pacific Ocean, south of the Hawaiian Islands, that stretches for 2,350 km in a northwest-southeast direction, making it one of the longest islands chains of the world. Eight of the islands form part of Kiribati, while the remaining three are United States territories grouped with the United States Minor Outlying Islands.
Those that are part of Kiribati are in the world's farthest forward time zone, UTC+14. The time of day is the same as in Hawaiʻi, but the date is one day ahead. The time is 25 hours ahead of some other islands in Oceania, like those Line Islands that belong to the US, which have UTC-11.


The United States previously claimed all the Line Islands under the Guano Islands Act. This claim was relinquished under the Treaty of Tarawa, which recognised Kiribati's sovereignty over the majority of the chain.
The group is geographically divided into three subgroups; The Northern, Central, and Southern Line Islands. The Central Line Islands are sometimes grouped with the Southern Line Islands. The table below lists the islands from North to South.

Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are located in the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea about 150 miles south of Cuba. The Cayman Islands are made up of three main islands. The largest and most developed, Grand Cayman, has a population of about 35,000 and is 76 square miles or 22 miles long and 8 miles at its widest point. Grand Cayman stands 90 miles away from Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are separated by only 5 miles.



Cayman Brac is the next largest island, with 1600 inhabitants on 14 square miles or 12 miles long and 1 mile at its widest spot. Cayman Brac has the highest point in all of the Islands with the impressive "Bluff" that rises 140 feet out of the sea. The smallest island is appropriately named, Little Cayman. This islands' 10 square miles of land is home to a population nearing 150.

Caymanians enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the West Indies. Most residents are Protestants of British or African descent and many are of mixed racial ethnicity. The islands' main industries are tourism and offshore banking, thanks to the absence of direct taxes.
The Cayman Islands are located about 20 degrees north of the Equator. This results in nice temperatures year-round. The coldest month in the Islands is February, with the warmest month being in July.

Balearic Islands

Located about 120 miles southeast of Barcelona, you’ll find the Balearic Islands, one of the most gorgeous travel spots in the Mediterranean. You have your choice of activities when you vacation in the Balearic Islands, where you can enjoy picturesque sandy beaches with crystalline waters, gorgeous landscapes, clubbing in Ibiza and Majorca, historic cultural cities such as Palma, or shopping paradise in Ibiza Town.
The Balearic Islands really do offer it all, whether you’re a golfer, a history buff, a fan of water sports, or a nature lover. You will find all of this just a small distance from the United Kingdom.

WEATHER IN THE BALEARIC ISLANDS
The sun shines 300 days a year in the Balearics and, because they are in the Mediterranean, the summers are hot, the autumns are mild and the winters are pleasant. The Balearic Islands have an average yearly temperature of 16-17°C, so tourists can visit all year, but you’ll definitely find the most people visiting in the summer.In July and August in the heart of summer, the Balearics get 11 hours of sunshine daily, without much rain and with an average temperature of a balmy 29°C.
If you’d like to go to the Balearic Islands when it’s sunny but not too hot, try visiting during spring or fall. Around those times, temperatures are 22°C to 28°C — because it’s cooler, it’s a great time to go golfing, walking or cycling off the beach. Sunlight lasts for about 8-10 hours, but weather conditions might vary, and the evenings are usually significantly cooler.
The winter weather in the Balearic Islands is bright and crisp, with only 5 hours of sun and an average temperature of 15°C. Although it is more likely to rain between October and February, the weather is still far better than that of the UK, which is the reason that the Balearics are such a popular holiday destination during those months.


ACTIVITIES FOR THE BALEARIC ISLANDS

When you visit the Balearic Islands, it may be hard to fit it all in!
If you love cities, Palma has blocks of contemporary art galleries, a Gothic cathedral, museums, great shopping, and a sprinkle of public art all over.
Nearby Magalluf and El Arenal have water parks, and nature lovers and bird-watchers can stop by the Parc Natural de s’Albufera. Atop a rocky promontory, Ibiza Town’s ancient district is an historical jewel with a Gothic cathedral and spacious castle in Dalt Villa, the medieval section. Visit Dalt Vila’s Museu d’Art Contemporani to see many works of modern art and sculpture. The building in Ibiza that is the most striking is the Lady of Snows Cathedral. Stores, cafes and restaurants filled the adjacent Placa de la Vila. Mahon, the capital of Menorca, boasts a town with old-fashioned charms like small squares, cobblestone roads and a harbor. Mahon’s port has a fort, La Mola, and the ruins of the Castle of Sant Felip. Many artifacts are on display if you visit the Museu de Menorca on Placa des Monastir. Located slightly north of Mahon is a wetlands reserve, the Parc Natural de S’Albufera des Grau, where you can see several kinds of birds and go hiking

The Aldabra Island, the Lagoon and the Sea

Aldabra Island is one of the most beautiful islands of the Seychelles. This curious island is the most picturesque and a popular destination for photographers and nature lovers.

Aldabra Island in thousands of shows we can find the true nature of the region. The island is actually one of the largest coral atolls surfaces, in whose center is one of the largest lagoons in the world. Therefore, the circular island gives the impression that earth is a circle in the middle of a sea in the middle of a tropical ocean. The beauty of the region is enough to leave you breathless and in love with this little paradise on earth.

The island is famous for preserving one of the most interesting ecosystems. Thousands of species of wildlife roam the island, and even some animals are unique. This island is the last natural habitats for giant Aldabra tortoises, of which there are still about 150,000, who coincidentally is considered the unofficial symbol of all the Seychelles. The island was even proclaimed “the only living natural museum” by the renowned biologist Sir Julian Huxley, and the island was well preserved until, in 1991, finally opened to the public. The island is also a World Heritage Site.

Aldabra Island is the ideal place for those who are interested in diving or snorkeling, for biologists and ornithologists and naturalists and photographers. Here one can stroll around the island, swimming in the enormous gap that lies within the island, see the curious and almost unique in the world “coral trees and swim in the clear waters of the tropical ocean. Moreover, one can see thousands of animals, including Aldabra tortoises like the green turtle and hawksbill turtles, fish such as barracuda and others in their natural habitat. To reach the island, one must hire a boat for tourists and visitors from the biggest island of Seychelles, Mahé, and you can surf the Indian Ocean to reach this gem of the ocean.

American Samoa

American Samoa (Samoan: Amerika Sāmoa or Sāmoa Amelika) is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa (formerly known as Western Samoa). The main (largest and most populous) island is Tutuila, with the Manuʻa Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island also included in the territory.
American Samoa is part of the Samoan Islands chain, located west of the Cook Islands, north of Tonga, and some 300 miles (500 km) south of Tokelau. To the west are the islands of the Wallis and Futuna group. The 2000 census showed a total population of 57,291 people.[1] The total land area is 200.22 km2 (77 sq mi), slightly more than Washington, D.C. American Samoa is the southernmost territory of the United States.

Micronesian Island

Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines and Indonesia lie to the west.
The name Micronesia derives from the Greek mikros (μικρός), meaning small, and nesos (νῆσος), meaning island. The term was first proposed to distinguish the region in 1831 by Jules Dumont d'Urville.


HISTORY

The only empire known to have originated in Micronesia was based in Yap. Much of the area was to come under European domination quite early. Guam, the Northern Marianas, and the Caroline Islands (what would later become the FSM and Palau) were colonized early by the Spanish. These island territories were part of the Spanish East Indies and governed from the Spanish Philippines from the early 17th century until 1898. Full European expansion did not come, however, until the early 20th century, when the area would be divided between:
the United States, which took control of Guam following the Spanish-American War of 1898, and colonized Wake Island;
Germany, which took Nauru and bought the Marshall, Caroline, and Northern Mariana Islands from Spain; and
the British Empire, which took the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati).
During the First World War, Germany's Pacific island territories were taken from it and became League of Nations Mandates in 1923. Nauru became an Australian mandate, while Germany's other territories in Micronesia were given as a mandate to Japan and were named the South Pacific Mandate. This remained the situation until Japan's defeat in the Second World War, when its mandate became a United Nations Trusteeship ruled by the United States, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
Today, most of Micronesia consists of independent states, with the exceptions of Guam and Wake Island, which are U.S. territories, and the Northern Mariana Islands, which form a U.S. Commonwealth.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

The French Southern and Antarctic Lands (French: Terres australes et antarctiques françaises, abbreviated TAAF), full name Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (French: Territoire des Terres australes et antarctiques françaises), consist of:

1. group of volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, southeast of Africa, approximately equidistant between Africa, Antarctica and Australia;

2.Adélie Land, the French claim on the Antarctica continent;

3.the Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean.

The territory is also often called the French Southern Lands (French: Terres australes françaises) or French Southern Territories, which excludes Adélie Land where French sovereignty is not recognized internationally.[2] The lands are not connected to France Antarctique, a former French colony in Brazil.

The territory has no permanent population ; the population consists of military personnel, civilian officials, scientific researchers and support staff. Some of the territory's exclusive economic zone is of great importance for fishing.

northern mariana islands

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The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of fifteen islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines, at 15°1′2″N 145°4′5″E. The United States Census Bureau reports the total land area of all islands as 179.01 square miles (463.63 km2).
The Northern Mariana Islands has a population of 80,362 (2005 estimate). The official 2000 census count was 69,221.[2] More than 90% of the population lives on the island of Saipan. Of the fourteen other islands, only two - Tinian and Rota - have a significant population. The islands of Agrihan and Alamagan have fewer than ten residents each, and the remaining islands are unpopulated.
The Commonwealth's center of government is in the village of Capitol Hill on Saipan. As the island is governed as a single municipality, most publications name Saipan as the Commonwealth's capital.

Hamoa Beach

All are fine Hawaii beaches worthy of the top spot.

But because they made the top spot, each is now ineligible for inclusion on future Dr. Beach lists.

The result of these exclusions, of course, is an annual America's Best Beaches list that grows more irrelevant and inaccurate with each passing year.

Hanalei and Hamoa were the only two Hawaii beaches included on Dr. Beach’s Top 10 list last year, as well. Does that mean the doc’s running out of Hawaii beaches eligible for the list? Will Hamoa be the only Hawaii beach on the 2010 list?

We’re happy Hanalei was recognized as one of the best beaches in the U.S.—its two-mile crescent of white sand cradling Hanalei Bay is truly one of the most beautiful in the state.

Gavdos

Gavdos is the most southerly Greek island, located to the south of its much bigger neighbour, Crete, of which it is administratively a part. It is also the most southerly point of Europe.

The island is 26 nautical miles south of Hora Sfakion and is 27 sq km in area. There is only a small number of year-round residents and services for tourists are basic. The harbour for irregular ferries is Karave, the island's capital is Kastri


History


Gavdos has supported a permanent population since Neolithic times; nowadays, however, the island has very few people. The place has seen many uses in the different times it has inspired interest. In Ancient Greece Gavdos was the site of the mythical Ogygia where Kalypso held Odysseus prisoner. Archaeological evidence showed that the Roman empire was active on the island. During this time the flora of the island was overexploited, this started a process of erosion which continued to this very day.

Later, at the time of the Byzantine Empire, the island had some 8,000 inhabitants (900-1000 AD) and supported 3 bishops and an archbishop. During the Turkish Empire's reign on the island, which lasted from 1665 up until 1895, Gavdos was known as Gondzo. During this period the population decreased considerably to only 500 inhabitants by 1882. Gavdos was also known to Saracens; one of the beaches is named Sarakiniko (of the Saracens), as it is believed that Saracens had a hideout there.

In the 30's the island was used as a place of exile of communists; more than 250 people were exiled including leading figures of the greek movement, such as Markos Vafiadis. Later on, the general phase of urbanization that started in other parts of Greece in the 60's, took place in the 50's on Gavdos. During that period the islanders exchanged their land on Gavdos with ex-Turkish land on Crete, which had now become exchangeable via the state. Upon settling in Crete they created a community known as Gavdiotika.

Politics

Following years of isolation, in 1996 the island came to media prominence. In a NATO exercise Gavdos was the focal point of a contestation between Greece and Turkey. Following that, the prime minister Mr. Simitis, visited Gavdos and announced a five-year, €1.5 million plan for Gavdos's development.

In 2001, Costis Stephanopoulos, the Greek President of Democracy, inaugurated a telemedicine centre on Gavdos, an island which has never had a doctor. This exercise, however, was marred as the island's infrastructure could not provide the necessary power required by the centre. For the purposes of the inauguration, generators were brought in, which were then removed.

Ouvea island

Ouvea island, is a coral atoll and one of the most beautiful in the Pacific, with a fine white sand beach that stretches on the western coast for nearly 20 kilometers. On the other side a chain of coral cliffs stops the waves of the Pacific ocean, these cliffs are particularly beautiful in Lekine Bay (on the South of the island) where is possible to explore it at low tide, the view towards Mouly (Mouli) Bridge is wonderful.

Rutland Island

Rutland Island is an island located across the Macpherson Strait from South Andaman Island. As one of the Andaman Islands, Rutland I forms the southernmost main island of the closely-situated Great Andaman archipelago. It is separated from Little Andaman by the Duncan Passage. The island spans an area of approximately 109.3 km², and has a coastline measuring some 60. km [1]
It is rich in marine life with the shallow waters near the island having a good representation of smaller fish and coral. The island also offers an ideal base for training open water divers. The vegetation of Rutland Island is similar to that of North Sentinel Island with dry sandy soils. Although hilly, the island is overgrown with fairly open jungle and brush.
The island was formerly home to the Jangil, one of the indigenous Andamanese groups. The Jangil (also called "Rutland Jarawa" since they were thought to have been related to the Jarawa of South Andaman) occupied much of the interior of the island according to mid-1800s British accounts, however their interactions with outsiders were few and far between. Up to the early 20th century there are only a handful of documented encounters with Jangil individuals. The last documented encounter was in 1907, and when in the 1920s a more extensive expedition to the island's interior was conducted, no traces of their active habitation were found; the Jangil had become extinct.[2]
From time to time other indigenous Andamanese, such as the Onge from Little Andaman Island to the south and Great Andamanese tribes to the north had also set up fishing communities on Rutland. However, with the great reduction in numbers of these peoples, and their (enforced) relocations to more restricted areas, the island is presently without any permanent indigenous settlement.

São Filipe, Cape Verde

São Filipe (Portuguese for “Saint Philip”), or San Filipi in Cape Verdean Creole, is the city that constitutes the seat of the São Filipe Municipality, in Cape Verde.
It is located SW of the island and in the southwestern part of the island. It is known for its black sand beach, abundant gardens, trees, flowers, flora and its historic architecture and is also home to the island's airport located in the south, a port to the north and to a prison. The city offers a view of the neighboring island of Brava to the southwest.

Halong Bay-Vietnam

Halong Bay - Located in the northeastern part of Vietnam and constitutes part of the western bank of Bac Bo Gulf, including the sea area of Ha Long City and Cam Pha Town and part of Vân Don island district. It abuts Cat Ba Island in the southwest. Toward the west is the shore with a 120 km-long coastline. It is located within 106o58’-107o22’ east longitude and within 20o45’- 20o50’ north latitude. The site is 1553 sq. km with 1969 islands of various sizes, of which 989 have been named.

The islands in Ha Long Bay are mainly limestone and schist islands most lying in the two main areas: the southeastern part of Bái TỠLong Bay and southwestern part of Hạ Long Bay. These islands represent the most ancient images of a geographical site having a tectonic age of from 250 million to 280 million years. They are the result of many times of rising and lowering processes of the continent to form a karst. The process of nearly full erosion and weathering of the karst created the unique Hạ Long Bay in the world. In a not very large area, thousands of islands with different forms look like glittering emeralds attached to the blue scarf of a virgin. The area where many stone islands concentrate has spectacular scenes and world-famous caves and is the center of Ha Long Bay Natural Heritage, including HaLong Bay and a part of Bái Tu Long Bay.

The area is recognized as the World Natural Heritage that is the area of 434 sq. km with 775 islands. It looks like a giant triangle with Ðầu Gỗ Island (in the west), Ba Hầm Lake (in the south) and Cống Tây Island (in the east) as its three angle points. The nearby area is the buffer area and areas classified as national beauty spots in 1962 by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Viewed from above, Hạ Long Bay looks like an extremely vivid huge drawing. This is a wonderful and skilful masterpiece of the Creation and of nature that turns thousands of dumb soulless stone islands into fantastic sculptural and artistic works of various graceful shapes, both familiar and strange to human beings. Thousands of islands emerging uneven in the fanciful waves look strong and magnificent but also mild and vivid. Amidst these islands we feel as if we were astray in a petrified legendary world. There are many names given to islands according to their shapes and forms. This one looks like somebody heading toward the shore: Hòn Ðầu Người (Human Head Island); that one looks like a dragon hovering above the sea surface: Hòn Rông (Dragon Island); another looks like an old man sitting fishing: Hòn Lã Vọng; some look like big sails struggling amidst the wind to set off for the sea: Hòn Cánh Buồm (Sail Island); then two islands look like a pair of chicken lovingly playing with each other above the sea: Hòn Trống Mái (Male and Female Chicken Island); and amid the vast sea stands an island like a big incense burner like a ritual offering to Heaven: Hòn Lư Hương (Incense Burner Island). All are so real that people are taken aback by them. Those stone islands have experienced unpredictable changes over time and they take different shapes from different angles of view. Here, we come to realize that they are not dumb inanimate things but are vivid and soulful.

Inside the stone islands are various breath-taking caves, such as Thiên Cung, Ðầu Gỗ, SỠng Sốt, Trinh Nữ, Tam Cung and others. These are really magnificent palaces of the Creation on earth. Long ago, Hạ Long Bay has been called by the great national poet Nguyễn Trãi:“a wonder of the earth erected towards the high sky”. Many men of letters from all over the world have been taken aback at the grandiose scenery of Hạ Long. They seem to get puzzled and incompetent as their treasure of vocabulary is not rich enough to depict the splendor of this place.

Hạ Long Bay is also attached to glorious pages of Vietnamese history, with famous sites such as Vân Ðồn, a bustling trade port in the 12th century, charming Bà i Thơ Mountain, and not very far away from here is the Bạch Đằng River which witnessed two famous naval battles of the Viêt’s ancestors against invaders. Also, Hạ Long is one of the cradles of human kind with the glorious Hạ Long culture in the late Neolithic age, discovered at such archeological sites as Ðộng Mang, Xà ch Thổ, Soi Nhụ and Thoi Giếng.

Hạ Long is also home to great biodiversity with typical eco-systems like mangrove forest, coral and tropical forest. It is also home to thousands of plants and animals of numerous species, for example shrimp, fish and squid. Some species are particularly rare and can be found no where else.

With such special values, at the 18th Session of UNESCO’s Council of World Heritage held on 17 December 1994 in Thailand, Hạ Long Bay was officially placed on the list of the World Natural Heritage. In 2000, UNESCO recognized it as the World Heritage for the second time for its geographical and geomorphologic values. This confirms the global premier value of Hạ Long Bay.

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