You are dreaming of a paradise of your own. You want to
experience the exhilarating freedom of being in a stunning travel destination
without a noisy crowd. You want that isolated beauty, a solitary experience,
for a complete tranquil experience. If you are on the hunt for a destination that is almost a
secret, a stunning location that not many know about, then here’s a list of
twelve of the world’s best secret islands:
The idyllic Yaeyama
Islands are tucked away
at the very southern tip of the Japanese archipelago. Looking more like the Caribbean, the islands of Iriomote, Taketomi and Ishigaki
serve up generous portions of sun, sea, sand and sushi. Ishigaki has the best
of the beaches, while Taketomi is famous for its traditional Ryukyuan houses
and Iriomote is a jungle playground with an open-air onsen (hot springs).
2. Penghu Islands,
Taiwan
If Taiwan
is the other China, then the
Penghu islands are the other Taiwan.
Administered from Taipei, the 90 islands of the
Penghu archipelago are – within Taiwan
at least – for their glorious scenery and ‘touching nostalgia’, which
translates to unspoiled traditional Taiwanese culture. Away from the capital,
Makung, this is a land of ox-carts, fish-traps, stone-walled fields, basalt
cliffs and ancient temples dedicated to the sea goddess Matsu.
If sun and sand are more your cup of shochu, the beaches and windsurfing are
pretty impressive too.
3. Con Dao Islands,
Vietnam
Another prison-turned-paradise, the Con Dao islands were
home to the most notorious penal colony in Indochina,
and continued its grim work until the end of the Vietnam War. Now preserved as Con Dao
National Park, the 16
islands are a natural wonderland of dense jungles, jade-coloured waters and
white-sand beaches, home to dugongs, dolphins, turtles and spectacular coral
reefs. For now, tourist developments on the islands are limited to a single dive
shop and a handful of resorts in Con Son township.
4. British Virgin Islands
A trip here hardly constitutes roughing it. Once a pit stop
for explorers, it has been virtually uninhabited for decades - until last year,
when the luxe Scrub Island Resort, Spa &
Marina opened its doors.
5. Caye Caulker,
Belize
There’s nary a traffic light on this laid-back island - a
five-mile strip of land that’s a 15-minute flight from Belize’s main
airport. Head to Shark Ray Alley to snorkel among nurse sharks and stingrays or
go scuba diving at the underwater caves of Blue Hole. Above ground, try the
curried lobster at the roadside Jolly Roger’s Grill
6. Torres Strait
Islands, Australia
As far as you can go in Oz without falling off the map, the Torres Strait Islands
are Australia
as it might have been if Europeans had never arrived. Spilling north from the
tip of Cape York, the 274 islands in the Torres Strait preserve a unique tribal
culture that bridges the divide between Aboriginal Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The Great Barrier Reef is right on the doorstop and there are airstrips and
hotels on Thursday Island and Horn
Island, but access to
other islands is at the discretion of local tribal councils.
7. Îles du Salut, French Guiana
Most people have heard of Devil’s
Island, but few would be able to stick a pin on a map. The
smallest of the three Îles du Salut, this infamous former penal colony is
separated from the coast of French Guiana by
11km of treacherous, shark-infested waters. Steve McQueen tried to escape the
islands repeatedly in Papillon, but most modern visitors are willing castaways,
lured here by waving palms, chattering macaws and spooky ruins from the penal
colony days.
8. Ulleungdo,
South Korea
It’s easy to see the appeal of tiny Ulleungdo. Midway
between South Korea and Japan, this
rugged volcanic island is said to have no pollution, no thieves and no snakes –
in other words, this is perfect hiking country. Ferries run daily from the
mainland to the tiny port at Dodong-ri, where trails climb to the rocky summit
of Seonginbong Peak (984m). If you want to really push
the boat out, continue to the Dokdo islands – a tiny collection of outcrops
that are hotly disputed between Japan
and South Korea.
9. San Blás
Archipelago, Panama
Panama
probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of the
Caribbean, but this Central American nation has coral cays to rival anything in
the Caymans or the Virgin Islands. Run as an
autonomous province by the Kuna people, the San Blás Archipelago is a crescent
of 365 tiny islands basking in the warm waters of the southern Caribbean. Forget luxury resorts – the only hotels are
homestays in village houses and dinner is whatever the fishermen bring home in
their canoes each evening.
10. Bay Islands
& Hog Islands, Honduras
Forget Pirates of the Caribbean – the sand-dusted islands
that float off the coast of Honduras
are the real deal. In their heyday, the islands of Roatán, Utila and Guanaja
were home to 5000 cutthroats, brigands and buccaneers, including the infamous
Henry Morgan (aka Blackbeard). These days, the Bay Islands
are better known for their beaches, diving and laid-back tropical vibe. You can
turn the volume down ever further at the nearby Cayos Cochinos (Hog Islands)
– 13 languorous coral cays and one secluded resort in a sea of brilliant blue.
11. Ssese Islands,
Uganda
Why would a landlocked African nation appear on a list of
desert islands? Thank Lake Victoria. The Ssese Islands
tick all the right boxes for an island paradise – golden beaches, whispering
palm trees, exotic flora and fauna – they just happen to be in the middle of Africa’s largest lake. Most of the 84 islands in the
Ssese group are undeveloped, but a handful of resorts and beach camps grace the
sands of Buggala, Bukasa and Banda. Aside from basking in the sun, the main
activities are combing the jungle for exotic creatures and canoeing across the
lake.
12. Islas del Rosario – Colombia
At the Oceanario Islas del Rosario you can enjoy all the
wonders, beauty and color of the marine life in the Rosario's Coral Reef National Park. A nice guided visit on platforms over the water, will let
you see, appreciate and enjoy the wealth of our oceans at the same time that
you will be entertained and amused in the midst of a natural environment.
Source : http://www.wonders-world.com
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