Next Island - Tropical Life

Apr232015 by olaf1 Comment

Perhentian Island

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Between the countries of Southeast Asia lie countless small islands some of which are great places to visit. There are those that have more facilities than others but almost all the ‘tourist destination’ islands offer interesting and unusual holiday experiences. One such island is called Perhentian Island and is situated 10 miles off the north-eastern cost of West Malaysia lying 40 miles south of Thai border. For hundreds of years traders bringing food, jewellery and a host of other exotic merchandise sailed from the south coast of Malaysia to Bangkok and used the island as a stopping off point for rest and shelter. As the island became more popular among traders they called it Perhentian Island which translates as “place to stop”. Perhentian is in fact a group of islands cons...

Apr212015 by olafNo Comments

Komodo Island

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Komodo Island that can be reached with a two-hour boat trip from Labuan Bajo on Flores. The island is home to Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizard and can be viewed with safety from various vantage points. It is also the site of the Komodo National Park with its UNESCO world heritage listing as one of the worlds 7 natural wonders. A popular point of interest on the Island is Pink Beach located within the Komodo National Park. This beach is one of only 7 of this type in the world and its colour is derived from a mix of crystallized white calcium carbonate and the red hue of organ pipe coral.

Apr172015 by olafNo Comments

Bangka Belitung

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Bangka Belitung islands are to be found off the eastern coast of Sumatra and form a province of Indonesia consisting of the two main islands, Bangka and Belitung, and a further 250 small islets in the surrounding waters. The province is unusual with water making up almost 80% of its territory and the land areas covered with unusual rock formations. As an emerging tourist destination and only an hour’s flight from Jakarta, Belitung Island is well known for its distinctive landscape with its beaches decorated with pearly white sand, crystal clear waters and splendid granite boulders piled up on its shallow shores. Here you can enjoy the usual beach activities, such as swimming in clear waters and lounging on white sand beaches, but Belitung has plenty more to offer including snorkeling, ...

Apr142015 by olafNo Comments

TIOMAN ISLAND

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Sitting 32 kilometres off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia this heavily forested tropical island is regarded as one of Asia’s most beautiful tropical island playgrounds featuring sandy beaches, coral reefs and resorts. I love this island as an escape from life’s daily grind and for myself, it is conveniently reached from Singapore from where a 40 minute flight gets me to Tioman Island airport. Here the island offers all the attributes that one conjures up when imagining that perfect tropical island. It’s all here! Lush tropical forest slopes down to white sandy beaches that gently ease into the blue azure of the ocean and on arrival one is struck by the realization that the daydream has been replaced by the real thing. So...

Apr102015 by olafNo Comments

Camiguin

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Anyone looking for an island holiday destination with all the classic tropical island attributes such as stunning views, rich coral reefs, beaches and an ambience of tranquility for lazy days need look no further than Camiguin Island. Why; because the island offers all this and so much more. Beaches and crystal clear water are byword expressions for any tropical island that has made it onto the holiday resort list but there are extras not common to other holiday resort islands to be had here. Camiguin Island is situated 10 kilometers north of Mindanao Island and is regarded as one of the most beautiful islands of the Philippines. To get there one needs to fly to Manila and from there fly on to Cagayan de Oro City where a 3-hour ferry trip will take the traveler to Guinsiliban Ferry Po...

Apr92015 by olafNo Comments

ROTTNEST ISLAND

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A Hidden Gem Just Off the Perth Coast This small island just 20 kilometres northwest of Fremantle on Australia’s SW coast is a hugely popular destination for both West Australians and overseas holiday makers. During the Summer and Autumn months, ferries from both Perth and Fremantle leave with day trippers and long weekenders with their eager anticipation, bicycles, boards, bathers and snorkelling gear, heading for this island gem of Rottnest. Day trips are popular but many like to overnight on the island with its available choices of accommodation. It is the natural beauty of Rotto, as locals refer to the island, that draws its visitors. Rottnest Island is an 11 kilometre strip of 63 beaches, 20 bays, scattered salt lakes coastal grassy dunes and inla...