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Island Destinations – Cook Islands

The Cook Islands are in the South Pacific Ocean, Northeast of New Zealand. The Cook Islands consist of fifteen small islands in this South Pacific Ocean and they are a self governing democracy with the New Zealand. It is located in the South Pacific Ocean. Aitutaki, Rarotanga, Taranaki, Pukapuka and Palmerston are the main population centre in this region. Tourism is the country’s number one industry, apart from pearls, marine and fruits.

There are fifteen major islands, divided into two distinct groups: the Southern Cook Islands, which consists of Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke, Rarotonga, Palmerston, Manuae, Mitiaro and Takutea and the Northern Cook Islands which consists of Manihiki, Nassau, Penrhyn Island, Pukapuka, Rakahanga, and Suwarrow. Aitutaki is the second most visited island of the Cook Islands The shape of the Island takes the shape of an equilateral triangle. Aitutaki is famous for its lagoon, almost uninhabited islands and its beautiful beaches. Another advantageous point is that it has been spared by mass tourism.

There is also an old church and some gigantic Banyan Trees on this Island.

One Foot Island, a small islet in the Southeast, is often said to be the most important attraction. It provides the best views of the Aitutaki lagoon and depending on the tide one can walk on a sandbank a decent distance away from One Foot Island.

There are two other noteworthy islets namely Rapota and Moturakau.

Mangaia is the southern most of the Cook Islands and the second largest, after Rarotonga.

It is also told to be the oldest island in the Pacific according to the Geologists. This Island is renowned for its coconuts. Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands and the important establishments like the Airport and the Parliament buildings are located on this Island.

Palm studded white sandy beaches occupy most of the island and there is a popular cross island walk that connects Avatiu valley with the south side of the island. This walk passes through

Te Manga, the prominent Needle shaped rock visible from the air and some coastal areas. It should be noted that Rarotonga has only two bus routes: Clockwise and Anti-Clockwise and the driver’s pickup and drop anyone anywhere along the route. Manihiki is known as the Island of Pearls and is said to be one of the group’s loveliest islands.

Penrhyn Island is the most remote Island of all the 15 of the Cook Islands This Island is also called as the Tongareva, which is its original name.

Rakahanga is one of the most unspoiled places on earth.

The Cook Islands are known for Diving, the beautiful nature, and dining.

The universal language in these islands is English though the native language is Cook Islands Maori.

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Diving at Flores Island in Indonesia

Flores Island is Right Place For Adventurous Travelers and Real Paradise For All Divers

The word Flores is firstly given by Portuguese who reached the island about 15 th century ago. The word itself means Flowers. Actually it is to describe for beautiful coral formations that shimmer in crystal sea. The Flores archipelago itself is endless in diversity.

Starting in the west lies Komodo Island where the biggest Lizard in the world can be seen. It is also known as Komodo Dragon.

photo credit: Eric Kilby

The sea around also offers excellent coral reefs to explore, where home for reef sharks and tropical fish. The highlight island’s attraction are the three colored lakes (blue, green and black) of Kelimutu volcano at east of Komodo island, marine life and Komodo Dragons.

Labuan Bajo is perfect location to explore untouched coral in Komodo National Park. Maumere offers the opportunity to explore great marine life and have around forty different diving sites in the Marine Garden of the Bay of Maumere.

Maumere Bay has black sand and inhabit at least at least 1200 species of fishes. After the earthquake in 1992 reefs were impacted. Nowadays the reefs have regenerated nicely and still world class dive sites. Outstanding walls covered in sea fans, soft corals and invertebrate covered overhangs along with some pristine hard coral gardens.

The corals of Flores sea are amongst the oldest in the world and are still in pristine condition. The coral Flowers preserved in stone. In Wai Terang, just off the coast of Flores Mainland. Here you will find Japanese world war 2 freighter wrecks, which now is covered with soft and hard corals and harbouring small fish life.

Author: Anto Kasan – EzineArticles Expert Author

Find more information before your travel to Indonesia here

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Untouched Paradise – Thousand Islands

Nestled in the Bay of Jakarta, The Thousand Islands or Pulau Seribu are an archipelago of nearly 130 islands dazzling and bewitching the Java Sea. Beautiful as well as bountiful, the islands are tropical with sandy beaches and at times possess scenic coral atolls strewn in a display of size and shapes.

The Thousand Islands are a true gift to earth by Mother Nature. Encompassed of beautiful reefs, this archipelago is home to an amazing marine wonderland. With colourful fishes and underwater adventures, the islands are the ideal location for diving, snorkeling, fishing and underwater discoveries.

The shimmering turquoise waters tempt divers to indulge in exploring the land beneath. With fascinating marine creatures and their aquatic wonderland, there is much to see and do at the Pulau Seribu. Some of the islands in Pulau Seribu are still undeveloped for habitation, but a couple have been developed for tourism purpose.

Those islands include Pulau Bidadari, Pulau Ayer, Sepa, Coconut, Pelangi, Bira, Pantara, Kul-kul and Pulau Putri. Within these islands, tourists and visitors alike can bask in rest and relaxation on the sandy beaches of a paradise on earth. Some of the golden palm fringed exotic locations were once home to the likes of formers kings of Indonesia as well as dignitaries such as the first President of Indonesia.

The islands can be reached within 1-2 hours by ferry or chartered boat from the Marina Ancol. Look forward to rest and relaxation mingled with tranquility and serenity at these islands when in Jakarta. With serviced apartments in the main land, such as the Somerset Grand Citra, indulge in this wondrous attraction and return to the comforts and warmth of this serviced residence in Jakarta.

Naveen Marasinghe is an e-marketing executive at eMarketingEye(Private) Ltd. eMarketingeEye is an search engine marketing company offering integrated Internet marketing solutions, specializing in serving the online travel and hospitality industry.

More information about Island vacation in Indonesia.

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Pacific Islands

The Pacific Ocean consists of more than 25,000 islands. Those lying south of the tropic of Cancer but excluding Australia are traditionally grouped into three divisions: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Inhabitants of these islands are referred to as Pacific Islanders.

Micronesia means small islands. These include the Islands of Marianas, Guam, Palau, the Marshall, Kiribati, Nauru, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Most of these lie north of the equator.

Polynesia means many islands. These include the islands of New Zealand, the Hawaii, the Midway, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, the Cook, French Polynesia, and Easter. It is the largest of the three zones.

Some of the famous islands in this region are:

1. Cook Islands
2. Tahitian
3. Samoa
4. Tonga
5. Ile des pins
6. Fiji
7. Vanuatu
8. Solomon
9. Papua New Guinea

There are also many other islands located within the boundaries of the Pacific Ocean, but these are not considered part of Oceania. These include the Galápagos of Ecuador; the Aleutian in Alaska; the Russian islands of Sakhalin and Kuril Islands; Taiwan; the Philippines; those in the South China Sea; most of them in Indonesia; The inhabitants of these places are not considered to be Pacific Islanders and are usually identified with their nearest continent.

There are so many to mention but this page is not enough to explain them all.

So, get ready for one good, once in a life time experience in these islands. Remember you have more than 20000 islands to discover and spend your valuable time with the nature and with your loved one.

Hope you have a nice time!

Author Praveen Nata

More inspiration for travelling to Pacific Islands

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Selayar Island is Maybe One of the Few Remaining Exotic Diving Paradises in the World

Selayar Island lies in the flores sea between Sulawesi Island and Flores Island. A mountain range runs along the eastern side of the island rising to about 600 meter and dropping to over 2500 meter below the surface. There is a chance to see everything that the tropical under water world has to offer at Selayar Island. The Selayar Island is a narrow Island which is rising 4000 meter from the Banda sea. The interesting highlight diving site is about 3,000 meter long house reef consist of pristine coral slopes and walls are thickly covered with hard and soft corals,where drift diving can be done.

Marine Life can be sighted here include reef fish, turtles, barracudas, reef shark, pelagic fish, etc. Just southeast of the Island is largest coral atoll/Taka Bonerate Atoll in this area. The atolls rise abruptly from a deep oceanic trench and offer an amazing wall diving. Here has variety of coral growth and sea grass on this atolls, fringing and barrier reef. The reefs that surround east side of Selayar Island are mostly steep walls that are full of overhangs and small caves.

Since 2000 this area has been put under protection by Indonesia Government as marine park to preserve island’s natural resources on land and in the surrounding sea. Selayar Island can be reached either by boat from Bira cape, which lies at the southeastern tip of South Sulawesi Province and about 5 hour drive from Makassar/ capital of South Sulawesi Province or by plane. Interesting. So Come here and discover it yourself.

Author: Anto Kasan – EzineArticles Expert Author

More inspiration about diving during island vacation here.

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What’s the Weather Like When Traveling to the Virgin Islands?

The Virgin Islands are situated just east of Puerto Rico in the northern Caribbean. Most of the islands are volcanic in origin and are quite rugged with some peaks over 1500 feet high. They are divided into the U.S. Virgin Islands to the west and British Virgin Islands to the east. The largest islands include, Saint John, Saint Croix, Saint Thomas, Tortola, Anegada, and Virgin Gorda.

Many smaller islands are part of the Virgin Islands also. The Atlantic Ocean borders the Virgin Islands to the north and Caribbean Sea to the south. This area is sometimes affected by hurricanes with the greatest threat during the height of hurricane season from mid August into October.

The Virgin Islands are grouped in the same general region, so rainfall does not change appreciably from one island to the next. The wet season is a result of increased tropical activity mostly in the form of tropical waves. The heaviest rains are from September through November in which five to six inches of rain occurs on average each month. The dry season runs from late winter into early spring. Rainfall amount of about two to three inches occurs February through April.

Temperatures also are not much different from one island to another. Average summer high temperatures are in the upper 80’s to near 90 degrees. Morning lows are generally in the mid 70’s. Winter temperatures are slightly cooler with average high temperatures in low 80’s with lows in the low 70’s.

Travelers going to the Virgin Islands will find a mild climate all year. Temperatures do not change much during the year with the most pleasant readings during the winter. Lesser rainfall amounts coincide with the slightly cooler temperatures during the late winter and last into early spring. Travelers are advised to stay updated with latest tropical weather information if traveling during the hurricane season.

Rich is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist with 25 years of weather forecasting and television experience. Visit his website for more on expert hurricane forecasts and travel resources.

Virgin Islands Weather Averages – Hurricane & Travel Message Boards

More info about Virgin Islands.

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Before Cruise Travel Checklist

A cruise?  What an exciting idea! But in the excitement of getting ready to embark on this wonderful adventure, you may forget a thing or two. Here’s a quick “before-you-cruise” checklist to help make sure you have done everything necessary to ensure smooth sailing.

1.

Pack a credit card; maybe even two. Cruise ships operate under their own “credit card” system; an identity card backed up by your personal credit card. You will be expected to register a credit card with the purser’s (reception) desk once onboard the ship. All your onboard purchases like your liquor drinks and store purchases will be filed onto your shipboard account. You may opt to pay for these purchases at the end of your cruise with cash, but the ship wants your credit card as a guarantee.

2.

Seasickness medication. A must-have item. Wristbands or anti-seasickness drugs can be purchased over the counter at your local drugstore. I haven’t seen a cruise yet where rough seas didn’t lead some passengers to terrible bouts of seasickness.

3.

Remember your own personal medications. Keep all medications in their ORIGINAL bottles with your name on the labels. Put these bottles into small Ziploc bags and you will be able to clear airport security just fine. But the labels MUST match the name on your passport.

4.

Ah yes, your passport, your lifeline back to your home country. It is nearly impossible to move on or off a cruise ship without a passport. Even with a ship’s identity card, each passenger must carry his or her passport. You will not even be allowed to check in on the first day, without your passport.

5.

Photocopy your passport, your cruise ship itinerary and any other valuable documents like your credit cards, before you leave home. Leave these copies with a trusted friend or family member. Should you ever get into trouble and lose your documents while cruising, having these copies back home could be a god-send.

6.

Travel insurance. It is essential that all travelers purchase travel insurance. A broken eardrum during a scuba diving adventure will set a traveler back several hundred dollars, in doctor’s visits and medications.

7.

Your cruise tickets. Don’t forget your tickets. Keep them in an easy-to-reach pocket of your carry-on bag.

8.

Bring your laptop computer. You are very welcome to bring a laptop onboard. In the ship’s Internet caf, you will be able to log onto the Web and keep in touch with loved ones, or (perish the thought) your boss. This is a costly luxury, however; be prepared.

9.

Are you planning to take digital photos? One of the most forgotten items is an extra memory card. Because I travel with my laptop and CDs, I have been begged by fellow passengers to download their camera’s full media cards to a CD. If you forget extra memory cards, your vacation pictures will be limited to the capacity of a single digital card. And won’t that be disappointing?

10.

Batteries for electronics? Make sure to pack the extra power you’ll need for those iPods, MP3 players and digital cameras. And, if you are traveling to a European destination, bring along a voltage power converter and plug adaptor. My husband found out the hard way (when he blew out his palm pilot charger) that not all the outlets in a cruise ship cabin are American voltages.

11.

What of your house? Cruise durations can be at least a week and many much longer. Have you made arrangements for your pets? Your houseplants? Have you turned down the water heater temperature? Have you alerted your neighbors nearby that you will be away for awhile? Have you left a key with a trusted neighbor? Have you canceled your newspaper? Remembering to settle things at your house before you leave, will make for a much more relaxing vacation.

12.

You will burn on the open sea under the bright sunshine. Even in cooler weather. So, whether you are bound for Alaska or the Caribbean, be sure to pack your favorite sun block product.

13.

Formal clothing is a must onboard cruise ships. That is, if you plan to attend a formal dinner in the ship’s dining room. If not, don’t worry about it. But do pack more than just casual clothes; even in the less formal dining areas, cruisers are expected to dress neatly.

14.

A second swimsuit is a good idea if you don’t relish the thought of struggling into a wet clammy one every day.

15.

If you love to shop, then bring along an extra suitcase. I always pack a collapsible bag into both my husband’s and my suitcases. They’re great for bringing back souvenirs, like that Jamaican beach painting and that African giraffe statue, you just had to have.

A cruise ship vacation is a wonderful way to relax; ensure that relaxation by taking care of the details before you cruise.

A cruise can be one of the most stress-free vacations; when the ship leaves the port you can leave your worries behind and enjoy being pampered and entertained. Getting ready for a cruise can be complicated. Prepare a checklist before cruising to ensure smooth sailing.

Step 1

Check and, if necessary, renew your passport six months in advance. Is the expiration date on your passport less than six months away? Some countries require a six-month expiration period for all passports.

Step 2

Book your flights three months in advance. Start early to get the best possible rates. Try to arrive at your port city the day before the cruise leaves, since a cancelled flight can cause you to miss your cruise departure.

Step 3

Make your final payment on the cruise on or before the due date. When the tickets arrive, double-check your assigned cabin, dinner seating, luggage tags and other materials. If the travel agent has booked your flights or pre- or post-cruise hotels, check them carefully too.

Step 4

Choose your excursions or research your own day trips at your ports of call. You can book excursions that are run by the cruise line on their websites. These excursions can fill up early, so book them two or three months before you cruise.

Step 5

Go shopping. Make sure you have swimsuits, shorts, T-shirts, sandals, formal wear and anything else you might need. You can get specific details about what you will need for your cruise from your travel agent or on the cruise line website.

Step 6

Make arrangements for home care. Do you have pets that need to be taken care of? What about houseplants? If your children are staying home, make childcare arrangements early. Arrange for your mail and newspaper to be collected or for delivery to be stopped while you are gone.

Step 7

Fill out the pre-boarding forms that the cruise line requires. You can do this online or fill out hard copies.

If you are bringing credits cards with you, write down the numbers, expiration dates and credit card contact information and leave it at home in case the cards are lost or stolen.

Ask your travel agent or cruise line about any vaccinations you might need.

Author www.KomailNoori.com
Get Discount Cruise Deals on Vacation Packages from Traveloni.

Soren add: See also

Island Vacation Tips: Your First Travel Abroad Packing Checklist

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The Galapagos, When to Travel

photo credit: bensons

Similar case to every foreign destination, Ecuador and surround provinces are affected by a distinct weather pattern, guiding its flow of tourism. What was intended to be an exotic getaway to the notorious yet relatively anonymous Galapagos Islands has the potential for disaster. To those unfamiliar to Ecuador’s wet and dry seasons, planning a vacation and failing to invest the research is the difference between memorable and miserable.

While inland Galapagos’ wet season is bearable and not nearly as incessant, the coastal areas tend to be a little less forgiving. There is one theme shared by the two regions, however, January through April are months that should be abstained from unless you’re planning for a overcast and soppy vacation.

Depending on preference- tepid or cool- most tourists to Ecuador and its provinces plan their travels between June and August, and December and January; these are the country’s, the Galapagos includes, driest months.

Weather, an integral element to any Ecuadorian vacations, is not, however, the only. Altitude is also deserving of keen consideration and choosing one over the other is a decision between summer and spring during any month of the year. Where if you are visiting the inland, high-altitude regions of Ecuador, you can expect year-round highs of 24C (66F), in a coastal territory such as the Galapagos, daily highs can reach 86F.

Planning a vacation by the tune of Ecuador’s irregular climatic beat is what keeps the country’s veteran travelers returning, Galapagos tours touring, and the stories of outlandish adventures alive and in circulation.

Author Enid Glasgow is a travel writer who enjoys Galapagos travel with Big Five custom vacations

Remark from Soren: According to recent information the month of April is a very nice month to experience The Galapagos Islands. The sea is rather calm and the sky is clear and a lot of activity is going on in the animal world – what The Galapagos Islands are so famous for.

Se more info about Galapagos here and at The Galapagos Islands

Soren

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Barbados Tourist Attractions

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Some Must Sees of Fiji

Author: Kieron Sellens is the marketing manager of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AiTO).  With AITO’s luxury Fiji holidays, you can tailor-make the dream holiday.

Tags:   Fiji · Fiji must sees · Fiji seightings · Fiji tourist attractions · Fiji vacation Fiji island vacation · island vacationNo Comments.