Posts Tagged ‘Islands’

Faroe Islands, Denmark

March 18th, 2010

Faroes

The Faroe Islands are group of islands located 800 miles north of Copenhagen (Denmark) in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Norway. The 18 green islands rise from the sea in the middle of the North Atlantic. These isolated islands are flush in natural beauty with rugged green mountains range, fjords and countless waterfalls. They are dotted with medieval churches, fishing villages and old farmhouses. The Faroe Islands are breathtakingly beautiful, utterly unspoilt, and are teeming with animal and plant life. They offer a truly different holiday destination.

Vestmanna is a town in the Faroe Islands that used to be a major ferry port, until an undersea tunnel was built from Vagar to Kvivik to Stykkio. It is surrounded by major mountain ranges such as the Haegstafjuall, Okslin, Loysingafjall and Moskurfjall. These mountains draw tourists for their majestic beauty and wildlife exploration and photography opportunities.

leirvik_nature

Attraction

The Faroes have close traditional ties to Iceland and Greenland, but they are a part of the Danish delegation. Hiking and sailing are very popular adventures to do in the summer time, while enjoying the beautiful landscape.

 Dolphin HuntingWhale and Dolphin hunting has been the tradition for the people of Faroe Islands (located in Denmark) since the 10th century. Approximately there are 17 villages in the Island that have these kind of scenario every year which are authorized to conduct such massacre.

Fishery, fish farming and fish processing are the main industry of the Faroe Islands accounting for more than 97% of Faroese exports. As a fishery nation and one of the world´s largest salmon farming countries, estimated 300,000 whales and dolphins are caught and killed each year).

Isla Vieques Island,Puerto Rico

March 11th, 2010

Island 

Just six miles off the coast is Isla Vieques, an untouched and beautiful location on earth with verdant forests, never-ending stretches of white sand and a backdrop of rolling hills. Stay at the blissfully chic Bravo Beach Hotel, which has direct access to the coastline. Vieques is also known as “La Isla Nena” (little girl island) and “Isabel Segunda” (Isabel II). Vieques was founded in 1843 by Francisco Saínz. The Island is located between Puerto Rico and St. Thomas (USVI), and is separated from the southeast coast of Puerto Rico by approximately 8 miles of sea, although if you are taking a ferry from Fajardo the distance will be 18 miles. Island is approximately 21 miles (34 km) long by 4 miles (6 km) wide Various European powers fought for control of Vieques. The Punta Mulas Lighthouse also known as Morropó was built in 1893. This old lighthouse still protects the port, boasts a reflector imported from Paris in 1895, which extends a beam that can be seen from as far as 16 miles. The U.S. Navy came to Vieques in 1941, taking jurisdiction of about 70%  of Vieques, which it was used as a training area (target practice with live ammunition and war games). As a result, Vieques has inherited a legacy of toxic pollution. After pressure from the people of Vieques, the U.S. Navy left the island of Vieques in Puerto Rico on May, 2003, after more than 60 years of use as a testing ground

vieques

Attraction-

There is an excellent historical museum at the beautifully restored fort, El Fortin Conde de Mirasol, located in Isabel Segunda. This fort holds the distinction of being the last fort constructed during the Spanish Empire in the New World, over time also served as a jail. After it’s careful restoration in 1991 by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, the fort serves as the island’s main museum, housing the Vieques Museum of Art and History and the Vieques Historic Archives. The museum contains the Vieques Historic Archives, which includes thousands of documents and other materials related to Vieques’ history.

Operation Hour-

Open Wed-Sun 10am – 4pm, weekdays by appointment, free admission (donations are encouraged), (787) 741-1717

Galapagos Islands Ecuador

December 23rd, 2009

Galápagos Islands 

The Galápagos Islands are located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, 1,000km (604 miles) off the west coast of South America. The Galápagos world’s most wondrous group of islands consists of 13 main islands, 5 smaller islands, and 107 rocks and islets. Galapagos originally discovered by a Spanish bishop named Fray Tomas de Berlanga in 1535, who named the island Galapagos after the impressive giant tortoises.  Charles Darwin arrived the Galapagos Islands’ in the fall of. 1885. Isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. The Galápagos became a national park in 1959 and tourism started in the 1960s

Weather: - During the cold season (June to November) the temperature is 22° and warm season (December to May) the average temperature rises to 25°C

 Attraction: - The Galapagos Islands are ideal for adventure activities like swim with dolphins, scuba diving and wildlife expeditions. Galapagos Islands are home to the most diverse variety of land and sea species on the planet.

Birds: - Blue-footed Booby, Dark-Rumped Petrel, Darwin’s Finches. Flightless Cormorant, Galapagos Flamingo, Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Penguin, Magnificent Frigate Bird, Masked Booby, Red-footed Booby and Waved Albatross

Marine Life: - Fur Seal, Hammerhead Shark, Marine Iguana, Sally Lightfoot Crab and Sea Lion

Land-Dwellers:- Giant Tortoise, Land Iguana and Lava Lizard

Zanzibar Island and Stone Town

July 12th, 2009

zanzibar-Island

Zanzibar

Zanzibar is part of the East African republic of Tanzania. Zanzibar is the finest beach location in East Africa. Zanzibar is one of the world’s most wonderful and beautiful islands.

It’s an archipelago made up of Unguja (Zanzibar) and Pemba Islands, and several small islands. Zanzibar is the best site for diving.

» Read more: Zanzibar Island and Stone Town