Barbados

Barbados is the easternmost Caribbean island. It is considered relatively flat in comparison to its island neighbors to the west in the Windward Islands, the island rises gently to the central highland region, with the highpoint of the country being Mount Hillaby, in the Scotland District. The island is situated in the Atlantic Ocean, east of the other West Indies isles. The land falls in a series of "terraces" in the west and goes into an incline in the east. Much of the country is circled by coral reefs. In the parish of Saint Michael lies Barbados' capital and main city, Bridgetown. Other major towns scattered across the island include Holetown, in the parish of Saint James; Oistins, in the parish of Christ Church; and Speightstown, in the parish of Saint Peter.

Members of the private real estate industry in Barbados have been proposing the government stand behind their idea for the creation of 2 small artificial islands to be anchored off the west coast of Barbados. According Paul Altman of Altman Realty the envisioned plan would consist of a twin island project. One islands at 250 acres (1.0 km2) in Size Island that would house new tourism based developments. The second island would be 50 acres (200,000 m2) in size and would serve as a National Park. Both islands would be a short distance from the Deep Water Harbor in Bridgetown. The climate is moderate tropical, with a wet season (June–November) and a drier season (December–May). The annual precipitation ranges between 40-90 inches (1,000–2,300 mm). Barbados is often spared the worst effects of the region's tropical storms and hurricanes during the rainy season as its far eastern location in the Atlantic Ocean puts it just outside the principal hurricane strike zone. On average a hurricane may strike about once about every 26 years. The last significant hit from a hurricane to cause severe damage to Barbados was Hurricane Janet in 1955.

Transport on the island is good, with shares taxi, or 'route taxis,' called "ZR's" (pronounced "Zed -Rs"), travelling to most points on the island. These small buses can at times be crowded, as passengers are generally never turned down, regardless of the number. However, they will usually take the more scenic routes to destinations. They generally depart from the capital Bridgetown or from Speightstown in the northern part of the island. The island of Barbados's lone airport is the Sir Grantley Adams International Airport. It receives daily flights by several major airlines from points around the globe, as well as several smaller regional commercial airlines and charters. The airport serves as the main air-transportation hub for the Eastern Caribbean. It is undergoing a US$100 million upgrade and expansion.

There are three bus systems running seven days a week (though less frequently on Sundays), and a ride on any of them costs $1.50 BBD. The smaller buses from the two privately-owned systems ("ZRs" and "minibuses") can give change; the larger blue and yellow buses from the government-operated Barbados Transport Board system cannot. Children in school uniform ride for free on the Government buses and for $1.00 on the minibuses and ZRs. Most routes require a connection in Bridgetown. Some drivers within the competitive privately owned systems are reluctant to advise persons to use competing services, even if those would be more suitable. Some hotels also provide visitors with shuttles to points of interest on the island from outside the hotel lobby. There are several locally-owned and -operated vehicle rental agencies in Barbados but there are no multi-national companies. There is also a helicopter shuttle service, which offers air taxi services to a number of sites around the island, mainly on the West Coast tourist belt. Air and water traffic is regulated by the Barbados Port Authority.

The island is well developed, and there is internationally known hotels offering world-class accommodation. Time-shares are available, and many of the smaller local hotels and private villas which dot the island have space available if booked in advance. The southern and western coasts of Barbados are popular, with the calm light blue Caribbean Sea and their fine white and pinkish sandy beaches. Along the island's east coast the Atlantic Ocean sides are tumbling waves which are perfect for light surfing, but a little bit risky due to under-tow currents. Shopping districts are popular in Barbados, with ample duty-free shopping. There is also a festive night-life in mainly tourist areas such as the Saint Lawrence Gap. Other attractions include wildlife reserves, jeweler stores, scuba diving, helicopter rides, golf, festivals (the largest being the annual crop over festival July/Aug), sightseeing, cave exploration, exotic drinks and fine clothes shopping.

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Maldives

The Maldives is situated in the South West of Sri Lanka, on the equator. The numerous coral reef islands, 1,190 in total, form an archipelago of 26 natural atolls ( groups of neighbouring coral islands). These 26 atolls are organised into 19 administrative atolls with the capital island of Male' established as an entity of its own forming the twentieth division. Seen from air, the atolls and the islands form breathtakingly beautiful patterns against the blue depths of the Indian Ocean.The country stretches 823 km north to south and 130 km east to west. Out of the incredibly large number of islands only 200 islands are inhabited, with 88 islands adapted as exclusive resort islands. The sea forms over 99 percent of the Maldives. Only 0.331 percent, 298 km2 (115 square miles), of its 298 km2 (34, 750 square miles) is land.
Together with the Lakshadweep formerly called Laccadive Islands (formerly part of the Maldives, and now part of India) to the north and the Chagos Islands to the south, the Maldives form part of a vast submarine mountain range, on the crest of which coral reefs have grown. The Maldivian atolls are a classic example of its kind. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word ‘atoll’ as "an adoption of the native name "atholhu" applied to the Maldive Islands , which are typical examples of this structure". Each of these atolls is enclosed by a coral reef cut by several deep, natural channels and a lagoon. The reef structure, peculiar to the Maldives and consisting of a series of circular reefs in a lime, is known as ‘faru’. Strong currents, swinging round with the monsoon winds, flow among the atolls, though a journey between the atolls is often easy to navigate.Most of the islands can be walked across in ten minutes; only a few are longer than two kilometres. The longest, Hithadhoo in the Southernmost Addu Atoll is eight kilometres (5-6 miles). Although most other islands are less than a mile long, one feels no sense of brevity as the merging of beaches, crystal waters, and crisp blue skies create an infinite vastness - a natural openness that is rare and a peacefulness that is always welcome.The usual surface covering of the islands is a six inches deep layer of dark humus composed of a mixture of sand and organic matter accumulated from animal and vegetable matter through the millennia. Sand stone about 2 ft deep is found below, after which it changes to a layer of sand where fresh water can be obtained. Some islands where the natural water table is high, you may find several fresh water lakes The popular tropical look is finally completed by the green vegetation such as coconut trees towering above dense shrubs and flowering plants

Rarely being more than six feet above sea level, the coral based islands are protected by atoll reefs. However, they are all susceptible to erosion, especially those lying comparatively close to the windward reefs. Indeed, in 1812 and again in 1955, devastating gales destroyed many northern islands. In 1964 the island in Alifu Atoll "Hagngnaameedhoo" was inundated by high waves, while the capital, Male', was flooded by a severe storm in 1987. If, as some scientists predict, the sea level continues to rise as a result of global warming, then Maldives, with its ancient and unique culture, may all be swept away within fifty years. As a precautionary step the government, with aid from Japan, has undertaken the biggest projects ever in the Maldives - the building of a breakwater on Male's southern reef. With the help of artificial measures, such as the new artificial breakwater and the natural coral reefs the islands have started to enjoy more protection from natural calamities than they have ever done before.

As to the origin of these unique atolls, it still remains a mystery despite years of research. In 1842, after studying other similar atolls in the Pacific and Atlantic, Charles Darwin suggested that they were created when volcanic land rose from the sea and a coral reef grew around its edge. The volcano gradually sank back into the sea leaving the coral reefs to encircle a shallow water-filled lagoon. Islands, then, developed when currents and tides swept coral and other organic debris into sand bars, which eventually, were colonised by plants and trees. When Darwin, continued his studies into the Maldive Islands, he had to admit that there was something special about the Maldive islands. Nevertheless he added that his theory of coral island formation was applicable to the Maldives in a general sense, and most scientists accept his theory. More recently, however, Hans Hass has suggested that over hundreds of thousands of years a platform of coral reefs built up on the submerged mountain chain in the Indian Ocean until they burst through the surface. Porous and unstable, the coral platform sagged in the middle, leaving only a ring of the hardest and highest coral - the rims of the atolls where debris and sand accumulated and vegetation took hold to form islands. Years and years of the sea moving with shell and coral particles around the islands, have grounded the debris into minute grains of sand. It is clear that the tiny specks of land separated by great stretches of water have long been a great puzzle.

Just as the early history of Maldives is obscured in mystery, so is the exact number of islands in the archipelago. The British Admiralty chart lists some 1,100 islands, while a recent government count found 1,196. If sand bars and coral outcrops were included the figure would have been close to 2,000. Obtaining an accurate is further complicated by the fact that islands come and go. Some combine, others split in two and occasionally islets emerge from the coral reefs. A 1955 storm created three new islands in Shaviyani Atoll, while others have slowly eroded. Around 1960, for instance, the fairly large island of Feydhoo Finolhu in Male' Atoll almost vanished through a combination of natural erosion and inhabitants taking away sand. It was later rebuilt.

To compound matters, as yet there is no agreement on what exactly constitutes an island in the archipelago: what, for instance, is the status of a large sand spit? Yet all this is part of the mystique of travelling through The Maldives, where you may come across an island which has no name, is not shown on any map and has no human footprint on its shores. Many more show signs of past settlement, and some desert islands are used regularly by neighbouring islanders for collecting firewood, coconuts, and even cultivation. Also, some islands (like the island of Kuda Bandos, near the capital) are often used as a destination for weekend / holiday breaks.

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Redang Island

Redang Island boasts with white sandy beaches lined with palm trees, crystal clear waters and spectacular coral reefs. It’s everything that you hoped a tropical island would be and this idyllic place is less than an hour from the east coast of peninsular Malaysia.
Most of the resorts on Redang Island are lined up along Pasir Panjang (Long Beach), arguably one of the best stretches of beach in all of Malaysia. A handful of other resorts are tucked away in private beach coves, the most impressive being Teluk Dalam (Deep Bay) where the Berjaya Beach Resort is located.

With excellent visibility and spectacular, easily accessible coral reefs, it is no wonder that Redang is hailed as a scuba diving and snorkelling paradise. Even right in front of the most popular beach, the rocks are home to various species of coral, reef sharks (harmless to humans) and moray eels.

Redang and the surrounding islets were gazetted as a marine park in the early 90’s and human activity in the area is strictly controlled in order to protect the marine ecosystems.

Under the protected status, Redang has experienced a tourism boom and is a very popular weekend destination. Apart from the impressive diving, picturesque beaches (and beach parties), another thing that has contributed to Redang’s popularity in recent years is the hit Chinese comedy Summer Holiday that was shot on location here.

Redang Island has everything that you need for a fun island holiday – great beaches, warm tropical waters and plenty to do during the day and night time.

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Kenyir Lake

The lake is known as a unique tourist destination for her beautiful scenario of tropical forest and widely known for its valuable flora and fauna species. It is believed that the area is the habitat of more than 8000 species of flowers, 2500 species of plants and trees, 8000 species of orchids, 370 species of birds and 300 species of fresh water fish.

They live in harmony and in peace in their own natural habitat. You look and learn, preserve our nature for our next generation. Give this mother nature as a gift to future. The Kenyir Lake creates and provides many amenities for total relaxation and enjoyment in a unique environment. Fishing, house boating, trekking, golfing, kayaking, camping, caving etc are some of the recreational activities the place has to offer. Try and enjoy yourself.

Without recreation, society will degenerate to biological forms devoid of soul. Whereas culture and tradition cannot be neglected lest our origins and values. The traditional nature or kampung style chalets with wooden houses of architectural designs create enlivened and enriched the area surrounding. This place is a wide area of interest for visitors to experience whatever whom you are either casual visitor or a serious scientist, lets its being in nature. Be its nature…

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Perhentian Island

Pulau Perhentian is located in the South China Sea 21 km from the coast of Kuala Besut, Terengganut. For hundred of years ago vessel sailing from the south coast of Peninsular Malaysia to Bangkok will stop-by for a rest and shelter at the Island. They all an ancient merchant carrying food, jewelry, vast and etc. As the activities of merchants, sailors and traders from the South of Chinese Sea have taken place, the island is getting popular for their 'one stop station', these Islands were named as 'Once Stop Island' so called 'Pulau Perhentian' in Malay language.

It comprises of two islands; Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil. Both islands are surrounded by beautiful palm-fringed powdery white sandy beaches and crystal-clear turquoise-blue sea.

The two Perhentian Islands are rated as some of the most beautiful islands in the world; a virtual paradise for snorkelling and diving in crystal-clear water or just for lazing on one of the white sandy beaches waiting for the coconuts to drop …

The two main islands are heavily forested and ringed with sandy beaches, typical of tropical islands. Accomodation for visitors are predominantly aimed at budget travellers and is mostly on the larger Pulau Perhentian Besar, which not only has wonderful beaches but also forest trails over the hills.

Both islands are separated by a very narrow sound but with strong current. The significant different between the two islands is, Perhentian Besar is more for a vocational island while the small one is an island with the mixture of vacation mood and reality life due to the fishing village, Kampung Pasir Hantu which is resided with more than 2000 villagers and completed with basic facilities apart from resorts and guesthouses.

All manner of aquatic life is visible both near and far from the beach such as turtles, sharks, coral and thousands of tropical fish. The interior is covered by jungle with a wide variety of species. You can watch monitor lizards, monkeys, geckos, flying squirrels, butterflies and many other types - sometimes right in front of your chalet. There are no roads and not many paths, so the islands are mainly peaceful and untouched - so far.

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Sipadan Island

	Mabul Sipadan Water Village is located on the island of Mabul. This small island surrounded by sandy beaches and perched on the northwest corner of a larger 200-hecter reef is notably known as one of the worlds best "muck-diving" sites. The reef is on the edge of a continental shelf and the seabed surrounding the reef slopes out to 75 to 100 feet deep. Mabul is arguably one of the riches single destinations for exotic small marine life anywhere in the world. Flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, mimic octopus and bobtail squids are just a few of the numerous types of cephalapods found. The sight of harlequin shrimp feeding on sea stars and boxer crabs waving their tiny anemone pom-poms are just a small example of the endless species of crustaceans. The list seemingly endless, it would be easier to list the species not found at Mabul - crazy critters are in abundance at this magical macro site!
	The macro life is equally mesmerizing; garden eels, leaf scorpion fish, mantis shrimps, fire gobies and various pipefish are guaranteed at various dive sites. Sipadan also boasts a rich variety of corals; both soft and hard, among these Dendronephyta in delicate pastel colors and feather stars of all shades and hues. The most popular dive spot to view these is the Coral Gardens. The diversity of the abundance of marine life found at Sipadan gives it the reputation of being one of the best dive locations in the world. Sipadan Sipadan Sipadan Water Village dive packages include diving at Sipadan. No other spot on the surface of this planet has more marine life than Sipadan. More than 3000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in these riches of ecosystems. The resort is dubbed a "Water Village" because it is built entirely on pilings - connected to the shore by a long pier. Sipadan is well known for its unusually large numbers of green and hawksbill turtles which gather there to mate and nest and it is not unusual for a diver to see more than 20 turtles on each dive. Another unique feature is the “Turtle Tomb”, and underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that became disoriented and then drowned. Barracuda Point is where a diver may experience the thrill of swimming amidst schooling barracuda and big-eye trevally, which gather in thousands forming spectacular tornado-like formations. With the possibility of seeing pelagic such as mantas, eagle rays and hammerhead sharks, each dive at Sipadan is a highly anticipated event. Kapalai Sipadan Water Village dive packages also include diving at Kapalai. This unique and new dive destination is built on a sand bar only 15 minutes from Sipadan Island. The sand bar was many years ago the island of Kapalai, but erosion has taken its toll on what was once a truly beautiful island. The village sits on what is known as the Ligitan Reefs, a very extensive stretch bordering the deep and vast Sulawesi Sea. The underwater scene is completely different compared to Sipadan’s. It is a macroworld of great interest featuring rare subjects ranging from dragonets, fire gobies, partner & sleeper gobies, wasp or leaf fish, gurnards, the strange ‘little dragonfish’ or seamoth, the tame crocodile fish, giant frogfish of different colors, eels, rays…just to name a few.

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