Not overshadowed by mass tourism, they will allow you to relax away from noisy cities and even feel like the hero of Daniel Defoe’s most famous novel
Koh Rok
Country: Thailand
Features: Sea, banyans and snorkelling
The most intimate corner of the western part of the “Land of a Thousand Smiles” consists of two tiny uninhabited islands separated by a 100-meter strait. Absolutely postcard views are guaranteed. The land of Ko Rok is abundant with mangroves and tropical trees, and one can even find banyans here. But the main feature is the purest sand that flirts with the waves rolling over it all days long.
Make sure you get your goggles and a tube. The best snorkelling spots with colourful corals are Bermuda Ridge and Seafan Garden (ask the local fishermen for detailed directions). The wildlife here is quite exotic: you can even see sharks and stonefish. It is better to get here with a stop on Koh Lanta, where Pimalai, one of the best five-star hotels in seaside Thailand, is hidden in the jungle.
Manshausen
Country: Norway
Features: Communion with nature
True yachtsmen do not live on warm waters alone! Norway is not the most obvious choice for winter holidays – particularly on a yacht. Well, it’s probably time to break the mould. Manshausen is a tiny island of 55 acres. It is located in the Vestfjorden, in the strait between the mainland part of the country and the Lofoten archipelago. The settlement appeared late in 17th century, so local residents have been fishing for cod and watching the killer and humpback whales for about three hundred years now. There are very few places left in the world, where these giants come so close to people. So don’t miss this opportunity.
In the warm part of the year a luxury eco hotel is working on the island. Its designer cabins feature huge floor-to-ceiling windows and comfortable terraces overlooking the contrasting landscape of the harsh sea, a snow-white beach and mountains and forests on the horizon.
Providenciales
Country: Turks and Caicos
Features: Bounty beaches
Turks and Caicos is a small archipelago south-east of the Bahamas. Like many other independent Caribbean countries, ten years ago it was still part of the British Protectorate. The combination of limestone cliffs, coral reefs and shoals has created amazing views with stunningly beautiful beaches.
The western part, which is the island of Providenciales, stands out in particular. At least six of the local beaches can be part of the world’s top hundred best beaches. The beach called Leeward is especially good. Diving is spectacular a little further west, too, towards the island of West Caicos. Experts advise the dive sites with such self-explanatory names as Tons of Sponges, Elephant Ear Canyon and the Anchor. There is a lot worth seeing on land, too, like the ruins of Loyalist colonies from the period of the American Civil War, or sisal and cotton plantations.
Perhentian Islands
Country: Malaysia
Features: Hiking in the jungle
In terms of beach and nature ratings Malaysia is normally considered inferior to its neighbours, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. However, it is quite unjustly underestimated. The west of the country is relatively famous thanks to Langkawi, but the east, as a rule, remains a mystery to most people. In this respect it is worth taking a closer look at the Perhentians. These are two small islands in the South China Sea.
In the past, they mainly served as a transit point on the way from Bangkok to Singapore. Nowadays they are quiet sleepy patches of land with absolutely unique sunrises and sunsets, the jungles that are ideal for morning hiking, and richest marine life. It is easy to see giant turtles, electric rays and reef sharks underwater. And what is especially nice is that unlike other Malay islands, the Perhentian Islands sometimes seem uninhabited.
Whitsunday
Country: Australia
Features: Honeymoon and adventures
The Whitsunday Archipelago of 74 islands stretches off the east coast of Australia, between the Green Continent and the Great Barrier Reef. The most amazing place here is Whitehaven Beach. It goes on for seven kilometres with not a single hotel or house along its entire length. 98% of the beach is quartz sand, the softest and finest on the planet. It does not heat up much even in the blazing sun, so you can wander barefoot along the ocean all day. Make sure you plan a trip to the Heart Reef, which is a naturally formed heart-shaped rock. The reef was discovered by an airplane pilot in 1975. It is part of the Great Barrier system, so you can't dive here, but flying over it by helicopter is extremely romantic. Just imagine what kind of photos and videos you can take for the social networks!
Curaçao
Country: Curaçao
Features: Immersion in history
Of all the southern Caribbean group of islands usually named the ABC (the first letters for Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao) travellers choose to stay in Aruba, considering it the most interesting and well-developed. But our favourite is definitely Curaçao. Just like its neighbours, it is an ex-colony of the Netherlands. And it is here that an amazing mix of Dutch and Portuguese architecture and Creole emotions was born and has been preserved up to present.
The historical centre of the capital city of Willemstad has been rightly designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its bright and elegant houses of blue, green, yellow and red colours. Besides, the island is famous for its synagogue. It was founded by the Spanish and Portuguese Jews who had fled from the Iberian Peninsula. As a result, the synagogue of Curaçao is the oldest in the western hemisphere.
Espírito Santo
Country: Vanuatu
Features: Beaches, flora, cuisine
The largest island of the far-away country of Vanuatu is part of the New Hebrides archipelago in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is known mainly for Champagne beach with its pinkish-beige sand and turquoise water. However, it didn’t get its name for the colour, but for the great underwater volcanic activity.
Espírito Santo, as well as the entire country, is famous for its eclectic cuisine, mixing the traditions of all the neighbours and colonizers – from Thailand and Japan to France and Italy. But it is especially interesting that it is on the islands of Vanuatu that over 75% of all kinds of the intoxicating kava pepper in the world grow. The roots of this plant are used to make an alcoholic drink, and local kava bars are called "nakamals".
Just like other paradise corners of Oceania, Espiritu Santo is a luxurious diving site. It's great to tickle your nerves by diving into the wreckage of the American ocean liner named President Coolidge. The ship sank in 1942 after hitting a mine at the entrance to the harbour. The wrecks are scattered over the area of about 200 meters and lie at a depth of 20 to 72 meters. This place is now considered one of the most impressive diving sites in the world.
Kiritimati
Country: Kiribati
Features: New Year celebrations
This is exotics in the purest form. One of the most remote states in the world consists of 33 islands and atolls, and 21 of them are uninhabited. Not every superyacht can get here. Kiribati stretches a thousand kilometres in length, with the Kiritimati being the easternmost in the ridge. In addition to indescribable beauty, brightest beaches and purest water, the island is also interesting due to the fact that it hosts the easternmost time zone of the planet +14 hours GMT. Which means that it is here in Kiritimati that the New Year is celebrated earliest of all.
The southern part of the state is home to the Phoenix Islands and is one of the world's largest protected marine areas. There are about 19 rare bird species, over 500 fish kinds, as well as lots of sharks and mammals. And finally, Fanning Island is said to be one of the most exciting surfing spots.
Gili
Country: Indonesia
Features: Peace and meditation
The three small Gili islands are close and relatively modest neighbours of ever-popular Bali. They are ideal for those who prefer a chill-out vibe and are fed up with overcrowded Kuta, Ubud, let alone Denpasar. They are just tiny spots on Google maps. All the three Gili islands feature just three colours, but mixed in beautiful combinations: the green of the jungle and coconut palm trees, the blue of the water and the gold of the sand. It is particularly nice that no vehicles are allowed here, so you will never here the squeal of tires in the morning.
It’ll take you no more than an hour to sail around all the three islands on a yacht, but it is better to take some more time and explore each of them calmly and thoroughly, walking among the cashews and admiring the views of Lombok that pretends to be restless, but is in fact really peaceful.
Yaeyama
Country: Japan
Features: Extraordinary beach holidays
The southernmost and westernmost inhabited Japanese islands are located almost next to Taiwan and formally belong to Okinawa. Almost nothing reminds you of typical Japan here. The climate is tropical. The atmosphere is calm, there are no skyscrapers or electric trains. Because of the beauty of the bays Yaeyama is often compared to the Maldives and Caribbeans. The largest island in the archipelago, Ishigaki, is quite well-developed – particularly taking into account its remoteness from the main part of the country.
And its neighbour, Iriomote island, is really interesting. Almost 90% of its territory is covered with the jungle and mangroves. Drop anchor, get the kayaks from the garage and go ahead to explore the lagoons and straits. It is interesting to know that Iriomote is home to one of the rarest kinds of wild cat. There are fewer than a hundred of them left now, and they all live on this island.
Sanibel
Country: USA
Features: Two-storey America and micro safari
This small island west of Florida is a benchmark of how one should take care of nature and one’s heritage. Despite the frightening closeness of the big land and civilization (Miami is just an hour passage away), there is not a single house taller than two storeys in Sanibel.
Besides, the larger part of the island is the national park. And there is someone to protect, indeed: the island is home to manatees, two hundred bird species, turtles and other amazing animals. The south coast is quite popular with fans of collecting shells. They say that no other place in the States can offer such cleanness and diversity.
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