2. ISLANDS CONJURE DREAMS OF
PARADISE; AN ESCAPE FROM THE RAT
RACE, A PERFECT PATCH OF SAND WHERE
YOU CAN RELAX UNDER RUSTLING
PALMS AND GAZE AT A SERENE BLUE SEA.
BUT NOT ALL ISLANDS ARE CREATED THE
SAME. THE BEAUTY OF SOME IS DEFINED
MORE BY THE SEA THAT SURROUNDS
THEM, WHICH CAN CAPTIVATE
CONNOISSEURS WITH ITS CRYSTALLINE
CLARITY AND THRIVING CORAL
KINGDOMS. OTHER ISLANDS FEATURE
LUXURIANT JUNGLES AND VELVETY
PEAKS. AND SOME ENCHANT TRAVELERS
WITH THEIR CULTURAL JEWELS. WHETHER
IT'S SUBLIME BEACHES, STUNNING
TOPOGRAPHY, OR EXOTIC CULTURES YOU
SEEK, THESE ISLANDS LIE FAR FROM THE
WORKADAY CLAMOR BUT CLOSE TO
CREATURE COMFORTS
3. 1. MALDIVES
THE MALDIVES ARE HOME TO SOME OF THE
WORLD'S MOST RAVISHING ISLANDS, BUT
THE SEA, WHICH TRULY MAKES THESE
ISLANDS SHINE. LUMINOUS AQUAMARINE
WATERS WITH A CRYSTAL CLARITY LAP
THESE DAZZLING WHITE SHORES, WHICH
BARELY PEEK ABOVE THE INDIAN OCEAN.
CONSISTING OF 26 NATURAL ATOLLS, THE
MALDIVES ARCHIPELAGO IS THE PLANET'S
LOWEST LYING NATION, RISING NO MORE
THAN THREE METERS ABOVE THE SEA AT ITS
HIGHEST POINT, A MEASUREMENT THAT
SHRINKS EVERY YEAR. BENEATH THE
MESMERIZING WATERS, CORAL REEFS
FLOURISH, LURING DIVERS AND SNORKELERS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD. SURFERS ALSO
FLOCK HERE TO RIDE THE UNCROWDED
BREAKS. BACK ON LAND, LUXURY RESORTS
PROVIDE THE PERFECT LAUNCHING POINTS
FOR ADVENTURES FOCUSED UPON THE SEA,
THE ARCHIPELAGO'S GREATEST ASSET, BUT
ALSO, AS THE PLANET'S CLIMATE CHANGES,
ITS SINGLE GREATEST THREAT.
4. 2 BORA BORA, FRENCH POLYNESIA
SHAPED LIKE A GIANT SOMBRERO, THIS
LUSH VOLCANIC ISLAND STARS IN
COUNTLESS SOUTH PACIFIC FANTASIES.
THE FOCAL POINT AND BEST ASSET OF
TROPICAL BEAUTY IS ITS RAVISHING
LAGOON IN TECHNICOLOR TURQUOISE.
FISH, TURTLES, SHARKS, AND RAYS SWIM
IN THE CLEAR WATERS, AND TINY ISLETS
OR MOTUS DOT THE LAGOON. THE
OF COURSE, IS DISTINCTLY FRENCH, WITH
MOUTHWATERING CUISINE TO MATCH.
DIVING AND SNORKELING ARE EXCELLENT
IN THE SURROUNDING REEFS AND HIKING
TRAILS WEAVE THROUGH THE PALM-
STUDDED FORESTS. IF YOU CAN AFFORD
HIDE OUT HERE IN A LUXURIOUS OVER-
THE-WATER BUNGALOW AND BASK IN
YOUR GOOD FORTUNE AS YOU FALL
ASLEEP TO THE GENTLE SLOSH OF THE
5. 3 SANTORINI, GREECE
ENCIRCLING A SEA-FILLED CALDERA,
SPECTACULAR SANTORINI SCORES TOP
POINTS FOR DRAMATIC BEAUTY. BLEACHED
WHITE VILLAS TUMBLE DOWN VOLCANIC
CLIFFS. BLUE-DOMED CHURCHES RISE
AGAINST THE SPARKLING SEA, AND BRIGHT
SPRAYS OF BOUGAINVILLEA ADD TO THE
EYE-POPPING CANVAS OF COLOR. PERCHED
ATOP THE BLACK LAVA CLIFFS, THE
SETTLEMENTS OF FIRÁ AND OIAARE THE
ISLAND'S MOST PICTURESQUE, AND PRICEY,
DESTINATIONS, AND OIA RANKS AMONG
THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED LOCATIONS IN
THE WORLD. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE
ISLAND INCLUDE AKROTÍRI
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE, ANCIENT
THIRA, THE BLACK SAND BEACH
OF PERISSA, AND OF COURSE, THE SUBLIME
SUNSETS. SAILING INTO THIS STUNNING
CALDERA SURROUNDED BY SOARING SEA
CLIFFS MAKES AN UNFORGETTABLE FIRST
IMPRESSION.
6. 4 BALI, INDONESIA
STEEPED IN AN INTOXICATING CULTURE,
THE ISLAND OF BALI IS A FEAST FOR THE
SENSES. INCENSE WAFTS FROM HINDU
TEMPLES, RICE PADDIES GLOW IN ELECTRIC
GREENS, AND THE FOOD JOLTS THE TASTE
BUDS. SURFING, SWIMMING, SHOPPING,
AND SUNBATHING ARE THE PRIME
PURSUITS ON THIS EXOTIC ISLE, AS WELL
AS SIGHTSEEING IN THE LUSH
COUNTRYSIDE. SOAK UP THE SPIRITUAL
SIDE OF BALI IN UBUD, SEE SEMINYAK,
AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY SANUR, FEEL THE
PUMPING PULSE OF TOURISTY KUTA, OR
EXPLORE THE ATTRACTIONS ON THE
NEIGHBORING VOLCANIC ISLAND
OF LOMBOK. BALI'S ENCHANTING SPIRIT
WILL WASH OVER YOU LIKE A WARM,
TROPICAL WAVE.
7. 5 CAPRI, ITALY
GLAMOROUS CAPRI, ABOUT 20 KILOMETERS
OFF THE AMALFI COAST, LIVES UP TO ALL THE
HYPE. SEA STACKS AND SOARING CLIFFS RISE
FROM THE TEAL-HUED TYRRHENIAN SEA
FRAMED BY SPRAYS OF COLORFUL FLOWERS.
A POPULAR ATTRACTION IS THE BLUE
GROTTO, A GLOWING SEA CAVE, WHERE
LOCALS ROW TOURISTS IN ON TINY BOATS
AND SING OPERA TO DEMONSTRATE THE
ACOUSTICS. ONCE YOU ARRIVE AT THE PORT
OF MARINA GRANDE, CATCH THE
FUNICULAR UP TO THE MAIN TOWN OF
CAPRI, WHICH FEELS LIKE A MOVIE SET. THE
PIAZZA HERE BUZZES WITH IMPECCABLY-
DRESSED LOCALS AND TOURISTS TOTING
SHOPPING BAGS FILLED WITH DESIGNER
CLOTHES AND THE ISLAND'S PERFUMES.
WHILE YOU'RE HERE, BE SURE TO ALSO VISIT
THE HIGHEST TOWN, ANACAPRI, AND TAKE
THE CHAIR LIFT UP TO MONTE SOLARO FOR
SPECTACULAR VIEWS ACROSS THE ISLAND
AND SEA.
8. 6 WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS, AUSTRALIA
SPRINKLED ALONG THE WORLD HERITAGE-
LISTED GREAT BARRIER REEF,
THE WHITSUNDAY ISLANDSARE AUSTRALIA'S
VERSION OF THE CLASSIC TROPICAL ISLAND
FANTASY. THESE 74 LUSH ISLANDS ARE THE
PEAKS OF DROWNED HILLS RISING ABOVE THE
STRIKINGLY BLUE CORAL SEA. SAILING IS A
POPULAR PASTIME HERE, AND DIVING IS
EXCELLENT ALONG THE FISH-RICH CORAL
REEFS. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY FRAGILE
ECOSYSTEM PROTECTED BY SIX NATIONAL
PARKS, AND YOU CAN EXPLORE SOME OF THE
ISLANDS ON HIKING TRAILS.
ACCOMMODATION RANGES FROM
BEACHFRONT CAMPSITES, ECO-RETREATS,
AND FAMILY RESORTS TO LUXURY ESCAPES
LIKE HAYMAN
ISLAND AND QUALIA ON HAMILTON
ISLAND. DON'T MISS THE RADIANT SILICA
SANDS OF WHITEHAVEN
BEACH ON WHITSUNDAY ISLAND. AIRLIE
BEACH AND SHUTE HARBOUR ARE THE MAIN
LAUNCHING POINTS FOR WHITSUNDAY
ADVENTURES.
9. NAME: POMOJNICU BOGDAN , 8204
COORDINATING TEACHER: MIHAI DANIEL FRUMUSELU
BIBLIOGRAPHY: HTTPS://WWW.PLANETWARE.COM