Category Islands

Drake’s Island is named after Sir Francis Drake, an Englishman who was famous for sailing around the world in the ship called the Pelican that he renamed as the Golden Hind. Situated in the heart of Plymouth Harbour, Drake’s Island was earlier called St. Nicholas, after a chapel located there.

It was from this island that Sir Francis Drake began his voyage around the world in 1577. He returned triumphantly after the success of his mission in 1580. Later, he was made Governor of the island, which now bears his name.

 Drake’s Island is actually the tip of a volcano, and is made of volcanic tuff and lava. This small rugged island has an area of just over 12.6 hectares, and rises 29 metres above sea level. Since the 16th century, the island has been constantly used for military purposes because of its strategic location. It is often referred to as the ‘Guardian of Plymouth’.

The island nation of Fiji lies in the South Pacific Ocean. It is an archipelago of more than 330 islands, of which 110 are inhabited. Fiji also has some 500 islets.

 The original settlers of Fiji, who came to the islands over 3000 years ago, are now called the Lapita people. After 96 years as a British colony, Fiji gained independence in 1970.

Most people live on the largest island, Viti Levu, where the capital, Suva, is located. Beaches, rainforests, and coral gardens make Fiji a wondrous place. The tagimaucia, a beautiful red-and-white flowering plant that resembles the hibiscus, blooms in only one place in the world-on the banks of the Tagimaucia River in the mountains of Taveuni Island in Fiji.

Did you know that the International Date Line runs through this island too? This means that you can stand with one foot in today, and the other in yesterday!

Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean, lies off the southern coast of Turkey, and the western shore of Syria. It was the site of early Phoenician and Greek colonies.

For centuries its rule passed through many hands. It fell to the Turks in 1571, and a large Turkish colony settled on the island. The British had control of Cyprus for sometime after World War I, but finally Cyprus became an independent nation on August 16th, 1960.

Cyprus is famous for many things. Its dessert wine, produced in the fertile high-altitude slopes in the southwest of Cyprus, has a sweet, herby taste that has made it very popular.

One of the most visited spots in Cyprus is the town of Paphos. The remains of ancient tombs, fortresses and palaces have made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There is also an interesting legend about Cyprus. The local people believe that the Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, was born on a beach in Cyprus that’s named after her. Waves breaking over the rocks create pillars of foam, which according to the islanders, look like the goddess herself! 

Barbados, a small island, lies north of Venezuela in the Atlantic Ocean. Coral reefs circle a large part of the island. Barbados is thought to have been originally inhabited by Arawak Indians.

But, when the Europeans arrived, it was uninhabited. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to set foot on the island. However, it was the British who first established a colony there in 1627.

 When the British arrived in Barbados, the island was almost totally covered in dense jungle, with a very large population of wild pigs! The colonists cultivated tobacco, cotton, and later sugar, which proved to be enormously profitable. Slaves were brought in from Africa to work on sugar plantations, and eventually, the population was about 90 per cent black.

Britain granted the colony independence in 1966, and it became a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth. The name ‘Barbados’ is derived from the bearded fig trees once found in abundance on the island.

Ireland is an island in Northwestern Europe. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Channel, the Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea.

Five sixths of this island comprises the Republic of Ireland. The other one sixth is a part of the United Kingdom. In the Stone and Bronze Ages, Ireland was inhabited by people called Picts in the north and Erainn in the south.

Around 4th BC tall, red-haired Celts arrived from Gaul. Saint Patrick introduced Christianity in AD 432, and the country developed into a center of Gaelic and Latin learning. Irish monasteries attracted intellectuals as well as the pious.

 These monasteries also sent out missionaries to many parts of Europe and even, it is believed, to North America. Ireland is an island of lush vegetation, thick woods, low mountains, and a mild climate. Peninsulas and lakes, breathtaking monuments dating from prehistoric times, as well as fabulous ruins of castles and monasteries, all make Ireland a tourist’s dream.

When you think of Iceland, you think of ice… but, remarkably, Iceland is not covered by ice the way Greenland is. This island nation lies in the Arctic region of Northern Europe. Iceland was discovered by the Vikings, a seafaring race of people.

The Scandinavians settled there in AD 874. Iceland was later ruled by the Norwegians and Danes, until it became an independent nation in 1918 and a republic in 1944. Iceland has lava fields, mountains, and glaciers. In some places, the ice on the glaciers is 1000 metres thick!

Continue reading “Why is Iceland remarkable?”

Mauritius is a small island nation in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It is located to the east of Madagascar Island, near South Africa. Because of its spectacular beauty and strategic location, it is referred to as the ‘star and key’ of the Indian Ocean.

The nation is made up of the island of Mauritius, Rodrigues, and the outer islands. The island was formed as a result of volcanic activity in the Indian Ocean millions of years ago.

Mauritius was visited by the Arabs and then by the Portuguese. It was later ruled by the French and the British, until it became an independent nation. Caressed by a turquoise ocean, Mauritius is famed for its breathtaking landscapes.

Its dazzling white beaches, coral reefs, seven colours of sands and sand dunes attract tourists from every corner of the planet. There are also a number of unique plants and animals that are found only on this island. Amazingly, there are no wild animals here in this tropical paradise-even the snakes are not poisonous!

The Republic of Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. This island nation lies in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Africa. It is a truly amazing place, for over 70 per cent of the 250,000 wildlife species found in Madagascar are found nowhere else in the world, and 90 per cent of the estimated 14,000 plants native to Madagascar cannot be seen anywhere else on the planet either.

For example, the lemur is only found in the wild in Madagascar. As of 2012, there were 103 living species of lemur in Madagascar, including sub-species. One of the reasons for Madagascar’s unique wildlife is the island’s distance from anywhere else.

Continue reading “Why is Madagascar amazing?”

 Australia is truly unique in that it is an island, a nation, and a continent all together. The continent of Australia is an island, and the entire continent is a single nation!

The first inhabitants of Australia were the aboriginals who were later joined by other ethnic groups. The Europeans arrived only in the 1700s.

Most of the population lives along the coast. Australia is a place of many wonders, with a lake that is pink in colour and animals that are found nowhere else, including kangaroos, koalas and Tasmanian devils.

 Australian culture is as broad and varied as the country’s landscape that includes some of the world’s most exotic species of plants. In Australia, you can travel from scorching deserts to snow clad mountains, dazzling white beaches and magical coral reefs without ever leaving the country.

 A private island is one that is owned by just one individual or corporation. Naturally, only the rich and the famous can afford to have their own private islands.

Some use their islands as a getaway from photographers and from the outside world, while others rent out their islands to wealthy travelers.

Actor Johnny Depp owns a 45-acre tropical island called Little Hall’s Pond Cay in the Caribbean. Other famous actors who own islands include Robin Williams, Mel Gibson and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Many claim that owning a private island gives a sense of freedom and privacy that cannot be equaled by ownership of any other property.

 However, even though an island may be private property, the owner still has to abide by all the laws and rules of the country of which it is a part of.