It is well worth taking a tour off the conventional tourist route to visit this ancient island just 300 km offshore from the mainland town of Brodarica, Croatia. Karpanj is the smallest and lowest inhabited island of the Adriatic at only 7 m above sea level at its highest point. A nobleman by the name of Juric purchased the uninhabited island in 1436 and donated it to the Franciscans who built a monastery there. When the Turks started plundering the coastline, the monk sheltered refugees from the mainland and eventually allowed them to build a settlement on the island.

The settlers were originally farmers who had to turn to fishing to scrape a living. Their fortune changed at the beginning of the 18th century when a visiting friar from Crete taught them the art of sponge harvesting and processing. Individual sponges were harpooned from a boat and a skilled operator could spear one at a depth of 15 m. The market for sponges proved a highly lucrative one – the Venetians couldn’t get enough of them and buy the mid 19th century there were 40 boats operating from Krapanj exporting sponges to Venice. In 1893 the first diving equipment was introduced, which enabled the spongers to harvest at much greater depths and soon earned them a reputation as skilled divers.

Karpanj has awesome atmosphere – you can spend your time in one of the waterside coffee houses chatting to the locals, visit a monastery stuffed with antiquities and works of art or wander through the picturesque streets of the town. Above all, this is a terrific little place to learn about the underwater world and improve your diving skills under the guidance of friendly locals who are happy to share their generation of experience.

When to go: May to September. Population: 2,500. Getting there: Boat from Brodarica, 8km south of Sibenik, which is well connected by bus or train with Split, Zagreb and Zadar. Photos by: darkfloyd60

Just off the coast of Northumberland, (England) lies a group of some 20 tidal islands. Divided into groups they are also known as ‘Farnes‘. Apart from a few seasonal bird wardens, they are uninhabited, rugged and bleak, the smallest islands are just bare, rocky peaks, while the largest support vegetation on peaty soil. Photo by: hsacdirk

To the north of Farnes lies mystical Lindisfarne, also emerged as Holy Island. Connecting by a tidal causeway to the mainland, much of it is a National Nature Reserve, protecting internationally important winter populations and rare migrant birds. There is Lindisfarne monestery locate in one of the most important early Christian sites of Eng;and. Also on the island is Tudor castle. Owned by the National Trust, it was built in the 1570s and restored by Edwin Lutyens in 1901. Photo by: iancowe

When to go: The best time for birds is during autumn and winter, but Lindisfarne is at its best during spring and summer. Population: The Farne Islands are uninhabited. Lindisfarne 162. How to get there: By boat to the Farnes, foot or car to Lindisfarne, depending on the tides. Photo by: law_keven

Highlights: Scuba diving over the many wrecks surrounding the Farne Islands. The ruined Lindisfarne monastery, its museum and visitor centre. Photo by: left-hand

Photo by: gingiber

The Dutch island of Terschelling lies along the Dutch coast for 29 km creating a barrier between the North and Wadden Seas. It is most accessible of the West Frisian Islands, with miles of sandy shoreline and a wonderfully varied landscape for its size. The north coast is a white-sand beach up to 1 km wide, backed by windswept dunes with a hinterland of pine forest. To the south is salt marsh – lush meadowland where catle graze and cranberries grow. The entire eastern end of the island is a nature reserve for migratorybirds.

The main town is called West-Terschelling, which is a charming port on the south coast, steeped in maritime history. The islanders are renowned for their seamanship, resilience and resourcefulness. There are walks, cycle paths and bridleways that take you all over the island, superb beaches for sand yachting and surfing, and plenty of opportunities for sailing or just mucking around on a boat. There is a real sense of being at one with nature here – a wonderful sense of freedom and space. 

When to go: June to September. Population: 4,702. How to get there: Ferry from Harlingen (The Netherlands) to West-Terschelling. You shoul know: Don’t bother to bring a car here. There are plenty of buses and taxis but the best way of getting around is by bike.

Photos by: proudof7

Dave Drimmer’s Cosmic Muffin, recycled a plane Boeing B-307 to a boat and this is the most perfect example. Deemed un-flyable in 1969, Hughes’ former ‘flying office’ was rescued from the landfill by Fort Lauderdale Realtor and pilot Kenneth W. London who then spent the next four years transforming it into an exotic houseboat that has been featured everywhere from CNN to Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

The Cosmic Muffin is truly one-of-a-kind and has a completely rebuilt hull, updated interior, new motors and a restored cockpit, and the owners have ambitious plans for everything from private charters to elementary education and nonprofit  projects.

To be honest the Cosmic Muffin is not the prettiest boat in the harbor. These objects were designed to be thrown away but they must now be revisited with an eye toward reuse, recycling or recombination. The benefits of this are two-fold: less consumption of natural resources during the manufacturing of something new, and less garbage in our landfills.

The Bimini Cays, 75 km east of Miami and Florida, mark the highest point of a submarine ridge that emerges from the turquoise water at North Bimini, and runs the length of the island along the Gulf Stream. There in complete contrast to the sandy slopes of the bay side where most people live, there’s only a narrow coastal ledge before the ocean floor drops into a sudden deep. This is the fishing capital of the Bahamas, the site of the world record catches of marlin, sailfish, giant tuna, swordfish, wahoo and bonefish. Photo by: picmanbahamas

The big game fish bring divers as well as hunters to Alice Town, the commercial centre of North Bimini and the cays. It’s bisected by the King’s Highway, the main drag lined by Government buildings, hotels, restaurants, stop-at-nothing bars, shops, tattoo parlours, the Straw Market, resort and marines. Photo by: sassamafracken

This concentration of amenities leaves Bimini’s most beautiful beaches empty: Queen’s Highway, on the island’s west, stretches past the endless sand of Radio Beach, Blister Beach and Spook Hill. Divers head for the bonanza of colourful fish on Rainbow Reef or the Bimini Barge wreck in 28 m of crystal-clear water, and the shallows of North Bimini’s enclosed bay also provide a rare opportunity to explore the extraordinary marine life of Red Mangroves. Photo by: picmanbahamas

The combination of lush tropical mangroves and the crashing spume of the open ocean proved an irresistible lure and feel the same visceral attraction to Bimini’s primal appeal. Photo by: percy fawcett

When to go: Year-round. The fishing tournament season runs from March to September. Population: 1,800. How to get there: By scheduled air to S Bimini, from Nassau or Florida, or by weekly mailboat to Alice Town or Cat Cays, from Nassau. You should know: Tourists may rent only mopeds, bicycles or golf cars- and you must drive on the left, because British rules apply. Photo by: picmanbahamas

The two Manitau Islands in Lake Michigan were once settled, but are now uninhabited. This doesn’t mean they are abandoned, as both are part of the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. Each has a ranger station and the islands are emerged as a destination for day trips and adventure camping holidays. The visitors who need to stay require park and camping permits. Photo by: jensenl

North Manitau is the larger at 13 km long and 6.5 km wide, with some 32 km of shoreline. By the mid -1800s there exploitable resources and never had a thriving settlement. Ruined homesteads, logging roads, a few wild orchards and the old cemetery are all the remain of that era, and the main activities are wilderness, camping and deer hunting in season. Photo by: cedarkayak

South Manitau, though just 5 km by 5 km was always more popular than the larger island. It had some fertile ground and the only natural harbor between the Manitous and Chicago, making the island a regular stopping-off point for lake mariners from the late 1700s into the 20th century. The island has a system of trails and three campsites. Photo by: .jowo.

When to go: The Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore is open all year round, but the islands are really a May to September destination. Population: Uninhabited. How to get there: There is a ferry service from Leland Michigan. You should know: The Manitous are surrounded by numerous shipwrecks, which are popular with recreational divers. Photo by: Latitude 45

The Thousands Islands are a network of in fact nearly 1,800 islands that span the American-Canadian border in the Saint Lawrence River. Some, like Wolfe Island, the largest at 124 sq km have significant year-round populations, while others are merely rocky outcrops visited by migrating birds. The whole area is hugely popular as a holiday destination, particularly for sailing – so much so that it’s sometimes called the ‘fresh water boating capital of the world’. Photo by: hermez

Around twenty of these islands form the Saint Lawrence Islands National Park, the smallest of Canada’s national parks. The Thousand Islands Frontenac Arch region was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2002. The US islands include numerous New York State parks, most notably Robert Moses State Park. Photo by: Guddemischi

The area is often traversed by freighters on their way into and out of the Great Lakes shipping lanes, but is so dotted with barely rocks that local navigators are hired to help the vessels travel through the hazardous waterway. This is unwise to travel the waters at night, except in the main channels and with good charts. It’s a popular place for experienced divers as the waters mostly so clear and the sea bed is littered with many shipwrecks for them to explore. Photo by: baalands

The area is also famous for its wealthy up state New Yorkers and many of the islands are privately owned. A plethora of ‘No Landing’ signs reminds potential visitors that they can look, but not to touch, so the best way to enjoy the area is by boat. Photo by: JasonB3

When to Go: The shoulder seasons of late April to May and September to early October are less crowded and can have good weather. Population: 22,450. How to get there: Via The Thousands Islands bridge from New York state or tour the area by boat from Gananoque.

Famous as the smallest island ever to have been partitioned, St Maarten ha been shared by the Dutch and French since 1630, when they united to repulse the Spanish. Until 1817 nobody bothered with boundaries and you can still move freely about the island; but despite the mixed Dutch, French and African heritage, you can fail to distinguish the contrasting styles of the island’s French and Dutch communities. Photo by: thenewarea51

Saint Maarten welcomes cruise liners, commerce, gambling, reggae, hard rock and rijsttafel restaurants. It’s the only place in the Caribbean, where shopping is 100 per cent duty free and in Philiosburg, you will find 500 of the smallest luxury shops in the world. Despite heavy tourism development, it’s still a treasure of old world Dutch architecture and military relics, often next to the white beaches that guarantee St Maarten’s popularity. The French emphasize comfort and elegance on their side, with secluded luxury resorts and the best food in the Caribbean. Photo by: sreddy17

Marigot, the capital, is the most French in spirit of all Caribbean cities, a luxury colonial version of a Mediterranean market town. But on the beaches you can always tell where you are by the dress code – modest on the Dutch side, topless or nude chic on the French. Orient-Plage is officially ‘clothing-optional’, but on the French side no-one is looking and no-one cares. With steel bands and firelit dancing, it makes for heady beach barbecues. The combination of cultures means you can do just about anything there on some of the Caribbean’s prettiest and liveliest beaches and in the towns. Photo by: iheartmegalodon

When to go: October to June. In March, the Heineken Regatta attracts world-class yachting enthusiasts. Population: Saint Maarten 34,800 (2007). How to get there: By air from Miami, San Juan (Puerto Rico) or Caracas. You should know: Saint Maarten operates a joint nature and marine reserve which includes 40 km of trails through mountains, forests and along the shore. Photo by: xaviermaire

Photo by: Liembo

This charming hideaway on the Ligurian Sea is a favorite vacation spot of many Europeans tourists. Even back in Roman Times Portofino was called the world’s most charming port. It is one of the most photogenic fishing ports in the Mediterranean. Once a quiet fishing village, today Portofino is best known for beachside cliffs that are speckled with pastel-colored houses and its chic boutiques, fashionable resorts, luxurious hotels and first-rate sports facilities.

Most of the water along the coast is a protected area and it is forbidden to enter there. There are 20 dive sites and diving can be arranged through local dive agencies. Swimming is allowed only in certain areas and boating is restricted near some of the shoreline.

Tourists can enjoy with: windsurfing facilities, sailing, tennis, golf, hiking, and plenty of beach amenities. Take a relaxing walk through the unique beach or indulge yourself in the wonders of Ligurian gastronomy.

One of smallest regions in Italy, Liguria is also known as the Italian Riviera. It is a land of contrasts. Filled with romantic fishing villages, rock cliffs, and sandy beaches, Liguria is home to luxuries seaside resorts and the country’s largest commercial and naval port.

The spectacular journey along the Ligurian coast, near the border with France, goes through tunnel after tunnel, always bursting forth from darkness into warm sunlight, the aquamarine sea glimmering at your side. The region is used as the background area for movies about spies and sports car racing. 
 

Liguria is home to seventeen protected areas. The most famous of them – Marine Reserve attracts 5000 scuba divers to its waters every year. The climate makes it possible to practice many sports almost all year long. Water sports reign along the coast: sailing, windsurfing, kite-surfing, kayaking, scuba diving and water skiing. The inland area offers excellent options for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. All of this makes Liguria a major tourist spot…

Kurl Islands is a chain of 56 volcanic islands stretches for 1,300 km like stepping-stones all the way from the Kamatchka Peninsula to Hokkaido, Japan. They form the boundary between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean and the summits of undersea stratvolcanoes, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Offshore is the Kuril trench, one of the deepest ocean regions in the world, 10,5 km deep. 

The Kuril Islands are breathtakingly beautiful with dense greenery except at the highest levels and an amazing variety of spectacular scenery ranging from dramatic volcanic ridge and craters to alpine tundra, meadows and wetland. There are broadleaf woods, coniferous forests, crater lakes circled by trees, lush narrow valleys and fast running steams with coast of steep cliffs, volcanic sand beaches and rocky shores. Many millions of seabirds congregate on every available hammock and cliff ledge. Baird’s whales, fin and sperm whales, sea otters, sealions and fur seals.

Forty of the islands are volcanically active with hot springs and frequent eruptions. A combination of distance from the mainland, the depth of the ocean and strong currents have been major barriers to plant and animal dispersal so the each island had its own self-contained ecosystem and natural history. The Kurils are in one of the least scientifically explored regions of the world – and eco adventurer’s paradise, full of unique biological and geological wonders.

When to go: June to October. Population: 16,800. How to get there: You need a lot of determination to get to Kurl Islands. By boat to Kunashir (the southernmost island), from Kushiro, north Japan. Irregular ferry services to the other inhabited islands and a once monthly boat from Korsakov, the southern port of Sakhalin Island, Eastern Russia. To explore the Kurils on max, you must charter a boat or join an eco-expedition.

The Kurils were discovered in 1634 and first charted in 1739. They were seized by Japan in the 19th century and only returned to Russia at the end of the World War II. Photos by: sophieatkinson

A wonderfully compelling world of icebergs, glaciers and the midnight sun, Franz Josef Land is one of the few remaining truly wild places on the planet. It is an archipelago of 191 volcanic islands, intended with dramatic bays and fjords, covering an area of 16,130 sq km in the Barents Sea, almost entirely within the Arctic Circle. There is located the most northerly point of Europe, only 911 km from the North Pole, at Cape Fligely on Rudolph Island. Photo by: photofthewilds

Two Austrian explorers, Julius Payer and Karl Weyprecht landed there in 1873 and named the archipelago Franz Joseph Land. But Austria never claimed the territory; it now belongs to Russia. Over a fifty- year period, the highest temperature recorded is 13 degrees Celsius and the lowest -54 degrees Celsius. Photo by: AdamM_BS6

During the summer months the icy sea takes crazy mosaic forms. Almost 85 per cent of the land surface is glaciated with an ice layer averaging 180 m thick. The only colour to be seen in this blinding ice-white wilderness is the extraordinary reds and greens lichens and mosses. The dramatic scenery is at its most majestic on Champ Island in the centre of the archipelago. The unforgiving climate supports arctic foxes, walruses, polar bears and beluga whales, and 37 bird species, featuring kittiwakes and fulmars. A journey to Franz Josef Land is a unique experience. Photo by: photofthewilds

When to go: July to August. Population: Uninhabited. How to get there: on a cruise boat from Spitzbergen. You should know: A trip to Franz Josef Land is an extreme adventure. It’s a Russian military zone and you can only go there on an escorted expedition. Photo by: PCmarja2006

The most southern of the Ionian chain, Zakynthos, also called Zante, shares the history of invasion, freedom from Ottoman rule and devastation by earthquakes. Much of the island is still green, untouched. The north and west is mountainous, the centre very fertile, with farms, vineyards and lovely old villages set in beautiful countryside where life is more or less untouched by tourism. Photo by: Tr8la

Zakynthos Town was rebuilt on the old plan, an attempt to recreate the atmosphere of the pre-earthquake ‘Flower of the Levant’. It is handsome place, with arcaded streets, grand public buildings, museum and busy working port. Round the island boat trips to sea caves and beaches start there. Photo by: mcdermgl

On the east coast, the resorts close to Zakynthos Town are overcrowded. However the Vassilikos Peninsula to the south still has small resorts and beaches, and traveling northwards the parade of fishing villages and beach resorts become less developed. The north coast is rocky and inaccessible, with dizzying views. There are one or two spots along the wild and remote west coast where the sea can be reached. Photo by: Skinnyde

When to go: May, June, September and October. Population: 38,600. How to get there: Direct charter and domestic flights. Ferry from the mainland inter-island ferries. Photo by: Adamos Maximus

In the far north of Japan off the north-west coast of the island Hokkaido, lie two smaller islands famed for their natural beauty, abundant wild flowers and hiking trails. The island of Rebun and Rishiri form part of national park, along with the island of Sarobetsu and part of Hokkaido. Photo by: k_yamamoto

Rishiri Island has the Mount Rishiri a 1,721-m dormant volcano. Most of the tourists went there to climb the volcano, an enjoyable hike which takes about 12 hours. There is a small shrine at the summit and the views from the neighboring islands from which you can appreciate the wonderful scenery, including a lovely three-hour trail from the lake at Himenuma, crossing the lower slopes of two smaller peaks. Photo by: Rex Missen

Another way to enjoy the scenery is by bicycle. A 20-km cycle track follows the northern coast of Rishiri from Hime Pond to Kutsugata, a lovely route offering stunning views of the volcano. Bicycle can be hired or borrowed from your hotel. The coast of Rishiri is peppered with small fishing villages and the islands is famous for its sea urchins and konbu seaweed. Photo by: yuou

In contrast Rebun is low-lying island.It is most famous for its rich flora, particularly its alpine flowers, some of which are not found anywhere else in the world. The flowers bloom between June and August, so this is good time to visit. Look out particularly for the Rebun Usuyukiso, rather like and Edelweiss. It’s one of the several protected, rare plants found on the island and can be seen in the Rebun Usuyukiso Area, place with a relatively high number of them. Photo by: yuou

When to go: June to August, when the wild flowers are in bloom. Population: Rebun 3,400, Rishiri 6,200. How to get there: travel by air or ferry from Wakanai to Rebun and Rishiri. You should know: Garota Beach is a sandy beach on the western coast of Rishiri, popular with wind surfers. The islands are known in Japan as Rishirito and Rebunto. Photo by: rangaku1976

Rangiroa is a breathtaking archipelago consisted of 78 low islands extends their surface area several hundred kilometers of the eastern Pacific around 200 km north of Tahiti. This is the second largest atoll in the world, the coral rim of an ancient volcano making tremendous  shallow inland sea with more than 240 islets or motu. The motu are separated by at least 100 shallow channels and three passes, two of which are big enough for ships to enter the lagoon. Photo by: suckmyclick AF

The lagoon waters are sparklingly clear and vary in colour form jade-green to purple, a real-surprise for first time visitors. The marine life there is truly astonishing, with over 400 varieties of rainbow-hued fish glinting in the iridescent waters among the brightly  coloured hard and soft corals, and the gently waving sea fans. The lagoon is understandably famous for its snorkelling and scuba diving, while outside the reefs there are amazing numbers sharks, barracuda and tuna along the walls of the drop-offs. Photo by: Pierre Lesage

The main villages in the archipelago are Avatoru and Tiputa, which offer the visitor a unique look at the South Pacific lifestyle, with their coral churches, craft centres, restaurants and tiny sympathetic shops. Tiputa is situated at the eastern end. Its picturesque houses are ringed with bleached coral and flowering hedges, and near by is the bird sanctuary on Motu Paio, well worth a visit. Photo by: Pierre Lesage

The Blue Lagoon at Taeo’o, an hour’s boat ride from the village of Avatoru is a natural pool of aquamarine water on the edge of the reef and probably one of the most idyllic places in the world. This is like a gigantic natural aquarium with wonderful colorful corals and numerous reef sharks. The surrounding motu are home to rare birds, featuring the Vini ultramarine parakeet. Photo by: Aktarus

When to go: June to October. Population: 3,400 (2007). How to get there: Fly to Tahiti or Bora Bora.

Photo by: hogie98105