coral atolls travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

Cocos Islands are discovered in 1609, they were settled and owned by a single family from 1872 until the Australian Government acquired them in 1978. A pristine white beach is so typical of the beautiful Cocos Islands. The 27 coral islands are formed into two large, heavily vegetated atolls. They are the only atolls that Darwin ever visited but the coral ecosystem remains intact – and you can still see in their pristine conditions, exactly why they played such an important part in his theory of evolution.
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Micronesia consists of some 600 small islands spread across nearly 2,900,000 sq km of the Western Pacific just above the Equator. For all that Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) can only muster around 700 sq km of terra firma. The four states are Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae, and Yap. Each consists of one or more high volcanic islands. Photo by: martylaycock
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Tonga is a kingdom. The islands lie south of Samoa and are about one-third of the way from New Zealand.  It is the only South Pacific group of islands (170) that has always ruled itself. Several of the islands are volcanic, with active craters, but most are coral atolls. The entire island is population- just over 100,000.

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The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands are a group of atolls and reefs in Micronesia, about half-way between Hawaii and Australia. Located north of Nauru and Kiribati, these beautiful islands are a collection of 1,225 islands and islets of which only five are single islands. The rest are grouped into 29 coral atolls which together make up more than one-tenth of all the atolls in the world resembling strings of pearls in a blue ocean backdrop.

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 The Riviera Maya is the coolest and newest resort that, as a tropical-style vision of paradise. Is located along the coast of the Yucatan peninsula, between Cancun and Tulum (the famous Mayan archaeological site). Rain forests, jungle, flora, fauna, ancient Mayan cities, virgin beaches, turquoise waters, the fantasy and warmth of the tropics, and the mystery of a legendary culture still alive in its people today are only a few of the characteristics that make this destination a favorite worldwide. Whether you are looking for romance and tranquility or an extreme, exciting adventure, the Riviera Maya is a wonderful place for your vacation. Riviera Maya gives alternatives for every traveler with over 220 hotels (with more than 13,000 rooms) including about 170 small and quite intimate inns and resorts, plus several full service and all-inclusive beachfront resorts. They vary from the exclusive and elite to a hammock on the beach beneath the stars.

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The 26 natural atolls, which make up the Maldives, contain some 1200 coral islands, infinite sandbanks and reefs that stretch 820 kilometers across the equator from North to South, and 120 kilometers East to West. Covering a total area of 90,000 square kilometers in the Indian Ocean, only 200 of these islands is inhabited, while an additional 90 have been converted into resorts.

One & Only Kanuhura, Maldives, opened in February 2000, is a luxurious five star hotel, offering the highest standard of accommodation, service and culinary experience. Accommodation is in villas either on the island’s coral sand fringe or in a little village on stilts at the end of a wooden pier. Close by are some of the world’s best diving sites, with the outer reef dropping down nearly two thousand metres. Only one third of the island surface has been used for buildings, leaving a feel of spaciousness and tropical slendour. Kanuhura offers a choice of pure relaxation, or for the more sports oriented, an active holiday experience. It is home to the largest state of the art spa in the Maldives, the first disco and an excellent kids club, along with some of the world’s best diving, as the outer reef here drops to 2000m.
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Bahrain, a group of 33 islands, with an area of 707 square kilometres, is situated in the Arabian Gulf, off the east coast of Saudi Arabia. Bahrain is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Middle East with over two million tourists a year.The capital, Manama, on the main island, boasts excellent hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, an intriguing souq (bazaar) and all the other facilities visitors need for a great holiday.
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