The Mentawai Islands are a chain of about seventy islands and islets off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. The Mentawai Islands have become a renowned destination for surfing. Mentawai Islands waves are known by all the experienced surfers and it said to be one of two best surfing locations in the world.
Florianópolis is the capital city of Santa Catarina State in southern Brazil. The city has 42 beaches and is a center of surfing activity. Joaquina Beach (pictured below) was made famous in the 70's when it was discovered by surfers, the beach now hosts a number of surfing competitions and is also home to one of the best Samba clubs in Florianópolis.
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles and is one of the 27 regions of France. An amazing blend of French and Caribbean cultures, Guadeloupe caters to all travelers from small beach towns and surf schools to delicious gourmet French cuisine. There are five islands in the archipelago each with its own unique character; so visit them all and experience underwater parks and even an active volcano!
The Samoan Islands or Samoa Islands are an archipelago in the central South Pacific. The Samoan Islands has one of the largest Polynesian populations in the world, and despite colonialism they have retained their Samoan culture and customs. The islands have quite the paradisaical landscapes, lush green valleys, tropical rainforests, blowholes, submerged volcanoes and pristine beaches all make up a part of this picturesque chain.
Lofoten is an archipelago in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, Lofoten experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature at that latitude. With 24 hours of daylight in the summer and its natural beauty Lofoten has become a rock climbing and cycling paradise. The sea is rich with marine life, and the islands are home to the world's largest deep water coral reef!
Kaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The Kaikoura Peninsula extends into the sea south of the town the resulting currents bring with them an abundance of marine life. Due to this Kaikoura has become a popular tourist destination, mainly for whale watching especially sperm whales and swimming with or near dolphins.
The Gulf of California or "Sea of Cortés" as preferred by most local residents is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland. The narrow sea is home to a unique and rich ecosystem; like the critically endangered Vaquita, the Humpback Whale, California Gray Whale, Killer Whale, Manta Ray and Leatherback Sea Turtle, and the world's largest animal, the Blue Whale. There is also unusual resident populations of Fin Whales and Sperm Whales!
-Tracy Smith
Anguilla is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. Anguilla is noted for its spectacular and ecologically important coral reefs and beaches. Apart from the main island of Anguilla itself, the territory includes a number of other smaller islands and cays, mostly tiny and uninhabited.
Forte dei Marmi is a sea town and commune in the province of Lucca, in northern Tuscany, Italy. The population of the town, close to 7,700, nearly triples during the summer, because of the hundreds of tourists who head there for the famous sandy beaches. Every Wednesday Forte dei Marmi holds a weekly market that deals in designer clothing and bags and is infamous for its bargains.
Kuta is a village in southern Bali, Indonesia. A former fishing village, it was one of the first towns on Bali to see a serious rise in tourist development, and as a beach resort remains one of Indonesia's major tourist destinations. It is renown throughout the world for its long sandy beach, varied accommodations, many restaurants and bars, and famous surfers who visit from Australia.
Lauca National Park is located in Chile's far north, in the Andean range. One of the main attractions of the park is the small lacustrine area formed by Chungará and Cotacotani lakes, which lies at the foothills of the Nevados de Payachata. Other majestic volcanoes forming part of the national park are the Guallatiri and the Acotango. Lauca features include archaeological sites, lava fields and volcanic calderas. Within the park is located the town of Parinacota with its colonial church.
Cocos Island is an uninhabited island located off the shore of Costa Rica. Surrounded by deep waters, the Island is admired by scuba divers for its populations of Hammerhead sharks, rays, and dolphins! The famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau visited the island several times and in 1994 called it "the most beautiful island in the world". This island is popular in pirate lore as well, with a few small caches discovered it leads many to believe the stories of vast pirate treasures to be valid.
Calp is a coastal town located in the comarca of Marina Alta, in the province of Alicante, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. Some of the most important monuments in Calp are the ruins of Els banys de la Reina, (the Queen's baths), the flooded salt flats, a bird sanctuary for migratory birds, its Gothic Catholic church and the tower of La Peça, dating from the 18th century.
Ciudad del Carmen is a city in the Mexican state of Campeche. Ciudad del Carmen is located on the southwest of Carmen Island, which stands in the Laguna de Términos on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The city is nicknamed "The Pearl of the Gulf". Ciudad del Carmen was a small fishing city until the 1970s when oil was discovered; since then it has grown and developed substantially. To this day Carmen is known as one of the best locations to find seafood in Mexico.
Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". Also refered to as the "City Beautiful" it serves as the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana in India. As the first planned city of India, Chandigarh is known internationally for its architecture and urban planning, particularly the numerous architectural projects. Chandigarh has very hot summers and mild winters making it a great destination for those looking to escape colder weather.
-Tracy Smith
Taal Lake is a freshwater lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon, Philippines. Volcano Island, the location of Taal Volcano's historical eruptions and responsible for the lake's sulfuric content, lies near the center of the lake. There is a crater lake on Volcano Island, which is in Lake Taal, which is located on Luzon Island. Regular tours of the lake are available to tourists.
Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in most countries is the eighth largest lake in the world, and is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Its beautiful tropical waters are home more species of fish than those of any other body of freshwater on Earth!
Peyto Lake is a glacier-fed lake located in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flour flow into the lake, and these suspended rock particles give the lake a bright, turquoise color. It is a popular sightseeing spot for tourists in the park.
Lake Atitlán is a large lake in the Guatemalan Highlands. The lake is volcanic in origin, filling an enormous caldera formed in an eruption 84,000 years ago. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. The lake is surrounded by many villages, in which Maya culture is still prevalent and traditional dress is worn. There is no road that circles the lake. Communities are reached by boat or roads from the mountains that may have brief extensions along the shore.
Loch Lomond is the largest loch/lake in Great Britain, and contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh water island in the British Isles. It is a popular tourist destination and is open to every kind of watercraft including kayaks, canoes, wind-surfers, jetskis, speedboats and cruisers. Loch Lomond is one of Scotland's premier boating and watersports venues and the scenery draws people from all over the world!
Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes, it is south of Nakuru in the rift valley of Kenya and is protected by Lake Nakuru National Park. The lake's abundance of algae attracts the vast quantity of flamingos that famously line the shore. Aside from the famous flamingos the park also has white and black rhinos, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, leopards and large sized pythons that inhabit the dense woodlands, and can often be seen crossing the roads or dangling from trees!
Lake Bled is a glacial lake in the Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The lake and surrounding area is a popular tourist destination. The lake is situated in a picturesque environment, surrounded by mountains and forests. A medieval castle stands above the lake on the north shore. The lake surrounds Bled Island, the only natural island in Slovenia. The island has several buildings, the main one being the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, built in the 15th century.
Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) is a salt lake in the southwest of the altiplano of Bolivia, in the Potosí Department, Sur Lípez Province, on the Chilean border at the foot of the volcano Licancabur. If you're lucky you may find some flamingos dancing in the salt. The laguna verde is well known for its spectacular scenery and hot springs.
Emerald Lake is located in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada. It is the largest of Yoho's 61 lakes and ponds, as well as one of the park's premier tourist attractions. During the summer months canoe rentals are available; in the winter, the lake is a popular cross country skiing destination.
Craighead Caverns is an extensive cave system located in Sweetwater, Tennessee. It is best known for containing the United States' largest and World's second largest underground lake, The Lost Sea. Boat tours of the lake are given and for many people are the highlight of the tour!
Lake McKenzie is a perched lake on Fraser Island in Queensland, Australia. The sands around the lake are composed of pure, white silica and the water in the lake is also so pure it is unsuitable for many species. Fraser island is a popular tourist destination for camping, hiking and seeing dingoes in a natural habitat.
Blanca Lake is located in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness Area in the Cascade Mountains of the U.S. state of Washington. Blanca Lake is accessible only by foot, along the Blanca Lake Trail. Due to its elevation, and the heavy snow snowpack of the Pacific Northwest, Blanca Lake is typically only easily accessible from July until the snows of October or November. Its beauty makes it a very popular destination for hikers, despite the difficult climb up the mountain trail.
Five-Flower Lake, is the signature lake of Jiuzhaigou Valley. It is a shallow multi-coloured lake whose bottom is littered with fallen tree trunks. The water is so clear that you can see the trunks clearly. The water comes in different shares of turquoise, from yellowish to green, to blue.
-Tracy Smith
