Beautifully Unique Destinations

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