Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Islands Worth Seeing in Africa

By Matthew Kepnes

A good way to find undeveloped, rugged tropical islands is in Africa. Most are free of lots of package tours, most have great jungles, the water is crystal clear, the fish abundant, and their beaches are made of beautiful white sand. If there were any islands in the world that are picture perfect, the following islands would the places you should see.

Zanzibar is an island that is part of Tanzania. Zanzibar was once a separate state with a long trading history within the Arab world and still enjoys a high degree of autonomy within the union. The capital is Zanzibar City, and its old quarter, Stone Town, is a World Heritage Site. The beaches here are very undeveloped and the area around the island has an amazing amount of fish, as evident by the piles at the fish markets. It is still sometimes referred to as the Spice Islands because of the significance of its production of cloves.

Madagascar is a large island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The country is the fourth-largest island in the world and has 5% of the world's plant and animal species. The eastern side of the island is home to many tropical rainforests, while the western and southern sides, which lie in the rain shadow of the central highlands, are home to tropical dry forests, thorn forests, and deserts. For those looking for tough jungle trekking, cool streams, and beautiful waterfalls, consider Madagascar.

Mauritius is off the coast of Africa in the southwest Indian Ocean and is part of the Mascarene Islands, with the French island of Reunion to the southwest and the island of Rodrigues to the northeast. Mauritius has great palm lined beaches and crystal warm water, as well as nice people. Its out of the way location makes it a great place to go to get away from the crowds.

An island of true contrasts, Reunion is relatively unknown to many of the world's travelers. This unique island in the middle of the Indian Ocean is simply one of the most intriguing spots on earth. With an active volcano on its south coast, 17 miles of warm, welcoming beaches in the west, and lots of mountains and forests in between, Reunion offers a little bit of everything to its travelers. Like Mauritius, it is also part of France.

The African continent|Africa may be known to people for its safaris, jungles, and poverty but the area also has great tropical islands and beaches. With so many great islands to see, consider holiday to the sultry islands in Africa when you are planning a trip. - 15437

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