Travel
- March 2, 2009
Islands Worth Seeing in Africa
Besides the South Pacific, one of the best areas on the planet to find pristine, beautiful tropical destinations is on the continent of Africa. Most of the islands are undeveloped and arent very touristy, they are often very rough|mountainous|tropical|rugged, the water is a stunning clear blue, the sea life abundant, and their beaches are fine white sand. If there were any islandson earth that looked like post cards, the following tropical islands would be it.
Zanzibar is an island that is part of Tanzania. Heavily influenced by its Arab trading partners, Zanzibar has a rich cultural history. The capital of the island is Zanzibar City. The old section of Stone Town is a World Heritage Site. The beaches here are untouched, and the area around the island has an large amounts of fish, as evident by the piles at the fish markets. The island is still sometimes called the Spice Island 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 an island nation off the coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometers east of Madagascar. Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands, with the French island of Reunion to the southwest and the island of Rodrigues to the northeast. This island is home to white sand and palm fringed beaches, warm water, and friendly locals. Its out of the way location makes it a great place to go to get away from the crowds. Interestingly, the island of Mauritius is renowned for having been the only known home of the dodo.
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.
Africa may be known for safaris, jungles, desert, and poverty but the continent also offers great tropical islands. With so many great places to visit, consider a trip to the islands in Africa the next time you are planning your tropical vacation.
