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Tropical Destinations in Africa

February 18th, 2009 No comments

One of the best places in the world to discover pristine, stunning tropical beaches is on the continent of Africa. Most are undeveloped and not visited by many tourists, they are often very rough|mountainous|tropical|rugged, the water is a stunning clear blue, the coral copious, and their beaches are fine white sand. If there were any placeson earth that are postcard worthy the following islands would be it.

Zanzibar is an island that is part of Tanzania. Once its own state, Zanzibar has a rich history of spice trading with Arab cultures. The capital of Zanzibar is Zanzibar City. The citys old area of Stone Town is a World Heritage Site. The beaches here are undeveloped, and the area around the place has an amazing amount of fish, as evident by the piles at the fish markets. It is still sometimes referred to as the Spice Island due to its production of cloves.

Madagascar is a large island nation in the Indian Ocean of the coast of Africa. The island is the fourth-largest island on earth and has 5% of all the world’s species, of which more than 80% are endemic to Madagascar. The eastern end of the island is the location of many tropical rainforests, while the western and southern sides, which are in the shadow of the highlands, are home to tropical dry forests, thorn forests, and deserts. For travelers desiring rugged jungle trekking, refreshing streams, and cascading waterfalls, a vacation to Madagascar should be on your travel list.

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 unheard of to many of the world’s people. This different location in the middle of the Indian Ocean is simply one of the most captivating locations in the world. With an active volcano in the south, 17 miles of inviting beaches in the west, and lots of mountains and forests in between, Reunion offers a lot to its travelers. Its remote location means that little travelers are there. 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.

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