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Category Archives: Islands

Palawan in Lonely Planet’s Top 5 Tropical Islands

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Palawan in the Philippines was chosen one of the top 5 tropical islands in the world by Lonely Planet Traveller magazine. Others on the list are The Seychelles, Bora Bora, Zanzibar and Kauai. Heres the Lonely Planet story:

Coconut palms and aquamarine waters are only the beginning Lonely Planet Traveller magazine takes you to five very different island escapes, from diving adventures to luxury on a lagoon.

The Seychelles: the one for pristine beaches

The beaches of the Seychelles really do live up to the superlatives that are heaped upon their fine, porcelain-white sands. The Seychelles is a tiny nation, a scattered collection of granite islands and coral atolls 1000 miles off the East African coast.

One of the finest beaches is Anse Source dArgent, a bay of fine white sand and surreal sculpted boulders on the island of La Digue that has starred in several films as the tropical landing-place of washed-up Crusoes.

A short boat trip away, Mah, the largest of the Seychelles 115 islands, also has more than its fair share of picture-perfect beaches. Beau Vallon in the northwest is a dazzling arc of sands fringed by palms and takamaka trees, and in the jungle-covered west, green hills slope into soft sandy crescents. Meanwhile, Praslin is the last natural habitat for the coco de mer a palm famous for its large, buttock-shaped cocounts.

Palawan: the one for diving

The island of Palawan is stretched out thin over nearly 300 miles, as if caught in a tug-of-war between its larger neighbour Borneo and the main islands of the Philippines, to which it belongs. Not yet in the celebrity league of tropical islands, Palawan still has plenty of undeveloped corners, and the pristine waters off its coast and countless outlying islets conceal a submerged world of reefs, wildlife and wrecks that offers exceptional snorkelling and diving.

Five hours north from the main city of Puerto Princesa is El Nido, the port gateway to the clear waters and dramatic rock formations of the Bacuit Archipelago, which offers great snorkelling opportunities over shallow coral gardens and more than two-dozen dive sites to suit all abilities. Beyond the tip of Palawan, Busuanga Island offers a different type of seabed scenery Japanese warships and merchant ships, sunk here during the Second World War, make a world-class location for wreck diving (ddivers.com and seadiveresort.com).

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Palawan in Lonely Planet’s Top 5 Tropical Islands

Turkey Determined to Enhance Ties with Solomon Islands

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Turkey Determined to Enhance Ties with Solomon Islands

The new Turkish Ambassador to Solomon Islands, H.E. Reha Keskintepe has announced his countrys determination to enhance ties with Solomon Islands as steps are being taken for the two countries to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to fulfill the interest.

Mr Keskintepe has presented his letter of credence to the Acting Governor General, Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer at Government House Friday last week.

Turkey is determined to enhance and strengthen the friendly ties as well as cooperation with Solomon Islands. Turkey is ready to sign MOUs with Solomon Islands to further develop our relations in every field, the Turkish diplomat said.

In April 2008, Turkey hosted a meeting of Pacific Islands Foreign Affairs Ministers in Istanbul which brought together Turkey and Pacific Islands Officials for the first time in an international setting.

It was at this forum that the Turkish Government stated clearly its desire to strengthen its relations and cooperation with the Pacific Island States including Solomon Islands.

As a manifestation of this pledge, a delegation of the Turkish International Development Agency (TIKA) has accompanied Mr Keskintepe on his visit to Honiara last week.

Their presence is testimony to my countrys determination to contribute to the development of Solomon Islands, he said.

Welcoming Mr Keskintepe to Solomon Islands, Sir Albert Palmer said he was pleased to note the first ever visit of officials from the Turkish International Development Cooperation Agency (TIKA) to Solomon Islands.

This will no doubt elevate our bilateral relations to a new level. As a developing country, Solomon Islands welcome the initiative by Turkey to assist us in our endeavor to develop our island nation and look forward to strengthening the diplomatic ties that we currently enjoy, Sir Albert said.

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Turkey Determined to Enhance Ties with Solomon Islands


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