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Category Archives: Islands

Resort islands edgy after tourist arrests

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Retired neurosurgeon and Sarasota resident Horace Norrell found himself arrested at jailed for three days at the end of a birthday trip to the Turks and Caicos last week after someone slipped a 9mm bullet into his luggage, he says.

Hoteliers and tourism officials in the Turks and Caicos Islands scrambled Monday to apply triage to a wound that threatened to erode the archipelago's significant visitor industry.

Forums on TripAdvisor.com and Facebook buzzed with talk of cancellations in the wake of a Herald-Tribune story a day earlier about a pair of U.S. tourists who were arrested at Providenciales International Airport for allegedly trying to smuggle a single bullet apiece out of the country.

We have a fragile economy here that is very heavily tourism-based, said Seamus Day, a Grand Turk investment consultant whose Sand Dollar Investment helps foreigners establish residency or invest in the island chain.

I worked constantly over the weekend and all day today, met with the minister of tourism, met with the Attorney General, trying to put pressure on them to drop this matter, Day said.

He wasn't alone in trying to minimize any damage.

Please tell me that something can be done to stop the PR nightmare that is rapidly going viral on the web re: the two completely unrelated tourists who were charged for possession of one round of live ammunition each, Basia Zaidan-Dallamano, a luxury property manager, wrote to islands governor Damian Roderic Ric Todd on Monday.

Zaidan-Dallaman's Tranquility Property Management & Vacation Rentals Ltd. oversees 10 luxury properties.

The need to do something comes amid high stakes for the islands.

Tourism accounts for about for 80 percent of the British protectorate's gross domestic product, said Stacy Cox, a board member of the 200-member Turks & Caicos Hotel & Tourism Association.

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Resort islands edgy after tourist arrests

UAE criticizes Iran lawmakers' visit to disputed islands

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DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates criticized on Monday a visit by Iranian lawmakers to Gulf islands near the Strait of Hormuz at the center of a territorial dispute between the two countries, who are both trade partners and strategic rivals.

Tension between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims in a Middle East shaken by two years of political turmoil has sharpened the 42-year-old dispute, complicating an ambivalent relationship in which national pride has vied uneasily with economic pragmatism.

About 40 percent of the world's seaborne oil exports flow through Hormuz. Iran threatened last year to block the Strait as tensions rose with the West over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

"The Foreign Ministry strongly condemns and categorically rejects a visit by an Iranian parliament delegation to the islands," the UAE state news agency WAM said.

"This visit flagrantly infringes on the sovereignty of the UAE and undermines all exerted efforts towards finding a peaceful resolution for this issue," it said.

The islands, Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb, are claimed by both countries but have been held by Iran since 1971, shortly before the seven Gulf emirates gained full independence from Britain and formed the UAE, now allied with Washington.

There was no immediate official comment from Iran.

But a report on an Iranian website calling itself the Young Journalists Club said that a delegation of Iranian parliamentarians made a one-day visit to the three islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Sirri on April 25.

Sirri is not claimed by the UAE. Iran says its sovereignty over the Gulf islands it holds is not negotiable but has called for talks with the UAE to clear up "misunderstandings". A senior UAE foreign ministry official met Iran's UAE ambassador to discussed "important issues of mutual concern", WAM said.

(Reporting by Mahmoud Habboush and Yeganeh Torbati, Editing by William Maclean and Mark Heinrich)

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UAE criticizes Iran lawmakers' visit to disputed islands

Comic Book Store Marvel Super Hero Island at Islands of Adventure Universal Orlando Resort – Video

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Comic Book Store Marvel Super Hero Island at Islands of Adventure Universal Orlando Resort
Take a video tour of the Comic Book Store in Marvel Super Hero Island at Islands of Adventure at the Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida. This was a...

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Comic Book Store Marvel Super Hero Island at Islands of Adventure Universal Orlando Resort - Video

Spider Man Shop Marvel Super Hero at Islands of Adventure Universal Orlando Resort HD 1080p – Video

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Spider Man Shop Marvel Super Hero at Islands of Adventure Universal Orlando Resort HD 1080p
Take a video tour of the Spider Man Shop, located in Marvel Super Hero Island at Islands of Adventure at the Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida. Th...

By: PopSong1

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Spider Man Shop Marvel Super Hero at Islands of Adventure Universal Orlando Resort HD 1080p - Video

CSU Channel Islands students return to campus after fire evacuation

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Kelsey Erisman couldnt stop smiling as she stood in her dorm room kitchen surrounded by three of her roommates.

The 19-year-old CSU Channel Islands freshman said she was definitely excited to return to campus. Before she arrived, Erisman said, she didnt know what to expect.

Since shes attended the campus, the hillsides across from her Anacapa Village residence hall have always been green, she said.

I was just in shock driving into school and seeing how burned the hillsides were. Ive experienced fire throughout my life, but its hard when it hits close to home like this, Erisman said.

CSU Channel Islands students were allowed to return to the campus and their dorms by 5 p.m. Sunday, three days after officials evacuated the Camarillo university and the nearby University Glen neighborhood, which were threatened by the Springs fire. The library also was reopened and expected to remain open 24 hours for the rest of the week before final exams next week.

The dormitories were full of activity Sunday afternoon as students rolled their hampers and luggage filled with books and other personal belongings down the hallways between their cars and the dorms. Freshman Sam Vukovich, 19, gently carried his betta fish with two hands and his guitar around his shoulder from his car to his dorm room.

Vukovich said he had just come back from staying with his family in Torrance. As soon as he walked into his dorm he was greeted by two of his roommates. They shared their extended-weekend experiences and the moments leading up to the evacuation.

The good thing about living in a dorm is that you dont really have a lot of sentimental stuff because youve already downsized, freshman Andy Spyrka, 19 said.

Spyrka described the upcoming week as hell week for him as he scrambled to finish his homework and find time to study for final exams.

Some students said they planned to spend their Sunday night doing chores and settling back into their rooms. Others said they couldnt wait to get back on track and begin studying for finals and wrapping up projects and presentations that were stalled because of the evacuation.

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CSU Channel Islands students return to campus after fire evacuation

Boycott of the Andaman Islands launched

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5th May 2013

Tribal civil rights group Survival International is calling on visitors to avoid India's Andaman Islands, as part of a campaign to protect the remote Jarawa tribe

The organisation has written to over 200 travel companies and websites in 11 countries urging them to stop their tours to the Andaman Islands. The move follows years of controversy surrounding the privacy of the indigenous Jarawa tribe.

The dispute centres on a road traversing the Jarawa's inhabited land that has become increasingly popular as a vantage point from which tourists can view and interact with the tribe. Tourists have taken to touring the road, throwing food, and taking photographs of the tribe. In an extreme case last year, video footage emerged showing Jarawa women who had been told to dance in exchange for food.

Survival Internationals Director Stephen Corry said: The Andaman government is arguing that the road is a necessary lifeline for the north of the islands. Its nonsense: in fact theres no reason for the road. The route by boat is faster, more convenient and cheaper for islanders, so providing an alternative sea route is better for locals, tourists, and the Jarawa alike. There will be no end to these degrading human safaris until tourists stop using the road, and well continue the boycott until that happens.

The tribe has inhabited the Andaman Islands officially part of India for several thousand years and, until recently, had little or no contact with the outside world. Today fewer than 400 tribespeople are left. Survival Internationals campaign comes The move comes two months after India reversed a ban on 'human safaris' on the islands. This 'interim order', implemented in January, reduced the number of vehicles entering the Jarawa reserve by around two thirds.

Survival has said it will continue to campaign for a boycott until tourists are banned from the road through the Jarawa forest and an alternative route is put into place. They are also appealing to independent travellers, citing over 200,000 people visit the islands each year, asking them to pledge not to travel to the islands until the demands are met.

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Boycott of the Andaman Islands launched

Gulf Islands kicks off summer season with a breezy start

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AMANDA McCOY/SUN HERALDSarah Justin, 3, gets ready to swim while enjoying a day with her family at Gulf Islands Waterpark on Sunday.

AMANDA McCOY SUN HERALDBuy Photo

GULFPORT -- Those who ventured to Gulf Islands Waterpark Sunday were welcomed with sunny skies, plenty of available parking spaces and no lines on the waterslides -- the perfect opening day if not for the chilly breeze that kept the less adventurous away.

"At least no one's getting too hot today," said Betty Wallace, who handles marketing for the park. The only other cold start she recalls was the year the park opened on Good Friday.

"This is the first time it's been this chilly in May," she said.

The sun was warm and Marielis Vega of Gulfport said a little chill wasn't going to keep her family from celebrating a birthday at the park.

Jeffrey Justin, his wife Amanda and their three daughters, Chloe, Heather and Sarah, drove over from Louisiana for opening day. The girls, in pink bathing suits and orange life jackets, said they liked the slides the best. Squeals could be heard coming from the Riptide Racer, Horn Island Blaster and Cat Island Catapult slides and the wave pool.

Justin said he went online and compared waterparks before they bought season passes to Gulf Islands. "They had a lot of good rides here," he said.

Season passes are $49.99 through June 7, said Wallace, then go up to $54.99. The price is about the price of two daily tickets, which are $29.99, or $21.99 for those under 42 inches. Children under 2 get in free.

Season passes are good every day of the season, including during special events. Next Sunday staff from Michaels Arts & Crafts will be at the park helping kids make a gift for the moms.

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Gulf Islands kicks off summer season with a breezy start

Islands out of time

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There is something special about islands. I can't remember a time when I did not love islands.

The first movie I ever saw that didn't star Hopalong or Roy was "The Swiss Family Robinson." And the first book I read that was thicker than my thumb was "Robinson Crusoe," and "Treasure Island" was not far behind.

The first islands I got to explore firsthand were hummocks rising out of the Pearl River swamp on my grandfather's farm near Philadelphia, Miss. The largest of these encompassed at least 15 acres of bottomland -- big enough to accommodate a field of hay and the barn in which to stow it. And after every good rain, that hay field would sprout arrowheads, gifts to us young'uns from artisans long dead.

It was a magical place, a crossroads for game animals, migrating birds, fishermen and hunters, and sometimes a Choctaw would pass this way and kneel in the muddy ground just like we did, marveling at the earth that grew arrowheads long after their makers had abandoned them. Were those points offerings to the animal spirits, or were they discarded as flawed? To me, every one was a marvel.

After touring Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island and Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island at age 3 or so, I started to associate islands with forts. I was still too young or too dense to equate that hayfield of arrowheads with the massive fortifications favored by the European settlers. But it was all there right in front of me to discover -- fresh water bubbled from an artesian spring and spilled into the swamp teeming with fish and game, nuts from hickory, pecans and chinquapins. Some years, my grandfather planted a few rows of corn and greens of several kinds for the critters that shared the island with us.

After I got my first pair of bird-worthy binoculars, I quickly realized forts on islands are no longer where they keep the guns, but they are almost always where you can find good birding.

My wife, Lin, and I have traced the outline of our continent, skipping from fort to refuge to fort to garbage dump to swamp and to the next fort. But we still keep returning to those first islands I explored as a boy. And no matter how far we travel away from the Gulf Coast, we return to the shores of Dauphin Island at least for spring and fall migrations. We've been coming for decades now.

The most hallowed ground on Dauphin Island is Shell Mound Park. At first, I thought the shell mound was just that -- a big pile of oyster shells. But this pile of shells was a place to shelter from cold winters, a place to swap seeds and plants and stories with other tribes, and it was a burial ground. And I can't help believing some of those folks just came to partake of a little bird watching while trading and gorging on oysters.

And on this island I finally realized my grandfather's hayfield in the swamp was, indeed a fortress -- no, that's the wrong word -- it was a sanctuary. And I imagine Native Americans of several bands visited there during the winters to swap with each other. Maybe they just wanted to get away from the rest of their family. Maybe my grandfather's island was once a clubhouse with its own secret handshake. One thing is sure; they certainly had lots of arrowheads lying around.

We birders still come to bear witness to the miracle of migration. And we've watched the overall number of birds dwindle from a flood to a trickle.

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Islands out of time

Twenty reasons to visit Cook Islands

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Children perform traditional dances in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Photo: AFP

1 Small island, big smiles

It may be the main island in the nation and its commercial hub, but Rarotonga is a compact 32 kilometres in circumference and feels like one big, friendly resort. Hop aboard the round-Rarotonga bus service to get acquainted with the beaches, lagoons, shops and churches on the island; the bus runs regularly on two routes - clockwise and anti-clockwise (ck/bus.htm). If you prefer your own wheels to get around, rent a scooter or car and set off to discover secluded waterfalls and swimming spots. +682 22 632; islandcarhire.co.ck.

2 Great value

A woman selling produce at a market in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Photo: Getty Images

The currency of the Cook Islands is the New Zealand dollar. With the Aussie dollar riding high this year at a historically impressive $1 buying $NZ1.24, that translates to great value on dining, tours, souvenir and duty-free shopping. Venture further out to the more remote, less-visited islands in the group and the prices drop even further. The best value can be found on locally sourced foods and products made in the Cook Islands, as import duties can be high.

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3 Market appeal

Don't miss the Punanga Nui Cultural Market in the heart of Rarotonga. It's open every day except Sunday, with the most action on Saturday mornings when farmers and fishermen from the outer islands come to sell their fresh produce. As well as a rainbow of tropical fruit, you'll find stalls selling delicious meals, snacks and juices. Live music performances and a carnival atmosphere might put you in the mood to snap up sarongs, shell and pearl jewellery, wood carvings and woven baskets. +682 29 370; punanganuiculturalmarket.co.ck.

Aitutaki, Cook Islands. Photo: Getty Images

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Twenty reasons to visit Cook Islands

TOP 10: The BEST islands in Asia

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Last updated on: May 2, 201316:27 IST

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Users of TripAdvisor, list the best ten islands in the Asia you absolutely must visit.

From Phuket to Langkawi, Koh Samui and more -- the best islands to visit this summer according to TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards!

10. Havelock Islands

Premium scuba diving and snorkelling are the highlights of the gorgeous Havelock Island, the most popular of the Andaman Islands. Glass-bottomed boats provide a similar up-close marine life experience. Jungle treks and camping are popular landlubbing activities, though the more delicately dispositioned can choose to retire to one of several luxury resorts. Refuel with fresh coconut milk and succulent, just-caught seafood, which dominates every meal.

Forested hills, romantic white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters greet visitors to tropical Palau Langkawi, the largest of the 99 islands in Langkawi archipelago. Known mysteriously as "Legendary Island" because of myths associated with its ancient geological formations, it drifts serenely alongside Malaysia in the azure Andaman Sea. Sample local cuisine at the night markets, hike to dramatic waterfalls or dive into an underwater marine park to take a guided glimpse at life beneath the sea.

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TOP 10: The BEST islands in Asia

China: Japan, Allies Risk 'Long-Term Damage' Over Islands

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China continues to accuse Japan of provoking disputes over contested islands in the East China Sea. The Obama administration opposes any unilateral change to Japanese administration of the islands.

China says Japanese activists near the disputed islands are worsening tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.

"It's Japan that stirred up and exacerbated tensions on the islands issue. It's also Japan that took direct and threatening actions. These are very evident facts that say who is right or wrong," said Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai.

The potentially mineral-rich islands, known as "Diaoyu" in China and "Senkaku" in Japan, are administered by Tokyo - a status quo that Washington backs.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said any change that raises tensions could threaten regional stability. "Therefore, the United States opposes any unilateral or coercive action that seeks to undermine Japan's administrative control," he said.

And Beijing sees that as Washington siding with Tokyo, said Cato Institute analyst Justin Logan.

"The American position, I think, has been confusing and unhelpful. We say that we don't take a position on whether the islands are Japanese, but we take a position that they are covered by a treaty with Japan," said Logan.

A U.S.-Japan defense treaty covers any attack on Japanese-administered territory. Chinese ambassador Cui said Japan and its allies risk "long-term damage" over the islands.

"Some Japanese politicians take up these actions like lifting a rock, only to drop it on their own feet. We hope that other parties do not lift up rocks for the Japanese, and we hope even more that these rocks don't end up falling on their own feet," said Cui.

Washington wants better relations with Beijing, but the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, said he has told Chinese officials that does not mean weakening ties with Japan.

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China: Japan, Allies Risk 'Long-Term Damage' Over Islands


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