Geographic names are funny and strange. Island "Just enough space" - the most unusual islands in the world Amazing islands of the world
The islands are beautiful! And in this article you will get acquainted with some of the most interesting and unusual of them.
Socotra is an isolated island in the Indian Ocean that belongs to the country of Yemen. Located approximately 240 kilometers east of the Horn of Africa and 380 kilometers south of the Arabian Peninsula, the island is one of the most isolated land forms on continental origin (i.e. not volcanic).
The island has been described as "the most alien-looking place on earth", and due to its isolation and warm, dry climate, a third of its plant life is found nowhere else on earth.
North Sentinel Island
North Sentinel Island is an island in the Andaman Islands archipelago owned by India.
This island is notable for the indigenous people who live on it, the Sentinelese, who are one of the last remaining people untouched by modern civilization. The Sentinelese actively reject contact with other peoples, and in some cases have been openly hostile and aggressive towards outsiders.
After the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, Indian government helicopters flew over the island to observe the people, who responded by throwing spears and stones in an apparent attempt to drive the car away. In 2006, two Sentinelese fishermen died after their fishing boat drifted off the island and they became stranded on a coral reef.
This is a selection of islands that are somehow unusual and famous. The list is in no particular order as each island is unique in its own way. So this one really is more like a grocery list than a “countdown from ten to one” list. The islands listed were also chosen because they are little known, which explains why, for example, Easter Island is not on the list - everyone has already heard of it! So, the most unusual islands are waiting for you...
Niihau Island
The westernmost of the eight main Hawaiian Islands, Niihau (pronounced "Nee-ee-haw") differs from the other seven in that it is privately owned. Having been purchased by Elizabeth Sinclair from the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1864, it is one of the most unusual islands in the world. Visitors are rarely allowed to visit Niihau, which is why it is also called the “Forbidden Island”. Although, in recent years, the island has begun to receive a very limited flow of tourists participating in safari. Niihau's population hovers around 130 people who speak their native Hawaiian language.
Attu Island
And again the most western island, but this time the westernmost in the Aleutian Island chain in Alaska. Although Attu Island is western, it is actually located in the eastern hemisphere. The island's population is only twenty people who live and work at the United States Coast Guard Station Attu LORAN. It is also the outermost island in the 1,900 kilometer long Aleutian Island chain. What makes the island unusual is that it is the location of the only land conflict on American soil during the entire Second World War.
Monuriki Island
Monuriki - small, desert island in the Mamanuca Islands group in Fiji. It wouldn't be noteworthy for any particular reason if it didn't come into the limelight as the main filming location for Tom Hanks' Cast Away. The film is about a plane crash survivor who lived on the island for four years. In the movie, the island is completely isolated, although in reality there are several other islands within a few miles, including Tavua, with a population of approximately 2,400 people. Monuriki has now become popular tourist place destination as one of the most isolated islands in the world.
Navassa Island
Navassa is an uninhabited Caribbean island approximately thirty miles west of Haiti, and ninety miles south of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Its coastline consists of steep cliffs, making landing by boat impossible. The United States occupied the island in 1857 and spent the next several decades mining its vast guano deposits. The island is now classified as a nature reserve, requiring a United States government permit (which is rarely granted) to visit. Navassa is also one of several disputed territories United States, which is also claimed by Haiti.
Spitsbergen
Svalbard is the largest of the islands in the Svalbard archipelago, north of Scandinavia. The Norwegian territory is home to the city of Longyearbyen, one of the largest permanent settlements in the north. Also, Svalbard contains a lot of "northernest" things - the northernmost church, the most northern airport, and much more. Due to the danger of polar bears, when traveling in Svalbard outside of Longyearbyen, it is necessary to take a rifle with you every time. Svalbard was also chosen as the location of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, where the seeds of all plants are stored for safekeeping. This is necessary to preserve biodiversity in the event of any large-scale disaster.
Palmyra Atoll
Palmyra is a collection of small islands located approximately halfway between Hawaii and Samoa. Most big island Cooper is privately owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy. The rest is owned by the United States federal government and managed by its Fish and Wildlife Service. Palmyra is staffed by a small team of government scientists and Nature Conservancy volunteers to conserve and explore the island. In 1974, Palmyra was the location of a double murder later detailed in Vincent Bugliosi's best-selling mystery “And the Sea Will Reveal the Mystery.”
Howland Island
Howland Island lies midway between Hawaii and Australia, approximately fifty miles north of the equator. Like most small Pacific islands, it was used by the United States for guano mining. There was also an attempt at colonization, interrupted by World War II when Howland was attacked by Japanese terrorists. This happened the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. All attempts at colonization ceased immediately after the war. Howland is now a nature preserve, best known for being a stopover on Amelia Earhart's flight around the world. Her plane disappeared somewhere near the island, and the details of the disappearance have not been disclosed to this day.
Pitcairn Island
Pitcairn is the only inhabited island of the four in the Pitcairn Islands group. It is the last British overseas territory in Pacific Ocean. The island, with approximately fifty inhabitants, is the least densely populated and most remote jurisdiction in the world (approximately 2,100 kilometers west of Chile). All its inhabitants are descendants of rebels in the ranks of the British Bounty forces, as well as the Polynesians who accompanied them. The island is famous for the best honey in the world that even the Queen praised its merits. You can buy honey through the website, but be prepared for a long wait. Pitcairn does not have an airport and is rarely visited, so postal deliveries can take months.
Bouvet Island
Bouvet is a 19-square-mile volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean, approximately 2,500 kilometers south-southwest of South Africa. The island is almost completely covered with ice. Most coastline consists of very steep cliffs, making landing almost impossible. Bouvet was originally British territory, but Britain relinquished its ownership and ceded the island to Norway, which maintains it today as a nature reserve. Bouvet has never been inhabited and almost certainly never will be, but it has its own top-level domain name, .bv, which is not in use. The reason Bouvet is famous is that it is the most remote island in the world. The closest landmass, Dronning Maud Land in Antarctica, is approximately 1,750 kilometers to the south. Fans of extreme travel and radio amateurs really like to come here.
North Sentinel Island
North Sentinel Island is located approximately 32 kilometers west of Smith Island in the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately 72 square kilometers, completely forested except for thin strips of beach surrounding it. Overall, the island is quite normal, except that it is inhabited by one of the few remaining completely isolated peoples in the world. The Sentinelese xenophobically resist virtually all attempts at contact, often shooting arrows at boats and helicopters that come too close to the island (sometimes even killing the “intruders”). Due to their active isolationism and the difficulty of observing the island from the air, almost nothing is known about the Sentinelese — their language, culture, and even an accurate estimate of their numbers is still unknown. North Island Sentinel is technically part of the Andaman Union Territory and Nicobar Islands, but in practice the local authority has stated that they intend to leave the island to its inhabitants, making it de facto autonomous. Sentinel closes the list of the most unusual islands in the world.
Our planet is a rather strange place. Sometimes here you can find the strangest and most unusual islands, the existence of which could only come to mind in fantasy. Today we bring to your attention 25 of the most unusual islands that will confuse any visitor.
25. La Isla de las Muñecas
12. Great Blue Hole
Located off the coast of Belize, the Great Blue Hole is not actually an island. This is its complete opposite - a huge underwater cave surrounded by an atoll. Thanks to the rich animal and flora, this place has become one of the most desirable among scuba diving enthusiasts.
11. North Sentinel Island
Part of the Andaman Islands, this island is actually under the jurisdiction of India, however, local residents have been in every way since the discovery of the island. Moreover, any attempts to approach the island by helicopter are met with a hail of flying spears.
10. Poveglia Island
Since the times of the Roman Empire, this island has served as a place of exile for all the sick and wounded. To top it all off, a psychiatric clinic was built on the island in 1922. According to local legends, the most terrible experiments were performed on patients there. Today this island is completely uninhabited.
9. Ramri Island
This island is simple. During World War II, nearly 500 Japanese soldiers were eaten alive here. This incident was even included in the Book of Records as “the greatest disaster resulting from an animal attack.”
8. Fiji
Today these islands look like real paradise, but everything was not so rosy in the recent past. According to one of the researchers, local tribes have long practiced torture, cannibalism and disrespect towards the elderly and children.
7. Izu Islands
Due to volcanic activity, the air at this point on the globe has an extremely high concentration of sulfur vapor. This doomed local residents to practically never part with their gas masks.
6. Great Pacific Garbage Patch
This island is artificial, however, its creation was unintentional. Due to ocean currents, the bulk of garbage thrown into the Pacific Ocean is concentrated at this point. You will be surprised, but the area of this island is twice the size of the United States.
5. Palm Islands
Another artificial island to our collection. Palm Island located near the coast of Dubai and was built solely for decorative and entertainment purposes.
4. Fort Boyard
The construction of this concrete island-fortress took the French military almost 50 years. Unfortunately, by the time its construction was completed in 1857, progress had moved so far forward that the fortress no longer carried significant military and strategic advantages, so it was decided to turn the fortress into a prison.
3. Alcatraz
When talking about prison islands, it would be a shame not to mention Alcatraz. Without a doubt, this is one of the most famous islands in the world -
Islands have always been considered romantic places. Songs are written about them; couples in love dream of retiring on some abandoned piece of land in the ocean. The island became the refuge of the famous Robinson Crusoe. To some such places chained everyone's attention. The island of Ibiza has become the most popular holiday destination; Romania and Ukraine are engaged in political disputes over the Snake Island.
But there are quite extreme places that attract people precisely for this reason. After all, the remoteness from life makes the islands an excellent place either for preserving unique flora or fauna, or for unique objects of human activity (mines, prisons, etc.). They even say that each of them has some kind of secret. We will tell you below about the most unusual islands that attract tourists and researchers.
Izu Islands. When planning to visit these islands, do not forget to take a gas mask. The archipelago is located south of Tokyo, in the Pacific Ocean. One of local islands, Miyakejima, is especially interesting to visitors. The fact is that the Oyama volcano is located here, which has awakened 6 times in the last century alone. Magma is constantly bubbling under the island. This is the reason why this region has the highest natural concentration of sulfur dioxide gases in the world. The content of toxic substances in the air sometimes became so high that the local population was even evacuated. This is exactly what happened in 2000, when sulfur sensors went off scale. After 5 years, some brave souls were still allowed to return home. Today they run their own farm on the island and do the usual things for the Japanese. But residents are required to carry a gas mask with them at all times, being ready to put it on at any second. An automated warning system has been created on the island. As soon as sulfur dioxide in the air exceeds the permissible limit, a loud siren begins to sound, forcing people to wear masks. Residents are prepared for the fact that a piercing howl can be heard at any time of the day. The rapid use of gas masks is already a natural thing, unable to disrupt even the holiday. Even though the island looks like a post-apocaptic place, tourists still visit it. After all, if you don’t sniff the area and come to terms with the fact that the command to wear a gas mask can come at any moment, then here you can admire the gorgeous nature for a long time. There are many dolphins around the island; it is interesting to scuba dive here. Gas masks have become the pride of the island; they can be purchased in souvenir and tourist shops. At the same time, you can choose any color and size.
Island of Swimming Pigs. There is an uninhabited island called Big Major Cay in the Bahamas. Its fame is based on the fact that a whole herd of feral pigs lives here. They are fed by specially hired residents of neighboring islands; in addition, the pigs get a lot of food from tourists. People come to see this miracle of nature from afar. On the island itself there is a small hotel where you can leave your things while going on an excursion. Tourists sail along the shore on a boat. Seeing a person, pigs rush into the water and swim towards him, begging for food. Is it possible to resist? And if the boat runs aground, the pig can unceremoniously climb on board and eat whatever it sees fit. However, local pigs are quite friendly. They prefer to endure the heat of the day in the forest, appearing on the beach in the late afternoon. After all, then both the air and the water already become cool.
Chemical Rabbit Island. Japanese island Okunoshima is also called Usagi Shima, which literally means “rabbit island.” This small piece of land in the ocean has its own dark history. When Japan signed the Geneva Protocol banning the use of poison gases for military purposes in 1925, the plant on the island continued to operate. But mustard gas was produced here. As a result, the local factory produced more than 6 thousand tons of mustard gas. The secret place was chosen very well - with geographical maps it was simply erased, and no satellites flew over the planet at that time. Hazardous production was stopped only after World War II. The victims of the plant were local rabbits, on which chemical weapons were tested. After the plant was shut down, the animals were released. They had no natural enemies on the island, so the big-eared animals multiplied, becoming the real masters of Okunoshima. The plant was converted into a museum in 1988, and tourists began to visit here. They are met and escorted by rabbits, whose ancestors were subjected to cruel experiments. The Japanese, as if feeling guilty, adore local animals very much. It is worth noting that the island is also home to the country’s highest electric transmission line pylon. Therefore, local rabbits are not only chemical, but also electrified.
Stumbling block. Rockall Island in the North Atlantic is so small that it would be awkward to even call it a rock. Its height is 29 meters, length - 31 meters, and width - 25 meters. It is quite natural that such a place is uninhabited. And who would need it? However, it turned out that territorial claims four people have access to this place European countries. The dispute over the island of Rockall is between Ireland, Denmark, Iceland and the UK. The reason is simple - under a lonely rock in the ocean there are supposedly significant reserves of natural gas and oil. The entire volume is estimated at $160 billion. Rockall first appeared in the press in 1904, when a Norwegian steamer wrecked nearby. The tragedy claimed the lives of 600 people. Until 1955 Rockall remained forgotten. Suddenly one day a British military helicopter flew in and the soldiers hoisted the flag of the United Kingdom on the island. The British were afraid that the Russians might occupy the island before them and set up an observation post there. In 1972 the island officially became part of Scotland. No one was interested in Rockall until 1997. When it became clear that the island area contained a lot of hydrocarbons, Greenpeace activists landed on Rockall. They quickly declared the land independent, giving new country name Wavelandia. Even 15 thousand passports were printed for citizens of the new power. By 1999, the funds of environmental activists had been depleted, the rock settlement had to be removed, and the project had to be closed. Since then, an irreconcilable struggle between the mentioned states has been waged for Rockall, called the loneliest island in the World Ocean. After all, each of them dreams of gaining independence from Russia and Norway in matters of gas and oil supply. There is no end in sight to the disputes.
The most remote island in the world. This is Bouvet Island, named after its discoverer. It is located between South Africa and Antarctica. The island is uninhabited, as it is completely covered with ice. But he has his own domain zone on the Internet - “bv”. The island became famous with the help of the movie Alien vs. Predator. After all, the main action takes place in a fictional dungeon just under this deserted ice island. The nearest place where people live is 1404 miles away. The nearby island of Tristan da Cunha, with a population of 271, has cafes, cars and even the Internet. But on Bouvet Island, only animals live - pinnipeds, penguins and sea pizzas. The only plants here are lichen and moss. It is impossible to land on the island from the sea; you can only get here by helicopter. In 1964, a passenger ship was found near Bouvet. All the people left him, and the supplies of food and alcohol remained untouched. Where all the passengers and crew went remains a mystery. In 1979, a bright flash was recorded on the island. It was suggested that this was an atomic explosion carried out during joint tests by South Africa and Israel, but no official information was ever received. Perhaps a large meteorite fell on the island. Since 1927, the island has been considered a Norwegian territory and has been given the status of a nature reserve. Sometimes scientists come here to study whale migrations. But not a single person has ever lived here during the coldest season.
Island of poisonous snakes. To the south is Sao Paulo, not far from the coast of Brazil, in the ocean lies the island of Queimada Grande. From the looks of it heavenly place, it has not been touched by man. But there is a simple explanation for this - the whole island is simply teeming with poisonous snakes. The population density is so high that there are from one to five of them per square meter. The snakes feed on migratory birds that stop on the island in search of rest. Probably, it is this island that should rightfully be called Snake Island, and not the one that is located in the Black Sea. Local reptiles reach a length of a meter. They are called island bothrops or golden copperhead. The bite of such snakes is dangerous - bothrops is to blame for 90% of deaths in Brazil from snake bites. The creatures are so deadly that a patrol of the country's naval forces is constantly on duty near the island, not allowing anyone to approach the island of Queimada Grande. Scientists and the film crew of the Discovery TV channel were able to visit the island only a couple of times. And I can’t believe that the Portuguese colonialists once planned to grow bananas here.
Monkey paradise. Monkeys live in many places, but one Caribbean island, inhabited by them, is simply their paradise. Off the coast of Puerto Rico lies an uninhabited piece of land called Cayo. There, in 1938, 409 rhesus macaques were released. Animals, which are sacred to Hindus, quickly became accustomed to the closed world. Today there are already 940 individuals on the island. Animals, without knowing it, are the object of study by the University of Puerto Rico. Employees take care of the macaques, performing humane experiments on them. After all, even long-term simple observation of our distant relatives can give a lot useful information. Only a scientist can get to the island to communicate with monkeys. But anyone can watch the monkey paradise. To do this, you just need to rent a boat. You will even be able to see animals swimming in the ocean, because they are not afraid of water.
Spitsbergen. The island is the largest in the Svalbard archipelago. It is located north of Scandinavia in the Arctic Ocean. Spitsbergen officially belongs to Norway. The local town of Longyearbyen is the northernmost settlement, home to more than a thousand people. Moving around the island itself is dangerous - a polar bear can attack a person at any moment. This is why the law requires everyone to carry a firearm. Spitsbergen became famous for the UN initiative. Thanks to her, the World Seed Vault was created on the island. In it, samples of seeds of basic agricultural plants, which may be useful in the event of some kind of global catastrophe, are stored at low temperatures.
North Sentinel. In the Bay of Bengal, 32 kilometers west of Smith Island, is North Sentinel Island. Its area of 72 square kilometers is almost entirely covered with dense forests. Exceptions include a few coastal sandy beaches. A mysterious tribe was discovered on the island - the Sentinelese. They extremely vigorously resist any contact with civilization. The aliens even face death in their excessive desire to get closer to the natives. This reluctance to contact scientists, as well as the difficulty of exploring the island itself, has led to the fact that today practically nothing is known about the tribe. Researchers can only guess what language is being used local residents what kind of culture they have. It is not even clear how many of them live on the island. Although officially North Sentinel is part of the Andaman Islands, the local government has long left the island alone, giving it de facto autonomy.
Saber Island. This island, unusual in many ways, is famous mainly for the fact that it slowly moves across the world's oceans. Moreover, the direction chosen is strictly east, and the speed of movement is about 200 meters per year. Scientists are unable to explain the nature of this phenomenon. After all, the island is the top of an underwater mountain located on a tectonic plate. The movement of the island must mean its movement. However, the slabs usually move only a few millimeters during the year. Externally, the island actually resembles a saber, or an octopus tentacle. If the length of the Saber is 42 kilometers, then the width is only one and a half. The Canadian island stretches from west to east, and it is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 110 kilometers southeast of Halifax. Scientists at the beginning of the 20th century discovered a strange pattern - the western part of Saber is constantly under the influence of strong waves and currents. This leads to the destruction of the rocky coast. But the opposite part is always calm. Where the sand deposits came from there remains a mystery. As a result, the size of the island remains unchanged; on the one hand, the island is destroyed, and on the other, it grows due to sand. A couple of dozen scientists live on Sabla permanently. They monitor meteorological equipment, beacons and radio stations. Another feature of the island is the constant terrible bad weather on it. Only in July can ships approach Sable, and even then mooring to the shore is complicated by shoals, rocks and reefs. Tourists are prohibited from coming here; the territory itself is a protected area. However, the Canadian government may give special permission for a photographer or researcher to come here.
Days.Ru present a selection of the most unusual islands on our planet, the existence of which not everyone knows.
ON THE TOPIC
SOCOTRA, YEMEN
Truly one of the most isolated places on the planet is the Socotra archipelago, which is located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the Republic of Yemen. These regions are also called the "lost world" due to its secluded location. The archipelago was geographically isolated from Africa 6 million years ago, which allowed it to preserve a unique ecosystem that does not exist anywhere else.
This treasure trove of flora and fauna contains the most extraordinary plants that originated more than 20 million years ago, and animals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. That is why the archipelago is included in the list world heritage UNESCO.
Progress has not yet had time to spoil this amazing island. Those who were lucky enough to visit Socotra are told: once there, it is impossible to believe that you are on Earth and not on some other planet. The uniqueness and beauty of these places amazes and attracts extreme tourists and scientists.
FADIOUT, SENEGAL
The unusual islet of Fadiout is located in Senegal, it is completely covered with a variety of mollusk shells, the contents of which were eaten by residents of the nearby town of Joal many years ago. There is a legend that the island was formed precisely thanks to the local fishermen who threw away shells. Over time, they mixed with the roots of plants, and gradually formed an entire island. Joal is connected to the island by an almost kilometer-long wooden bridge.
A walk through the streets of the shell town is accompanied by the characteristic sounds of crunching underfoot. Its streets are paved with all kinds of mollusk shells, shells are used in the construction and decoration of homes, souvenirs and all sorts of trinkets are made from them.
In addition to the island itself, many tourists visit the local cemetery, also strewn with shells. It is located on a neighboring island, connected by a bridge to Fadiout. Paradoxically, this cemetery is a rather picturesque landscape: white crosses and plaques randomly stick out from the bulk mother-of-pearl mounds.
ISLAND OF THE DOLL, MEXICO
If you don't have enough mystical secrets, then here's a chilling story about the Mexican Island of Dolls (Isla de las Munecas). This place is truly terrifying: you definitely shouldn’t go here with an impressionable girlfriend or children, thinking that a world of cute toys will be waiting for you. The island is overflowing with thousands of ugly, mutilated and dirty dolls hanging on trees everywhere. Here, even the bravest tourist will feel trembling in his knees. According to legend, in the 50s of the 20th century, the hermit Julian Santana Barrera settled on the island, who renounced the world and his family. He became the founder of this creepy collection. The man collected and hung dolls everywhere for a reason, but to calm the spirit of a girl who drowned in the waters of the canal. Over the course of half a century, the dolls were very worn out, covered with cobwebs and acquired a very frightening appearance. They say Julian himself also drowned in this canal in 2001. Since then, the creepy legend has been attracting curious people to these places. There is no electricity here, and you can only get to the island by water during daylight hours. Those who dared to visit the island of dolls say that the mutilated toys seemed to be following them everywhere, and some tourists claim that they even heard their ominous whispers.
SEALAND, OFF THE COASTS OF GREAT BRITAIN
In the open sea, a few miles from the mouth of the Thames, there is not just an island, but the entire kingdom of Sealand. This micronation is a man-made World War II Rafs Tower platform created by Great Britain to defend against enemy air raids.
In 1967, retired British army officer Paddy Roy Bates decided to use this Rafs Tower for his own purposes and landed on it with his family. In addition, he not only settled on the platform, he also called this place the Principality of Sealand with its own currency, postage stamps, flag and passports, and proclaimed himself Prince Roy I. The microstate even had to repel attacks first by the British government, and then by Dutch and West German businessmen.
This very unusual principality has 300 official citizens, and its area is 0.00055 km2. Those wishing to obtain citizenship, the title of Earl or Lord of the Principality of Sealand can fill out an application on the official government website.
PIG ISLAND, BAHAMAS
On Hawaiian island Big Major Cay offers tourists not only white and soft sand, warm water of the Atlantic Ocean, but also several families of real pigs. No one will remember how these four-legged animals got to the island, but they took root here quite well. These animals live a completely innocent life: they swim in the ocean, sunbathe in the sun, rummage in the sand, and even kind tourists endlessly bring them various gifts. You don't have to look for these pigs, they will find you themselves. As soon as a boat with tourists appears on the horizon, the pigs will happily rush into the water to meet new guests.
The inhabitants of the island are very friendly and brave. Visitors to the island always have a unique opportunity to splash around with cute piglets, not in a puddle of mud, but in the crystal clear ocean and take unusual photographs.
OKUNOSHIMA, JAPAN
The Japanese island of Okunoshima, or simply Rabbit Island, can be found in the waters of the Inland Sea of Japan. Wild rabbits are full-fledged residents of these places. These cute creatures are so accustomed to guests that they fearlessly allow themselves to be petted, happily eat various treats and play with tourists. They say that the long-eared ones were brought to the once lifeless island by schoolchildren, and then the rabbits quickly multiplied and filled all corners of Okunoshima. So tourists don’t have to look for these unusual island inhabitants.
In fact, the history of the island is not limited to cute furry animals. Okunoshima played an important role in World War II and was the site of a top-secret military base, working on the production of chemical weapons. When the war ended, the laboratory was burned, and in 1988 the Poison Gas Museum was opened here.
FLOATING ISLANDS, PERU
The floating islands of the Uros tribe in Lake Titicaca are made entirely of reeds. This artificial archipelago was created several thousand years ago by the Uros who fled the advancing Inca tribe to preserve their identity.
The surface of the islands consists of bundles of reeds 1.5-2 meters high, so it is not at all solid, as it seems from afar, and bends under the weight of a person. Reed here serves not only as “earth”, but also as a material for creating boats, souvenirs, household items, and is even used for food.
The main industry of the inhabitants of the floating islands is fishing and hunting, and more recently also tourism. Young Uros use the island as additional income, presenting tourists with unusual excursions into the unique life of the ancient people of Peru.
FORT SPITBANK, UK
Spitbank Fort is a very exclusive holiday destination located on the Solent, near the city of Portsmouth. The once defensive sea fort, built in the 19th century to protect the city from French attack, is now a luxury hotel. Storage areas for storing ammunition and weapons now serve as exquisitely appointed hotel rooms. The fort has been restored, but the unique features of the site remain intact, giving visitors the opportunity to fully experience the spirit of wartime times.
The hotel has only nine guest rooms. A spa center, bars, and restaurants are also available to guests. On the roof of the Spitbank fortress there is a swimming pool and a sauna, where guests will not only have the opportunity to relax, but also enjoy a wonderful view of the strait and the starry sky. Here you can barbecue in a place specially protected from the wind.
Getting to the fort is not so easy: visitors are brought here by boat, and the perimeter of the hotel itself is guarded no worse than in wartime. Therefore, there are no uninvited guests here. Spitbank Fort is an excellent place for private parties, weddings, corporate events, or simply for relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of the mainland.
QEIMADA GRANDE, BRAZIL
The most dangerous island is located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Sao Paulo, it is called Queimada Grande (Ilha de Queimada Grande), also known as Snake Island. In this place untouched by man, incredibly picturesque landscapes with extraordinary plants have been preserved. majestic rocks And beautiful beach. But, unfortunately, there are absolutely no conditions for tourism and recreation here, and the reason for this is the snakes swarming on the island (according to scientists, there are as many as three reptiles for every square meter of land).
The island is so unsafe that the government of the country even banned visiting this region. The thing is that Queimada Grande is home to one of the most dangerous species of snakes in the world - the island bothrops. The venom of this snake provokes rapid tissue necrosis, internal bleeding and almost inevitable death in the victim. Without an antidote, the unfortunate person has very little chance of survival. However, despite the prohibitions, many curious tourists still find loopholes, purchase the necessary equipment and clothing and go there for dangerous adventures.
POVEGLIA, ITALY
This mystical island, located near Venice, is increasingly attracting tourists. Lovers scary stories and secrets come here in search of unusual experiences.
Poveglia Island served as a quarantine station in the 14th century, where hopelessly ill people with bubonic plague were taken to certain death. People died in huge numbers and very quickly, so not everyone had time to be buried and they were burned, and the ashes of the unfortunates were scattered throughout the island. Since then, there have been rumors that the restless spirits of the dead are walking around the island. Everything would be fine, but later a psychiatric hospital was opened on the site of the quarantine station, and its inhabitants often complained that ghosts were visiting them. There are rumors that the head doctor of the hospital abused the patients and that is why one day they threw him from the bell tower. Moreover, for some reason the sadistic doctor was never buried, but walled up in the wall of that same ill-fated bell tower. Tourists come to Poveglia every year to see these chilling, dilapidated hospitals with their own eyes.
