Search results for "rainforest"

There may be no more "undiscovered, " off-the-beaten-path places left in the Caribbean, but Panama's Bocas del Toro archipelago comes close. This collection of 10 or so islands near the border with Costa Rica is one of the favorite stops for Panamanian tourists, but has been mostly ignored by the rest of the travel world. Yet it has a lot going for it: warm, aqua-turquoise water (this is the Caribbean after all), some nice beaches (Bluff Beach on Colon is a favorite with both sunbathers and surfers) and reefs (in Admiral Bay) for snorkeling, and even some tropical rainforest with rewar...

Phuket, Thailand, is commonly referred to as the ‘Pearl of South’ and is the largest island in Thailand. Phuket Island runs 48 kilometers (34 miles) north to south and 21 kilometers (16 miles) east to west. Phuket is broken by a chain of mountains and valleys mainly from a north-south range running down the west coast. This accounts for about 70% of the land area. The tallest peak, Mai Tao Sip Song (12 Cane Peak) is 529 meters. The other 30% of the island is flat land located mainly in the central and eastern portions of the island. Laying in the Andaman Sea off southern Thailand’s west coast,...

In a world where even small remote islands have become popular tourist destinations, it's increasingly rare to find a sizable South Pacific isle that has remained largely undeveloped. And therein lies the basic charm of Vanua Levu, the second largest among Fiji's 300 or so islands. Just over 100 miles long Vanua Levu (pronounced vah-NEW-ah LAY-vu) is a good base for adventurous souls who prefer rainforest hikes, bird-watching, and snorkeling to, say, golf, tennis, and spas. The interior of the island is rugged, and green fields of sugar cane cover the north and west coasts like a s...

Of the 400 or so islands that make up the nation of Fiji, Viti Levu is the largest – and a cultural crossroads of the South Pacific. But even with its international airport in Nadi (pronounced NAN-dee), Viti Levu is sometimes overlooked by visitors eager to hop off to one of Fiji’s enchanting outlying isles.. Viti Levu is not so much a beach getaway (the best beaches and diving are along the Coral Coast on the west side of the island), as a place rich with the possibilities that come with tropical mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and traditional Fijian villages. Hiking, rafting (including tr...