Molokai – Hawaiian by Nature

While the rest of Hawai’i grew up, the island of Molokai grew roots. Roads are few and generally empty. The island clings to tradition. Its small population prefers to live by raising crops, catching fish and adhering to the old ways. Molokai isn’t merely a lovely island; it’s the only island for those who want to experience something besides commercial luaus, fancy shops, big resorts and the company of tourists. Instead, discover serenity, empty beaches and untamed outdoor beauty. In short, you’ll experience a place where you can look inward as much as outward. You will also find the Hawaiian culture, which is woven into the fabric of everyday life. Though Molokai isn’t sophisticated when it comes to tourism, it offers a wide range of places to stay and things to do.
For a small island – 40 miles long and 10 miles wide – Molokai possesses awesome natural wonders. Bring enough film for such ancient sites as the enormous temple platform called ‘Ili’ili’opae Heiau and the 58 rock wall fishponds that line the island’s South Shore. The South Shore is sheltered by the largest reef system in the United States.
Molokai also contains areas of unspoiled wilderness. Kamakou Preserve is a mountain forest that’s home to endangered native plants and rare birds.
Along the North Shore, the world’s tallest sea cliffs plunge over 3.000 feet to the crashing surf below.
Western Molokai boasts some of the largest and least visited beaches in the state. The Sheraton Molokai Lodge and Beach Village on the West End is the nearest Molokai gets to a resort area. Get back to nature on the island of Molokai.

Lanai – Hawaiian Most Exclusive Island

If your idea of an island getaway includes ultra luxury and secluded privacy, the Island of Lanai awaits you. Less than 3.000 people live on this small island. Life revolves around its one charming town, Lanai City, and two deluxe properties, the upcountry Lodge at Koele and the ocean side Manele Bay Hotel. Both consistently win top resort honors. Two stellar golf courses, a spa, fine dining choices, and plenty of outdoor activities and water sports guarantee there’ll be plenty to do until it’s time for high tea in the music room.
Although it remains off the beaten path, Lanai offers an unparalleled range of activities in a setting that takes full advantage of the island’s natural beauty. Enjoy the charm of lawn bowling or some competitive croquet. Reserve a court at the Menele’s tennis center or set out on an equestrian excursion from the stables near the Lodge. Try your hand at sporting clays at one of the country’s best facilities, which also has a 12 station archery range.
Head for a swim at beautiful Hulopo’e Beach, or depart Manele Harbor for a snorkel excursion to the pristine waters off Lanai’s cliff-lined West Coast. Take a stroll through Lanai City and browse the shops that surround the forested town square. Rent a four-wheel drive vehicle and set off on an adventure that can take you to the lunar landscapes of “Garden of the Gods”, the beachcombing pleasures of Swipwreck Beach or the misty, rain forest heights of Lana’ihale. Experience Lanai, it’s not quickly forgotten.

Maui – the Magic Isle

Many places claim the power to create memories that will last a lifetime, but few fulfill the promise like the Island of Maui. If its relaxation you’re after, we’ve got it, with near-perfect weather, great places to stay, uncrowned beaches and a setting that inspires awe and a sense of wonder. If you are looking for adventure and new experiences, we’ve got that too. Discover Maui, where whale-filled seas meet heavenly beaches. A place where the sun warms tropical trade winds that will blow your troubles away. Snorkel in crystal-clear waters or play golf on world-class courses of green, velvet perfection. Aloha and welcome t Maui, the Magic Isle.
The ancient Hawaiian chants tell the story of the demigod Maui who harnessed the sun from atop 10.000 foot Haleakala to slow its progress across the heavens. He made the perfect day on his namesake island last just a bit longer.
From that same perch today you can look out over this splendid island to survey its terrain. Along the beach-lined South Coast lie the resorts of Ma’alaea, Kihei, Wailea and Makena, each fronting gentle waters perfect for swimming.
To the east, turn your attention to the forested mountains and countless waterfalls that surround Hana. The road to Hana is a series of hairpin turns and single-lane bridges where you’ll discover breathtaking panoramas around every corner.
On the slopes below Haleakala are the grassy ranchlands and flower farms of upcountry Maui. Sublime views and cooler temperatures prevail here. Upcountry is a state of mind, characterized by large family-owned ranches and Hawaiian cowboys who share the beautiful area with the many artists who’ve settled here in a landscape of endless inspiration.
Looking over the central plains, you spy Maui’s other volcanic mountain, Kahalawai. In its morning shadow you’ll find historic Lahaina and the famous resorts of Ka’anapali, Kahana, Napili and Kapalua. Lahaina was once the royal capital of Hawai’i and later a rowdy whaling port. Today, Front Street retains its old world charm while offering a collection of shops, art galleries, entertainment and restaurants just steps from the waterfront.
Maui’s central valley is anchored by county seat Wailuku at the doorstep of ‘Iao Valley and bustling Kahului. Find local-style eateries in Wailuku along with a collection of antiques shops. Kahului is the commercial center of the island and home to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center and Maui’s largest mall, the Kaahumanu Shopping Center.
It’s hard to imagine a place more relaxing than Maui. But if, as some say, the key to relaxation is activity, few places compare to Maui. On the ground, in the air, on the water, in the water or under the water. Maui is arguably the world’s greatest playground.
Hike trails equal to none, go for a horseback ride, kayak, and snorkel or dive in the pristine waters. Not done playing? Surf made-in –Hawai’i waves or windsurf the tropical trade winds. And always, the beach. Forty-two miles of uncrowned and sublime beaches to be exact. Add tennis, golf, helicopter tours, history, art, nature, shopping, dining, touring and countless cultural attractions and you’ll want to extend your stay.

Accommodation in Sumartin, island of Brac

If you frequently travel around the world, you should visit Croatia. Croatia has many small islands and towns. Many tourists had chosen town of Sumartin Island of Brac as their holiday destinations because of the beautiful panorama. The town of Sumartin is connected to the mainland by road line and ferry line. The whole of Sumartin region is covered with green Mediterranean vegetation. It experiences the warmest weather among the Adriatic islands because it has many sunny days. Tourists will have the opportunities to participate in recreational activities such as windsurfing, landscape, diving, snorkeling, and watercraft. The surroundings of Sumartin allow tourists to carry out a variety of activities including hiking, and walking. Town of Sumartin is famous for the breeding of oysters and mussels in the sea. If you are planning to visit Sumartin, you must find out the available accommodations in that place.
There are several types of accommodations available in Sumartin including hotels and private accomodation. You will be able to find an accommodation that fits within your budget. The types of accommodations that can be found in Sumartin include hotels, villas, condominium and private room.
TravelAdriatic.net portal offers both expensive and budget accommodation in Sumartin. You should book the hotel room or apartment before visiting this small island town. The hotels and apartments in Sumartin can be booked through online travel portals like TravelAdriatic.net or Booking.com.

Island of Brac

Bathed in the Mediterranean sunlight, enveloped by the scent of pines, sage and rosemary, and calmed by the sound of the crickets, Brac rises above the clear blue water of the Adriatic proudly facing Dalmatia’s largest city, Split. As the largest Dalmatian island, Brac is a true oasis of unspool nature, authentic Dalmatian architecture and a sense of serenity more associated with bygone days. In addition, it is within easy access of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the town of Trogir and the Diocletian’s Palace in Split), is well connected to the mainland by ferries and to the rest of the world by its own international airport.
You can leave stress and city life behind. Time is marked by passing shadows and stars, whilst the ancient bell towers ring out the rhythm of nature. Brac has always been a refuge for those in search of peace and tranquility, from the inhabitants of ancient Salona and the nobility of Split, through to modern travelers in search of true values. This is the place to allow you to relax and unwind.
Widely renowned and highly regarded around the world, the stone from Brac has been used in the construction of some of the most famous buildings in the world, from Diocletian’s Palace in Split to the White House in Washington, as well as the houses of fisherman and laborers of Brac. Enchanting villages dotted around the island display excellent examples of traditional architecture: stone houses, fireplaces, wells, balconies, entwined in bougainvillea, churches, bell towers, and streets paved in white stone slabs or pebbles, and courtyard adorned with vines, tangerine, lemon, and fig and pomegranate trees. The unpretentious simplicity of these houses built to resist the sun, wind and time, karts’ fields and olive groves, cairns, stone shelters and drywalls are a testimony of the wisdom and diligence of the island’s inhabitants, to the generations that drawn their energy from the sun, the stone and the sea.

Supetar

Situated on a horse-shoe shaped cove, Supetar is a charming and picturesque harbor village. Everything here is close at hand and conveniently located: restaurants, shops, banks, post offices, market, cinema, library, health care services and various sports facilities. Your stay here will also be enhanced by the free concerts, theatrical shows, folklore festivals and numerous other events which are organized as part of the Supetar Summer of Culture.
With its excellent connections to Split via a direct car-ferry service (more than 14 departures per day during summer), Supetar is an ideal destination for those looking to benefit from the rich monumental heritage and natural beauties of the Central Dalmatian mainland (Diocletian’s Palace, Trogir, Salona, Klis, Vranjaca Cave, Cetina Canyon, Krka Falls, Sibenik Cathedral…), whilst still enjoying the charm of a small island town. Let’s not forget to mention the numerous opportunities for walks and excursions on the island: Blaca desert, Vidova Gora, Zlatni Rat, Museum of Brac, stone cutting school… every place on the island of Brac has its own beauty and appeal. In addition to the high-quality hotels in Supetar, many of the local households offer private accommodation facilities in the form of apartment rentals.

Splitska

Located in a deep and relatively steep cove, Splitska is reminiscent of a swan gazing at its own reflection in the water. This place of exceptional beauty exudes an almost aristocratic serenity, particularly with the Cerinic family mansion built in the 16th century. Splitska is the ideal destination for those fond of walks in the countryside: a 45 minute walk to Skrip, 30 minute walk to Postira, and 30 minutes more to Dol. The town features three restaurants, a café and a store, as well as a Tourist Office open during the season.

Skrip

As the oldest settlement on the island, Skrip is one of the must-see destinations for every visitor to Brac. The Museum of Brac is located in the old Radojkovic house; the nearby church of the Holly Spirit, the Cerinic family mansion and the parochial church of St Helen all stand witness to the time when life, endangered by pirates, carried on deep in the island and away from the coast, when Skrip was one of the most important places on the island. The few residents mainly depend on agriculture although Skrip’s historical importance has recently brought tourism to the village.

Mirca

This is a quiet, tranquil little place located about 3 km from Supetar towards Sutivan. The old town centre exudes the atmosphere of a forgotten island village where time had stopped, as life has descended to the shoreline where new houses have been built amongst the pine trees and gardens, as close to the sea as possible. The Gumonca Cove with its beach and small port for fishing boats has thus become the Mirca’s new heart.

Paxi Island – Greece

The Island of Paxi, having a big mythology, is bathing, like another Venus, just very close to Corfu, in the Ionian Sea.
Paxi is an island full of natural beauties, capturing any visitor. Saint Nikolas castle, Madonna’s cloister on the homonym island, Erimitis, Karama, Ypapanti, Ellinospita, Ortholithos, Graves, Ahai, the Museum, the Gallery, the Mills, the Basins, the Lighthouses, Vatoumi, Vrika are some of the sightseeing the visitor may enjoy.
Paxi is an island full of olive trees, its population survived for centuries on this blessed tree, which used to be not only a source of living but also a mean for development and evolution. Today, tourism is the major source of income at Paxi local economy.
Now on, transport from and to Corfu and Igoumenitsa is daily. Among the island’s customs which survive until today are: the stock on 15th of August, which is distributed for free on the small island of Madonna Koulouma at Lakka with pagan dances and songs, the First Resurrection at Saint Giakoumo of Fountana, where they hit regularly the pews, the Processions after Easter, Labates of Sent John etc.
Certainly the island offers many enjoyable choices and the visitor shall be fully satisfied.

British Islands

Isle of Anglesey

Anglesey’s 125 miles of coastline, with its sandy beaches and tiny fishing villages, quiet coves and rocky headlands, is officially designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty. Anglesey’s “Lakelands” such as Llyn Alaw and Llyn Maelog, offer good sports for the freshwater angler, and there’s riding at Trefor for all the family’s enjoyment. Attractions include the 200 acre nature reserve on Holy Island; Beaumaris Castle and the fascinating Museum of Childhood and Tegfryn Art Gallery, both at Menai Bridge; Beaumaris Gaol; the Visitor Centre at Llanfairpwll, and Plas Newydd, the imposing 18th century stately home now in the care of the National trust. Souvenir hunters will be eager to visit the many little craft workshops that flourish in the quieter inland areas of Anglesey.

The Channel Islands

Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm are sheltered by the French mainland, but are within easy reach of English shores. This gives the Channel Islands a unique atmosphere; a combination of both countries.
Jersey, largest of the group – roughly nine miles by five miles, has an area of some 45 square miles. There are some 500 miles of good motoring roads and the distance right around the island is just 46 miles. Car hire (very reasonably priced) is easily arranged. St. Helier, the lively and attractive capital provides much entertainment, good shops and a colorful, indoor market.
Guernsey, second largest of the Channel Islands, has an unspools, uncommercialised aspect which lures holidaymakers bent on simple pleasures and leisure in idyllic surroundings. Guernsey’s south-east coast is one of supreme grandeur providing breathtaking views from winding cliff paths. To the west is a long expanse of beaches with rocky headlands forming bays with fascinating names of French origin like Cobo, Chouet, L’Eree, L’Ancresse and Vazon. St. Peter Port, the capital, is built on a hillside and has narrow, cobbled streets which slope steeply to the harbor.
Alderney – an area of just three and a half by one and a half miles, but packed with interest, beauty and an exciting history of smuggling. The rugged coastline is a mass of wild flowers, and inland there are large areas of unspool moorland. There are a golf course and opportunities for sailing, fishing and even surfing.
Sark and Herm – where you can get away from the noise of traffic, for both islands forbid vehicles. Sark has cliffs, bays and two picturesque harbors and the colorful “Anemone cave”. Herm, a short launch trip from Guernsey, has sandy beaches, woods and cliffs with numerous varieties of wild flowers and birds.

Isle of Man

Out in the Irish Sea, 75 miles from the British mainland, the Isle of Man has a little of everything for holiday enjoyment, contained within its 227 square miles. From 100 miles of coastline, which varies from spectacular cliffs to tiny coves and miles of sandy beaches, the island rises steeply through lovely glens into rolling green mountains. On Snaefell summit from where on a clear day it is possible to see four other kingdoms – England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Douglas, the capital, is the destination of steamers from various parts of Britain. Home of the House of Keys, the island’s Parliament, Douglas has a two-mile sandy sea front and unusual horse-drawn trams. The island has many historic castles and ruins and much connected with folklore.
There are six fine golf courses, bowling-greens, boating lakes, sailing, sea, lake and river fishing, skin-diving, pony-trekking, water-skiing and so much more. This “Isle of Sport” has festivals of football, rugby, hockey, athletics and shooting, as well as international hockey, race walking, offshore yacht racing, and International Air Rally. But the island’s most famous sport is motorcycle racing. Every year in June, the International Tourist Trophy Races are held. There is also an international cycling week, and the Rothmans International Rally. Ronaldsway airport served by 18 airports in Britain and two in Ireland.

Isles of Scilly

More than 100 islands form the Isles of Scilly, situated in the Atlantic Ocean some 28 miles south-west of Land’s End, Cornwall – the English mainland’s westernmost point. Only five of these islands are inhabited and St. Mary’s, the largest, is no more than three miles long. The other inhabited “off-islands”, as they are always called, are Tresco, St. Martin’s, St. Agnes and Bryher. Seals, dolphins and puffins are the only inhabitants of some of the other islands. You can take a boat from St. Mary’s to all the inhabited islands and, when weather permits, to see the Bishop Rock Lighthouse. The Isles enjoy a usually drier and sunnier climate than other parts of South West, and winters are mild.
Penzance (on the mainland) is a good holiday centre, with its picturesque fishing villages and its sub-tropical gardens, plus its unequalled position in a shelter corner of Mount’s Bay. Penzance is the main port of departure for the Isles of Scilly - you can take 20 minute flight by helicopter or a more leisurely cruise out in the Scillonian to the islands. Those visiting for the day from Penzance will have the opportunity to go by launch to the island of Tresco and visit the unique sub-tropical Abbey Gardens. Brymon Airways fl from Exeter, Newquay and Plymouth to Scilly.

Isle of Wight

A year-round holiday resort- the Isle of Wight with its remarkable variety of scenery, spectacular chins, a multicolored sand cliff, and clear beaches – is but a short hop from the south coast of England. It is a great place for sailing – the round the island yacht race (June), starts and finishes at Cowes; and Cowes Week itself, the most fashionable event in the yachting calendar, is held the first week in August. There are over four dozen places of interest to visit and many miles of delightful walks.

Western Isles

These are made up of two large groups of Scottish Islands, the Inner Hebrides and the Outer Hebrides. The Inner Hebrides include Skye, Mull, Iona, Staffa, Coll, Tiree, Colonsey, Oronsay, Eigg, Muck, Rhum, Canna, Islay and Jura. Skye is the largest of the group – a glorious wilderness of rock and heather, mountains, lochs and trout streams. Portree is the island’s capital. Head for the Cuillins for some of the finest rock climbing in Europe. Mull, the second largest island has wild mountainous scenery, sea lochs and sandy bays. Tobermory is the main town. See the beautiful gardens of Calgary House in the north-west, while in the south-west, separated by a narrow channel, is Iona. You can take a boat from Mull to the island of Staffa, which is famous for its caves including Fingal’s Cave, which inspired Mendelssohn in the “Hebrides” overture.
Between them, the twin islands of Islay and Jura offer beaches, bays and rugged mountains. Jura has many caves, deer, large peaks known as the Paps of Jura – and a whisky distillery.
Lewis and Harris, Benbecula, Barra, North and South Uist – these are the islands of the Outer Hebrides. Together, Lewis and Harris form a single island – remote and unspool with wild moors and splendid beaches of silver-white. Here you will hear Gaelic spoken more often than English; and stirring Gaelic songs sung at lively ceilidhs (pronounced Kay-leys). Sternway is the largest town in the Outer Hebrides and is a major fishing port. Harris is famous for its hand-woven tweeds. The Uists are ideal for bird watching and Barra for sea angling.

Orkney

Orkney, about 70 islands in all, lie some seven miles off the north coast of the Scottish mainland. Kirkwall is the capital with a busy harbor and narrow, twisting streets. Orkney was once a Norse earldom and many relics of the Vikings survive. Near Finstown is Maes Howe (Stone Age tomb dating back to 2000 BC). Stromness, Orkney’s major seaport is one of the most picturesque and attractive locations in Britain.

Shetlands

Beyond Orkney are the Shetland Islands, the northernmost outpost of the British Isles. About 100 in all, of which only 16 are inhabited. Lerwick is the main town. On the southern tip of the Shetland mainland, at Sumburg, ancient contrasts with modern as this is the site of the Shetlands airport, and nearby are Bronze and Iron Age remains, the ruins of a Viking Village and a 16th century house.

Isle of Arran

Arran is a sheltered island set in the Clyde estuary, protected from the full force of the Atlantic by the peninsula of Kintyre. Its shores are washed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and with its all year round mild climate, enjoy rich and colorful vegetation. To the north and east are spectacular mountain ridges and to the south and west are green pasturelands, bordered by sandy beaches and towering cliffs.

Thasos – the greenest island of Aegean Sea

According to mythology, the first person to inhabit the island was Thasos, a young man, who happened upon the island during his quest to find Europe, the daughter of Aginoros. Zeus was so deeply in love with her that he kidnapped her to enjoy her company for ever. Thasos, according to Herodotus, was unable to find her, but was seduced by the beauty of the island, settled there together with his company, and thus the island was ever since named after him.
Recent excavations, tools and fragments of ceramic, prove that Thasos was originally inhabited in the first instance, during the Paleolithic period, 2 to 3 million years ago. Later, it was the Phoenicians that settled on the island in 15th century BC. They were traders. They were attracted by rich gold mines, which many people have searched for since, but also by the abundant lumber, which still exists today, and enables the local boat builders to continue their trade.
Nowadays, Thasos is a unique tourist resort, with modern hotels, numerous private rooms, studios, apartments and private villas to let, camping sites beautifully located within pine trees with their own private access to the sea shore, a complete and well maintained road network and regular access to the mainland, just across the strait, both via a regular and all year round Ferry boat and Flying Dolphin service.
The friendly and hospitable people of Thasos have many ancient Greek traditions and deep religious beliefs and they preserve the folkways and mores and traditional forms of culture through their respect and love of arts and music. Not least amongst the traditions that they have preserved is that of the love of foreigners and strangers. Their hospitality will both amaze and overwhelm all visitors.
The annual summer festival, one of the most highly regarded festivals in Greece, presents high quality performances all around the island. Amongst the main attractions are the plays – by both ancient and modern writers – that are held in the Ancient Theatre. This, due to its location, high up of the town, has an unparalleled view over the beautiful harbor, the blue sea and the surrounding town, and the foothills of the mountains. In addition, there are also gigs and concerts by well known Greek or foreign artist in breathtaking locations such as the archaeological sites of the ancient Agora and the sanctuary of Dioskouri in Limenas, the site Metallia in Limenaria and many, many others – all equally beautiful and equally renowned – all around the island.
There are also, regular, art, photographic and other cultural exhibitions held in Kalogeriko (the beautiful and traditionally renovated cultural centre of Limenas, located by the ancient harbor). Tarsanas (in Potamia), Palataki (in Limenaria) and ancient sites and buildings also host their own festivals and festivities.
Throughout the year many traditional, cultural and folklore events, such as the Thasian Wedding in August, events with the unique reenactment of Dionysian customs, which are held in many of the villages around the island during the Greek Carnival in February, and which are still such an integral part of the ordinary lives of Thasian people, are organized by the folklore unions on the island which are so successful in preserving traditions that otherwise might be lost.
The island offers every type of beach that one could wish for shallow waters with sandy beaches abutted by pine trees, not easily accessible by road, tiny gulfs and rocky promontories, spotlessly clean pebble beaches, wide expanses of sand and well maintained public beaches, with numerous beds and umbrellas to satisfy every need. The choice is there for peaceful family vacations, exciting water sports, beach games or just simply relaxing in the peace and quiet of the beautiful surroundings.
The hills and mountains and the network of the hiking trails, within pine forests, offer the perfect opportunity for hiking and climbing amongst some of the most beautiful and most natural scenery in northern Greece. There is the possibility to undertake mountain bike riding, cycling along the coast road, motto cross or quad bike driving, while the sea is always close for swimming, sailing, diving, cruises, or fishing in traditional fishing boats. There are a total of 11 harbors and fishing shelters around the island. This combined with the countless beautiful gulfs and emerald waters (the twin natural harbors in Aliki, the deep sandy bays of Golden Beach, and Tripiti and the bay of Kefalas) are ideal destinations for those who wished to visit this island by boat.
Another unexpected attraction of the island is the large number of old churches and monasteries that are always of interest for those who want to research the past and the present of religion. The monastery of Archangels, located on the south-east of the island, built precariously on the steep rocky side of the mountain, gives a feeling that it is hanging right into the sea, the Church of the Virgin Mary in the mountain village of Panagia, the monastery of St Panteleimon close to the beautiful village of Kazaviti, Panagouda, close to the village of the same name, Maries, Agios Athanasius in Kastro built back in medieval times and Agios Dimitrios in Theologos are just few of the examples of the religious monuments on Thasos that are bound to inspire awe and humility in many visitors.
In short, an island of superb natural beauty, friendly and hospitable people with their lives very firmly based in the traditions of Greek village life, modern facilities, plentiful accommodation to suit every pocket and every need, sophisticated shops, bars and restaurants, easy and frequent access and all this relatively unknown to mass tourism.
Thasos is known to those who have already discovered its beauty, as the jewel of the Aegean, the emerald island. It is the most northerly island in the Aegean Sea, located just 12 nautical miles from the ports of Kavalla and Nea Peramos and 6 nautical miles from Keramoti and the Nestos River delta.
It is mountainous and densely wooded. The lower slopes of the mountain, covered by pine forests and olive groves seem to tumble into the sea, around the perimeter of the 100 km of the beautiful coastline of the island, with its numerous beaches, inlets and estuaries. It has wide sweeping big sandy expanses of beach, smaller sandy bays, tiny coves with rocks and pebbles, beaches which just constitute the fine white powdery marble sand which is like talcum powder, and even rocky outcrops, were one can be as secluded or with friends as one wishes. The climate is a mild Mediterranean climate, with cool summers and shorter mild winters.
In the administrative and commercial capital, both known as Thasos and Limenas, which is located in the most northerly point of the island, as well as in Limenaria, the second town of this island, located in the south, tourist and locals can find all the public services and facilities that they might require, (health centers, police and coast guard stations, post office and telecommunications, petrol stations, tourist information offices …). In fact, everything that you might not immediately think of but which are essential to ensure that the infrastructure is in place, to enable you to have an enjoyable and stress free visit.

Kauai

Kauai has a rural, country feel and a laid-back lifestyle all its own. Ask the friendly people of Kauai. They will tell you this is how it should be, and this is how it will remain. After all, Kauai is Hawaii’s oldest island, geologically speaking, and as the firstborn, it has the legacy of paradise to uphold.
Untouched by major development, Kauai is nicknamed The Garden Island. A voyage around Kauai is a sensory feast of green tropical forests, cascading waterfalls, golden sand beaches and the time of your life. Come and make some memories on beautiful Kauai. Welcome. You’re coming to Kauai, Hawaii’s Island of Discovery.

North Kauai

The dramatic beauty of the valleys and mountains of the north shore of Kauai are first glimpsed from the Hanalei Valley Lookout. Below, green fields of taro grow in beds of water that reflect the sky. Rare birds splash among the liquid clouds. Brooding mountains rise in primordial splendor, streaming with waterfalls. The valleys are so deep; they show up as purple and indigo shadows. A slow river winds through it all, like grace in the soul. The only way to get there is politely, across a one-lane bridge. Everyone likes it this way.
The little town of Hanalei is seamless and so are her sisters, Wainiha and Ha’ena. They are woven so delicately into the landscape that the greenery seems to bloom with their colorful shops, galleries and restaurants. This land has produced food for more than a thousand years since the first Polynesians arrived here. It is settled and fruitful. Guava Kai Plantation has put the island on the map as the “guava capital of the world”, and it dispenses the chilled pink drink to all who wander through its orchards. The picturesque flooded fields of taro are ancient and fertile, and they produce most of the state’s taro for pounding into poi, the Hawaiian staff of life.
Beside the meandering two-lane Kuhio Highway, Wai’oli Hui’ia Church, matching the deep green of the surrounding landscape, still rings with Hawaiian hymns on Sunday mornings, feeding the congregation with more than food. Behind it, the Wai’oli Mission House – with its broad lanai, lava chimney and period furniture – is a peek into the missionary past that has influenced the Hawai’i of today.
The beaches of northern Kauai are breathtaking. Beware – you will fall in love them. At lovely Lumaha’i, in foamy waterfalls created by surf breaking on lava rocks, Mitzi Gaynor, star of Hollywood’s memorable musical, South Pacific, washed that man right out of her hair. Perfect snorkeling can be enjoyed at ‘Anini Beach, where the water is four feet deep on one side of Hawaii’s longest reef and cascades off hundreds of feet on the other. Hanalei Bay lies in the embrace of mountains. In the morning, the water can be like glass, mirroring the mountains so perfectly that the world around it is reduced to silent awe. Ke’e Beach, where the road ends, appeared in the television miniseries, The Thorn Birds, starring Richard Chamberlain, and in Disney’s Castaway Cowboy, headlining James Garner and Vera Miles. Its reef is a lacy network of coral canyons beneath the spectacular cliffs of Na Pali Coast. Nearby is ancient sea caves formed more than 4.000 years ago when the sea was higher. One is the Dry Cave, a cool yawn in the lava; the other is the Wet Cave with a pool of blue water.
The 11 mile Kalalau Trail begins here and winds its way along green ramparts, with waterfalls cascading beside the path and roaring surf pounding the shore below. A secret: most of the spectacular scenery can be seen in the first mile. An ancient hula temple is still lovingly tended, and it was here, according to legend, that the fire goddess, Pele, drawn by the sound of the sound of the drums, fell in love with Lohi’au, a handsome chief of Kauai, inspiring one of Hawaii’s epic love stories.
Presiding over all this natural magnificence, Princeville Resort is a green enclave of planned luxury with hotels and vacation condominiums arrayed along the line of the setting sun. There are championship golf courses, fine restaurants, and a shopping village. The resort is named for Prince Albert, the son of King Kamehameha IV and his wife, Queen Emma. A festival is held here in his memory every May, marked by concerts of Hawaiian and classical music, and a children’s hula recital.
The small neighboring town of Kilauea has a sophisticated mix of shops that are wonderful diversions on the way to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge at the top of the promontory. Distinguished by its historic lighthouse, the sanctuary affords up-close views of the only diverse colony of nestling seabirds on the main Hawaiian Islands. Residents include red footed boobies, the Laysan albatross, shearwaters and the great frigate bird with its 8 foot wingspan. Hawaiian Monk Seals sometimes haul themselves out of the sea to laze on Moku’ae’ae islet at the foot of the lava cliffs.
The wilderness and reckless beauty of North Kauai are always close at hand, even from the lanai of very civilized accommodations. No effort is needed to discover enchantment. The seduction is total.

East Kauai

Kauai’s Eastside, from the county seat of Lihue to Kappa’s is the center of activity on the island. All roads lead to end from, so here you’ll find a large concentration of shopping, dining and places to stay. Farm fairs, orchid shows, holiday extravaganzas and music celebrations happen from time to time at Vidinha Stadium located in downtown Lihue.
One of the most unique places to shop and dine is a big early 1900s Tudor-style plantation estate. At Kilohana, boutiques fill every nook, and a restaurant spills from dining room to lanai, yet the house maintains the grace of bygone days. To see a fine example of a plantation home without the commercial trimmings, reserve a tour of quiet Grove Farm Homestead, sequestered behind broad green lawns and sheltered by giant trees. The house, once the centerpiece of a thriving sugar plantation, has walls and a staircase of handsome native Koa wood, and is beautiful furnished.
More treasures of the past are preserved at Kauai Museum, interestingly ensconced behind a Greco-Roman façade. Here, the story of the island is displayed in everything from lustrous feather leis to vintage photographs. It’s a good place to become acquainted with calabashes and kings, Kauai’s legends and people.
The most persistent legends of this island revolve around the Menehume, the leprechaun-like little people, blamed for every mischief and credited with wonders of construction. It’s no tall tale that a mysterious group of people did pre-date the arrival of the ancestors of the Hawaiians who, in speaking of them, say they sailed away on a floating island. Before they left, it is said the Menehune built the Alekoko Fishpond, a massive aquaculture facility, is one moonlit night. The wall of the pond is 900 feet long. Alekoko, popularly called Menehune Fishpond after its creators, is just up the hill from mountain framed Nawiliwili Harbor, where stately cruise ships call at the mouth of the Hule’ia Stream, which served as the location for a portion of the film, Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Sharing in the splendor of the setting is Kalapaki Beach. A nice sandy bottom and gentle waves make Kalapaki the best swimming beach on this part of the island. Kauai Lagoons Resort stretches out behind the beach in a rolling plain of golf courses, waterways, condominiums and a spectacular hotel with the largest swimming pool in the state.
More guest accommodations, in a broad range of prices, are strung in lei along the Coconut Coast, where royalty once ruled. Remnants of their reign and their faith can be seen in the many temple ruins. Lava-walled temple once lined the broad Waialua River and their prayers were carried from one altar to the other on giant sharkskin temple drums.
Today, ukulele music sings from the decks of the tour boats playing the river, taking people to the Fern Grotto where, in a sentimental ceremony, they can renew their wedding vows in a natural cathedral fringed in ferns – or they can take the occasion to make those promises in the first place, while serenaded by the stirring “Hawaiian Wedding Song”.
Two beautiful waterfalls feed the Waialua River – Opaeka’a, which tumbles out of the jungle in a symphony of rushing water, and the twin cascades of Waialua Falls. They can be seen by driving along the river and are most beautiful in early morning when sunlight ignites them molten silver. A 30 acre botanical garden, Smith’s Tropical Paradise, blooms amid the lush landscape beside the river. The garden is beautifully maintained by the Smith family, whose roots on Kauai are centuries old. Their evening luau and Pacific revue are staged beside a lagoon that mirrors the dances and the torches, doubling the magic. The show honors many of Hawaii’s cultures and includes everything from the hip-swiveling Tahitian tamure to the exuberant firecrackers of the Chinese lion dance.
You’ll find Lydgate Beach Park just south of the Waialua River. The waters are calm enough for babies and toddlers, clear enough for great snorkeling and are watched over by Hawaii’s renowned professional lifeguards.
The town of Kappa’s has managed to successfully blend local style general stores and restaurants with gentrified boutiques and dinning rooms. With a little luck, a shopper can spot in the eclectic retail mix the kind of Hawaiian collectible kitsch that has become popular and valuable – the hula girl salt shakers, vintage aloha shirts, lava lamps and vibrant floral fabrics. It’s all fun – and beautiful beaches are only yards away. Plunk down a towel at Kappa’s Beach Park or Waipouli, and soak up some sun. Only minutes away from the busy streets, the breezy of East Kauai bursts upon the senses in long stretches of sand, ocean and swaying palms.

South Kauai

The drive into South Kauai takes you under a mile long canopy of eucalyptus trees whose branches form a leafy ceiling, cutting through the majestic Ha’upu Mountain Range. Between you and the world famous beaches of Po’ipu and South Kauai is a great plain crisscrossed with red dirt roads originally built to move sugar cane to the Koloa Sugar Mill. You may as well have landed on another island. Here the colors form a different palette and the sun lights everything so brightly at times that you’ll need a pair of sunglasses handy.
Drenched in sunshine just about all year round, Po’ipu is a nearly perfect resort area. It has accommodations ranging from ultra luxe hotels to spacious condominiums and cozy bed-and-breakfast. There are gourmet restaurants, interesting shops and championship golf links. Po’ipu Beach is a smile of sand where the sunsets are a sacrament, holding the world in a chalice of color while the sea and sky melt into gold’s, pinks and sometimes a flash of emerald. Dr. Beach just ranked Po’ipu Beach one in the U.S. Po’ipu is actually many beaches. The sheltered coves of Po’ipu, with their gentle surf, are the perfect spots to learn to surf or snorkel, and the swimming is idyllic. Adjacent Nukumoi Point has a reef well-populated with angel fish, striped damsels, Moorish idols, black tangs and school of canary-colored butterfly fish. Po’ipu Beach Park is preferred by families who gather for picnics on weekends. It is a sharp contrast to Shipwreck Beach, separated from the rest of Po’ipu by a rocky coastline etched with nature trails. A dawn walk along the cliffs is exhilarating, and a very popular 2 mile hiking excursion. The beach itself is glorious although swimming here is recommended only for the most experienced. Many people like to bicycle beyond Shipwreck to isolated Maha’ulepu Beach, one of the loveliest strands of sand in the state and completely unspoiled. The beaches of Po’ipu draw sun-lovers of all species, including endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals who scoot up the resort sands and stretch out to rest after a strenuous night of hunting.
Prince Johan Kuhio Kalaniana’ole, a delegate to the United States Congress and a tireless worker for the rights of native Hawaiians, was born along the Po’ipu coast at Kukui’ula in 1871. The foundation of the royal home and its fishpond are incorporated into Prince Kuhio Park. His birthday is a state holiday, celebrated on Kauai with island-wide cultural events, including canoe races.
Further up the coast, lava tube forces spumes of salty surf as high as 50 feet in the air. Called Spouting Horn, this natural wonder is a photographer’s dream, especially at sunset when it becomes incandescent with the colors of the rainbow. Everyone stops here at least once.
Nature also has painted the gardens of Kauai with vivid hues. The United States Congress chartered the National Tropical Botanical Gardens at Lawa’i in 1964. This magnificent 186 acre preserve claims the world’s largest collection of rare and endangered plants. The Herbarium contains 26.000 specimens of tropical flora. Adjoining Lawa’i are another hundred acres comprising the oceanfront Allerton Garden. It was originally planted in the 1870s by Queen Emma who found solace here after the loss of her husband and only child. The garden is an enchantment of sculpture, pools, fountains and flowers set amid pathways beside a stream and along the sea.
The rustic charm of southern Kauai is evident in its country towns, many of them old sugar towns with cane tassels waving right up to the edges. Plan a visit to two such towns, Kalaheo and Lawa’i.
Koloa isn’t much bigger, but it stands out because of its place in history. Koloa Landing was once the main port of entry for the island. It was a favorite haven of the Yankee Pacific Whaling Fleet, and later, interisland steamers called. The remains of the island’s first sugar mill are here. There is great nostalgia for those simple days, so people pull out all the stops for the annual Koloa Plantation Days celebration every July. There’s a town fair, parade, music, sports and storytelling.
In the 1980s, Koloa was completely restored and repainted. Today, the little town beside the big banyan tree is a busy center of restaurants and shops and serves the Southside community of residents and visitors alike with a host of services including banking, cleaners, post office and medical facilities.

West Kauai

Venerable towns and many imposing natural attractions play major roles in West Kauai’s appeal. Begin your Westside adventure in Hanapepe, a nice old town that wears its age proudly. Boasting several fine arts galleries and restaurants, Hanapepe is a friendly stroll through the Kauai of yesterday.
Inland you must visit Waimea Canyon – the largest canyon in the Pacific. This is truly a dramatic sight to behold. As far as the eye can see, crags, buttes and gorges march into the distance under an earthen banner of roses, lavenders, celadon’s and sienna’s. More than 3.000 feet down, a river runs through it, patiently carving the rugged canyon wider and deeper. It is here especially that you get a sense of how long the special island of Kauai has existed on earth.
Explore Waimea Canyon on hiking trails or by four-wheel-drive guided tour. It can also be appreciated from several lookouts along Waimea Canyon Drive. This road continues into the mountains, and ends in the cool forests of Koke’e State Park, where rare birds, the only ones of their kind on Earth, sing in the ‘ohi’a and sandalwood trees alongside the 45 miles of hiking trails.
At the end of the road, a 4.000 foot overlooks peers into Kalalau, one of the famed Na Pali Valleys, where the fabled coast rises from the sea in green ramparts and castle-like turrets. The light changes constantly so that from moment to moment, each glimpse is different.
At Koke’e Museum, there are excellent exhibits on the unique flora of the area, along with maps of hiking trails and nature walks. Rangers offer suggestions as to which trail will most suit a person’s interests and abilities. Koke’e State Park stages the Banana Poka Festival every May, offering hikes, crafts and family activities.
Waimea Canyon Drive starts at sea level in the sleepy town of Waimea, which marks a turning point in Island history. In 1778, the British explorer, Captain James Cook, and his ships, Resolution and Discovery, sailed into Waimea Bay. For the Hawaiians, who had lived for centuries in isolation, it was the equivalent of a spaceship landing today. A statue of Cook stands in Waimea, facing the sea. This sunny, sleepy town gives no outward clue to its historic importance. Nearby, at the mouth of the Waimea River, are the ruins of Fort Elizabeth, named for a Russian czarina. It’s all that remains of old Russia’s once held interest in Hawaii. The country’s imperial flag still flutters over the broken fortress walls.
While you are in the neighborhood, plan to stop in and visit the Kauai Technology & Visitors Center in Waimea. There you can get a sense of Kauaui history from the early Polynesian voyagers to the present day through their multimedia presentation.
Beyond Waimea, Kauai stretches out along a shore that’s almost always sunny. The forbidden island of Ni’ihau can be seen from Kekaha. At sunset, it is silhouetted darkly on the horizon. It appears to be floating.
At Barking Sands Beach, the dunes rise to 60 feet. People claim the fine white granules “bark” when anyone slides down them. One Hawaiian legend asserts that the name comes from a fisherman lost at sea, whose dog sat on the dunes forlornly waiting and barkling for him.
When you reach the end, you are where the southern extremity of Na Pali Coast rises in a tall green palisade. It is said than in the old days lovers came to this spot for its secluded beauty. But those days can just as easily be now. Polihale sears the soul with its unbounded freedom. It is a fitting place for a day of exploring to end. You’re on Kauai Hawaii’s Island of Discovery.

Washington islands

The foghorn puts out a powerful blast, so strong that the entire boat rattles. Seagulls screech and flap into flight, then circle overhead. The saltwater begins to churn and, once again, a Washington State Ferry moves away from its dock, headed toward Whidbey Island or one of the San Juans.
No exaggeration, this is one of the most exciting moments that a traveler can experience. Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca are vast highways of sapphire water. Snowcapped mountains come into view, down the Olympic Peninsula to the west and from Mount Rainier, marching all the way into British Columbia to the east.
Perhaps you’re headed to Whidbey Island to kick around Langley or Coupeville, hike the high-bluff grasslands of Ebey’s Landing, or walk the rocky beaches of the state park, then make the safe, but nonetheless courageous walk across the bridge that spans Deception Pass. Or maybe you’re off to Orcas Island to stay at a bed and breakfast, or to climb Mount Constitution, or visit galleries. The gentle farm county of Lopez Island may have drawn you. Or you might have abandoned your car, making a secret getaway to a romantic resort on San Juan Island. All that’s with the two of you on the oat are backpacks (complete with a change for a formal dinner and a couple bottles of Washington wine) and your bikes.
There’s an easygoing cheerfulness, a laid-back way of living well, on Washington’s islands that is irresistible. Visitors are spared no courtesy, but you’ll never feel fussed over. At any café you’ll be right at home for breakfast with a cup of good coffee, a chewy pastry, and a newspaper. Dinner will mean a skillfully prepared meal and you can expect locally grown, fresh produce, quite likely organic, served in handsome, but unpretentious surroundings. The islands are just that kind of place.
No matter what has lured you to make the voyage, great discoveries await and getting there on one of Washington’s wonderful ferries is a great beginning to the fun. There’s no easier, or for that matter, no more beautiful island getaway.

San Juan Islands

Through there are over 700 islands in the entire San Juan archipelago, and a mere 40 that are inhabited, Washington State Ferries only travel to four of them: Lopez, Shaw, San Juan and Orcas. Don’t fret. Those four emerald jewels, harbored in a luxuriant crown of northwest glory, are filled with enough splendor and adventure to satisfy any traveler.
Strewn like glorious, green-coned buttons amidst the Levi blue Puget Sound waters, the San Juan Islands are truly extraordinary. Mingling forests and farmlands, villages and hideaways, each has their unique personality, yet all share a distinct brand of physical beauty. The islands are the ideal place to gather and create lasting memories. If you plan to drive, you can board the state ferry from Anacortes. Arrive early – especially during summer peak season.
Anacortes, the gateway to the San Juan, is actually an island but is connected by two bridges to the mainland and Whidbey Island. Home to colorful Alaska-bound fishing fleets, several bustling marinas and the largest collection of bare-boat charter companies in North America, Anacortes isn’t just a colorful entry way; it’s a self-contained destination.
There are more than 2.200 acres of wild Community Forestland in the middle of the island with miles of trails and several freshwater lakes. Mouth Erie, the highest point in Skagit County, features views of Mount Baker to the Olympics and across the San Juans to Canada.
Downtown hosts a variety of festivals throughout the year, most notably the popular Arts Festival in August. With great shopping and a fine collection of dining options, the downtown greets visitors with nearly 90 life-sized cutout murals adorning the area’s buildings, including many on the national historical register.
Conclude any day on Anacortes’ waterfront. There are tours in the open waters or protected estuarine bays, whale watching, underwater diving or kayaking beside the intricate shoreline. Come sunset, cap the day with a view of the ferries traversing Rosario Strait from Washington Park.
After exploring downtown Anacortes, passengers waiting to board the ferry often glide into relaxation mode and bring a book or amiable companions to the ferry dock to help while away the time. Once you’ve departed, the ride itself is a true delight, with views of charming and enviable homes, pastoral outlooks, quiet coves and staggeringly beautiful foliage. This isn’t just paradise for humans. Seals, sea birds, three resident pods of Orca whales and the highest concentration of nesting bald eagles in the continental United States all flourish here.
Day trips are always an option in the San Juans. Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Eastsound on Orcas, and Lopez Village on Lopez welcome visitors with great shops and dining options. But, try to take advantage of the bevy of lodging options throughout the islands to fully appreciate the San Juan experience. Shaw is the only island that doesn’t have commercial accommodations, although limited camping is available. The others have a wide variety of charming cottages, resorts, vacation rentals or seaside campsites. There are many B & B’s sprinkled throughout the lush farmlands, above or beside the salt water or nestled into the native forests. Reservations are strongly recommended for the summer season.
Lopez Island is the first ferry stop, reflecting its strong agricultural history with lovely pastures bordered by the region’s spectacular outlooks. Lopez Village is the primary town on the island – leaving lots of acreage for viewing and exploring. There are several parks and hiking trails here and great freshwater fishing at Hummel Lake. Lopez has an outstanding collection of public access parks and beaches, including Agate Beach, Shark Reef Point and Spencer Spit, containing 130 acres with hiking trails and one mile of waterfront. This is also the island that bicyclist love best for its gently rolling roads, friendly residents, and numerous stopping points.
Shaw Island is sparsely populated and has few amenities outside a small store at the landing and limited camping and picnicking at Indian Cove Park. Even if his is not your final destination, walk out on the deck and take a moment to appreciate and snap a photo of the Shaw Island docking crew. Members of a local order of nuns have been operating the ferry landing here every day for over 15 years.
Saltwater fishing charters are available throughout the islands, as are skippered sailing and powerboat charters. Kayaking is very popular; Lopez, Orcas and San Juan have outfitters that can provide rentals and guided tours. There are strong tides and currents in these waters and observance of safe wildlife viewing guidelines are highly recommended. Scuba divers will appreciate the dynamic range of underwater activity.
From the moment the ferry lands at the enchanting town of Orcas Village, Orcas Island simultaneously stuns and seduces visitors with its natural beauty. As a vacation spot, gateway, full-time home or summer residence, Orcas guarantees a warm welcome for all. With first-class marinas, an active, year-round community of 4.400 creative spirits, a multitude of accommodation options and a long list of places to discover, Orcas is on the “don’t miss” list for any visitor to the San Juan Islands. Come summer, get to the ferry line early, and load your camera in hopes that the captain stops the boat to watch a pod of whales – a frequent occurrence.
This is an island that unravels its secrets village by village, cove by cove. Orcas Village – the starting and ending site for island visits – has eateries, shops, a grocery store and the landmark historic Orcas Hotel. West Sound boasts a marina, County Dock, Yacht Club and a store/café. Deer Harbor, with its marina, is a hub of activity during high season with fairs, fireworks and free concerts.
It isn’t just the towns and shoreline that distinguishes Orcas as a prime destination. Travel the Crow Valley Road to appreciate the island’s interior between Turtleback Mountain and Eastsound. Those who choose this route will view fertile farmlands, old barns, and the historic Crow Valley School, established in 1888 and now a museum. The Re Apple Barn, also along the route, is a beloved island landmark.
Be sure to respect the island’s speed limits – the roads are narrow and are shared by bicyclist, pedestrians, children and animals (the deer and bunnies on Orcas are not shy). There are no spotlights, no streetlights and many “blind” curves. Besides, why rush and take the risk of missing all the stunning scenery?
The “hub” of Orcas is the village of Eastsound. There are shops, galleries, a wonderful museum featuring the region’s history, Saturday Market and Sunday “Music in the Park”. Eastsound’s Waterfront Park offers great public saltwater access and is the location of numerous summer events. Nearby is the airport, a medical center and Orcas center, the community venue for the performing and visual arts. If you’re looking for the perfect sunset, go to North Beach Road for water access and fabulous outlooks. Drive east on Mount Baker Road and take advantage of one of the island’s most spectacular views of – you guessed it – Mount Baker.
For a breathtaking panoramic view, Moran State Park contains, literally, the pinnacle of the Orcas experience within its 5.000 plus acres. Mount Constitution, the highest point in the San Juan Islands, reigns over the park at an altitude of 2.500 feet. There’s a stone tower at the peak that provides a 360-degree view of the San Juans, Vancouver Islands and the Cascade and Olympic Mountain ranges. On a perfectly clear day, the queens of the northwest, Mount Baker and Mount Rainer, hold court.
Moran State Park was a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) project during the Depression and its lodges and pavilions reflect that era’s classic “park” architecture. Be sure to make reservations for camping during the summer. And, just outside the park is the historic Rosario Resort. Drawing upon its natural setting and colorful history, Rosario has a special charm. Shipping magnate Robert Moran originally built this magnificent complex as an idyllic retreat and it now serves that same function as a premier destination for Orcas visitors – many of whom have vacationed here for generations. Past Moran State Park is the delightful village of Olga. Once a port of entry for the island, the town now welcomes visitors with a public pier, an artist’s co-op and two restaurants. A turn onto Pt Lawrence Road will soon give you the choice of heading out to Doe Bay or turning right to investigate the trail that will lead you to Obstruction Pass Park’s public beach and picnic area, a real treat.
San Juan Island, originally settled in the late 1800s, is the home of Friday Harbor, the county seat and the business center for the islands. Filled with fine restaurants and shops where local artisans display and sell their wares, Friday Harbor is also the home of the Whale Museum, a nationally renowned facility dedicated to education of the fragile ecosystem in which these gentle giants reside.
San Juan Island was the site of an infamous boundary dispute between Great Britain and the United States in 1859. An American farmer shot a British-owned pig, igniting a potential conflict, resulting in joint occupation of this island until Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany awarded the islands to the United States as part of arbitration. San Juan Island National Historic Park at Friday Harbor commemorates the peaceful resolution of the “Pig War”.
San Juan also offers extensive recreation venues – for starters, hike the six-mile beach and trails at American Camp. Then, visit historic, charming Roche Harbor and the grand Hotel De Haro, built in 1886.

Whidbey Island

Whidbey Island, big, beautiful and easy to find from the Seattle/Everett area, is a choice escape for a weekend or weeklong odyssey. Miles of gentle rolling hills seem made for bicyclists, while a trio of towns and many specialty shops please both browsers and serious shoppers. Couples and families schedule regular visits here, gathering at inns, B&B’s and other inviting lodgings witch, when coupled with a moderate climate, define Whidbey as a perfect year-round gateway.
Access the island via the Mukilteo ferry just north of Seattle, or from Highway 20 at I-5 exit 230, as if heading west toward Anacortes. The latter route includes a short, splendid drive through Deception Pass State Park and over Deception Pass Bridge – providing a magnificent view and outlook you won’t want to miss no matter how you approach this wonderful island. A third access point is via ferry from Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula to Keystone Landing near Coupeville. Whether your destination is a beachfront cabin on a picturesque bay or a meandering tour of captivating towns, once experienced, Whidbey Island becomes the secret you share and the place that, somehow, now belongs to you.
A perfect introduction to Whidbey begins down south, at the thriving artists’ colony of Langley, where pastel painted wooden shops overlook shimmering Saratoga Passage, and the Cascade Mountains. The town is resplendent with flowers and miniature parks, galleries, outstanding restaurants, and fine antique shops. Gray whales are a frequent springtime sight. To the west, dog lovers gather to walk three miles of sandy beach at Double Bluff Beach Park, watch “ship traffic” on its way to port in Seattle, and search shoreline for ancient woolly mammoth bones.
Heading north is Freeland Beach Park at Holmes Harbor. Here families can enjoy warmer protected waters while children play on the beach. Throughout the Freeland area, especially at South Whidbey State Park, old growth cedar forests line miles of easy hiking trails and surround private campsites.
Garden fanciers will appreciate a celebration of our state flower, gloriously abloom during peak months of March through late June, at Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens in Greenbank. Open all year, this high season is among many colorful surprises throughout Meerkerk’s 50 acres of tranquil trails, forest and meadows. Just up the road, the historic spot to sample wines of the recently recognized “Puget Sound” region is the Greenbank Farm where a pleasant informal tasting experience comes wrapped in a turn-of-the-century red barn.
Coupeville, situated on placid Penn Cove, about ten minutes north of Greenbank and ten south of Oak Harbor, will soon celebrate a 150th birthday. Quaint and rich in historic appeal, the town invites all to “step back in time”. The waterfront district offers plenty of seafood and other dining options as well as galleries, antiques and specialty shops. Victorian homes and fine old barns charmingly reflect Coupeville’s 19th century beginnings.
“Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve” – 25 square miles of preserved forest, prairie, farmland, bluffs, beaches, parks and hiking trails – surround tiny Coupeville. As Whidbey grows, the “Reserve” remains as it was 100 or more years ago. Here, many buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places are homes and businesses today.
Magical Whidbey isle legitimately boasts of her charming villages, but is also home to a thriving city, Oak Harbor, and Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Along the northern shores emigrants settled at the turn-of-the-century and visitors are reminded of the rich Dutch heritage by windmills like the one at City Beach Park. City Beach Park also has a campground; many play areas, and an old-fashioned saltwater “swimming hole”. Oak Harbor’s modern public marina hosts one of the premiere sailing regattas in Puget Sound. Further north, an extensive trail system, saltwater fishing and canoeing are available at Deception Pass State Park.
South Whidbey claims the name “County Inn B&B Capital” of the state, a correct moniker south of Oak Harbor, but look to Oak Harbor for practical lodging and amenities of a metropolitan area, minus the big city feel. With a variety of unique and historic “boutique” lodgings and five state parks on the island, Whidbey offers hospitality daily. Year-round camping is available at Deception Pass State Park. Whidbey’s weather is equally hospitable. Protected by the towering Olympic Mountains, most of Whidbey is smack in the middle of a “rain shadow” – a geologic escape from the Northwest’s famous heavy rains. Add sites with views of Mount Baker, Mount Rainer, the Cascades and the Olympics, then factor in a glimpse of eagles dipping their wings over pristine waters, and you’ll understand why visitors flock to this serene paradise.

Malta

Malta has often been referred to as the island of sunshine and history and with good reason. For, throughout your stay in Malta you will find a surfeit of both. Malta’s history was, in a sense, pre-destined for it by excellent natural harbor and strategic location. The harbor provided a sheltered base for naval fleets whilst the island itself, situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, enabled its colonizing power to exercise control over shipping in this vast and turbulent sea. Hardly surprising therefore, that Malta has always exerted an irresistible attraction to the would-be military powers of successive epochs. Control over Malta was a prerequisite to domination of the Mediterranean and for this reason all the various powers that, at one time or other, held sway over the Mediterranean at that same time exercised control over Malta. The long list of Malta’s colonizers, the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Castilians, Knights of St. John, the French, and finally, the British is indicative of the important role Malta played in the molding of European and Mediterranean history. The list of important visitors to the island, from the Apostle Paul to Napoleon and Nelson is equally impressive. It is no exaggeration therefore, that Malta’s history is a good starting point for a study of the history of the region. If you want to enjoy Malta soak up its history. History, in Malta, stares you in the face and you cannot escape from it. The good thing is that you will enjoy its captivating intensity.
The intelligent visitor is never satisfied with just skimming the surface of his holiday destination. His appetite for learning urges him to delve deeper into the origins and history of the country and the people he is visiting. In this respect few other countries provide as much satisfaction as Malta, for the island is steeped in history. Every square inch of its land and its temples and monuments bear witness to a civilization which, in May ways, is unparalleled. In spite of its small size Malta’s strategic location, at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, has meant that, over the centuries, the island has played a very important role in the vicissitudes of the region, right from the early days of civilization up to the present times.
All the various periods of Malta’s history make fascinating reading, but there are two particular periods – the Neolithic period and the period of the Knights of St. John – which stand out from the rest because they are unique to Malta. On their own the remains of these two periods constitute a good enough reason to visit Malta.
Until recently, the Egyptian pyramids were thought to be the oldest architectural monuments in existence. Recent archaeological research however, has shown that the earliest Neolithic temples on Malta are about 1.000 years older than the famous pyramids of Giza. Huge rocks, several tons in weight were used in the construction of these temples. Even with modern techniques and tools this would not be an easy task today. How these enormous loads were moved, or even lifted, 5.000 or 6.000 years ago remains a mystery.
The earliest temples, such as the one at Ggantija on Gozo, were built by the piling of huge rocks on top of each other. They did not have any carving or decoration. Later temples, such as the one at Hagar Qim, in Malta were made of huge stones fitting very closely together and ornately decorated. Carving was done with only very primitive flint and obsidian tools. No archaeological remains made of metal from this period have been discovered on Malta. One theory is that this prehistoric people did not use metal because they foresaw, in its use, their own future destruction.
The subterranean burial place at Malta’s Hal Saflieni, the so-called Hypogeum, is an even more astonishing relic and its accidental discovery in 1902 caused quite a sensation in world archaeological circles. The temple must have been literally carved into the rocks over hundreds of years with simple tools made from flint and obsidian. Starting at ground level the Hypogeum descends several storeys below ground and covers an area of more than 500 square meters. The Hypogeum was certainly a place of worship and burial – the bones of over 7000 people have been found – and could also have been used as a place for the training of priestesses. A number of relics support this hypothesis.
All trace of the mysterious people who built the Hypogeum disappeared suddenly around 2.000 BC – at the height of their culture. How this peaceful people disappeared we will never know. It remains pure speculation as to whether conquerors with modern metal weapons wiped out this unarmed, unfortified people, or weather a sudden epidemic destroyed all human life on Malta for centuries. Equally strange and mysterious are the cart ruts found on many of the rocky ridges in Malta. The most popular theory is that these were made by primitive slide-carts used before the invention of the wheel.
Many hundreds of years after the Neolithic period and precisely in 1530, the Knights of the Order of St John brought about another epoch of great cultural significance to the island. This is not to say that between the sudden disappearance of the Neolithic culture and the arrival of the Knights nothing had happened. Quite the contrary. Many relics and remains bear witness to important historical events in this period. However, no unique or individual culture had originated from the many peoples – the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, and Castilians – who colonized the island in this prolonged interval.
The history of the Knights of St John begins in the middle of the eleventh century in the Holly Land. The Order’s original duties were to care for the sick and wounded Christian pilgrims to the Holly Land and to help the poor. But very soon their duties expanded; the fight against the “infidels” became of equal or even greater importance. The Knights became “Soldiers of Christ”. They acquired and maintained huge estates and castles in the Holly Land and finally owned a large fleet.
With the loss of Acre to the Moslems in 1291, however, the fate of the Knights was sealed. They withdrew to Rhodes and acted as a shield against the Turks for two centuries until 1522 when Suleiman the Magnificent ousted the Knights from Rhodes. They now needed a new homeland and, in 1530, moved to Malta to which they were given tenure by Emperor Charles V.
The Knights quickly improved trade and commerce on the island, built new hospitals and, most important, erected new strong fortifications. But Suleiman wanted to destroy the Order completely and use Malta as a base from which to attack Southern Europe. In 1565 he set out with a strong fleet to drive the Knights out of Malta. The siege which his navy laid on Malta, referred to by the Maltese as the Great Siege of 1565, lasted four months with fighting of almost unimaginable ferocity. Although heavily outnumbered, the Knights stood firm and finally won, assisted by the Maltese people and by last minute reinforcements from Sicily. The Turks had no alternative but to beat retreat leaving behind them an impressive number of dead amongst whom the feared corsair Dragut. The Knights of St John had successfully protected Southern Europe and Christendom. After their victory against the Turks, the Knights turned enthusiastically to the further development of Malta and Gozo. A golden era in culture, architecture and the arts followed. Many of Malta’s most attractive buildings were built during this period. A new fortress city, Valletta, was built and named in honor of the Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette under whose inspired guidance the knights and the Maltese had defied Turkish onslaught. Valletta is one of the earliest examples of a planned city built on the grid system. The Knights of St John, coming as they did from the richest families in Europe, could afford to hire the best talent available and the buildings of Valletta, its fortifications and the art treasures in its museums and churches are the work of the best European engineers and artist of the time. It was the magnificence of its palaces and other treasures that led Sir Walter Scott to describe Valletta as “The city built by gentlemen for gentlemen”.
The fall of the Ottoman Empire marked the beginning of the end of the military vocation of the Order. The absence of a serious military threat to the Order’s existence, increasing wealth, arrogance, lack of discipline and debauchery ate into the moral fabric of the Order. Thus when, in 1798, Napoleon, on his way to Egypt, dropped anchor outside Grand Harbor on the pretext that his expedition needed fresh water supplies, he found an Order which had lost its morale. Not surprisingly, the French Navy did not have to fire a single shot to secure Malta’s surrender from the Knights. On the 12th June, Napoleon entered Valletta bringing to an end 268 years of rule by the Knights of St John. Napoleon spent six eventful days in Malta during which, through numerous edicts, he tried to transform the island into a typical “Department” of France.
However, French rule in Malta was short-lived. By 1800 the Maltese, with the help of Nelson, managed to drive the French garrison out of Malta and sought the protection of the British throne. That was to mark the beginning of a close association between Malta and Britain lasting over 160 years; Malta became independent in 1964 and adopted a Republican Constitution in 1974.

The Maltese People – friendly and relaxed

Visitors to Malta are invariably struck by the rare sense of hospitality and friendliness of the Maltese people. The Apostle Paul, who was shipwrecked off Malta in AD 60, was probably the first long-stay winter visitor to the Island and the hospitality shown him by the locals is well recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Two thousand years later Maltese hospitality remains as warm and as unaffected as it was then. The Maltese welcome the company of foreigners and being helpful to them comes naturally. Also, they take great interest in what is happening in the rest of the world, and, with their flair for languages, communication with visitors is easy. They have an admirable sense of humor and like most Mediterranean people, tend to be rather jovial. These qualities endear the Maltese to the foreign visitors. It is generally said that foreigners are tourists in Malta only on their first visit; on their second and subsequent visits they return to Malta as their friends. The pace of life in Malta is very relaxed by European standards. The Maltese enjoy life and their broad smiles tell you that they are a happy people. They find great strength and unity in their common language, religion and strong family ties.

Folklore and festivals

The Maltese love festivals and the warm Maltese climate make it possible to enjoy these colorful events throughout the whole year. Between May and October every town and village in Malta and Gozo celebrates the feast day or “festa” of its patron saint. The festa is the most important event in each village’s annual calendar and the villagers eagerly look forward to this very special day.
Considerable preparation goes into these celebrations. The village church, which is the pride of every villager, is draped with red damask and decorated with beautiful flowers. All it’s gold and silver treasures, as well as the crystal chandeliers, are put on display thus creating a fitting setting for the statue of the patron saint which is placed in a prominent position in the Church. The church façade is illuminated with hundreds of multicolored bulbs, as also are the streets, across which are suspended massive and colorful drapes. Hundreds of flags are flown on roof tops whilst drapes and light bulbs are hung across the width of the covered balconies which are typical of Maltese traditional houses. The houses on the main streets, through which the religious procession passes, are generally given a fresh coat of paint for the occasion, and on festa day are lit up and adorned so that they look their best.
There is a three-day build-up to the feast and the atmosphere throughout is one of gaiety and merriment. On the festa day, as the statue of the saint is carried shoulder- high along the streets of the village the church bells ring and several massed bands play marches. Children throw confetti from balconies on to the passing procession. The nougat and candy-floss stands make excellent business whilst the crowds walk up and down the village streets stopping every now and than for a drink or to greet an old friend. The noise becomes quite deafening as the statue is about to re-enter the church; at this stage noisy but colorful fireworks are let off in abundant quantities. The Maltese specialize in the manufacture of fireworks and, in Maltese inter-village rivalry; fireworks often constitute the bench mark for comparing the success of the various festas. During the summer season there is a festa practically every weekend and no holidaymaker to Malta should leave the Island without experiencing one.
Besides the local parochial “festas”, there are others which are celebrated on a national scale. The “Imnarja”, a Harvest festival which is celebrated on June 29, is characterized by a night-long picnic at Buskett Gardens, Rabat on the eve of which the native dish, stewed rabbit, is consumed in large quantities, accompanied by equally large volumes of wine. Exhibits of local agricultural produce, band marches, decorated carts and folklore singing competitions enliven the night-long proceedings. The following day, the festivities reach a climax when bare-back donkey and horse races are held in the street leading to Rabat. The prizes awarded for these races are brocaded banners which the winners traditionally donate to their village church.
The 8th September Regatta held in Grand Harbor, celebrates Malta’s victories during the Great Siege of 1565 and the Second World War. The magnificent Fort St Angelo provides an imposing backdrop to the sleek and colorful Maltese boats. Rowing teams from the cities bordering Grand Harbor take part in a number of very exciting races, marked by extreme rivalry between the participating teams and their respective supporters. The Maltese really let their hair down in the revelry of Carnival in mid-February. The main defile takes place in the capital, Valletta, but in every town and village children dress up in colorful clothes and cover their faces in masks or make-up to camouflage their identity. The Valletta defile is very spectacular containing as it does many floats of a high professional standard.

Malta – Gozo

Three delightfully contrasting islands make up the Maltese Islands. The largest of these, Malta, is sophisticated with a wide variety of superb hotels, excellent beaches and busy nightlife. Comino is the smallest, a haven for anyone who loves water sport, with some of the best swimming in the Mediterranean. And then there is Gozo.
Gozo is a third the size of Malta, but greener and more rural. Its landscape has hills and deep valleys as well as rugged cliffs, which give natural protection to the island’s small harbors and inlets. Life here moves at a leisurely pace, revolving around farming and fishing.
It is an island where time seems to have stood still. There may be de luxe hotels, wonderful small restaurants serving fish caught only hours before being served at the table, and nightlife in summer to match the very best in Malta but it is all charmingly concealed in a magnificent and truly tranquil landscape. Gozo is where you can also get away to secluded privacy when you want to. Little wonder it has become known as an island paradise.
To get to Gozo you take a 30 minute ferry trip from Malta’s northernmost tip, during which you sail past Comino with its glorious Blue Lagoon, just visible through a narrow entrance in the rock coastline. Alternatively you can take the helicopter service from Malta International Airport, a trip which normally takes 15 minutes. Whichever way you choose, on landing you are instantly captured by the island’s serene charm and beauty. At every turn one finds oleanders, geraniums and bougainvilleas in full bloom in summer and lush crops in the fields winter, while picturesque villages with imposing baroque parish churches and charming farmhouses, dot the countryside.
The story of the Maltese islands goes back to pre-history when, it is often believed, and these formed part of a land bridge that joined Europe to North Africa. In Gozo, at Xaghra, one finds what are considered to be the oldest freestanding stone constructions in the world. The Ggantija megalithic temples were built around 3.500 BC, a thousand years before the earliest pyramid in Egypt.
Over the centuries Gozo, like Malta was ruled by the powerful nations of the time, including Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Arabs. It was the Knight of the Order of St. John however, who left a lasting impact on the island.
The oldest villages are situated on the tops of the island’s hills. These were built there as a form of protection, as from this elevated position the small numbers of inhabitants could keep a watchful eye on the countryside. For centuries, the island’s harbors sheltered pirates and corsairs, who often raided Gozo’s farms and villages, taking its inhabitants away to be sold as slaves.
At the centre of Gozo, commanding a superb view of the island, is the Citadel which for centuries served as the islanders’ safest sanctuary, and after the Great Siege of 1565, the Knights set about encircling it with battlements. For many years the inhabitants were required by law to spend their nights within its walls for their own safety.
Today, the Citadel stands as proudly as it ever did. An earthquake in 1693 damaged many of the buildings within its walls but, with the help of UNESCO, these are being restored to their former glory.
In the Citadel one finds the island’s Cathedral, a masterpiece designed by Lorenzo Gafa’, who was also responsible for designing the magnificent Cathedral of Mdina in Malta. Where it stands, was, in Roman times, a temple dedicated to Juno and later the site of two churches. Today’s Cathedral, built early in the 17th century, is small but graceful. Its floor is made up of a mosaic of marble tombstones and ecclesiastical emblems, while its ceiling has a remarkable trompe l’oeil painting that depicts the interior of a dome that was never built. It is a superb building.
Despite the small nature of the island, there is a lot to see. Besides the Citadel, and the Ggantija megalithic temples, one finds the equally impressive Inland Sea at Dwejra and Fungus Rock, where the Knights used to collect a fungus they believed to have medicinal properties. Then there is the Azure Window, a stunning break in the rocky shoreline, Ta’ Pinu Basilica which is a centre of pilgrimage, and the new church at Xewkija with one of the world’s largest free-standings domes. There are small pretty villages on the hill tops and secluded places for swimming, and much more. Gozo is an island to be explored.
One of the greatest pleasures when visiting any country is its local cuisine, the food and the wine. In Gozo this is particularly enjoyable because everything sold in the markets or served in its restaurants, is fresh from the fields or the sea. This is, after all, a rural and fishing community.
The fields are abundant with Mediterranean produce like green peppers, aubergines and courgettes, and each day a wide variety of fish is brought in to the tiny harbors only an hour or so after the catch.
To go with these are Gozo’s delicious crispy bread as well as Gozo wines which are served young and chilled.
For anyone who finds Gozo’s tranquil paradise still a little too hectic, there is nearby Comino, an island only 2 sq. km in area, with one hotel. The island is a heaven for anyone interested in water sports with ample room for everyone, whether a professional scuba diver looks for excitement in the depths or a child learning to use a snorkel in safety.
Of spectacular beauty is the Blue Lagoon with its turquoise waters surrounded by a sundrenched coastline.
Gozo – with tiny Comino – is a place to escape to at any time of the year. Even if you are on holiday in Malta. The people are welcoming and friendly, the countryside both dramatic and picturesque and all you want to get away from it all, and you can. It has all the essential ingredients that make it an ideal holiday destination.
Even if you are there for a short visit, it is easy to see why Gozo has become known as undiscovered paradise.

Places to Visit

The island of Gozo may be small but there is a lot to see and do. The charm of the island makes itself apparent as soon as you land. Gozo has an unmistakable air of tranquility even in the busy market street of its capital, Victoria, and in the harbors, when the daily catchers of fresh fish are unloaded on the quays.
Gozo’s landscape is rural with deep valleys and hilltop villages, with a rugged coastline ready to be explored. There are sand and smooth rocky beaches for relaxation, and clear safe waters for swimming.

The Citadel, Victoria

A visit to Gozo should begin in Victoria, the island’s capital. Victoria was named after the English monarch Queen Victoria, to commemorate her Silver Jubilee in 1897. Even today, many locals still call it by its original name, Rabat (which means city). This commercial hub with its street market also contains the Citadel (known often as the Gran Castello or the Cittadella), an impregnable strategic point which owes its origins to the late mediaeval era, and which was re-fortified by the Knights of the Order of St. John to act as protection for the inhabitants.
For many centuries, pirates and corsairs used Gozo’s small harbors for shelter, while they raided the island in search of fresh produce and water. Often they took the inhabitants captives in order to sell them as slaves. To save themselves and their families from this terrifying fate, the inhabitants, on discovering the enemy had landed, would flee to the highest point at the centre of the island.
The Citadel was comparatively safe, but its walls were not impregnable and would probably not have been able to withstand the onslaught of an armed force determined to enter. After their victory in the Great Siege of 1565 against Ottoman Turks, however, the Knights reinforced the Citadel’s vertical battlements, and it is these we see today.
Within its walls lies the Cathedral designed by Lorenzo Gafa’, built between 1697 and 1711. At the time it was constructed, money was in short supply so its dome was never erected, but this imperfection was brilliantly disguised by an Italian painter, Antonio Manuele. In the interior of the Cathedral he created a magnificent trompe l’oeil painting that shows the interior of a dome in full splendor.
Inside the Citadel one also finds the Cathedral Museum with vestments, silver and gold items used in sacred services. There are the Archaeological Museum which holds several objects found at various sites in Gozo, the Natural History Museum and Folklore Museum. There is also a craft centre housed in the old prison buildings, which provides a window on local crafts, both traditional and modern.
Not to be missed are the spectacular views across the island from the battlements. An earthquake in 1693 damaged many of the mediaeval buildings within the walls, but these are now being restored.

St. George’s Basilica, Victoria

At the centre of the parish, surrounded by a maze of charming narrow streets, is St. George’s Basilica. Built between 1672 and 1678, the church reflects the history of Gozo with its objects and signs of former cultures and settlements dating back to Roman times. All paintings in the dome and ceiling are the works of Giovanni Battista Conti of Rome. Other paintings are by Mattia Preti, Giuseppe Cali and Stefano Erardi. The richly decorated statue of St. George is remarkable. It was carved in wood by Paolo Azzopardi in 1841.

Ggantija

The megalithic temples of Ggantija near the village Xaghra are an outstanding example of the prehistoric monuments to be found on the Maltese Islands. According to latest analysis they were built around 3600 BC, earlier than the first pyramid in Egypt and Stonehenge in England.
The temples’ gigantic rocks weigh several tons and those used in the outer walls reach as high as six meters. How the people of those days were able to move them with their primitive tools is a mystery. According to local legend, a female giant called Sunsuna carried the rocks on her head from Ta’Cenc, a considerable distance away.
In addition to Ggantija there are other interesting sites. For example, a second temple closes to Ggantija and temples at both tal-Qighan and ta’Marziena. At Ta’Cenc one can find what are thought to be prehistoric cart ruts etched deep into the hard rock and leading off the cliff edge. Their origins and use have still to be established.

Calypso’s Cave

Close to Xaghra and overlooking the red sands of Gozo’s finest beach, Ramla I-Hamra, is Calypso’s Cave, assumed by many to be the cave referred to by Homer in “The Odyssey”. Some are convinced that Gozo is the island of Ogygia and the cave to be the one where the beautiful nymph Calypso kept Odysseus as a “prisoner of love” for seven years. Calypso promised Odysseus immortality if he would remain with her but he escaped and returned to his wife Penelope, who sat faithfully at her loom rejecting suitors.
The cave’s interior and exterior are not too impressive but there is nevertheless a feeling of excitement at standing in a place associated with legend. The view is magnificent.
On the shore below, are the remains of a fortification built by the Knight in the mid-18th century to prevent invading forces landing their troops here. The fortifications housed two funguses which were stone mortars filled with rocks and gunpowder. They were constructed on the waterline in such a way that their deadly load would shower onto the boats as they approached.

Dwejra: The Inland Sea and Fungus Rock

At Dwejra on Gozo’s southern coastline is a superb natural phenomenon, the Inland Sea. Set in a deep recess in the rock coastline, the Inland Sea is a large expanse of shallow water linked to the sea outside through a narrow tunnel in the cliff. On calm days small fishing boats carry visitors out to sea through the narrow fissure, in order to see Fungus Rock and Azure Window.
Divers often use the Inland Sea as their shore base for exploring some of the most exciting deep waters around Gozo.

Fungus Rock

Known also as General’s Rock, Fungus Rock stands proudly and menacingly in the sweeping bay alongside the Inland Sea. It was here that Fungus Gaulitanus, a fungus much prized by the Knights for its medicinal powers, once grew. This rare plant was for centuries kept under constant guard and anyone caught stealing it was instantly put to death. It was so prized that it was often presented as a precious gift to distinguished noblemen and visitors to the Islands.
Due to the height and the sheer sides of the tall rock it was almost impossible to scale these from the sea, so the Knights erected a hoist that could carry a man to its flat top from the nearby watchtower on land.

Azure Window

The Azure Window was created by waves and rough seas breaking on the rocks over a period of thousands of years. On the top of two giant columns of rock, each with a diameter of about 40 meters rests a huge ledge of rock measuring about 100 meters in length and 20 meters in height, forming a giant window through which one can see the azure waters of the sea beyond. For centuries the Gozitans have known this rare rock formation as The Window.

Ta’ Pinu Basilica

The Basilica of Ta’ Pinu is a centre of pilgrimage. Its origins date back to June 22, 1883, when a peasant woman, Carmela Grima, heard the voice of the Blessed Virgin talking to her in an old chapel. A friend, Frangisk Portelli, also heard the voice. In the following years the place became a Holly shrine.
It was then decided to build a larger and more magnificent church in honor of the Blessed Virgin. Funds were collected from amongst Gozitans with many donations coming from those of them resident abroad. The local community also offered their physical help in the construction and work on the huge neo-Romanesque church, which started in 1920.
In 1931 the church was consecrated and a year later Pope Pius XI conferred on it the status of Basilica. The original 16th century chapel was integrated into the church and can be seen with its original paintings and votive tablets. The cream-colored church stands majestically alone in the rural landscape.

The Rotunda

At Xewkija, dominating the village and landscape, is the church of St. John. It has what is reputed to be the third largest unsupported dome in Europe, known as the Rotunda. Construction started in 1952 and is based on the design of Santa Maria Della Salute in Venice. It was financed by the local population, which also participated actively in its construction.

Samothraki Island

From the harbor at Alexandroupolis visitors can board the ferry for Samothraki. After 2.5 hours at sea the boat arrives at Kamariotissa.
Hora (Samothraki) is 5km east of the harbor, built among hills providing protection from winds and the pirate raids which were a common feature of centuries past. At the edge of Hora the Byzantine castle looks down from its natural rocky elevation. It was begun in the 10th century and completed in 1430 by the Gattilusi, the Genoans who had taken possession of the island. In 1456 the island became a part of the Ottoman Empire. The houses – two-story buildings with tile roofs, and some with the old-style roofs of pocked earth – are so arranged as not to stand in one another’s light. Hora has a Folklore Museum, in a restored house next to the church. The village, of particular architectural interest, was declared a protected traditional community in 1978.
The history of the island is lost in the mists of time. The first inhabitants of Samothraki were Pelasgians, but in historical times the population was a mixture of Ionian and Aeolian elements. In the 7th century BC the people of Samothraki built a series of cities on the coast opposite – what Herodotus called the walls of Samothraki: Mesimvria, Drys, Zoni, Sali, etc.
The island was an important religious centre for the whole Mediterranean because of the fame of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods and the mysteries associated with their cult. The Great Gods were also known as the Kaveiroi, and their sanctuary has survived at the ancient city at the site known as Paliapolis, in the northern part of the island, a small distance from Kamariotissa.
The part of Samothraki has large hotels, many rented rooms, restaurants, fish taverns, grills serving the unique local kid roasted on the spit, cafés, night clubs and bars and whatever else the visitor could ask. To the west of the town is the island’s wind park and next to it the small lagoon of Agios Andreas, a resting place for migratory birds and of great ecological importance. The visitor can use the part of Kamariotissa as a base from which to explore the ancient civilization and unique natural beauties of the island.
The road from Kamariotissa to the north-east of the island leads to the Palaiopolis archeological site. The tour of the site begins at the small parking lot in front of the little Agia Paraskevi Church. A stone-paved walkway leads to the Sanctuary of the Great Gods. To the east, high up on the slopes, we can see the walls (6th-3rd century BC) of the ancient city. In the eastern part of the ancient city harbor we can still see the remains of an early Christian basilica, built to commemorate the visit of the Apostle Paul (49-50 AD). Towering above the harbor and basilica are the city’s Mediterranean fortifications, dating from the period of the Gattilusi (1431-1433). The visitor to the archaeological site can make use of a specially laid path around the antiquities, inspecting the Palace (early palace period), the Tholos of Arsinoe II (288-270 BC), the Building of the Dancers (around 340 BC), the Sanctuary (325-150 BC), the Monument of Nike (1st half of 2nd century BC) etc. There is also a museum on the site where the visitor can see finds mainly from the Sanctuary of the Great Gods. Most striking among them are the cast of the Nike of Samothraki (the original is in Louvre, Paris), architectural reconstructions of the main sanctuary buildings, many vases, pieces of jewellery, figurines, etc.
Farther east, continuing along the coastal road, we come to the community of Kariotes and then, after a few kilometers to Therma. Here we find the thermal sulphureous springs which have made the spa renowned for its therapeutic qualities since Byzantine times. The village is in a marvelous area of outstanding natural beauty, densely planted with plane trees, chestnuts, arbutus and myrtle. The rich vegetation encountered all across the island is due to the many water courses and streams which descend the slopes of Mt Saos, whose summit, Fengari, is 1.664m above sea level. From the village there is a path to the summit; the climb takes about three-and-a-half hours and offers superb views of the mountain landscape. At Therma there are fine hotels, rented rooms and excellent food in the local taverns.
After Therma we come to the two municipal camping sites of the island: one an unsupervised site set in a lush natural setting with plane trees, the other an organized site with all modern facilities.
Driving on we come to the river Fonias, alongside which a natural path leads the visitor through beautiful riverside greenery. After walking 45 minutes we come to the imposing waterfall. As it rushes down the water has formed natural cavities in which we can enjoy a cooling bathe. Close to the mouth of the river are the remains of the Fonias Tower, built by the Gattilusi in 1431.
The road ends at the Kipos promontory, with the enchanting beach of the same name, one of the finest on the island with fine shingle and crystal-clear, tranquil waters.
The road from Kamariotissa to the south of the island brings us to the village of Alonia, from where it continues through hills covered in olive groves. This side of the island is excellent terrain for olive-growing with its mild climate and Mt Saos sheltering it from the cold winds.
At Mikro Vouni, at the mouth of the Polypoudi stream, south-west of the village of Alonia, the mound of a prehistoric settlement has been identified dating from the end of the 6th millennium – 1700 BC. The find of Minoan seals here caused a sensation, as well as some clay “documents” from a Minoan (perhaps Knossan) archive; this was the first time such finds had been unearthed so far from Crete. It seems that the Minoan presence on Samothraki was intended to secure commercial control of the broader region of the north-eastern Aegean.
After the village of Lakkoma we pass through the district of Koitada and Platydentro. A little farther down a turning leads off to the Chapel of Panayia Krimniotissa, perched on a high rock. The chapels of the island are a distinctive feature of the Samothraki landscape; local tradition claims that they are exactly 999 in number.
This superb route brings is finally to the beach of Pachia Ammos, an ideal place to swim and unwind, with a marvelous view of the island of Imbros.
The south-eastern coast of Samothraki is rugged and steep, with the slopes of Mt Saos coming down to the shoreline. It is an area of rare ecological importance and natural beauty, only accessible from the sea. The sea caves of the area are a refuge for one of Greece’s rarest mammals, the Mediterranean Monk Seal. At Kremasto, with its lofty rocks, there is a waterfall whose waters – winter or summer – rush foaming into the deep blue sea: a truly remarkable spectacle.