Laid back beach life on an island… in Japan. Really?

Miyako Island, Japan. Photo: flickr member headpipe

There are some images that – at first sight – just don’t seem to match our pre-conceived notion of country. An idyllic island life that has near-perfect mediterranean weather in… Japan? Well, the beauty of travel (with a big help from the internet) is to see sights from around the world through which we learn to appreciate all corners of the globe. All travel destinations whether they make sense to our minds or not. Just like Japan, it’s not about the bright neon-lights of downtown Tokyo, or hi tech gadgets and bullet trains, or serene Temples with Mount Fuji as a backdrop. Miyako Island, is one such unique place that goes against the grain of everything you thought Japan was supposed to be.

The Great Blue Hole in the middle of the ocean

The Great Blue Hole is geographical phenomenon situated 60 miles off the mainland of Belize. There are numerous blue holes around the world but none as stunning as this one. The whole is part of the Lighthouse Reef System and lies approximately 60 miles off the mainland out of Belize City. The centre of the hole is very large, almost perfect circular hole, approximately one quarter of mile (4km across). Inside the hole the water is 480 feet (145 m) deep.

Dive Destinations | Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi (Celebes), Indonesia

Green & Chic | Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, Tahiti, South Pacific

The newly opened Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalaso Spa shows that exquisite-looking resorts above water are not the exclusive domain of The Maldives. They actually first appeared at resorts in the the South Pacific, modeled after traditional fishing villages on stilts.

Dive Destinations | Derawan Island, East Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia ~ 2 of 2

Dive Destinations | Derawan Island, East Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia ~ 1 of 2

Kite-Surfing in the ultimate paradise ~ Kakula Island, Vanuatu, South Pacific

Just a five-minute boat ride north of Éfaté Island in the Vanauatu Archipelago, lies the uninhabited Kakula Island has been called “The Jewel of the South Pacific” for good reason. Its lush 90 acres include white sand beaches, coral reefs and pristine tropical splendor. Protected by neighboring islands, the calm waters surrounding Kakula are excellent for swimming, fishing and snorkeling, and increasingly… Kite Surfing. Uninhabited and unspoiled, Kakula serves as a breeding ground for sea turtles.