Island vacation, sun beauty, beach coconut grove;
High-end hotel, private beach, empty everything;
The island is beautiful, empty space.
Why not add something to your vacation!
The island is home to not only sun, sand and bikinis, but also countless wildlife. The uniqueness of island animals even exceeds that of species on the continent.
Combining the wildlife, beaches and hotel features of different islands around the world, Aten has selected the 8 most beautiful sea islands in the world for wildlife viewing, so go to these alternative islands to see animals this island season!
01. Iceland
Volcanic hot springs, blue ice caves, glacial auroras, Iceland's Nordic island nation is definitely the ultimate place for a scenic excursion.
There are also silly seabirds and unparalleled sandy beaches, and you can see dazzling scenery in Iceland in winter and summer.
Wildlife: puffins, various cetaceans
Iceland is not rich in flora and fauna due to its location in the Arctic Circle, but its national bird, the Arctic puffin, has won the love of birdwatchers around the world with its gorgeous beak and rounded figure.
Half of the world's puffins live in Iceland, where they fish in the North Atlantic every winter and nest in cliff-like places like Iceland in the spring and summer to lay their eggs.
At the end of April, when you visit Westman Islands, not far south of Reykjavík, iceland, you will see flocks of puffins nesting and laying their eggs on the cliffs, and there are also wooden houses for birdwatchers to observe and photograph.
Iceland is also a great place for whale watching. The abundant summer sun, hot and cold currents and the fjords of suitable depth are home to countless krill and fish, which also attracts a variety of cetaceans to feed, such as the huge minke whales, humpback whales, and petite porpoises.
Whale watching is possible in Iceland all year round, and of course, the types of whales seen from different piers are different.
Beach features: Black sand beach
Not far from the town of Vík, 180 km from the capital Reykjavik, there is one of the top ten most beautiful sandy beaches in the world , Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. The crushed lava forms delicate black sand grains, and the cloudy weather has a sense of apocalyptic beauty, where photography can capture the feeling of a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster.
Recommended hotel: Blue Lagoon Hotel
The Retreat Hotel reykjavik. The exquisite suites are a clever blend of Nordic design and Blue Lagoon landforms, with direct access to the Retreat lagoon from your room and blue lake skincare amenities. The room's 40 m2 area plus 10 m2 balcony offers you a luxurious experience.
Iceland's Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is one of the world's top health resorts, home to one of the most frequent areas of underground magma activity on Earth, which heats up the Blue Lagoon and makes the water steam. Soaking in hot, humid water will sweep away the fatigue of the journey.
Tips: You can enjoy the beauty of Bubble Blue Lake for 1 night, then go to the black sand beach to shoot the scenery blockbuster, and spend 2 days to go to Western Island to watch and photograph puffins. The budget for a 4-5 day trip to Iceland is also 20,000 per person. Of course, if you want to continue visiting the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Ice Caves and The Northern Fjords, you'll need to increase your travel days and budget.
02 Rottnest Island
Located near Perth, the capital of Western Australia, Rottnest Island is an island with over 60 beaches. 300 days of sunshine a year, coupled with pure air and Indian Ocean waters, the real water is clear sand, blue sea and blue sky, very suitable for family vacation.
Private cars are not allowed on the island, but bicycles can be rented or buses can be taken to see the island. Such a safe and clean island is really too suitable as a destination for the whole family to escape the city together!
The whole family rides bikes, swims, plays with sand on the island, and "bumps into" the short-tailed kangaroos of the Internet celebrities.
Wildlife: Short-tailed dwarf kangaroos, sea lions
The short-tailed dwarf kangaroo, its cuteness is like coming out of the cartoon world. One of the smallest kangaroos in the world, the short-tailed kangaroo is no more than 60 cm tall, and they now only live in Western Australia, but they can only be easily found on Rottnest Island.
Short-tailed dwarf kangaroos are not afraid of people and like to get together and take selfies with humans. Their fleshy faces seem to have a sweet smile all the time, and tourists from all over the world come to Rottnest Island to take photos with them, and even the macho Federer and Thor can't refuse to love it!
There are also many gentle sea lions living on the beaches of the island, and when you play by the sea, they are likely to be sleeping next to you.
Beach features: More than 60 beaches
Rottnest Island is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, with many beaches, clear sand and white water, and plenty of sunshine, which is definitely a good place for a family holiday.
Recommended hotel: Discovery Rottnest Island
Discovery Rottnest Island is one of Aten's most recommended wild luxury tents. Australia itself is the birthplace of Glamping. Staying in a safari tent is one of the must-have experiences when visiting Australia.
The tent is located near Pink's Bay, and at night you fall asleep to the sound of the waves, and out of the tent is the grass, the beach and the sea.
The local talent Sydney sister really shoot Rottnest Island is not large, close to Perth, most tourists choose to go back and forth on the same day. But if you want to see short-tailed dwarf kangaroos active at night, you can still choose to stay overnight, after all, they are nocturnal animals.
Tips: Rent a bike or take a bus ride around the island to see the blue sea and blue sky and take a photo with the short-tailed dwarf kangaroo. However, if you are addicted, you can also experience a skydiving project with many celebrities and wives in "Wife's Romantic Trip 2", and you can also match the famous Pink Lake, Pinnacles and many other attractions in Western Australia, which is fun and expensive, and the local tour price is more than 10,000 yuan / person.
03. Christmas Island
She is An Overseas Territory of Australia, an independent Indian Ocean island with less than 2,000 inhabitants, but with tens of millions of animal migrations, this is Christmas Island.
Wildlife: Red Crab Migration, more than 20 species of crabs, more than 100 species of birds
Red crabs are a type of land crab on the island, and every November and December they follow the call of the monsoon season, crawl out of the jungle caves, cross mountains and roads, and come to the sea to mate and lay eggs.
Because of the large numbers, islanders have also closed roads to protect their migration routes. The whole island is like a moving red carpet, which David Attenborough, the father of the BBC nature documentary, has called "one of the most spectacular animal migrations on the planet".
In addition to the famous Red Crab Migration, Christmas Island has more than 20 different crab species and more than 100 species of birds. You can dive, bird watch, sea fish, hike and explore nature.
Beach features: Beaches with different characteristics
Flying Fish Bay
The beaches of Christmas Island can be said to have their own characteristics. For example, flying Fish Cove in the north is ideal for watching red crabs spawn and snorkeling.
Dolly Beach
Dolly Beach in the east is a very delicate white sand beach, where there are many coconut crabs to take pictures slowly.
Blowholes
The Blowholes in the south are home to a large number of reefs, and the sea caves on the reefs resemble geysers under the impact of the waves.
Merrial Beach
The cliffs on the edge of Meridian Beach in the west are concentrated in a large number of red crabs, and friends with dense phobias should be careful.
Recommended hotel: The only wild luxury eco-friendly hotel on the island
Apartment-style guest houses on the island
Apartment hotels on Christmas Island are still relatively affordable, and due to the scarcity of manpower, the hotels are self-service. However, there is a unique wild luxury hotel that must be mentioned, because it only has two rooms! (The first one was built in 2018 and the second in 2019)
It is located in the Christmas Island National Park, facing the sea and surrounded by jungle. Its builder, Chris, used the strictest environmental standards and took years to build such a hotel.
Orders are $1380/night for 3 nights. Although the price is not cheap, it is all inclusive. The fee includes accommodation, three meals a day, drinks, butler service, airport transfers, daily activities (with guide), free snorkeling equipment, free Internet access, etc.
On the isolated Indian Ocean islands, in the only room in the national park, surrounded by thousands of red crabs, yoga, barbecue, and daze may also be a way to express loneliness.
Suggestion: If you want to see the scene of the Red Crab Migration, be sure to contact a professional nature travel company like Wild Nature Travel to get the exact time of the annual migration.
The exact time is not only to see the Great Migration, but also to see spectacular scenes such as male crab fights, red crabs laying eggs, and juvenile crabs ashore. In addition to red crabs, you can also experience snorkeling, sea fishing, shark watching and other activities on the island, and there are many activities.
04. Komodo
Unknown tropical islands, hidden local natives, mysterious and terrifying bloodthirsty beasts. This is not a Hollywood adventure blockbuster, this is a true portrayal of the Indonesian island of Komodo.
Wildlife: Komodo dragons, manta rays
Located about 200 nautical miles east of Bali, Komodo Island is home to the world's largest lizard, the Komodo Dragon.
They are the only lizards named after "dragons", reaching up to 3 meters in length and weighing 150 kilograms. These large lizards have deadly venom and bacteria in their mouths, and once they have succeeded in sneaking up on their prey, they only need to wait for the prey to die on their own, and they can feast on it.
However, there is no need to panic, Komodo dragons basically do not attack humans, they feed on the island's deer and wild boar, and only live on a few islands near Komodo Island, and they are at peace with the local population.
Due to the scarcity (said to be no more than 3,000), the Indonesian government established Komodo National Park in 1990 and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List.
The area around Komodo Island is also a great place to watch manta rays, and the boat will find the right place to swim with this huge cartilaginous fish that is 7 meters long. Of course, scuba diving here is also very famous.
Beach features: Pink Sand Beach
Pink Sand beach is not only in the Caribbean Sea, but the pink sand near Komodo Island is one of only 7 pink sand beaches in the world, and it is more colorful. The reason is that the red corals that are abundant here are broken by the waves, and they form a romantic pink sand beach. Wild to Test: Komodo's Pink Sands Are Pinker Than Those in the Bahamas!
Recommended hotel: AYANA Komodo Resort
The only 5-star hotel near Komodo Island, the hotel boasts private beach access and luxury water sports facilities. When you return to the hotel after a "trek" on Komodo Island, the luxurious amenities, attentive service and variety of dining will surely impress you with this small island near Bali.
Tips: Indonesia is a big draw for Chinese tourists visa-free. Getting in and out of Komodo only requires a round trip from Bali, which is cheap and easy to transfer. Combine Bali's cozy hotels with the cultural landscape for a truly wild getaway.
05 Tasmania
This is an island that is called the end of the world, full of the shape of love.
Across the sea from her is the pure Antarctic continent, which has been isolated for tens of thousands of years, allowing the island's flora and fauna to evolve independently, preserving many ancient animal and plant species.
Wildlife: Tasmanian devils, wombats, possums, platypus, echidnas
Tasmanian devil, don't look at it cute, but with a mouth full of fangs, sharp howl and strong bite force, it is no wonder that the locals call them "little devils".
Wombats are not red, and heaven forbids. Wombats, like short-tailed dwarf kangaroos, come with their own internet celebrity physique. The figure is round and rolling, the opening of the nursery bag is facing backwards, and the poop is still square.
The platypus is a primitive mammal because it lays eggs as a mammal. When Europeans first received the specimen, they thought it was a spliced fake. But platypus are now hard to see in the wild, and only at the Platypus Conservation Centre in Field National Park can you see their cute appearance as they swim around.
In Tasmania, there are more fantastic animals than that, such as echidnas, possums, little blue penguins, wallabies, and even many endemic animals that you can come across on the road.
Beach features: Wineglass Bay
Tasmania's east coast has always been sunny with little rain. Located in the Tasman Sea, Wineglass Bay is Tasman's most famous beach and was voted one of the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world by American Travel Magazine in 1999. It is a paradise for swimmers, diving and boating enthusiasts. However, to get a glimpse of the half-moon bay of Wineglass Bay, you need to hike for about an hour. The round trip to the beach is longer and you need to be prepared for hiking.
Recommended hotel: Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village
Cradle Mountain Wilderness Resort is a true wild luxury hotel located right on the edge of the World Heritage Cradle Mountain/Lake St Clair National Park, nestled entirely in the rainforest and with local wildlife on site. Just 5 minutes from the Visitor Centre, the hotel is a must-see hotel for wildlife viewing in Cradle Mountain.
Tips: Tasmania has a lot of things to do, driving around the island, hiking to Cradle Mountain, seeing animals, Hobart going out to sea to taste seafood, hiking to Wineglass Bay, soaking in the beach are very suitable. We strongly recommend that you stay at least one night while watching wildlife at Cradle Mountain to see the most active nocturnal animals such as Tasmanian devils and wombats, and you won't miss the Tasmanian devil feeding show at 5pm, which is the best time to see the little devils and listen to the staff.
06. Borneo
Borneo, the world's third largest island, is located in the equatorial region of Southeast Asia, home to the oldest rainforest, home to exotic wildlife, also known as the "Amazon of Asia".
The whole of Borneo belongs to three countries, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, and the most convenient place to see wildlife is in the Malaysian state of Sabah.
Wildlife: Bornean pygmy elephants, orangutans, proboscis monkeys, bay crocodiles, hornbills and other borneo rainforest endemic animals
On both sides of the Kinabatang River, orangutans and proboscis monkeys roam the canopy, giant hornbills with beaks feed on the tops of trees, pygmy elephants march through the rainforest floor in flocks, and various "rainforest flying creatures" glide through the dense jungle. Borneo is home to 10 species of primates, 50 species of mammals, more than 20 species of reptiles, more than 300 species of birds and numerous rare wild plants.
The great naturalist of the year, Alfred Wallace, after inspecting the Malay Archipelago, co-published the view of evolution with Darwin. The BBC Nature Documentary Crew also came to Sabah several times to film the wonderful wildlife acts. Where the Fantastic Beasts are played every day.
Beach features: world-class islands, sandy beaches
Sabah is surrounded by world-class islets and sandy beaches where you can dive in Semporna, go to Turtle Island to see turtles lay their eggs and release them, enjoy luxury island hotels on Gaya Island and much more.
Recommended hotel: Soko Rainforest Hotel
Located in a protected area, The Sokao Rainforest Hotel is the best eco-hotel in Sabah and the whole of Southeast Asia. Located right next to the Kinabatangan River, it is easy to spot many endemic species, whether by boat through the mangroves or on the hotel's trails.
The hotel is also national geographic's yellow box certification, and the accommodation and dining conditions are top-notch.
Tips: Wildlife safari in and out of Sandakan, or stop by the Lab Bay Proboscis Monkey Centre and The Sepilok Ape Centre to see the conservation of proboscis monkeys, orangutans and Malay bears. We then recommend that you take a speedboat into the Sokao Rainforest area, where you can spot animals on both sides of the Kinabatang River. At the Sokao Rainforest Hotel, you can choose to take a boat, hike to see the animals, and of course, the night tour here must not be missed!
07. Madagascar
Madagascar is not so much an island as a continent. It is rich in landforms, with rainforests to the east, plateaus to the central, very arid to the west and south, and numerous islands to the north.
As the world's fourth largest island, Madagascar was separated from the gondola 160 million years ago, which also makes its landscape and wildlife still bear the imprint of the Jurassic period.
Wildlife: All species of lemurs, chameleons, radiant tortoises, baobab trees
80% of the species on the island of Madagascar are unique. All 20 species of lemurs in the world live on the island of Madagascar, and the more famous ones are ring-tailed lemurs, sifaka, large lemurs, brown lemurs, bamboo lemurs and so on.
The Falklands are also home to the largest number of chameleon species in the world, accounting for more than half.
The baobab trees in southwestern Madda are also very famous, especially the sunset on the baobab avenue in Mulongdava, which is one of the top ten sunset landscapes in the world.
Recommended hotel: Vakona Forest Lodge
To see animals in Madagascar, the Eastern Ondasibe Rainforest is a must.' Vakona Forest Lodge is one of the most popular accommodations in Andasibe, where it retains the local architecture of Madagascar. The location is on a picturesque hillside with a lake at the bottom of the hill. The vegetation is lush and the air is fresh, and only the cries of frogs and other wildlife can disturb you. Vakona also has its own small protected area, Lemur Island. There are many kinds of lemurs living here, and you can meet ring-tailed lemurs, bamboo lemurs, black-and-white collared lemurs, brown lemurs and Sifaka at once, and have the opportunity to get up close and personal with them.
Beach features: Nosy Bay Island
In addition to flora and fauna wonders, Nosibe Island in the north of Madda was named one of the "Top 10 Islands in the World" in 2015, and the Iranja Beach here has a paradisiacal white sand view, where you can watch turtles spawn and swim with whale sharks, and the natural environment is very well protected.
Tips: If you're only interested in fauna on the Falklands, you only need to spend 3-4 days in the Andasi Bay Rainforest, where Butterfly Valley and Lemur Island are good animal protection centers. If you want to witness the wonders of the sunset over Baobab Avenue, head to Murondava on the western Mozambique Strait. If you want to witness the geological landscape, you need to add 2 days to the Bemaraha Stone Forest in the north. Of course, Madagascar can also be connected to the nearby Indian Ocean islands such as Mauritius and Reunion.
08. Galapagos Islands
It is a world born in the hot spot of the undersea volcano and lost in the Pacific Ocean.
It's a collection of heaven and hell, and the islands are sometimes dense, sometimes deserted, sometimes smoking black smoke.
There are 13 large islands, hundreds of islands and reefs, the same species of animals on different islands, but the appearance is not the same, which is the miracle of nature. This is the Galapagos Islands, the origin of Darwin's On the Origin of Species.
Wildlife: tortoises, sea iguanas, blue-footed, equatorial penguins, frigate birds, land iguanas...
The magic of galapagos is that even the same species has different appearances on different islands. From large tortoises to rock lizards, the animals that are commonplace every day are always discovered.
Galapagos tortoises are the largest tortoises in the world, weighing the weight of 4 adult males. But they have gone from 13 subspecies to 9 under human prey, as evidenced by the lonely George, who died in 2012.
The sea iguana is the only lizard in the world that forages in the sea, and the way they swim up from the sea is exactly the image of the big monster Godzilla.
Moreover, there is also a kind of equatorial penguin here, the Galapagos penguin, whose ancestors followed the Peruvian cold current all the way to the island of Canada and settled down, where the cold and warm waters are a good place to forage.
The point is that the animals here are not afraid of people at all, and even birds can be close at hand. Darwin came to the Galapagos in September 1835 and collected more than 400 specimens on the island. With the advent of The Origin of Species more than 20 years later, Darwin also acknowledged that the desert island Galapagos was the origin of all his ideas and the origin of The Origin of Species.
Beach features: colorful beaches
The island is not only animals, but also the active geological movement of the Galapagos has caused different beaches on different islands to vary in color, pure white, gray yellow, dark and red, and each beach is very delicate. You can lie on these colourful sands and watch the sea lions crawl past you, swimming with the penguins in the equatorial region.
Recommended hotels: Liveaboard or island accommodation
There are two popular ways to travel in the Galapagos, one is to choose to stay on the island, the accommodation is comfortable, every day by boat to go out to sea snorkeling or participate in island hopping tours, the other is to choose to sleep on the cruise ship, you can save the time of going to sea every day, you can go to the more distant islands to visit.
(1) Island accommodation: refers to living on one or more islands and using this as a base camp to travel to and from different islands to visit. In the Galapagos Islands, there are only 3 islands for tourists to live on, of which Santa Cruz and Santa Cristobal have airports. In contrast, Santa Cruz Island has become the most frequently chosen base for island tours due to its relatively better infrastructure. Living on Santa Cruz Island, travelers can visit all the island's attractions on their own, or join a locally organized 1-day group tour to other outer islands. The disadvantage of this type of travel is that the day to and from the outer islands is more time-consuming and the travel is more arduous.
(2) Liveaboard: It is currently the most selected way for tourists to play the Galapagos. Passengers pay for the ferry ticket, which not only includes a boat trip between the islands, but also includes services such as food and accommodation on board. Visiting the islands with a professional guide during the day and resting in the evening while the cruise ship continues to the next stop is one of the most time-saving ways to travel. Usually, yacht guides organize snorkeling activities in addition to landing visits. Suitable for travelers who do not get seasick, sail for a long time, like snorkeling, and want to visit the most islands in the shortest amount of time and see more wildlife. For example, take the new luxury yacht Calipso, the luxury cruise ship Legend, and the Exquisite Cruise Line's Xperience.
What to do: You can see many species of tortoises at the Giant Tortoise Sanctuary on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal Islands. Sea iguanas are found on almost every island, except for the western islands, such as Fernandina or Isabella, where the sea iguanas are larger. Above the island of Canada, you can see frigate birds soaring, and blue-footed constantly diving into the sea to catch fish, but if you want to see what they look like when they nest and breed, you must come to North Saimore Island, which is their home. The pinnacles near Bartolome are the calling card of the island of Canada, and the rare equatorial penguins can be seen along this beach. If you come to the southeastern island of Espanyol in April-October every year, you will see huge Kashima albatrosses dancing a charming courtship dance, talking to their other half.
The above is our inventory of the world's eight major wildlife islands, like to soak in the hotel, while watching animals what choices will you have? When you are excited, you must pay attention to the wild to go to nature travel, let us "explore nature, the same road wild tour"!
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Island scenery of all kinds
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The last home of exotic animals
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