a travel blog by renata green
Let me guide you all the way east where Cuba keeps a hidden gem called Baracoa.
I was very glad that Baracoa was my last stop in Cuba – since it was definitely the highlight. Wrapping me in its relaxed, homey atmosphere, Baracoa would have spoiled me for the rest of Cuba.
This Way to the Whole Story ->“So, by which ferry did you get here?” asks the chubby little lady and her accent gives her away as Southern German. “Well, I came here walking”, I beam at her, still thrilled by my hike from the mainland to the island of Neuwerk.
The lady looks over the rough sea where the huge waves are rolling towards the shores of Cuxhaven. She frowns and shakes her head and is, obviously, thinking I’m trying to tell her a cock and bull story.
Little does she know: Visiting the island of Neuwerk, the way is the goal; definitely.
This Way to the Whole Story ->A trip to the island of Heligoland is always a good idea. On just one square kilometer, it unites soft sand dunes and rough cliffs. It adds tax-free shopping to natural wonders like frolicking seals and jumping guillemots.
Heligoland is a tiny archipelago that long ago used to be Danish and British. But, actually, it is as German as can be since the poet Von Fallersleben wrote the National Anthem during his stay on the island in 1841.
However, visiting Heligoland today, either on a day trip or for a longer stay, it is almost impossible to imagine that at the end of WWII, Germany’s supposedly only deepsea island was completely bombed out. For then long years, it was even uninhabitable.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, today, Heligoland is one of Germany’s most popular island when it comes to a couple of relaxing days in a secluded spot.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Whether Koh Rong or its sister island Samloem – a makeshift beach bar in the middle of nowhere. I’m having a drink, overlooking the fine white sand leading into the turquoise ocean. It’s beautiful.
It’s Koh Rong.
This Way to the Whole Story ->This is a guide to George Town on Pulau Penang, after all, one of my favorite cities in all of Asia.
What makes it so special?
I don’t even know where to start.
It was the first British settlement in Southeast Asia and became – together with Singapore and Malacca – a British crown colony in 1867.
George Town, counting about 710,000 inhabitants, is Malaysia’s second-largest city and the capital of Penang Island.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Guide to Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia’s northernmost island and actually geographically closer to its neighbor Thailand. Hence, it’s the same turquoise waters, white sands, swaying palms, and enchanting long tail boats as in Krabi and on the Andaman islands.
But there are so much fewer tourists that you can actually enjoy it.
This Way to the Whole Story ->While the most popular islands like the Perhentians or Tioman are on the otherwise very conservative and religious east coast, Pangkor is in the west, three hours from Kuala Lumpur, and even less from Ipoh.
So hop on the ferry in Lumut and half an hour later, you’ll find yourself in a tropical paradise.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Pulau Perhentian – where a tropical paradise awaits divers and snorkelers alike with islands in two sizes.
Perhentian in Malay means stopping point. It is pronounced perhentee-yan and refers to the once thinly populated islands having been a waypoint for traders between Bangkok and Malaysia.
This Way to the Whole Story ->The city of Krabi and the Ao Nang beach town are good places to hang out, however, they are only the gateway to the true paradise of the Andaman Sea.
So while I thought places like Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, and Chiang Mai were touristy, thus in an amene way, I didn’t know the half of it till I came to Ao Nang.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Reportedly, there are about 1,430 islands in Thailand – hence, there is a lot to visit during your Island Hopping in the Andaman Sea.
Still, not all of them inhabited, but sadly, many of them crowded.
Charmingly, some of the Thai islands come in clusters and are therefore easily accessible when island hopping.
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