PALM ISLAND a barrier island, some fifty miles south of Sarasota is a small privately owned paradise with resort facilities for quiet, family and romantic holidays, taking in all that natural environment (and man) can provide for relaxation and pleasure.

Virtually a ‘car free zone’, strolling, biking or canoeing are the popular means of perambulation around miles of beach, coast line where seabirds and marine life continue their ageless rituals and palm trees whisper in the breeze. For the overactive, there is golf nearby, photography, hiking, fishing, ecological excursions, and for the kids – an in-house giant of a pirate that will entertain. A little bit of exclusive heaven!

Seychelles Achipelago has become a tourist’s legend before and ever since the famous South African artist Wren Sergeant (and others) displayed his stunning Impressionist art in the early 1960’s. The islands landscapes, seascapes and its indigenous peoples featured strongly in his brilliant works. Capturing the brilliant colors in dawn and sunsets has lured many an artist and photographer since. Naturally development followed close on the heels of the first ‘adventure tourists’ and today three of the major islands have a fine infrastructure to please the most discerning of tourists.

The two groupings of islands consist of the Inner and the Outer islands.

Of the 43 Inner islands, 3 of the major destinations or stepping stones to visit the surrounds are Mahe’, Praslin and La Digue.

Mahe’ hosts an International Airport at the Capital of Victoria and a Port and the majority of the population of about 72,000 persons. The 28 x 8km island is also the transportation hub to visits elsewhere in this vast area of many smaller islands. I0 large Resort Hotels and over 65 smaller Hotels, B&B’s and Self-catering businesses provide accommodation for many thousands of monthly visitors. Other services available in the three major islands are; Boat tours & hiring’s, Dive sites, fishing for ‘Big Game’, Scenic Drives, Walks and guided tours and Horse Riding or cycling.

Praslin is about 40km2 and is renown for its UNESCO – World Heritage Site, the ‘Valle’e de Mer’ where the unique and extra large, feminine,  ‘Coco de Mer’ fruit originates, and two of the ‘Top Ten Beaches of the World’! The history of harboring 18th Century Pirates and the founder by the French, ‘Duc de Praslin’ add spice to an already exotic location. A small port and airport offer access to the surrounding archipelago. Accommodation is catered for by over 50, large and small Hotels, Guest houses and self-catering enterprises. Other attractions are Art Galleries, Specialty Shops and Museum.

La Digue has a small population of only about 2,000 on the 10km2 island. It is home to some of the rarest and indigenous birds in the world, forests and exotic flora – almonds, vanilla, takamaka and coconuts and stunning beaches, diving and snorkeling opportunities. The small harbor offers a shuttle to surrounding islets and great fishing opportunities.

Outer Islands – the 72 are widespread – as far as 1,000km from Mahe’ and consist mainly of cays and outcrops. Alphonse and Desroches are the only two offering accommodation, sailing, fishing and diving – A sailing explorers dream.

Events – The monthly calendar is full of events and competitions during the cooler months from April to November. August 2009 has the Catholic Celebrations, Boat, Sail and Wind Surfing races, and Fishing Competitions. September has the Indian Religious Celebrations and Tourism Day. October has a Diving Competition and cultural – Festival Kreal. November hosts the great Marlin Tournament. December seems slumber time. January 2010 opens with a Marathon and February with a French cultural ‘Fete’, and a Rotary Fishing Competition. April introduces the Arts Festival of local visual delights. New, May, June and July activities are still to be announced. I can’t wait to hear – as these are some of the best (cooler) months to visit.

Comores are sandwiched between northern Mozambique on the East African coast and the large island of Madagascar. As an ancient staging post between Arabia, India and later the European traders the islands were systematically occupied and reoccupied – much like the Mediterranean islands. These beautiful islands today still reflect many cultural and political divisions between East and West.

For the tourist that appreciates and enjoys seeing the cultural diversity, the Comoros and adjacent areas in the Indian Ocean offer a unique experience. Of the four Islands, the French owned Mayotte island is an ‘Overseas Department of France’ and has the best tourist orientated infrastructure and is surrounded by an amazing reef protecting the islands mainland, and is considered to have the world’s largest lagoon.

The other Arabic islands of(Fr)Grand Comore (Ngazidja), Mohele (Mwali), Anjouan (Nzwane), and their many islets have an as yet undeveloped tourism industry because of political instability and have been prone to about 20 ‘take-over’s’ since independence in 1975. Grand Comore has an International Airport at the City Capital of Maroni and a harbor for Trading and sailing ships. The four islands also have one of the highest population densities in Africa, reaching almost a million souls. Languages spoken in the islands are French, Arabic and the local Comorean.

The French Island of Mayotte is topographically diverse, with deep undulating ravines and dormant volcanic peaks and hosts the capital city of Mamoutzou. The smaller adjacent island of Pamanzi and its town of Dzaudze has the best protected port and a military airport. It has three smaller notable islands of, Chissale M’Zamboro, Bandele and Sada, apparently unoccupied. The beaches, mostly in coves are stony and surrounded by lush vegetation. The islands are prone to cyclones in the rainy season and malaria infested yet Mayotte is a haven for the most spectacular diving in the world’s largest lagoon, where sea turtles abound and the humpbacked whales arrive in August and September to calve. Mount Choungui is a popular hiker’s paradise and local transport is by ‘bush taxis’. Languages are French and local Comorian and the Euro is the currency.

The Comoros Islands are for the adventurous and do not appear to have much in sophisticated tourism infrastructure but that could change soon!