BORACAY - Philipines

10.32 km²; Peak Season→ November - April

  • Small island of the Philippines

  • About 300 km away from the capital of the Philippines – Manila

  • Oceanic Island

  • Gorgeous white beaches and crystal clear waters

  • Vibrant night life – variety of bars/restaurants and clubs

  • Water sport activities – surfing ,swimming, snorkeling, etc.

  • Divers marine life and abundant flora and fauna 

  • Resort villages

  • Island- hopping

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                  • 1000 km away from Palawan Island

                  • Shaped like a meaty bone

                  • Lush mountain forests in the South

                  • Visayan region of the Philippines

                  • Languages: Aklanon (native), English (widely used)

                  • Good to visit: February-April

                  • More info or here

                     

MALDIVES

300 km² ; Peak Season→December - March

  • In the Indian Ocean a small archipelagic state of South Asia , nearby Sri Lanka and India on the northeast

  •  Malé is the capital

  • White beaches with emerald crystal clear waters 

  • Holliday and honeymoon destination

  • Luxurious overwater bungalows

  • Budget-friendly vacation may not be the case

  • Use Maldivian rufiyaa or USD

  • Water activities -swimming, fishing, diving, snorkeling, water-skiing, surfing

                  • Independent Island country

                  • South Asian Island located in the Arabian Sea

                  • Made of 1200 small coral Islands

                  • Malé epicenter of Maldivian culture

                  • Beach erosion is a very “on the table”problem

                  • Native language Dhivehi is a  mixture of Arabic, English, Hindi, Punjabi, French, Portuguese, and Persian – similar to Sri Lanka’s language

                  • Languages: Dhivehi/Maldivian (Official and  native); English, Arabic (widely used) French, German, Russian, Italian and Chinese (basics)

                  • Better prices: July-August

                  • More info

SINGAPORE

728.3 km²; Peak Season→ mid-December - February

  • Malay Archipelago’s part lies at the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia, 135 km (85 mi) north of the Equator

  • Singapore Strait separates Singapore from the Riau Islands of Indonesia on the south

  • Diamond-shaped Island and about 64 small islets – St John’s Island, Kusu Island, Pulau Semakau, Pulau Ubin, Lazarus Island, and Sentosa ( the largest offshore island)

  • In top 20 smallest countries in the world and one of 3 city-states that exist in the world (including Monaco and Vietnam)

  • Sentosa – tiny island off the coast of Singapore, largely man–made beaches, natural beauty and amazing water sports

  • Republic of Singapore is a sovereign country-city-island 

  • City of Singapore is the capital of the Republic of Singapore

  • 75% of Singaporeans are ethnically Chinese

  • Gardens by the Bay in the heart of Singapore ( 35 m -50 m) – World’s tallest indoor waterfall in Jewel Changi Airport , surrounded by the lush indoor gardens of the terminal

  • 130 species of nocturnal animals in their natural habitat – leopards, lions, coy mountain deer, rhino, flying squirrels, dangling bats

  • Sunda pangolin’s only home

  • Singapore Botanic Gardens at Bukit Timah founded in 1859 – UNESCO World Heritage Site

  • Cavenagh bridge – the oldest bridge of Singapore, built in 1869, originally Edinburgh Bridge in regards to Duke of Edinburgh’s visit

  • Bukit Timah Hill – the highest natural point

  • The Tanjong Pagar Centre -the tallest building in the country (290 m)

  • HSBC Rain Vortex – spectacular site (from 7.30pm to midnight the sound show)

  • HortPark -a major lifestyle hub in Asia

  • Singapore Night Safari – the first night zoo

  • The biggest retractable dome (321m)  – shield for about 55,000 spectators from sun and rain

  • The Singapore Grand Prix Racing Circuit – first one in Asia and the first-ever F1 night race

  • The world’s highest homeownership rate (92%)

                  • The first man-made 30-metre waterfall in Singapore was built at Jurong Bird Park in 1971

                  • British colony since the 19th century

                  • Was occupied and ruled by Japan from 1942 till 1945 during the II World War

                  • Part of the Famous F1 Singapore street circuit,Anderson Bridge has a morbid past of hanging  severed heads of  spies and criminals in 1942-1945

                  • In 1613 after becoming an important trading port the city was burned down by Portuguese pirates – for more than 100 years city was wiped out until migrants came to build it from its ashes

                  • In 1819, British trading post was made by Sir Stamford

                  • ‘Singapura’ translates to the Sanskrit word for ‘lion city’ as the island was mainly inhabited by Malayan tigers

                  • About 6 times were changing time zones

                  • One of easiest places to do business

                  • Changi Airport is World’s Best Airport at least for the fourth time in a row

                  • Free movie screening 24/7 in the airport

                  • Considered to be the fastest pedestrians in the world ( 6.15 km/hour)

                  • 7th November –National Tree Planting Day and 19 November – the World Toilet Day

                  • Severe punishment for littering or discussing sensitive topics

                  • Temperature was never lower than 19 degrees Celcius

                  • Languages: English, Mandarin, Tamil and Malay(national); Singlish (27 worlds)

BALI, Indonesia

5,780 km²; Peak Season→ July - August

  • Single Island  of the Indonesian archipelago in Southeast Asia 

  • Part of the Lesser Sunda Islands, in the middle of Java and Lombok islands

  • Beautiful beaches – Kuta Beach 

  • Honeymoon destination

  • Surfing, meditation and yoga enthusiasts place

  • Coral reefs 

  • Rich culture

  • Rice terraces

  • Bali Swing (part of a theme park)

  • Luxury hotels/resorts

                  • Bali Safari and Marine Park

                  • Bunut Bolong (banyan tree )

                  • Ganesha Park

                  • Bukit Peninsula 

                  • Pura Safari (temple for Hindu people to worship)

                  • Spectacular natural landmark in Bali is located in the idyllic village of Manggisari in Jembrana

                  • Pura Taman Saraswati temple

                  • Mount Batur vulcano – climbing and hiking

                  • Ubud town

                  • Ancient temples 

                  • Goa Gajah Cave 

                  • Kecan dance

                  • Languages: Balinese (native) and Indonesian; English (basics)

                  • Good to visit: September – November & February

                  • More info or here

PALAWAN, Philipines

14,650 km²; Peak Season→ mid-December - mid-April

  • South East Asian Island in the middle of South China Sea and the Sulu Sea

  • In the southwest stretching to Borneo

  • Ocean palm-edged white beaches and glassy water

  • Splendid biodiversity

  • Puerto Princesa City is the capital

  • El Nido – popular resort destinations

  • Puerto Princesa Underground River (UNESCO)

  • One of the most beautiful coral reefs- Tubbataha reef in the Sulu Sea

  • 15 unique species of birds to watch

  • Diving destination

  • Waterfall-swimming, hiking, cave boat-trips

  • Kayak in Wildlife park

  • Delicious exotic food

  • Flora & fauna-“Last Ecological Frontier”

  • Island-hopping  

                  • Most visited  Island in recent years

                  • Made of 1,780 islands  

                  • Cave in where oldest known human inhabitants were living

                  • Ocean views are very  affordable

                  • Surfing is possible

                  • Secluded islands for Luxury resorts

                  • Languages: Cuyonon and Palawanon(native); Tagalog, English, and  Ilonggo (widely used)

                  • Good to visit: November, February and March

                  • More info

TAIWAN

32,260 km2 , Peak season→ June - August

  • Island country in western Pacific Ocean, placed about 160 km (100 miles) off the coast of southeastern China, for 345 km (214 miles) north of the Philippines and approx. 573 km southwest of Okinawa (Japanese island)

  • A semi-tropical mountainous island in East of Asia

  • Bigger than Belgium by 7% in area size and more than double the size of Belgium population

  • Thought to be a part of the China (according to the People’s Republic of China)

  • Tobacco leaf or a sweet potato shape of Island

  • More than 250 peaks higher than 3,000 m – world’s  largest number and density of mountains

  • Taroko and Yushan National Parks 

  • Sun Moon Lake 

  • The National Palace Museum – unique artifacts from China’s long history (Taipei)

  • Taipei is the capital

  • Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung – main cities

  • Taipei 101 was the world’s tallest building before the 2007 – Burj Khalifa was built

  • Butterfly kingdom– exporting 10 million butterflies annually

  • Papilio Maraho – national butterfly

  • Paradise of unique and tasty fruits – dragon fruit, wax apple, starfruit, sugar apple, mango, pomelo, papaya, lychee, longan, etc.

  • Stinky tofu – national dish

  • Baseball- national sport

  • Formosan Mountain Dogs -Taiwan dogs (friendly wild  dogs)

                  • The lowest birth rate in the world that is far below replacement rate

                  • Raidly aging population

                  • Made a gay marriage legal (2019),the  first Asian country to do so

                  • Official title is the Republic of China

                  • Almost 97.7% are ethnically Chinese

                  • Ruled by  Chinese (Qing Dynasty for 200 years – 1683 – 1895), Japan and little bit by  Holland

                  • 90% of the population lives along a strip of land along the east coast.

                  • Buddhism and Taoism but only 50% of the population is religious

                  • Sports were heavy influenced by the Japanese due to their(Taiwan) colonization by Japan

                  • Garbage trucks like ice cream trucks – playing songs when they arrive

                  • Languages:Mandarin (national), English (basics)

                  • Good to visit: December –  February(butterflies migration ) /March – May, mid-September – November

                  • More info or here

SRI LANKA

65,610 km²; Peak season→ December - March

  • In the Indian Ocean, the southeast of the Indian coast 

  • Surrounded by Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait

  • Pearl of the Indian Ocean – Rich biodiversity

  • Colombo is the capital city

  • Warm climate and rich culture

  • Arugam Bay -east coast special for surfers

  • Laid back surfing culture

  • World’s large cinnamon (80-90%) and tea exportation

  • Stunning wildlife

                  • Known as Ceylon in the past 

                  • Island’s cinnamon was discovered by the Egyptians in 2000 BC

                  • Volleyball is the national sport

                  • Adam’s peak–  sacred mountain

                  • High literacy rate

                  • One of the oldest flags on Earth (United Nations)

                  • Languages: Sinhala and Tamil (official), English (widely used)

                  • Good to visit: April- October (on the east side -Arugam Bay) November-March (south at Weligama, Hikkaduwa and Ahangama)

                  • More info

JAPAN

377,975 km²; Peak season→ March - early June, September -October 

  • Island country on the east coast of Asia in the northwest of Pacific ocean, on the west separated from the South and North Korea by sea of Japan

  • East China sea located to its(Japan) south, Philippine sea on the southeast

  • Made of almost 7,000 Islands (6,852 islands, to be pricise)

  • Okunoshima small island – Rabbit Island is another name for it in regards to the big number of bunnies population

  • Made up mostly of forest and mountains – 70% of Japan

  • More that 100 active volcanoes

  • Mount Fuji -country’s the talles mountain (1,150 m or 3,776 ft)

  • Tokyo is the capital and the most populated city in the world 

  • The oldest continuous hereditary dynasty in the world -126 monarchs 

  • Hadaka Matsuri festival – 1000 of Japanese men strip naked in public to secure a fortune-filled year (in Okayama there could be more than 9,000 men )

  • Japanese cherry and Sakura – national flower of Japan

  • Hanami – cherry blossom ; Koyo – red maple leaves (March – mid-May, and October – late November)

  • One of the fastest and most punctual trains in the world – 18 sec. delay is max

  • Interesting and wacky flavours for candies and more (popular candie/chocolate –  Ramune, Otokoume, Kit Kat as it near sounds like ‘ good luck’ in Japanese ‘kitto katsu’, Glico Pop, Dars White Chocolate, etc)

                  • Samurai -powerful warrior class with the right  to strike down any person who wouldn’t respect them (12th century to the 19th century)

                  • Samurai who brought dishonor to his lord had to do  seppuku/ harakiri – suicide through the abdomen/belly cutting

                  • Bowing is an important form of greeting; lower bows show more respect

                  • Kimono – traditional Japanese garment for both men and women

                  • $10,000 the possible cost for a single kimono

                  • Geisha have been a figure of entertaining since the 18th century (about 80,000 women )

                  • Traditional Japanese rooms have  Tatami/mats made with rice straw

                  • Japanese macaque /snow monkey

                  • Tsukiji fish market – the world’s largest seafood market (in Tokyo)

                  • Twice hosting the summer Olympics, and its fourth overall

                  • High art of immaculate gardens

                  • 4 is not a good number and rather to be avoided

                  • Main religions – Shinto and Buddhism

                  • Languages: Japanese

                  • Good to visit: end of March – April  (Sakura blossom in Tokyo, Kyoto Osaka), mid-September – December

                  • More info or here

SUMATRA, Indonesia

473,481 km²; Peak season→ July - August

  • Among Sunda Islands of western Indonesia, south of the Malay Peninsula and west of Java

  • Full of green mountains and smoldering volcanoes 

  • Rugged tropical area– Rafflesia arnoldii- moster flower

  • UNESCO World Heritage National parks— Kerinci Seblat, Mount Leuser, Bukit Barisan Selatan

  • Wildlife spotting -Orangutang, elephants, tigers, rhinos.

  • Surfing and diving destination (April to October)

  • Lake Toba – the World’s biggest crater lake and the biggest lake in South East Asia

  • Tribes -The Batak and Minangkabau

  • One of the biggest Island in the Indian ocean

                  • Diverse economic hub in Medan (largest city)

                  • Great  coalfields

                  • Resources of gold,  silver, tin and bauxite

                  • Indonesia’s richest oil fields

                  • Production of rubber, coffee, pepper, tea, sugarcane, and oil palms – grown on plantation.

                  • In 2004 the city of Banda Aceh (North of Island)was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami

                  • Languages: Indonesian(native), English (basics)

                  • Good to visit: May- June, September

                  • More info

BORNEO, Indonesia/ Malaysia/Brunei

743,330 km²; Peak season→ May - September 

  • In the southwest Pacific ocean, placed nearby Java Sea (south) the Celebes Sea (east), and the South China Sea(north)

  • Part of Greater Sunda Islands group of the Malay Archipelago

  • Oceanic Island 

  • 3rd World’s largest island (after #1Greenland and #2New Guinea)

  • The largest Island in Asia

  • Located in Southeast Asia’s Malay Archipelago

  • Tropical area– Rafflesia arnoldii- moster flower

  • Wildlife spotting: Orangutang, elephants, tigers, clouded leopards, rhinos, etc.

  • Surfing and diving destination

  • 11,000 species of flowering plants

  • Highest mountain-Mount Kinabalu

                  • Administered by 3 countries: Indonesia, Malaysia and a bit of Brunei

                  • Indonesian Borneo has better airport

                  • Roads are better in Malaysian Borneo

                  • 50% is covered in rainforest – 20 % less than was 40 years ago

                  • Low number of  mosquito

                  • Languages: Bahasa Malaysia(official), Chinese(widely used),Tamil and  English (basics)

                  • Good to visit:  March-October

                  • More info or here

INDONESIA

1.905 million km²; Peak season→ December - January, April(Easter), July - August

  • Southeastern Asia archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean

  • Hottest spot on the Pacific Ring of Fire (means where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur)

  • World’s largest archipelago and island country

  • 14th-largest country on Earth by land area with 54,720 km of coastline 

  • World’s biggest ‘young’ population and overall 4th largest population after China, India , and the US

  • 17,508 islands of which about 6000 are inhabited.

  • Made of 5 major islands and about 30 smaller groups of islands

  • Jakarta is the capital

  • About 100 active volcanoes 

  • Pristine beaches

  • World’s biggest flower

  • More that 600 ethnic groups

  • About 700 different languages and dialects  (2nd most linguistically diverse nation worldwide after Papua New Guinea)

  • Culture is influenced by multiple religions – Buddhism, Christianity , Confucianism,  Hinduism, and Islam

  • The Borobudur Temple – the world’s largest Buddhist Temple with 504 Buddha statues

  • Most diverse society in the world, influenced by China, India, Europe, and the Middle East

  • Diving and surfing sites

  • Hiking trails to active volcanoes 

  • Extraordinary wildlife – Komodo Dragon, Maleo, Javan Rhinoceros, Black Macaque,  Pygmy Tarsier and more including species from Sumatra and Borneo islands

  • Delicious food – Sambal, Beef Rendang, Indomie, Fried rice, Nasi Rawon, Bakso, Satay, Gado-gado and more

                  • Nusantara and East Indies – another names for Indonesia

                  • Yogyakarta Sultan (Sultan Hamengkubuwono X) is the king

                  • Java Man -the first human on the Indonesian archipelago and is the ancestor of the entire Indonesian population

                  • Martial art pencak silat – one of the national sports

                  • Badminton can be called as  Indonesia’s most successful sport

                  • Have completely identical flags with Monaco

                  • Unusual history of head-hunting – fierce warriors were beheading their enemies to further  preserve the head as a “trophy”

                  • Languages:Bahasa Indonesia, Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese, Batak, Minang, Balinese, Bugis,  Banjar,  Acehnese, Sasak (native by region); Tamil, Chinese, English (widely spoken)

                  • Good to visit: May – June and September, and October- November (cheapest time)

                  • More info or here