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Vacation in Maldives (or Maldive Islands)

Photos4Travel .Com — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:36:47 +0000

The Maldives (or Maldive Islands), officially the Republic of Maldives, is an island nation consisting of a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is located south of India’s Lakshadweep islands, and about seven hundred kilometres (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka. The twenty-six atolls of Maldives’ encompass a territory featuring 1,192 islets, two hundred and fifty islands are inhabited.

The name “Maldives” may derive from Maale Dhivehi Raajje (”The Island Kingdom [under the authority of] Malé”). Some scholars believe that the name “Maldives” derives from the Sanskrit maladvipa, meaning “garland of islands”, or from mahila dvipa, meaning “island of women”, but these names are not found in ancient Sanskrit literature. Instead, classical Sanskrit texts mention the “Hundred Thousand Islands” (Lakshadweepa); a generic name which would include not only the Maldives, but also the Laccadives and the Chagos island groups.[citation needed] Another theory suggests that the name “Maldives” derives from the Tamil “mala tivu” meaning “a garland of islands.” Some medieval Arab travellers such as Ibn Batuta called the islands “Mahal Dibiyat” from the Arabic word Mahal (”palace”).” This is the name presently inscribed in the scroll of the Maldive state emblem.

The inhabitants were Buddhist, probably since Ashoka’s period, in the 3rd century BC. Islam was introduced in 1153. The Maldives came then under the influence of the Portuguese (1558) and the Dutch (1654) seaborne empires. And in 1887 it became a British protectorate.

In 1965, the Maldives obtained independence from Britain (originally under the name “Maldive Islands”), and in 1968 the Sultanate was replaced by a Republic.

The Maldives is the smallest Asian country in terms of population. It is also the smallest predominantly Muslim nation in the world.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldives

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Holiday at Bora Bora Island

Photos4Travel .Com — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:26:21 +0000

Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island, located about 230 kilometres (140 mi) northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the center of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 metres (2,385 ft). The original name of the island in the Tahitian language might be better rendered as Pora Pora, meaning “First Born”; an early transcription found in 18th- and 19th century accounts, is Bolabolla (or “Bollabolla”).

The major settlement, Vaitape is on the western side of the island, opposite the main channel into the lagoon. The products of the island are mostly limited to what can be obtained from the sea and coconut trees, which were historically of economic importance for copra.

During the August 2007 census, the population on the island was about 8,880 people.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bora_bora

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Monastery of The Holy Trinity

Photos4Travel .Com — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:11:46 +0000

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Thatbyinnyu Stupas and Sinmyarshin Pogodas, Bagan, Myanmar (Burma)

Photos4Travel .Com — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:39:47 +0000

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Best 10 Beaches in America (USA) (2008)

Photos4Travel .Com — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:19:03 +0000

According to Dr. Beach, who is director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. He uses many criteria in selecting the best beaches — for instance; water and sand quality, facilities and environment…etc.

1. Caladesi Island State Park in Clearwater, Dunedin, Fla.

2. Hanalei Beach, Kauai, Hawaii.

3. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Fla.

4. Coopers Beach, Southampton, N.Y.

5. Coronado Beach, San Diego.

6. Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.

7. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii.

8. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, N.C.

9. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Fla.

10. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.

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Art Museum, Hong Kong

Photos4Travel .Com — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:33:53 +0000

photo by Webel photography

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Na Pali Coast, Kauai Hawaii

Photos4Travel .Com — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:49:41 +0000

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Hong Kong Light Show at Night

Photos4Travel .Com — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 23:30:40 +0000

photo by Webel Photography

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The Harbour at Night, Hong Kong

Photos4Travel .Com — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:14:39 +0000

Photo by Webel Photography

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China’s Secret Places

freestyleeeeer — Mon, 26 May 2008 23:17:11 +0000

When discovering of the China’s secret places;

China has some of the most biologically rich systems, fresh water and sustenance. Also China is becoming an attractive destination for biotechnology and pharmaceutical research area…

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