Islands similar to the Maldives but cheaper. A worthy alternative to the Maldives is Belarus! Choosing places for vacation and travel
So, the Thai “Maldives” is the island of Koh Kood. Koh Kood is the fourth largest Thai island (after Phuket, Koh Chang and Koh Samui), approximately 20 kilometers long, lying in the Gulf of Thailand near the border with Cambodia.
Getting here from Bangkok may not be very easy, but, as they say, if you have the desire. First you need to get to the city of Trat either by bus (from Bangkok bus station the journey takes about 5 hours) or by plane (about 50 minutes). Boats and speedboats go to the island from the mainland piers of the city of Trat (travel time is an hour and a half, cost 350 Baht) and from the island of Koh Chang (a little over an hour, cost 900 Baht). The boats arrive at the central pier of the island, from where vacationers are then transported to hotels in open tuk-tuk pickup trucks; delivery is included in the ticket price. Speedboats deliver tourists directly to the hotel pier. The western coast of the island is a series of wonderful sandy beaches, separated by rocky ridges descending into the sea. The middle of the island is a virgin, impenetrable jungle that has not yet been spoiled by man. Klong Chao is considered the best beach. It is located approximately in the middle of the west coast.
Snow-white sand, a gentle entrance to the sea, luxurious shaggy casuarinas along the beach and almost imperceptible low tides.
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It is on this beach that they are concentrated best hotels islands. True, they are not exactly budget-friendly. Behind the hotel line there is a range of shops and restaurants. But behind the road and shopping area there are also hotels for budget tourists. Some of them are quite comfortable: stone or wooden bungalows with air conditioning and a private bathroom, but there are also just huts made of palm leaves with “conveniences” around the corner, but very cheap.
What I liked most was the more secluded and completely uncrowded Ngam Ko beach, located about a couple of kilometers south of Klong Chao.
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This is a narrow but very long strip of yellow sand, an amazing color, absolutely transparent, motionless surface of the sea and tall coconut palms along the shore.
Due to the abundance of palm trees, the island is often called the “Coconut Lagoon”. On this beach there are only a few very small bungalow-type hotels, located at a decent distance from each other.
Those who want to take a break from the hustle and bustle big city you can always find a place where they will be absolutely alone with the sea and the sun.
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A concrete road runs parallel to the shoreline connecting the beaches. If you get tired of lying by the sea, then you can explore the island, and there is something to see here. You can go inland to the Klong Chao waterfall
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or to the sea gypsy fishing village, or rent a kayak and swim through the mangroves. Some hotels include kayak rental in the price of your stay.
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Or you can catch big catfish in the Klong Chao River or go sea fishing, or rent a long-tail boat and go to the neighboring small islands. There are no public transport and to be mobile, it is best to rent a motorbike. This can be done either at the hotel reception or at the store. International rights will not be required, there is no need to conclude an agreement, the rental cost is 300 - 350 Baht per day, this is not at all expensive. The road is the only one and of good quality, and almost always deserted. There are no problems with refueling. Bottles of fuel are sold along the road and in shops.
According to reliable statistics, most people going on vacation want to be in some tropical paradise. Who would like to sunbathe on a golden beach and plunge into crystal clear water once in their life? But what if you don’t have enough money for a long trip? It turns out that it is quite possible to find a worthy replacement southern islands. Let's compare the famous Maldives And... Belarusian Maldives.
Maldives - where are they located?
Maldives called a group of coral islands in Indian Ocean. In addition to those who like to soak up the hot tropical sun, you can find many fans of diving here. Diversity underwater world, the beauty of the coral reefs and the clarity of the waters put this resort beyond competition. Visiting excursions and fishing also take far from last places in the ranking of popular local entertainment.
Waters of the Maldives
By the way, about cleanliness water Maldives worth mentioning separately. Visibility underwater is over 50 meters! This is a world record! average temperature water +27 ⁰С all year round. Everyone who comes here for the first time strives to return again and again. And diving is exciting at first sight. And even if you have never dived deep, it doesn’t matter! Professional instructors will help you take your first (and, most likely, not your last) steps in this exciting form of recreation.
Belarusian Maldives
But if you are not very inclined to travel to distant lands, welcome to Belarus! Namely, on Krasnoselsky chalkpit. They are quite rightly called twin islands of the Maldives. Crystal clear and transparent Belarusian chalk lakes azure blue color in no way inferior to the waters of the distant ocean. The magnificent view of the quarries from above makes you fall in love with this place at first sight.
Krasnoselsky quarries - where are they located?
These magical lakes are located near the village of Krasnoselsk near the city of Volkovysk, a four-hour drive from Minsk. They represent two groups of lakes with 5 quarries in each. This place has long been a favorite among locals and tourists. People come here to relax with the whole family or with friends, and some even stay for several days, setting up tourist tents along the banks.
How were chalk lakes formed?
Origin of Krasnoselsky chalk lakes rather prosaic. The Krasnoselskstroymaterialy plant is located nearby. BELAZ dump trucks can be seen every day in the lake area. It was with their help that the quarries were dug.
Vacationers appreciate Belarusian quarries for their amazing beauty. Isn’t it a pleasure to plunge into pleasant clear water on a hot day?!
We choose places for vacation and travel!!!
Tuvalu (until 1975 - Ellis Islands) is a Pacific country in Polynesia. It is bordered in the north and northeast by the territorial waters of Kiribati, in the east by the territorial waters of Tokelau, in the southeast by the waters of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna Islands, in the south by the waters of Fiji, in the southwest and west by the waters of Solomon Islands. The length of the coastal strip is 21 km. Tuvalu is located on 5 atolls and 4 islands of the Tuvalu archipelago. total area sushi - 26 km². The country's population is 12,177 people. (2008, evaluation). The capital is Funafuti.
There are hardly a hundred Russian citizens who have spent an exotic holiday in Tuvalu at least once.
On the largest atoll, called Funafuti, is the capital of this island state, which is, moreover, the only place on the island where you can change currency, call somewhere or use the Internet.
The Tuvalu Islands were discovered by the Spanish navigator Alvaro Mendaña de Neira in 1568. In 1892, the archipelago became the British protectorate of Ellis Island, and in 1916, part of the British colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands. In a 1974 referendum, the Polynesian population of the Ellis Islands voted to separate from the Micronesian Gilbert Islands (later Kiribati), and the following year the archipelago became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. The islands gained independence in 1978. Tuvalu is a member of the UN, the South Pacific Commission and the Pacific Islands Forum.
Isolated in the middle of Micronesia, Tuvalu is among the safest and most... remote places in the world. It is the third least populated country on Earth, and the fourth smallest country. One way or another, if you need peace and solitude, Tuvalu will be very good choice in order to live here for several months and restore peace of mind.
The tiny island nation of Tuvalu, which is located in Pacific Ocean, there is a big problem.
This is drinking water... While there is some reserve of bottled water on the islands. Drinking water and desalination plants are also supplied from New Zealand and Samoa. But these measures are not enough to somehow improve the situation. The thirsty islanders hope that nature will have mercy on them and send down the long-awaited rain.
Tourists are also attracted to exotic holidays in Tuvalu because the population here is responsive and friendly.
If you have any request or need help, the locals will always listen and definitely help.
This little one exotic country is also unique in that communication with officials does not cause any irritation, because administrative workers will give you the warmest welcome, they will provide you with everything you need so that tours to Tuvalu are not forgotten by its guests and they come back here.
It is also interesting that local residents have two beaches near their houses.
And all because the island is very narrow, so much so that in some parts of it nothing but a road can fit.
The population here is poor, but poverty is not at all the same as, for example, in Russian slums. They are not beggars, it’s just that the standard of living here is different.
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