Islands to Visit Before They Disappear

Islands usually give people a picture of isolated pieces of paradise separated from the hustle bustle of the outside world. These are lovely escapades, to draw a curtain of deep blue sea resolutely around us and disengage from everything else. And if you are an island lover and places like Venice and Fiji is way down on the travel list; then it's time to move them up. Increasing sea levels and extreme climatic conditions are slowly engulfing these low-lying islands.

The following islands are sprinkled around the world and all of them are famous vacation destinations and are disappearing into the sea, albeit at different speed. And should the predictions of scientists come true, these beautiful pieces of land may not be around for long.

Venice:

Encompassing 118 islands linked by 400 bridges and partitioned into six large districts or "sestieri", three on each side of the Grand Canal - Venice! Floods, known as acque alte have been part of Venice's winter for centuries and their frequency has increased spectacularly since the 20th century. The city faced only eight severe floods between 1931 and 1945, in the last decade of the 20th century there were 44 and by 2009 the number of annual floods had risen to 200.

A tourist city par excellence, Venice holds some of the most famous attractions including Piazza San Marco, the Rialto Bridge and the Palazzo Ducale. After a long day of seeing the sights, enjoy a conventional Venetian dinner at the historic Bacaro trattoria Ca D'Oro, Detta alla Vedova (on Calle Del Pistor), followed by an opera at La Fenice.

Fiji:

Named as one of the most heavenly destinations in the world, the Fiji archipelago consisting of 332 islands faces a severe flood every year caused by nonstop day and night rains that goes on for atleast a week. Activities like surfing; surf rafting and kayaking is one of the favourite pass times of visitors on the islands. 

Maldives:

An archipelago of 1190 coral islands, Maldives and its palm tree laced white silvery beaches and pristine clear blue lagoons swarmed with marine life attracts thousands of tourists. These islands could be the first islands in the world to disappear as eighty percent of the total land is less than three meters above sea level and it is believed that by the end of this century the islands could be completely gone. Visitors are allowed only on 11 of the 26 atolls to preserve the local culture Diving into the coral reef, lazing around in a hammock on the beaches under the sea, surfing, and going snorkeling or relaxing in a spa is the best things n can do while in Maldives.

The Isles of Scilly:

Located in the southwest corner of the United Kingdom off the Cornish Peninsula is the Isles of Scilly that consists of five low-lying wind-swept granite islands and more than hundred uninhabited islets. These islands have rugged cliffs, cultivated flowers that colour the island with vivid hues from spring to fall, immaculate clear blue bay and silver sand beaches. They are progressively more exposed to the inclemency of storms combined with rising sea levels could engulf the islands' low-lying areas. 

Tuvalu:

A chain of nine Polynesian islands, Tuvalu, located in the Pacific Ocean halfway between Australia and Hawaii is the fourth smallest country in the world and has an average above sea level altitude of just over three feet. These Polynesian islands are the second lowest lying islands of the world after the Maldives. The predicted sea level rise could make these islands uninhabitable. Diving, snorkeling, swimming and sailing in the twenty square miles of coral reefs, lagoons and isolated islets that make up the Funafuti Conservation Area is the main highlight of visiting Tuvalu.