(And don’t forget to collect your explorer pins, stickers, and lanyards!)

Kiribati, Micronesia: “Kiribati is part of Micronesia, located in the Pacific Ocean. Kiribati is home to many beautiful islands, like Line, Gilbert, and the Phoenix Islands. All of the islands have a beautiful tropical climate since they are located right along the Equator. Some of the most popular activities for tourists include swimming, snorkeling, and fishing in the gorgeous island waters.” Did you know that Kiribati is also known for its incredible and diverse wildlife, especially the sea birds? 

“This island is part of the group of islands that used to be called the New Hebrides. They are located not too far from the Solomon Islands. Captain Cook landed on the island in 1774 and asked the natives what the island was called. Misunderstanding what he was asking, they replied that the island was called “ground.” The word for ground in the Kwamera language is Tanna. The island is considered a tropical forest surrounded by mountains that are almost 1,000 meters high. One of those mountains is still an active volcano.” Yasur, the volcano, has been “erupting almost continuously since the 18^th century”! Located in the South Pacific, Tanna is the most fertile island in Vanuatu and produces coffee and copra (“dried sections of the meat of a coconut”).

Tanna Island, Vanuatu: 

“This island is part of the group of islands that used to be called the New Hebrides. They are located not too far from the Solomon Islands. Captain Cook landed on the island in 1774 and asked the natives what the island was called. Misunderstanding what he was asking, they replied that the island was called “ground.” The word for ground in the Kwamera language is Tanna. The island is considered a tropical forest surrounded by mountains that are almost 1,000 meters high. One of those mountains is still an active volcano.” Yasur, the volcano, has been “erupting almost continuously since the 18^th century”! Located in the South Pacific, Tanna is the most fertile island in Vanuatu and produces coffee and copra (“dried sections of the meat of a coconut”).

Daintree Rainforest – Queensland: “The Daintree Rainforest is considered the most complex tropical ecosystem on Earth. It is the last remaining tropical rainforest refuge in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is located to the east of the rainforest. The plants and animals in this rainforest are diverse, hosting 90% of Australia’s butterfly and bat population.” Daintree is actually the oldest rainforest in the world and has been growing for “over 180 million years.” There are over 3,000 different types of plant species growing here along with 12,000 different species of insect!