Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, as well as a UNESCO world heritage site. It makes up about “ten per cent of the world’s coral reef ecosystems.”

With 3000 separate reefs and over 900 continental islands and coral cays, the Great Barrier Reef offers some of the most beautiful and exciting spots for snorkeling, swimming, and diving.  It is also the most extensive and diverse underwater ecosystem in the world.What is a “coral cay”? It’s a tiny island on a coral reef.The marine life is truly…

“Don’t worry about the world ending today. It’s already tomorrow in Australia.”

 –Charles M. Schulz

Surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Australia is a magical place filled with Indigenous peoples, sacred monoliths, and all types of landscapes—from the hot arid desert, outback, and bush to the Great Barrier Reef (one of the world’s largest ecosystems), and the architectural marvel, The Sydney Opera House. You may think of an outdoorsman with a delightful accent saying “G’day mate” or some of Australia’s most famous animals, such as koalas munching on bamboo or a mother kangaroo with a baby tucked in her…

The Amazing Azores 

(Flores, an island in the Azores: azoreschoice.com)

Located in Portugal, the Azores are an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. They are a series of islands (three of which have been designated as biospheres by UNESCO) known for their underwater mountains, volcanoes (mostly dormant), grottoes, caverns, hot springs, lakes, green pastures, and forests. This is truly a land of extremes and a dream destination! The Azores are known for their amazing wildlife and sheer beauty. One of the most common activities on the islands is whale watching. Some of the most common whales to spot are sperm, mink,…