SEYCHELLES

The Republic of Seychelles comprises 115 islands occupying a land area of 455 km² and an Exclusive Economic Zone of 1.4 million km² in the western Indian Ocean. It represents an archipelago of legendary beauty extends from between 4 and 10 degrees south of the equator which lies between 480km and 1,600km from the east coast of Africa.Of these 115 islands, 41 constitute the oldest mid-oceanic granite islands on earth while a further 74 form the low-lying coral atolls and reef islands of the Outer Islands. The granitic islands of the Seychelles archipelago cluster around the main island of Mahé, home to the international airport and the capital, Victoria, and its satellites Praslin and La Digue. Together, these form the cultural and economic hub of the nation and contain the majority of Seychelles’ tourism facilities as well as its most stunning beaches.

MAURITIUS

Introduction: Its name conjures up all that is romantic; an island of beautiful beaches fringed with palm and casuarina trees, protected by a coral reef forming lagoons of crystal clear water. A fertile island where waving fronds of sugar cane dominate the landscape; where there are large forested areas, huge craters, gorges and spectacular waterfalls all with a backdrop of mountains whose jagged profile indicates their volcanic origin. Its climate is idyllic with sunshine all the year round, temperatures varying little from summer to winter, the only disturbing factor is the rare cyclone which descends to disturb the peace. Its name is Mauritius.

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka sometimes feels like a vacation at the circus. Sitting along the road at the famous Kandy perahera (parade), we watched bare-chested men crack whips, boys on stilts juggle torches and crimson-robed elephants lumber along beside their bejeweled mahouts. And the carnival atmosphere doesn't evaporate after the parade ends. Sri Lankans smile constantly -- perhaps amused, perhaps joyous at the spectacles that surround their daily lives: stilt fisherfolk reeling in mullet along the south coast; young couples walking the walls of the 17th-century Dutch fort in Galle; children searing their tongues with a fiery curry meal. For the traveler, it all starts to feel like a never-ending perahera. Sri Lankans sweep you into their circus so persuasively that you're soon moving with the show, instead of watching it.

MALDIVES

The pearls of the Indian Ocean, as it is popularly known, are situated in the South West of Sri Lanka, on the equator. The numerous coral reef islands, 1,190 in total , form an archipelago of 26 major atolls ( groups of neighbouring coral islands). The country stretches 820 km north to south and 120 km east to west. Out of the incredibly large number of islands only 200 islands are inhabited, with 44 islands adapted as exclusive resort islands. The climate is generally warm and humid. Sun shines all year through with average temperature around 29 - 32 degrees Celsius. The country's 2000 population census shows a total of 270,101 people living in the country. Almost 2/3 of this figure resides in the capital island Male'.