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It is time to discover the most beautiful and magnificent world famous atolls.
Atolls are tiny little pieces of paradise, created under volcano presence and eruption. They are a beautiful landmark surrounded by the sea. Atolls can be lagoons connected to breathtaking coral reefs, and are home to millions of different species.
The specific thing about atolls is that they`re exclusively formed only in warm tropic waters.
Atolls vary in size, starting from tiny little islands to 130 km long ones.
Did you know the first person to analyze the existence and process of atolls creation was Charles Darwin himself?
If you want to see the most amazing atolls in the world, here they are:
1. Funafuti
Although most of the atolls are uninhabited, Funafuti is the capital of a small island nation. Tuvalu is positioned between Hawaii and Australia, rising in the Pacific Ocean. Internet geeks out there know it mostly due to its domain name “tv”. Its island population is similar to Vatican, having one hotel and an airport on the island.
2. Bikini Atoll
If you ever wondered where the bikini swimsuit name originates from, look no further. Welcome to beautiful Bikini Atoll. It is known as one of the uninhabited test islands, where many nuclear test were performed. Between 1946 and 1958 over 20 nuclear weapons were tested in this area. If you want to visit this particular island, you are free do to so. There is no danger from nuclear radiation. However, the soil still contains level of radiation, making it impossible for farming.
3. Tubbataha Reef
If you`re a fan of scuba diving the Tubbataha Reef in the Philippines is the choice for you. The reef consists of two atolls simply named as the North Atoll and South Atoll, separated by a deep 8 km long channel. It’s a spectacular coral reef known for being the habitat for many colonies of fish.
4. Lighthouse Reef
The small country of Belize is known for its atolls. The most famous one for sure is the Lighthouse Reef that has a great blue hole in its center. It is an attractive spot for divers. The deeper you dive inside the great blue hole, the clearer the water. The breathtaking scenery of one of the most amazing atolls in the world is just a bonus.
5. Tikehau
Should we call it a huge atoll or a chain of atolls spread around the Pacific Oceans? Tikehau is part of the much larger Tuamotu Archipelago, similar to size as Western Europe. Imagine sandy beaches and perfect blue water filled with numerous species of fish. According to Jacques Cousteau’s research group this is the place with the highest concentration of fish among any other place in French Polynesia.
6. Caroline Island
Discovered by Europeans in 1606, Caroline Island is part of the Republic of Kiribati and one of the most beautiful tropical islands. What makes this atoll special and different from others is one of his specific and unique inhabitants-the huge coconut crab. Due to global warming and rise of sea levels, this beautiful atoll is endangered.
7. Aitutaki Atoll
Aitutaki Atoll has numerous volcanic and coral islets surrounding a triangular lagoon. Imagine the classic postcard with white sandy beaches and warm turquoise water with a palm tree above your head; well it’s probably taken there. The most famous spot from the Aitutaki Atoll formation is Tapuaetai, known for one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
8. Aldabra
Aldabra is one of the largest atolls in the world and part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. It’s secluded from the world and it’s quite difficult to get there. Aldabra is an untouched paradise and home to more than 150,000 giant tortoises.
9. Rangiroa
Also one of the largest atolls in the world, Rangiroa is part of the Tuamotu Archipelago same as Tikehau. It’s mostly known for its lagoon’s clear blue water and exotic life population. Rangiroa is one of the world’s most popular diving spots. If you want to see manta rays, sea turtles, and dolphins, try visiting this atoll.
10. Atolls of the Maldives
Here we are referring to all of the atolls of the Maldives. This small country by size is not small at all, when it comes to the number of atolls. About 1,200 tiny coral islands are grouped into 26 atolls. In case you end up in the Maldives by any chance of luck, do some scuba diving in one of the coral reefs. You won’t be surprised just by the underwater marine life. There is a lot to be seen above water as well.
Image Source: touropia.com
