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Inspired by Bermuda’s beauty, Beatles singer John Lennon famously wrote about 25 songs during a prolonged stay here in 1980. Lennon named Double Fantasy, his final album before he was murdered, after a freesia he found in the island’s Botanical Garden. Today, a sculpture named ‘Double Fantasy’ commemorating the singer can be found on the 36-acre site alongside flower-filled gardens, ponds, greenhouses and woodland.
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This remote volcanic island in the middle of the South Pacific is one of the smallest and most isolated inhabited islands in the world. Pitcairn was colonised in 1790 when 12 mutinous sailors took over the HMS Bounty and set Captain Bligh and 18 members of his crew adrift before settling on the island. Today, Pitcairn is home to around 50 people, the majority of whom are direct descendants of the Bounty mutineers and a group of Polynesians that accompanied them.
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Pitcairn forms part of the Pitcairn Island Group alongside the islands of Henderson, Ducie and Oeno but is the only one that is inhabited. Sadly, with its limited access, Pitcairn’s small and ageing population is at risk of dying out and, due to lack of employment, relies heavily on aid from the British government. Despite its remote setting, the island’s unspoiled natural beauty and tranquil scenery usually attract a small trickle of tourists each year.
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Measuring just 16 miles (26km) long, this tiny Caribbean island is the smallest of the British Overseas Territories and the oldest in the Caribbean. Anguilla was colonised by English settlers in 1650 who established its cotton and later sugar plantations, which were a major part of the island’s economy until the abolition of slavery in Britain’s colonies in 1833. Today, tourism is Anguilla’s main industry and, despite being badly hit by Hurricane Irma in 2017, it continues to be a much-loved tourist hotspot.
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With its picturesque palm-fringed sands and bold blue waters, Anguilla’s beaches are widely believed to be among the most beautiful in the Caribbean. Dotted with luxury villas overlooking the glittering water, Shoal Bay and Rendezvous Bay are home to some of the island’s most picturesque stretches of sand. Anguilla is often ranked among the best islands in the world and among the best in the Caribbean.
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The island’s reefs are buzzing with marine life including tropical fish, turtles and stingrays, while its shores are a favoured spot for resident and migrating birds. Its clear warm waters and tranquil coves make Anguilla a popular spot for snorkelling, kayaking and sailing. As boating is Anguilla’s national sport, the island typically hosts several yacht races throughout the year.
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Known as the largest British Overseas Territory, this vast patch of the Antarctic was first claimed as a British territory in 1908. Stretching for some 666,000 square miles (1.7m sq km) from the South Pole, it is also the most southerly of the UK’s Overseas Territories. Although 99% of the land is covered in a permanent ice sheet, the terrain here varies immensely from jagged, snow-clad mountains to expansive ice plains and dramatic glaciers.
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The majority of Plymouth was destroyed by the eruptions and nature has taken over the remaining buildings, covering the city ruins in vegetation. Visitors can see the rooftops and the top floors of the city’s tallest buildings including the police station, school and church. Toys, books and clothes lie in homes while typewriters and paperwork left abandoned in office buildings are an ominous symbol of the power of Mother Nature.
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Considered one of the most picturesque destinations in the world, around 40 islands make up Turks and Caicos, a series of pearly white dots peppering the Atlantic Ocean. Providenciales is the most developed island and a major hub for tourism. With its miles and miles of soft white sand and sparkling blue waters, the island has won numerous ‘best beach’ accolades.
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Salt Cay, the second largest of the islands, is another highlight. Its name comes from its history with sea salt production, which boomed for around 250 years before dying out in the mid-20th century. The ruins of the salt industry are still visible across the island, including some of the salt salinas. Between January and April, Salt Cay is also known for its resident humpback whales that migrate from the northern Atlantic, so whale watching is inevitably popular.
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Scattered between Africa and South America in the South Atlantic, these remote outposts are some of the most isolated islands on Earth. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, St Helena became a Dutch then British possession under the English East India Company. Its strategic position made it an important port of call in the era of the British Empire. St Helena was also used for exiled prisoners including some 6,000 Boers and French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Longwood House, where Napoleon died in 1821, is one of the island’s most famous sights.
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Before St Helena’s international airport opened for scheduled commercial flights in October 2017, the island’s only regular connection to the outside world was via the RMS St Helena, one of the last working Royal Mail ships, which continued service until February 2018. Due to its remote location and limited resources, the population of St Helena still relies on annual financial support from the British government.
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St Helena, with its rugged coastline and tropical climate, is home to an impressive array of wildlife. Over 500 endemic species are found on the island, representing approximately 30% of the biodiversity within the UK and its Overseas Territories. The island’s Marine Protected Area safeguards a rich marine ecosystem, where whale sharks and devil rays are regular visitors. Additionally, the eight shipwrecks surrounding the island have transformed into vibrant underwater habitats, attracting divers from across the globe.
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Roughly 400 miles (650km) off the southeast coast of South America, the Falkland Islands have been a British Overseas Territory since 1833. First claimed by Britain in 1765, the islands were alternatively claimed and settled by the British, French and Spanish up until 1811 when all troops were withdrawn. Today, following the establishment of commercial fisheries, the Falkland Islands are a financially self-sufficient and almost entirely self-governing territory, although foreign affairs are handled by the British government.
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With their isolated and unspoiled setting, the islands are also world-renowned for their wildlife, particularly their seabirds. One of the world’s largest colonies of black-browed albatrosses nests in the Falklands, alongside Gentoo, Magellanic and Rockhopper penguins. The marine life is just as varied, with species of whales, dolphins and seals spotted in the surrounding waters. It’s no wonder the islands are hailed as one of the best places on Earth for wildlife watching.
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Publish date : 2024-09-12 05:00:00
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