Crete Location: Mediterranean Sea Country: Greece. Zanzibar Location: Indian Ocean Country: Tanzania
Last edited: July 2017
Many people think that island vacations are paradise vacation. And they are not wrong. Probably, paradise was in some such place, and not in heaven at all. Our list of the wonderful islands of the world, of course, is not exhaustive, since for a description of all-all-all beautiful and interesting places life would not be enough. We have compiled a selection of the most popular islands among tourists, which are definitely worth your attention.
Madeira
Country: Portugal
This is a whole archipelago with extremely beautiful nature: endemic birds chirping in dense forests, rocks on which sea waves break ... And all this borders on stunningly cozy European buildings and European tourist services.
Majorca
Country: Spain
This is one of the most environmentally friendly resorts. mediterranean sea. Plus, it's always very affordable. The mild maritime climate allows you to relax here all year round. Mallorca history and beautiful architecture are intertwined with forests of interest to the tourist, and the coast offers breathtaking views and excellent beaches.
canaries
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Country: Spain
The Canary archipelago is a place where the maximum number of attractions is concentrated in a relatively small space. And what! The symbol of the archipelago is the Teide volcano with its eternally snow-capped peak, which looks almost the same in winter and summer. And what are the dunes of Maspalomas, which border the ocean! And tourists love the Canary Islands because they are the islands of eternal spring: it is never too cold or hot here.
Cape Verde
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Country: Cape Verde
Experienced tourists believe that the islands of Cape Verde are good because the tourism industry here has not yet been put on stream, and therefore the attitude towards tourists is very reverent. In addition, these islands are somewhat reminiscent of the Canaries. Here you can also visit uninhabited islands, and see black dunes, and volcanic craters, on the slopes of which grapes are grown.
Zanzibar
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Tanzania
Zanzibar is a real African island exotic, complete peace and unity with nature in the middle of snow-white sandy beaches, as if created from powdered sugar, snorkeling to coral reefs, trip to giant tame turtles, flying dogs and baobabs.
Madagascar
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Republic of Madagascar
Speaking about traveling to Madagascar, it is worth mentioning the exceptionally exotic nature. This piece of land once broke away from a huge continent - and as a result, evolution went its own way here. Local animals are completely different from others, mostly endemic. Also tourist calling card the islands are giant baobabs, shrouded in fog typical of these places. A spectacle in truth for true connoisseurs of travel.
Maldives
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Republic of Maldives
The Maldives is a luxurious bliss, complete relaxation, ubiquitous music and the rejection of alcohol. All this is complemented by tourist houses, unusually standing in the crystal clear turquoise waters of the ocean.
Sri Lanka
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (old name - Ceylon)
It is here that you can go on a river safari in the middle of huge mangroves from which snakes hang, as well as climb Adam's Peak - a huge sacred mountain. And be sure to try for yourself what real Ayurvedic practices are.
Koh Samui
Location: Gulf of Thailand
Country: Thailand
This is an island for those who love bliss and exotic South-East Asia. Here you can ride elephants, see Buddhist temples, swim in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Thailand, bask in hot sand, watch snake shows and taste delicious exotic food.
Phuket
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Thailand
Phuket is a resort for the wealthy. Numerous bungalows line the coastline here. And the symbol of this island are huge rocks growing directly from the waters of the ocean. Also, all the same exotics that the island of Koh Samui offers are available here.
Koh Chang
Location: Gulf of Thailand
Country: Thailand
Ko Chang (Elephant Island) is located off the coast of Thailand and is one of its most accessible islands for travelers - both in terms of price and transport. On Koh Chang, you will see stunning sunsets, and you can also climb mountains covered with dense jungle. In addition, an absolutely amazing elephant nursery operates here, where you can ride elephants among banana thickets, and also order bathing with elephants in the sea.
Samet
Location: Gulf of Thailand
Country: Thailand
In terms of accessibility, it is even easier than Koh Chang, the island offers quite budget holiday. It is very small, but there are secluded places here, in connection with which Samet was chosen by the Europeans. Hotels offer accommodation mainly in bungalows, standing right on the beach.
Bali
Location: Indian Ocean, Bali Sea, Pacific Ocean
Country: Indonesia
Bali is a very exotic place, saturated with humid fogs, stormy sea waters, Buddhist symbols with elements of animism. Bali also has very tasty cuisine and interesting traditions. A real traveler should visit Bali at least once in his life.
Borneo
Location: South China Sea and other seas
Country: Malaysia, Indonesia
The highlight of Borneo is its virginity and endemic plants and animals. So, for example, here you will meet proboscis monkeys or see a corpse lily in the jungle, which emits a terrible smell, but is very beautiful, and you can also get acquainted with predatory flowers that can close their mouths.
Komodo Islands
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Indonesia
The symbol of the Komodo Islands are monitor lizards, which are one of the most ancient animals on Earth. In appearance, they are very touching, but do not put your finger in their mouths - the monitor lizard is very predatory, and is not averse to feasting even on a person.
Djerba
Location: Mediterranean
Country: Tunisia
The island of Djerba is one of the most expensive resorts Tunisia, but Tunisia itself is inexpensive, so you won’t spend too much money on Djerba either. There is a lagoon in which pink flamingos live: when there are a lot of them, this sight is simply amazing.
Fiji
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Republic of Fiji
Fiji is famous for visiting tropical rainforests, swimming in clearest waters ocean, watch the life of geckos and iguanas, plunge into the unique ethnic flavor of this island forgotten by our people.
Bora Bora
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: French Polynesia
If we talk about the most beautiful sea and beach holidays, then it is simply impossible not to remember Bora Bora. Here is one of the most interesting underwater worlds on the Planet that are available by snorkeler. Walking in the thickets of orchids and ferns, swimming in grottoes and lagoons, exploring stingrays - all this will give you the island of Bora Bora.
Dominican Republic
Country: Dominican Republic
Palm trees leaning over secluded beaches, the purest Caribbean Sea, the colonial capital of Santo Domingo, luxurious Punta Cana and Puerto Plata. For recent years Dominican Republic, thanks to its mild warm climate, rich cultural and historical heritage and excellent hotel infrastructure, is gradually gaining the title of a world famous tourist center.
Vanuatu
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Republic of Vanuatu
The islands of Vanuatu are virgin places in the volcanic mountains, where local tribes live, who do not know civilization. If you want something really unusual, then this is the place for you. It is after such a trip that you can boast of your trip even among sophisticated travelers!
Hawaii
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: USA
If you really want to give yourself the greatest joy in life - a vacation in a real paradise, where the beach, the tropics and the sea make it possible to forget from the daily hustle and bustle, then you will definitely go to Hawaii. The entire chain of islands consists of volcanoes. This is Diamond Head on the island of Oahu, fire-breathing Kilauea in national park Hawaiian volcanoes (Big Island Hawaii), where you may see hot lava for the first time in your life. The island of Maui is famous for the beauty of the dormant crater of the Haleakala volcano.
Bahamas
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Country: Bahamas
George Washington called them the islands of eternal June. And if you tell someone that you are going to the Bahamas, you will definitely see an envious reaction, because this vacation is not for everyone, but only for the elite. For those who truly appreciate natural attractions and believe in mysticism. What is the Bimini Road. American predictor Edgar Cayce called it the lost Atlantis. And after that, in the sea, off the coast of Paradise Point on North Bimini, 700 meters of neatly laid limestone blocks were found, which are called the Bimini Road. Obviously, this is not a natural, but a man-made monument. But who built it?
Marieta Island
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Mexico
The highlight of the island of Marieta is an unusual beach, which is called hidden. It is located inside a huge rocky recess into which sea water is poured.
Seychelles
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Republic of Seychelles
Seychelles is a resort for the very rich. In addition to first-class recreation, the islands also offer an acquaintance with the Seychelles turtles, viewing the famous sloping rocks falling into the ocean, and be sure to buy the world-famous huge coconuts.
Mauritius
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Republic of Mauritius
Mauritius is a civilized exotic and the best hotels indian ocean. These are magnificent beaches framed by palm trees. This is a glamorous getaway for the elite. If you are in Mauritius, you do not need to prove anything to anyone. The fact that you are there speaks for itself.
Cuba
Location: Caribbean
Country: Republic of Cuba
This Island state with incredible beautiful scenery, beaches and attractions! However, of course, of interest to tourists is the special culture of this country, which seems to have hung in the last century, as well as world-famous Cuban cigars, Cuban dances and Cuban rum.
Jamaica
Location: Caribbean
Country: Jamaica
Few tourists are aware, but Jamaica is famous for its nudist and swing hotels. Jamaica also gave the world such a direction of music and art, as well as a philosophy of life, like reggae. Jamaica is literally saturated with the spirit of measuredness and freedom. It is also famous for its brilliant carnivals and other fun holidays.
Malta
Location: Mediterranean
Country: Republic of Malta
Malta is one of the most beautiful archipelagos and at the same time financially accessible to a large mass of tourists. It is an island offering European service, an island with rich history. beach holiday here is good, and among the excursions walking is the most preferable, as the places are very beautiful.
Cyprus
Location: Mediterranean
Country: Republic of Cyprus
Cyprus - wonderful island sea and sun. Cyprus is the birthplace of Aphrodite. Cyprus is a tidbit that has changed hands over the course of its history, remaining on the periphery of various empires. Cyprus is a place where you can fall in love at first sight...
Sardinia
Location: Mediterranean
Country: Italy
E That italian island offers tourists a mild climate, interesting story and amazingly delicious Mediterranean cuisine. Here you will plunge into the blue sea waters, dive to the wrecks, visit the cave of Neptune and taste excellent muscat wine.
Crete
Location: Mediterranean
Country: Greece
Crete is considered to be one of the paradise islands peace. Beautiful landscapes are intertwined here, and ancient history and rich cultural traditions. In addition, Crete is located at a relatively short distance from us, which means that in terms of money it is much more affordable than other heavenly places.
Easter Island
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Chile
The symbols of Easter Island are the idols that settled here hundreds of years ago and were created by people from a lost civilization. Why this civilization died out - we do not know. But until now, Easter Island is saturated with its spirit. And the tourist will find here, in addition to the historical part of the journey, also many purely physical pleasures, such as taking a natural bath among the stones with warm water from a natural source - with an ocean view in front of your eyes and a glass of champagne in your hand.
Galapagos Islands
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Ecuador
The Galapagos Islands are the pinnacle of a traveler's dreams. They are located very far away, so having been here, you can say with confidence that you have seen the end of the world. And at the end of the world, at the same time, people live a rather measured life, sharing islands with fur seals, to see which is the goal of absolutely all tourists arriving here.
The largest of them are located in the North Arctic Ocean. Insignificant land islands are located in the Azov and Black Seas. Most of the territories are sparsely populated; the remote islands of Russia can only be reached with an expedition. The population of the rest of the island lands is mainly engaged in fishing. Below is a list of ten of the most big islands Russia with a short geographical description and location on the map of the country.
Map largest islands Russia
Karaginsky island
The area is 2.4 thousand km². The length barely exceeds 100 km, the maximum width is 27 km. The territory is located in the Bering Sea, not far from Kamchatka. Karaginsky Island is of volcanic origin. The relief is varied mountain ranges and steep capes on the coast. The climate is severe, winter lasts about seven months. The flora is varied. Alder, mountain ash, larch grow. Whales live off the coast, of which a bear can be noted. Numerous species of birds nest on the coasts: sea eagle, tern, Asian long-billed fawn. Karaginsky is not inhabited by people. The watch is carried by the personnel who maintain the lighthouse.
Vaigach Island
The island covers an area of 3.4 thousand km². The length is 100 km, the width is 44 km. Vaygach is located beyond the Arctic Circle, next to the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. Vaigach is of continental origin. The relief is flat, there are several mountain ranges. natural conditions are a cross between and climate. Winter temperatures drop to -25°C. In summer, the air warms up to +12°C. Vegetable world represented by lichens, dwarf herbs, creeping annuals. Bears, reindeer, walruses, sea hares live on Vaigach.
Kolguev Island
The area is about 3.5 thousand km². The diameter of the island is about 80 km. Kolguev is located beyond the Arctic Circle, washed by the Barents Sea. Kolguev is of continental origin. The island has a rounded shape and low relief. The climate is subarctic, there is a strong fluctuation in average annual temperatures. The area is covered with shrubs. The fauna is sparse, represented by arctic foxes, foxes, polar bears. The entire population lives in two villages. The number does not exceed 450 people.
Wrangel Island
The area of the island is 7.67 thousand km². The maximum length of the island is 150 km. The land is located at the junction of the Chukchi and East Siberian Sea. The origin is debatable: the island is sometimes referred to as a mainland origin, sometimes as a tectonic one. The relief is represented by plateaus, mountains and lowlands. Due to the arctic air, the climate is very harsh. In addition to lichens, bluegrass, cinquefoil, and Lapland poppy grow. Animal world, despite the cold, is diverse. 40 species of birds nest along the banks. The area is comfortable for living lemmings, polar bears, arctic foxes, wolves, wolverines, seals. The island is not inhabited by people.
Kurile Islands
The area of the archipelago is 15.6 thousand km². The length exceeds 1200 km. The territory separates the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean. The islands are of volcanic origin. The relief is mountainous, there are more than a hundred volcanoes. The climate is mild, with long winters and cloudy summers. For the Kuriles, storms and earthquakes are not uncommon. The flora is multifaceted, there are 1400 plant species. The slopes are covered with groves of oak, aspen and maple. Many species of ocean birds nest along the shores. Land mammals are represented by forest animals: fox, brown bear, squirrel, hares. People settled most of the territory of the Kuriles.
Franz Josef Land
The area of the archipelago is 16.13 thousand km². The territory is located a thousand kilometers from and is covered with glaciers. The islands are of continental origin. The relief of volcanogenic structures prevails over the entire surface, there are many lakes. In the conditions of the Arctic land, the temperature is -50º C. Summer figures rise to +2 ° C. Mosses stand out from the vegetation. The population of polar bears and arctic foxes has been greatly reduced. The population consists of employees of research stations.
Severnaya Zemlya
The area of the archipelago is 37.6 thousand km². The lands are located near the Taimyr Peninsula, between the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. All islands of the archipelago are of continental origin. Most of the area is covered with ice, a third is occupied by stony placers. The climate is arctic, with severe winters and cool summers. The land not covered with ice is swampy. Mosses, saxifrage, polar poppy are isolated from plants. The animal world, on the contrary, is diverse. Coastline is a complete bird market. From live, wolves, lemmings, polar bears. The islands are not inhabited by people.
New Siberian Islands
The area of the archipelago is 38.4 thousand km². The islands lie on the border of the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea. They are of continental origin. The area is dominated by flat terrain. Winter lasts 9 months. Short summers are windy and cold. The surface of the soil is covered with buttercups, lichens and saxifrage. The islands are inhabited by a polar owl, partridge, reindeer, arctic fox and polar bear.
Sakhalin
The area of the island is 76.4 thousand km². The length reaches 948 km, the maximum width is 160 km. Sakhalin is located off the Asian coast of Russia, and is washed by the Okhotsk and Sea of Japan. The island is of continental origin. The relief combines plains and mountain systems. The climate is characterized by long snowy winters and cool summers. The vegetation includes 1500 species, including shrubs, larches and conifers. The island has a large population of brown bears, wolverines, minks, and raccoon dogs. Sakhalin is the most populated of the Russian islands.
New Earth
The island archipelago has an area of 83 thousand km². The length from north to south is 925 km. The islands are located at the junction of the Pechora, Kara and Barents Seas. Mainland archipelago by origin. The climate is arctic. The average winter temperature is -40°C, blowing strong winds. Summer rates rise to + 7 ° C. Flora is represented by mosses and annual grasses. Of the mammals, lemmings, reindeer and arctic fox can be distinguished. Meteorologists and the military live on the islands. Their number usually does not exceed 2500 people.
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There are certain islands that were "discovered" and added to the maps, but which subsequently could not be found. However, their discoverers often claimed to have seen these islands, and some even said they had set foot on their shores. Expeditions sent to the supposed locations of these islands often ended in nothing. And today one can only guess: was there an island.
1. Sandy Island
between Australia and New Caledonia
In 2012, Sandy Island was found to be non-existent. Prior to this, it appeared on several maps, including Google Earth, where it was located between Australia and New Caledonia (ruled by France) in pacific ocean. The island was first recorded by the British whaling ship Velocity in 1876 and first appeared on a British chart in 1908. Several expeditions failed to find the island and it was removed from a number of maps in the 1970s. However, he remained on other maps. Curiously, the island did not appear on French maps at all, meaning that the French were either aware of its absence or unaware of its supposed existence.
If the island really existed, it would belong to France, since it was in French waters. The absence of the island was proved by scientists from the University of Sydney, who decided to check its existence after they realized that on their maps the supposed location of the island was 1,400 meters deep. It is believed that the Velocity crew saw a pumice stone, which they mistook for an island. "Pumice rafts" are floating rocks formed by volcanic activity. They are known to occasionally occur in the area where Sandy Island was supposed to be.
2. Saint Brendan's Island
south of the Azores
If the ancient maps were correct, St. Brendan's Island (or St. Brendan's Land) should have been located west of canary islands and south of the Azores in the North Atlantic. The island is named after Saint Brendan, an Irish monk who claimed to have found it in 512 AD. Saint Brendan didn't just find the island. He, along with 14 monks, landed on it and even lived there for two weeks. A monk named Barino described this island, stating that it abounded in mountains, forests, birds and flowers. Other expeditions tried unsuccessfully to find the island, and by the 13th century it became apparent that it did not exist.
Marcus Martinez, a Spanish historian, even called it "the lost island discovered by Saint Brendan, which no one has been able to find since." However, another sailor claimed to have found it in the 1400s but was unable to land due to a storm. This gave rise to a new surge of interest in the island, and the king of Portugal sent several ships, but they did not return. St. Brendan's Island continued to appear on maps, and ships continued to search for it until the 18th century, when everyone finally agreed that the island did not exist. Some scholars suggest that St. Brendan's Island actually existed. However, it was flooded and is now under the surface of the ocean.
3. Hy-Brazil
northwest of Ireland
Hy-Brazil is a non-existent island that was claimed to be 320 kilometers off the west coast of Ireland. On some maps, it was even shown as two islands, although they had the same name. Hy-Brazil first appeared on maps in 1325 and existed until the 1800s, when its supposed existence was declared a hoax. There are many myths associated with this island. The Europeans believed that an advanced civilization lived on it, while the Irish said that Hy-Brazil was always hidden by impenetrable fog and was visible only once every seven years.
The name, shape and location of the island changed frequently on maps, although it always remained in the same region. England sent three expeditions between 1480 and 1481, but none of them found the island. However, in 1497 a Spanish diplomat claimed that one of the English expeditions had discovered Hy-Brazil. In 1674, a Scottish sea captain named John Nisbet claimed to have spotted the island as he sailed from France to Ireland. He claimed that four of his men landed and stayed on the island all day.
The veracity of Nisbet's testimony remains a big question, as he also claimed that an old man lived on the island, who gifted the sailors with gold and silver, as well as a magician who lived in the castle. Captain Alexander Johnson went on the next expedition, and on his return claimed to have landed on the island, though he did not mention any old man with the gold. In 1872, Robert O'Flaherty and T.J. Westrop also claimed to have seen Hy-Brazil. Westropp even assured that he visited it three times, including once seeing the island appear and disappear.
4. Friesland
south of Greenland
In 1558, Nicolò Zeno of Venice claimed that two of his ancestors, Antonio and Nicolò, discovered the island of Friesland in the 1380s. Zeno claimed that the island was south of Iceland, west of Norway, and east of Estetiland. Scholars suggest that Estotieland was either Newfoundland or Labrador in North America. If so, this means that Zeno's ancestors arrived in the Americas before Columbus. It is believed that Zeno faked the existence of Friesland because he wanted to be popular. And the Venetians supported his lodges, because they wanted their fleet to be a worthy competitor against the backdrop of the powerful fleets of Spain, France and England.
Friesland appeared on several maps until it was declared a fake in the 19th century, despite earlier claims by some sailors that they had seen it. In 1576, the Englishman Martin Frobisher mistook Greenland for Friesland, and John Dee even claimed England's rights to the island in 1580. Then, in 1989, the philologist Giorgio Padoan (who studies history) argued that Zeno was telling the truth and that the Italians had reached the New World before Columbus.
5. Buss
between Ireland and Friesland
Buss is a non-existent island that was supposedly located between Ireland and the non-existent Friesland. It was discovered by Martin Frobisher, who, as mentioned above, mistook Greenland for Friesland. In 1578, he probably mistook another island for an undiscovered island, which he named Buss. Captain Thomas Shepard claimed to have visited and mapped Buss Island in 1671, causing England to send an expedition to the "new land".
The British could not find the legendary island, so several more expeditions were sent, all of them were failures. In 1776, it was reported that a sandbar had been found at the supposed location of Buss Island, leading some to believe that the island was simply flooded. It was even renamed the Sunken Island of Buss. However, the expedition of John Ross in 1818 showed that there was no shoal at the supposed location of the island. However, Buss continued to appear on maps until the 19th century.
6. Crocker's Land
northwest of Cape Hubbard (Northern Canada)
Like Friesland, Crocker Land is another island that has been completely made up. This time, Robert Peary was trying to raise funds for an expedition to the Arctic. Peary claimed in 1907 that on an earlier expedition in 1906 he had discovered new island near Greenland, 209 kilometers northwest of Cape Thomas Hubbard (Northern Canada). He named the island Crocker's Land after George Crocker, who co-founded the 1906 expedition, funded Peary with $50,000. Peary wanted another $50,000 from Crocker and so came up with a fake island. He even wrote a book called "The Nearest Pole" in which he talked about his fictitious island.
Everyone believed him, and several explorers even started looking for Crocker's Land. But the island remained elusive, leading some to call it the "Lost Atlantis of the North." However, Crocker Land appeared on Arctic maps created between 1910 and 1913. This new earth, which some scientists even called a continent, aroused widespread interest, especially in the United States, until it was recognized as a falsification of Peary.
7. Dowerty
south of New Zealand
Some call it Dougherty Island, but that doesn't matter because it doesn't exist. Dougherty Island was named after Captain Daniel Dougherty, who "discovered" it far to the south in the Pacific Ocean on a voyage from New Zealand to Canada in 1841. Several other sailors also confirmed its existence, but Captain Scott could not find the island when he sailed over its supposed location in 1904.
On August 11, 1931, the Sydney Morning Herald of Australia reported that a joint British, Australian and New Zealand expedition bound for Antarctica passed right by the supposed location of Dougherty Island and failed to find it. The weather was clear, and no islands were observed within a radius of 19 kilometers. As a result, Dougherty Island was removed from British maps in 1937.
8. Emerald
south of Macquarie Island (near Antarctica)
In 1821, Captain Norkells discovered an island south of Macquarie Island and not far from Antarctica. He named it after his ship, the Emerald. There was an impression that Emerald Island he himself determined who should see him and who should not, since he supposedly appeared and disappeared at his own discretion. Some expeditions have claimed to have seen the island, while others have reported that they were unable to find it. Some have even claimed that the island is moving so people can't find it in its intended location. Others said that the island really existed, but sank to the bottom of the ocean due to seismic activity.
There were also disagreements about the appearance of the island among those who allegedly saw it. Some said that the Emerald was mountainous with steep cliffs, while others claimed that it was hilly with green forests. In 1890, one captain even said that it was small and so rocky that there was no suitable place to land on it. In 1840, two ships under the command of Commodore Wilkes of the United States passed over the supposed location of Emerald Island and found nothing. So did the search for Captain Soule in 1877, and for Shackleton and Amundsen in 1909 and 1910.
However, two interesting incidents occurred in the area of the supposed location of the island in 1894 and 1949. In 1894, a Norwegian expedition to the South Pole spotted what scientists thought was an island. However, it turned out to be an iceberg. The HMNZS Pukaki of the Royal New Zealand Navy also discovered the island in April 1949. As they got closer, the crew discovered that the supposed island was actually a group of clouds that had settled on the water.
9. Demon Island
northeast of Newfoundland
In 1542, Jean-François de Roberval, lieutenant general of New France (now Canada), sailed on three ships from France to New France. He landed his cousin Marguerite de la Roque, her sailor lover, and her maid on "Demon Island", which is believed to be Quirpon Island in present-day Newfoundland. Legend has it that demons and wild animals lived on the island and attacked anyone who dared to set foot on its shore. Why Roberval dropped off his cousin remains unknown.
Some say that he did this because Margarita became pregnant by a lover, while others claim that he wanted to take over her fortune. Soon the maid and lover Rokk died on the island, but the girl survived and even gave birth to a child. The child then died, leaving her alone on the island until she was rescued by fishermen in 1544. The veracity of this story is questionable, as the Isle of Demon was removed from the maps in the middle of the 17th century, since no one else found it.
10. Saxemberg
near the Tristan da Cunha archipelago (South Atlantic)
Saxemberg Island was discovered by John Lindes Lindeman in 1670. According to Lindemann, the island, supposedly located in the South Atlantic, was flat with a mountain at its center. Several subsequent expeditions did not find the island, although, for example, the Australian captain Matthew Flinders searched for it very carefully in 1801. In 1804, Captain Galloway claimed to have spotted the island and even its central mountain. Captain Howard confirmed his claims in 1816. Other sailors also began to claim that they saw the island, and some even said that they landed on it.
Major General Alexander Beatson even gave a detailed account of the island's flora in 1816. Moreover, he developed his theory, arguing that the island of Saxemberg, along with the islands of Ascension and Gough (which do exist) once constituted a single ancient continent. The island of Saxemberg itself continued to appear on the maps until it finally disappeared from them in the 19th century.
Maps are not only useful for travelers. They also provide inspiration for creativity. It is worth seeing to understand that this is indeed the case.
Sourced from listverse.com
There are islands that were "discovered" and added to the maps before it turned out that they did not exist. However, the discoverers of such islands often claim to have seen them, and some even claim to have landed on them. But the expeditions that went to the supposed islands often found the serene expanse of the ocean and nothing more, although there were those who claimed to have also seen the islands.
We have identified ten such islands. This list does not include islands that were added to maps specifically to mislead. Each of these islands has been reported as actually seen, although some of them turned out to be fictitious. However, they all appeared on the maps.
10. Sandy Island
The fact that Sandy Island does not exist was only discovered in 2012. Prior to that, it appeared on several maps, including Google Earth, where it was located between Australia and French-administered New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean. The existence of the island was first recorded by the British whaling ship Velocity in 1876, and in 1908 it appeared on the British map.
Several expeditions failed to locate the island and it was removed from some maps in the 1970s. However, he remained on other maps. Oddly enough, the island does not appear on French maps, which means that the French either knew that it did not exist, or was not aware of its supposed existence. If the island really existed, it would belong to France, since it was in French waters.
The fact that the island does not exist was proved by scientists from the University of Sydney who decided to visually confirm its existence after their charts showed that the supposed location of the island should be at a depth of 1400 meters. It is believed that the Velocity crew saw a pumice stone raft, which they mistook for an island.
Pumice rafts are floating rocks formed as a result of volcanic activity. They are known to swim in the places where Sandy Island was supposed to be.
9. Saint Brendan's Island
Photo: Guillaume Delisle
If the ancient maps were correct, Saint Brendan's Island must have been in the North Atlantic, west of the Canary Islands and south of the Azores. The island is named after Saint Brendan, an Irish monk who claimed to have discovered it in 512. Saint Brendan didn't just find the island. He and 14 monks landed on it and even lived there for two weeks.
A monk named Barino (Barino) even described the island, saying that it was covered with mountains, forests, where birds lived and flowers grew. Other expeditions searched for the island, but to no avail, and by the 13th century it became apparent that it did not exist. Marcus Martinez, a Spanish historian, even described it as "a lost island, discovered by Saint Brendan, but never found again".
However, another sailor claimed to have found the island in the 1400s but was unable to land on it due to bad weather. This renewed interest in the island and the King of Portugal sent several ships to the island, which never returned. St. Brendan's Island continued to appear on maps, and ships continued to search for it until the 18th century, when everyone finally came to the conclusion that it did not exist.
According to the Journal of the Bizarre website, Saint Brendan's Island actually existed. However, he sank into the water and is now under the ocean. There may be a grain of truth in this, as a seamount called the Great Meteor Seamount is underwater just where the island should have been.
8. High - Brazil (Hy-Brasil)
Photo: Ocultoreveladoaverdade
High - Brazil - a non-existent island, which, according to rumors, was located about 320 kilometers from the western coast of Ireland. On some maps, it was even depicted as two islands, although they were called the same. The island first appeared on maps in 1325 and was marked on them until the 1800s, when it was declared a hoax. There are also some myths associated with it.
The Europeans believed that an advanced civilization lived on it, while the Irish said that the island was covered in thick fog and could only be seen once in seven. The name, shape and location of the island on the maps often changed, although it remained in the same place. Between 1480 and 1481, England sent three expeditions to the island, but no one ever found it. However, in 1497 a Spanish diplomat claimed that one of the English expeditions had found Hy-Brazil.
In 1674, a Scottish sea captain named John Nisbet claimed to have spotted the island while sailing from France to Ireland. He claimed that four of his crew landed on the island and stayed there all day. The veracity of Nisbet's claims is questionable, since he further said that an old man lived on the island, who gave them gold and silver, and a magician who lived in the castle.
The next expedition was made by Captain Alexander Johnson (Alexander Johnson), he also claimed that he landed on the island, although he did not mention whether the old man gave him gold. In 1872, Robert O'Flaherty and T.J. Westropp also claimed to have seen Hy-Brazil with their own eyes. Westropp even said that he visited him three times, including once when he took his family with him, he claimed that they saw the island appear and disappear.
7. Frisland
Photo: Nicolo Zeno
In 1558, Nicolo Zeno of Venice claimed that two of his ancestors, Antonio and Nicolo, had discovered an island called Friesland in the 1380s. Zeno claimed that the island was south of Iceland, Norway was located to the east of it, and Estotiland (Estotiland) to the west. Estotiland itself was either Newfoundland or Labrador in North America. If so, it means that Zeno's ancestors reached America before Columbus.
It is believed that Zeno invented Friesland Island because he wanted to be famous. And the Venetians fell for his lies because they wanted their navy to remain significant, as it was eclipsed by the maritime forces of Spain, France and England.
Friesland appeared on several maps before it was declared a hoax in the 19th century, but not before a few sailors claimed to have seen it. In 1576, the Englishman Martin Frobisher mistook Greenland for Friesland, and John Dee even named it England in 1580. Then, in 1989, Giorgio Padoan, a philologist (who studies history), claimed that Zeno was telling the truth and that the Italians had reached the New World before Columbus.
6. Buss Island
Photo: John Seller
Buss Island is a non-existent island that was supposedly located between Ireland and the non-existent Friesland. It was discovered by Martin Frobisher, who, as we have already mentioned, mistook Greenland for Friesland. In 1578, he probably mistook another island for one not yet discovered, and named it Buss Island.
Captain Thomas Shepard claimed that in 1671 he landed on the island of Buss and put it on the map, which forced England to send an expedition there. The expedition was unable to find the island. In order to find the legendary island of Buss, many expeditions were equipped, but none of them managed to find it, at the same time, ships that did not look for the island always claimed to have found it.
In 1776, the proposed location of Buss Island was reported to be shallow, leading some to believe that it had sunk. It was even renamed Sunken Land of Buss. However, the expedition of John Ross (John Ross) in 1818 showed that where the island is supposed to be, it is deep. Buss Island continued to appear on maps until it was removed from them in the 19th century.
5. Crocker Land
Photo: Scout
Like Friesland, Crocker Land is another island that has been dreamed up from start to finish. This time, the author of the hoax was Robert Peary, who was trying to raise funds for an expedition to the Arctic. Peary claimed in 1907 that, on an earlier expedition in 1906, he had discovered a new island near Greenland, which was located in Northern Canada 209 kilometers northwest of Cape Thomas Hubbard.
He named the island Crocker's Land in honor of George Crocker, one of the sponsors of his 1906 expedition, who provided the sum of $50,000. Peary wanted another $50,000 from Crocker, which is why the fake island was needed. Peary even wrote a book called "Closest to the Pole" in which he talked about his fictional island. Everyone believed him, and several explorers even started looking for the island.
Crocker Land remained elusive, leading some to call it "the lost Atlantis of the North". However, the island appeared on Arctic maps created between 1910 and 1913. This new land, which in some circles was even called a continent, aroused widespread interest, especially in the United States, until the island was exposed as a Peary fantasy.
4. Dougherty Island
Photo: Wikimedia
Some call it Doheti Island, but it doesn't matter because it doesn't exist. Dougherty Island was named after Captain Daniel Dougherty, who "discovered" it far to the south in the Pacific during his voyage from New Zealand to Canada in 1841. Several other sailors also confirmed the existence of the island, but one Captain Scott was unable to find it when he passed by the supposed location of the island in 1904.
On August 11, 1931, The Sydney Morning Herald of Australia reported that a joint British-Australian-New Zealand expedition bound for Antarctica passed by the supposed location of Dougherty Island and failed to find it.
Details of the incident were noted by the captain of the ship, Captain Mackenzie, who stated that the ship passed directly over the place where the island was said to be. The weather was clear, but no island was visible within a radius of 19 kilometers, so it could not be anywhere else. Dougherty Island was removed from British maps in 1937.
3. Emerald Island
Photo: August Heinrich Petermann, Hermann Habenicht
In 1821, south of Macquarie Island and not far from Antarctica, Captain Nockells spotted an island. He named it after his ship Emerald (Emerald). It seems that Emerald Island chose who to show and who not, as he allegedly appeared and disappeared at will. Some expeditions claimed to have seen it, while others reported they could not find it. Some have even claimed that the island is changing location so it cannot be seen in its intended location. Others said that the island really existed, but went under water as a result of seismic activity.
Those who claim to have seen the island cannot decide what it looks like. Some say that its surface is mountainous, with steep cliffs, while others say that it is hilly and covered with green forests. In 1890, one captain noted that the island was small and rocky, and there was no suitable place to land on it.
In 1840, two American ships under the command of Commodore Wilks passed over the supposed location of Emerald Island and found nothing. Captain Soule also passed over the supposed location of the island in 1877 and also found nothing. Shackleton and Amundsen in 1909 and 1910 sailed past where the island was supposed to be and also found nothing.
However, in 1894 and 1949, two interesting incidents occurred near the island's claimed location. In 1894, a Norwegian expedition heading for the South Pole spotted what they thought was an island. However, this turned out to be an iceberg. The Royal New Zealand Navy patrol HMNZS Pukaki also spotted the island in April 1949. As they got closer, the crew discovered that the supposed island was actually a group of clouds that appeared to be on the water.
2. Demon Island
Photo: Taringa.net
In 1542, Jean-Francois de Roberval, lieutenant-general of new France (now Canada), left the shores of France to sail for New France in three ships. With him was his cousin, Marguerite de la Rocque, whom he, along with her lover and maid, landed on Demon Island, which was presumably Quirpon Island in present-day Newfoundland. Legend has it that Demon Island was full of demons and beasts that attacked anyone who dared to set foot on it.
Why Roberval dropped off his cousin there remains unknown. Some say he hated her for having a relationship with her lover, while others say he wanted to take over her property. One entry also says that Roberval actually landed Roque's lover, and she decided to join him, although according to the arc version, it was Rock who landed, and the lover decided to stay with her. Nowhere does it say that the maid joined them of her own accord.
Rock's maid and lover died on the island, but Rock herself survived and even gave birth to a child. The child later died and she remained alone on the island until she was rescued by fishermen in 1544. How true this story is is questionable, as Demon Island was removed from maps in the mid-17th century, as it was concluded that it did not exist.
1. Saxemberg Island
Saxemberg Island was discovered by John Lindesz Lindeman in 1670. According to Lindemann, the island, supposedly located in the South Atlantic, is flat and has a mountain in its center. Several expeditions that followed this discovery claimed to have seen the island, although the Australian navigator Mathew Flinders searched extensively in 1801 and found nothing.
In 1804, Captain Galloway claimed to have spotted an island and even saw a mountain in the center. In 1816, Captain Head (Head) confirmed these words. Other sailors also noted that they saw the island, and some even claimed to have landed on it.
Some Major General Alexander Beatson even made a detailed account of the flora of the island in 1816. He expanded on his theory by stating that Saxemberg Island, along with Ascension, Tristan da Cunha and Gough (which all exist in reality) formed from the same continent. The island of Saxemberg itself continued to appear on maps until it was declared non-existent in the 19th century.