For some time now I have been an island marketer and the journey as been worth every moment. When I first discovered the Net, all I used to do was read my emails and surf.
Then I realized that the net had more than that to offer to me. There are opportunities being thrown all around at you from all angles as soon as you log on.
Schemers, scammers and legitimate marketers are all clamoring for your attention and money. Make $10,000 in 30 days claims, emails from relatives of dead African leaders, various affiliate programs and many more are all common anywhere you go.
I used to believe all the hype surrounding becoming wealthy off the Net, but time and experience all changed that. It is possible to make money on the internet, but you better be prepared for the long haul. It takes time to become an overnight success, well that is what I heard and it is so true.
I think some of the hype online is true indeed. I have heard of marketers making thousands of dollars in a few days without much effort. This is where so many people go astray. They believe that they can do the same starting today and have money lining their pockets by next week.
But the truth is the hype is only half true. What they fail to Tell you is that yes it can be accomplished, it just takes a lot of work and discipline to reach that level. Most marketers work for years before they achieve what the hypers are preaching.
But don

Ask me which Pacific island has the most to offer hikers and Ill probably answer Easter Island. Here on an island 11 km wide and 23 km long youll find nearly a thousand ancient Polynesian statues strewn along a powerfully beautiful coastline or littering the slopes of an extinct volcano. Getting there is easy as Easter Island can be included in the Oneworld Explorer airpass introduced on http://www.southpacific.org/air.html , and a fine selection of inexpensive places to stay and eat await you.
The legends of Easter Island have been recounted many times. Whats less known is that the islands assorted wonders are easily accessible on foot from the comfort of the only settlement, Hanga Roa. Before setting out see the sights, however, visit the excellent archaeological museum next to Ahu Tahai on the north side of town the term "ahu" refers to an ancient stone platform. Aside from the exhibits, the museum has maps which can help you plan your trip. On online map is available at http://www.mapsouthpacific.com/easter_island/
The first morning after arrival, I suggest you climb Easter Islands most spectacular volcano, Rano Kau, where Orongo, a major archaeological site, sits on the craters rim. But rather than marching straight up the main road to the crater, look for the unmarked shortcut trail off a driveway to the right just past the forestry station south of town. It takes under two hours to cover the six km from Hanga Roa to Orongo, but bring along a picnic lunch and make a day of it. If climbing a 316-meter hill sounds daunting, you can take a taxi to the summit for around US$6 and easily walk back later in the day. Once on top, youll find hiking down into the colourful crater presents no difficulty. It may also look easy to go right around the crater rim, but only do so if youre a very experienced hiker and have a companion along as shear 250-meter cliffs drop into the sea from the ridge.
Another day, rise early and take a taxi to lovely Anakena Beach at the end of the paved road on the north side of the island you should pay under US$10 for the 20 km. A few of the famous Easter Island statues have been restored at Anakena and you could go for a swim, although the main reason youve come is the chance to trek back to Hanga Roa around the road-free northwest corner of the island. Youll pass numerous abandoned statues lying facedown where they fell, and the only living creatures youre unlikely to encounter are the small brown hawks which will watch you intently from perches on nearby rocks. If you keep moving, youll arrive back in town in five or six hours but take adequate food, water, and sunscreen. This is probably the finest coastal walk in the South Pacific.
Almost as good is the hike along the south coast, although youre bound to run into other tourists here as a paved highway follows the shore. Begin early and catch a taxi to Rano Raraku, the stone quarry where all of the islands statues were born. This is easily the islands most spectacular sight with 397 statues in various stages of completion lying scattered around the crater. And each day large tour groups come to Rano Raraku to sightsee and have lunch. However, if you arrive before 9 am, youll have the site to yourself for a few hours. When you see the first tour buses headed your way, hike down to Ahu Tongariki on the coast, where 15 massive statues were reerected in 1994. From here, just start walking back toward Hanga Roa 20 km along the south coast. Youll pass many fallen statues and enjoy some superb scenery. Whenever you get tired, simply go up onto the highway and stick out your thumb and youll be back in town in a jiffy.
An outstanding 13-km walk begins at the museum and follows the west coast five km north to Ahu Tepeu. As elsewhere, keep your eyes pealed for banana trees growing out of the barren rocks as these often indicate caves you can explore. Inland from Ahu Tepeu is one of the islands most photographed sites, Ahu Akivi, with seven statues restored in 1960. From here an interior farm road runs straight back to town study the maps at the museum carefully, as youll go far out of your way if you choose the wrong road here.
A shorter hike takes you up Puna Pau, a smaller crater which provided stone for the red topknots that originally crowned the islands statues. Theres a great view of Hanga Roa from the three crosses on an adjacent hill and you can easily do it all in half a day. A different walk takes you right around the 3,353-meter airport runway, which crosses the island just south of town. Near the east end of the runway is Ahu Vinapu with perfectly fitted monolithic stonework bearing an uncanny resemblance to similar constructions in Peru.
Easter Islands moderate climate and scant vegetation make for easy cross country hiking, and you wont find yourself blocked by fences and private property signs very often. You could also tour the island by mountain bike, available from several locations at US$10 a day. If you surf or scuba dive, there are many opportunities here. A minimum of five days are needed to see the main sights of Easter Island, and two weeks would be far better. The variety of things to see and do will surprise you, and youll be blessed with some unforgettable memories.

About The Author

David Stanley is the author of Moon Handbooks South Pacific http://www.southpacific.org/pacific.html which has a chapter on Easter Island. His online guide to Easter Island may be perused at http://www.southpacific.org/text/finding_easter.html
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Natural, untouched beauty! Thats what New Zealands South Island is all about. The South Island is home to the Southern Alps and some great skiing and snow boarding opportunities.
Christchurch is the busiest city in the South Island and also offers an international airport, with flights connecting directly to a lot of overseas destinations. The Sumner Beach, Gondola, Avon river and Cashmere hills are the main attractions in Chistchurch. The city centre is always busy with trams running frequently making it a great place to hang out!
Dunedin with its Cadburys factory and Queenstown with its adventure attractions are the other two cities that cant be missed in the South Island. Queenstown also has bungee jumping opportunities, jet boats and ski dive opportunities. Milford sound tours also leave from Queenstown, and are highly recommended. Stewart island can also be visited by ferries leaving Invercargill.
Most cities in the South Island are well connected by Trans Rail and thats perhaps the most convenient way to travel. Alternately, rental cars can also be booked and a drive along the West Coast is highly recommended. Getting to the South Island from the North Island is possible by either catching the Interislander ferry from Wellington or a Sounds Air flight from Wellington airport. Domestic flights run by Air New Zealand and other airlines also connect most other cities in the South Island to Wellington.

About The Author

Ramnish Gupta is based in New Zealand and has a keen interest in travel and photography. His website http://www.newzealandphotography.co.nz has travel information and photographs from all over New Zealand.
ram@newzealandphotography.co.nz

From Cape Reinga in the north right through to Wellington in the south, New Zealands North Island offers some unique opportunities to tourist and locals alike.
Auckland city is the busiest New Zealand city and arguably the commercial capital of New Zealand. Being one of the most populated cities, Auckland offers some of the best shopping opportunities in New Zealand.
Wellington is the capital city and has a population of around 400,00. The main attraction in Wellington would have to be Te Papa, which is a museum located in the city. While at Te Papa, make time for a stroll around Queens wharf or a cruise in the Wellesley or catch a play at Circa theatre. The Interislander ferry can also be caught from Wellington to travel across the Cook strait to Picton in the South Island.
Other attractions in the North Island include the Maori village in Rotorua, ski fields in the central North Island, stunning beaches in the Coromandel and Hawkes Bay, Huka falls near Taupo and Mt Taranaki also known as Mt Egmont, which was the location for the filming of the Tom Cruise flick "The Last Samurai". Lord of the Rings tours are also available and extremely popular with Tolkien fans!

About The Author

Ramnish Gupta is based in New Zealand and has a keen interest in travel and photography. How website http://www.newzealandphotography.co.nz has travel information and photographs from all over New Zealand.
ram@newzealandphotography.co.nz

Cocos Island National Park
Sank in the middle of the infinite Pacific Ocean, we find the Cocos Island. It is one of the protected areas with the greatest diversity in terms of wildlife and one of the best places for Costa Rica Scuba Diving Vacation. It is a huge natural laboratory for scientists and nature lovers. It has 2.400 Ha, with 510 species of sea mollusks, 362 species of insects, 235 species of plants, 200 species of fish, 97 species of birds, 57 species of crustaceans, 3 species of spiders and 2 species of reptiles. In this huge diversity, there are over 130 species of endemic flora and fauna. It is an ideal place for scuba diving, snorkeling, bird watching and wildlife watching.
The trip to Cocos Island is in itself a great adventure. After traveling for over 36 hours on the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, a "green bouquet is seen far into the sea".
Legends say that pirates and corsairs, like William Davies, Benito Bonito and William Thompson, found a safe place to hide their treasures in this Island. For many, Robert Stevenson was inspired on those tales of sailors to write his famous novel the Treasure Island.
Although you will not find golden medals or precious gems, you will find the most valuable treasure of all: The natural richness of flora and fauna.
As soon as you arrive, it is as if time is suddenly going back, as taking a leap to an old world, a place that remains intact through time. Cocos Island is probably one of the places with most endemic flora and fauna in the world.
In just 2.400 hectares, there have always been 139 endemic species in the national park. More than 230 species of plants, out of which 70 are endemic, including the Palo de Hierro Sacogiottis holdridgei. More than 85 species of birds inhabit the park, but 3 of them can only be seen in Cocos Island National Park: Cuclillo from Cocos Island Coccyzus ferrugineus; Mosquerito Nesotriccus ridgwayi and Pinzon from Cocos Island Pinaroloxias inomata. Two reptiles joined the selective and exclusive list of species that are unique in the world: Lizard Norops townsendi and the Salamander Sphaerodactuylus pacificus.
If you are already amazed with the natural panorama in land, come on and explore the depths...many more treasures are waiting for you. Scuba Diving at Cocos Island implies a unique experience for any diver as soon as you go down, a world full of life appears before your eyes, thousands of fish swimming around you forming a synchrony of colors, a rainbow in the plenitude of the ocean.you will be hypnotized when your eyes are set of great schools of hammer shark Sphyna lewinior when you see the amazing white finned sharks Triaenodon obesus swimming very close to you.
Today, as it was for the buccaneers, the only way to get to Cocos is by boat. Divers, who make up the vast majority of visitors, usually arrive on live-aboard dive boats a 9- or 10-day trip from the port of Puntarenas. If they go ashore, its usually only to dry out for a spell. But exploring the 14-square-mile, virtually uninhabited island that Jacques Cousteau once called the most beautiful in the world isnt really a hardship. There are other Cocos Islands in the world near Guam, Australia, and Mauritius to name a few, but there is only one "Shark Island. " Thats a good thing, right
Field Notes
Scuba Diving: As dive site names go, Dirty Rock isnt the most inviting, but this rocky outcropping about a half mile off the north shore of the island has one of the largest hammerhead shark populations in the world, along with giant manta rays. Expect 120-foot-plus visibility. For even more mantas, head to Dampier Head at the southwest corner of the island, where rays with wingspans up to 10 feet seem to like to swim with divers.
Nature, Nature and Nature. A natural laboratory similar in some ways to the Galapagos which lacks the tropical rainforest here, Cocos is home to an estimated 60 endemic animal species. Bird watchers will note that the rocky islets off the island are prime nesting areas for seabirds, including the red-footed booby, and that three of the islands 70 or so species include three found nowhere else: the Cocos Cuckoo, the Cocos Finch shades of Darwin!, and the Cocos Flycatcher.
Hiking: For a little legwork between dives, head up 2,092-foot Mount Yglesias, the highest peak on the island. The trail to the summit, one of several on the island, leads through rainforest and passes the wreck of a B-24 in the jungle, and the view of the Pacific at the top might even make you forget about your swim fins for a while.
For more information, visit http://www.mytraveltocostarica.com/

About The Author

Aventuras Elegantes is a Costa Rica Travel Expert.
Visit http://www.mytraveltocostarica.com/
info@mytraveltocostarica.com

Imagine, 42 square miles of golf and surf
Hilton Head Island is appropriately called Golf Island. Located just off the coast of South Carolina, the semi- tropical 12-mile barrier island is devoted to providing world-class golf, tennis or water-recreation activities to the 2.5 million visitors who arrive annually. The majority are seniors, who faithfully return each year during the balmy winter months.
Hilton Head Island was the first eco-planned destination in the United States, in the mid-1950s. Those early efforts to protect the unique, scenic ecosystem have served as historic models for contemporary land-use planning. Any visitor today encounters the same fertile salt marshes, forests of moss- draped oaks, and pristine beaches enjoyed by the island