The Fountains of Bellagio

Take in a complimentary Las Vegas show of water, music and light thoughtfully interwoven to mesmerize its admirers. All for your amusement, the most ambitious, choreographically complex water feature ever conceived amazes against the beautiful backdrop of Las Vegas' lavender sky. Each dynamic performance from the Fountains collection is unique in its expression and interpretation. Fall in love with the stunning nature of this unprecedented aquatic accomplishment while relishing a clever concert of opera, classical and Broadway tunes.

The Fountains of Bellagio are sited in an eight-acre lake located in front of the Bellagio Hotel. The idea and character for the fountain were conceived by Mr. Steve Wynn, Chairman of Mirage Resorts, who commissioned WET Design to realize his objectives for the fountain's site.



The Project took form in the summer of 1995, when Mr. Wynn, together with Mark Fuller and Claire Kahn of WET Design, determined the feature's essential character. Among the Project's objectives was the concept of creating a work that would be vibrantly kinetic and elating for visitors, while expressing the romantic spirit of Bellagio


The result of the collaboration between Mr. Wynn and the WET Design team is the most ambitious water feature ever conceived in terms of choreographic complexity and scale.




Located within the lake and spanning its 1,000 foot length is an array of over 1,000 water expressions and over 4,000 individually programmed white lights. Within this plan is a combination of water forms that enables the fountains to interpret and perform to selected musical pieces. Some of the movement is continuous, responding to the smooth, legato passages of music, while other water jets are rapidly pulsing and staccato. The simplicity of the layout of water elements and the variety of vertical water expressions available in the fountain allow for breadth and variety in the fountain's kinetics. A range of musical works was chosen by Mr.Wynn for the fountain's shows, from classical and operatic pieces to popular music and songs from Broadway shows. In addition, Mr. Wynn and WET invited designers, musicians and performance artists to choreograph the fountain to the different musical selections. The result is a rich and dynamic collection of performances in water, each unique and expressive of its own musical character and the artist who created it. The performances range from delicate and whimsical to grand and commanding.






Visitors to Bellagio will be welcomed with an experience in water performance like none other. One that will lift their spirits and leave them with a feeling of elation and joy.

Ciudad de las artes y las ciencias Valencia – spain

A truly mind-blowing confection of some of Europe's most awesome architecture, the City of Arts and Science in Valencia is fast becoming one of Spain's top tourist attractions.

This futuristic "city within a city" must surely rank as one of the world's most exciting and imaginative millennium projects. The entire complex, designed to celebrate the arrival of the 21 st century, looks as though it might have been beamed down to earth from another planet.

And it's a down to earth approach which really defines this space age cultural complex because it's all about firing the masses with enthusiasm for the arts and science. The breathtaking structures are enough in themselves to lure visitors in their millions. You don't have to be an opera buff or science boffin to enjoy a day out here - in fact if you're on a tight budget you can just wander round this incredible "city" without even buying an entrance ticket.

Santiago Calatrava, who master-minded most of the complex, says" I am proud of the fact that people can walk through and around the main buildings without paying. It is a city to be discovered by promenading."

You can promenade for more than seven kilometres around the complex thanks to the vision of this internationally acclaimed architect, artist and engineer who allowed his imagination free rein when it came to designing one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by his native city.

Many Valencians admit to having visited the arts and science city scores of times without ever having bought an entrance ticket to any of its four star turns: the "Hemesferic", Planetarium, the Principe Felipe Science Museum, the Oceanarium and the Reina Sofia Arts Palace

The Hemesferic was the first building to be completed in 1998 - an extraordinary Calatrava creation resembling a huge eyeball floating above a pool of water. The eye even blinks with the aid of a steel and glass shutter operated by hydraulic lifts. When you've finished drinking in the impossibility of the building's architecture it's well worth taking in a show at the Hemesferic's planetarium or Imax theatre.

The centerpiece of the whole complex is the equally awesome science museum which opened alongside the Hemesferic in 2000. Some people reckon it looks like a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton from the outside whilst others see it as the spine of some huge, prehistoric fish. And certainly for many visitors the building itself is the star exhibit despite the many fascinating hands-on science displays contained within it.

Children love the fact that the museum is a far cry from those fusty halls of hallowed ancient artifacts with show cases bedecked with "don't touch" signs. Touching is essential for most of the Felipe museum's exhibits which encourage learning through curiosity and entertainment this is "edutainment" 21 st century style and there are few places in Europe which do it better.

Next door to the museum you'll find the "Oceanografic", Europe's biggest marine park which is home to 500 species of fish and other sea creatures from every ocean of the world. It's a fascinating underwater world where you can take a virtual stroll from one side of the Atlantic to the other through a shark tunnel or get a real feel for marine life in the touch pool. You could easily spend an entire day in the oceanarium which boasts everything from white whales and walruses to dolphin displays and an underwater auditorium with a Red Sea aquarium as its backdrop. The Oceanografic was designed by Spanish architect Felix Candela (the other three buildings in the complex are all the work of Calatrava.)

he city was completed with the official opening of the majestic 1,888 opera house (Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia) by Spain's Queen Sofia in October 2005. This impressive multi-hall "palace of the arts" has a mission to promote a passion for dance, theatre and classical music among a wider cross section of society including school children.

You can buy individual entrance tickets for each building or reduced price tickets allowing entrance to two or more attractions.

Opening Times:
L'Hemisferic
Mon-Fri 11am-2pm and 4-8pm, Sat-Sun 11am-2pm and 4-9pm.

Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe
Mon-Fri and Sun 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-8pm

L'Oceanografic
Mon-Fri and Sun 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-8pm

The World Island Dubai

The World is a man-made archipelago of 300 islands constructed in the shape of a world map and located 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) off the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The World is one of several artificial island projects being constructed in Dubai, others being the Palm Islands. Like the other artificial island projects, The World is built primarily using sand dredged from the sea. It was developed by Nakheel Properties and was originally conceived by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.

Each island in the archipelago ranges from about 14,000 m² (150,000 square feet) to 42,000 m² (450,000 square feet). The distance between each island will be an average of 100 metres (328 feet). The entire development covers an area of 9 km in length and 6 km in width, surrounded by an oval breakwater. Roughly 232 km (144 miles) of shoreline has been created.[1] The overall development cost of The World was estimated as 14 billion USD. As for the individual islands, prices range between 15 and 50 million USD. One island is still for sale at a price of 250 million USD.

Video - The World Island

The project was unveiled on 6 May 2003 by Sheikh Mohammed. Dredging began four months later in September 2003. By January 2008, 60% of the islands had been sold, 20 of which were bought in the first four months of 2007. On 10 January 2008, the final stone on the breakwater was laid, completing initial development. The next phase of the project is to hand over the individual islands to developers.

Unconfirmed developments

Since the project's commencement, there have been many unconfirmed reports of celebrities who have purchased, or intend to purchase, islands.

In March 2006, Richard Branson appeared at a media conference on the Great Britain island. However, this was to announce direct London to Dubai flights by Virgin Atlantic, and was not related to his investing in the project.

Fijian golfer Vijay Singh has been linked to the archipelago, but it is not confirmed that he has bought or intends to buy an island; he is involved with another Nakheel Properties development in Jumeirah on the Dubai mainland.

On 24 October 2006 seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher was presented with one of the islands by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on the occasion of his final Grand Prix, in Brazil. Schumacher's manager Willi Weber, suggested, "Perhaps he'll build a kart racing track on [the island]."

British superstars Rod Stewart and David Beckham have also been rumoured to have bought into this project, but neither of these have been confirmed. Beckham does own a villa on the nearby Palm Jumeirah.

On 3 May 2007 Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee announced that he was buying the Greece Island for Pamela Anderson, his ex-wife and the mother of their two children. Lee said he chose the island because of his own Greek heritage, and he hopes Pam, the kids and he can spend time there together.

On 15 November 2007 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were reported to have purchased the island Ethiopia. This has since been denied by the couple.

Confirmed developments

Nakheel Group is itself further developing a resort named Coral Island over 20 islands that make up the North American part of The World. The low-rise development will include a marina and hotel village.

The second largest confirmed development is the purchase of 14 islands that make up AustraliaNew Zealand by Investment Dar. The islands are being terraformed to be developed as a resort named OQYANA. and

Irish business consortium Larionovo has plans to develop the Ireland island into an Irish-themed resort. The plans include a large internal marina, apartments and villas, a gym, hotel, and Irish-themed pub. In July 2007, it was announced that "Ireland" Island would feature a recreation of Northern Ireland's famous Giants Causeway.

Cinnovation Group has acquired a 37,000 square metres (400,000 sq ft) island as part of a project valued at $200 million USD. Guest and residential villas and a hospitality complex are planned.

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre will establish a 6,000 square metres (65,000 sq ft) pearling and marine entertainment center in association with Paspaley Pearling Corporation. It will be located on an island in the Antarctica region of The World.

In April 2008, Salya Corporation announced that it had acquired the islands of "Finland" and "Brunei" in The World. They plan to developed the two islands into fashion-themed resorts. To purchase the islands, Salya spent about Dh800 million (218 million USD) and will spend Dh2.4 billion (654 million USD) to develop the islands. Brunei Island will be turned into a Fashion TV resort and Finland Island will be turned into a fashion community called FTV palace.

Palm Island – Dubai – Mega structure

The Palm Islands are artificial islands in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on which major commercial and residential infrastructure will be constructed. The islands are the largest land reclamation projects in the world and will result in the world's largest artificial islands. They are being constructed by Nakheel Properties, a property developer in the United Arab Emirates, who hired the Dutch dredging and marine contractor Van Oord, one of the world's specialists in land reclamation. The islands are the Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali and the Palm Deira.

The islands were commissioned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in order to increase Dubai's tourism. Each settlement will be in the shape of a palm tree, topped with a crescent, and will have a large number of residential, leisure and entertainment centers. The Palm Islands are located off the coast of The United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf and will add 520 km of beaches to the city of Dubai.

The first two islands will comprise approximately 100 million cubic meters of rock and sand. Palm Deira will be composed of approximately 1 billion cubic meters of rock and sand. All materials will be quarried in the UAE. Between the three islands there will be over 100 luxury hotels, exclusive residential beach side villas and apartments, marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, shopping malls, sports facilities and health spas.

The creation of the Palm Jumeirah began in June 2001. Shortly after, the Palm Jebel Ali was announced and reclamation work began. The Palm Deira, which is planned to have a surface area of 46.35 million square metres and which the developer, Nakheel, claims is a surface area larger than that of Paris, began development in 2003. Construction will be completed over the next 10-15 years.

Construction

The Palm Islands are artificial peninsulas constructed of sand dredged from the bottom of the Persian Gulf by the Belgian company Jan De Nul and the Dutch company Van Oord. The sand is sprayed by the dredging ships, which are guided by DGPS, onto the required area in a process known as rainbowing because of the arcs in the air when the sand is sprayed. The outer edge of each Palm's encircling crescent is a large rock breakwater. The breakwater of the Palm Jumeirah has over 7 million tons of rock. Each rock was placed individually by a crane, signed off by a diver and given a GPS coordinate. The Jan De Nul Group started working on the Palm Jebel Ali in 2002 and finished by the end of 2006. The reclamation project of the Palm Jebel Ali includes the creation of a 4 km long peninsula, protected by a 200 m wide and 17 km long breakwater built around the island. 135,000,000 m³ of rock, sand and limestone were reclaimed (partly originating from the Jebel Ali Entrance Channel dredging works). There are approximately 5,000,000 m³ of rocks in the slope protection works.

Palm Jumeirah

The Palm Jumeirah ( Coordinates: [show location on an interactive map] 25°06′28″N, 55°08′15″E ) consists of a trunk, a crown with 17 fronds, and a surrounding crescent island that forms an 11 kilometer-long breakwater. The island itself is 5 kilometers by 5 kilometers. It will add 78 kilometers to the Dubai coastline. The first phase of development on the Palm Jumeirah will create 4,000 residences with a combination of villas and apartments over the next 3 to 4 years.

Residents began moving into their Palm Jumeirah properties at the end of 2006, five years after land reclamation began, according to project developer Nakheel Properties. This signaled the end of phase one of construction, which includes approximately 1,400 villas on 11 of the fronds of the island and roughly 2,500 shoreline apartments in 20 buildings on the east side of the trunk.

Nakheel Properties will mark the arrival of the first residents by bringing one of the world's largest airships to Dubai. It has agreed to a deal with Airship Management Services Inc. for a 197 feet (60 m) long, 250,000-cubic-foot (7,100 m3) Skyship 600 dirigible.

According to Nakheel Properties officials, the process of adding 78 kilometers of beach is under way, while eight of the 32 hotels on The Palm Jumeirah have begun construction, including the Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, which is planned for completion in late 2008 or early 2009. The first phase of Atlantis, The Palm, is scheduled to be completed by December 2008.

The "Golden Mile", the strip of land located along the center of the trunk overlooking the canal, is set for completion in the first quarter of 2008. Construction has also begun on the Palm Jumeirah Monorail, which will take three years to complete and will serve as a transit system between the Gateway Station at the trunk of The Palm Jumeirah and the Atlantis Station on the crescent. (Emirates News Agency, WAM)

The Palm Jebel Ali began construction in October 2002 and is expected to be completed in mid 2008.[1] The Palm Jebel Ali is expected to accommodate 1.7 million people by 2020. Once it has been completed, it will be encircled by Dubai Waterfront. The project, which is 50 percent larger than the Palm Jumeirah, will include six marinas, a water theme park, 'Sea Village', homes built on stilts above the water, and boardwalks that circle the "fronds" of the "palm" and spell out an Arabic poem by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Take wisdom from the wise

It takes a man of vision to write on water

Not everyone who rides a horse is a jockey

Great men rise to greater challenges

As of early October 2007, construction of the island was on schedule. The breakwater was completed in December 2006, and infrastructure work began in April 2007. Major construction will not begin until most of the infrastructure work is complete.

One of the first buildings on The Palm Jebel Ali is already known. Nakheel invited several architects to design a building on a 300,000m² area. The winning design was a building by Royal Haskoning, who also worked on several other projects in Dubai. The building can be seen here.

In 2012, the first phase of four theme parks will open on the Crescent. These parks, which together will be called "World of Discovery," will be developed and operated by the Busch Entertainment Corporation. The parks include SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove. The World of Discovery will be located at the top of the Crescent, which will form into the shape of an orca (reminiscent of Shamu).

Palm Deira

The Palm Deira was announced for development in October 2004. Upon completion, it will become the world's largest man-made island, housing more than a million people. Although no timetable for completion has been announced, it is expected to be finished by 2015. This island is 8 times larger than the Palm Jumeirah, and 5 times larger that the Palm Jebel Ali. Originally, the design called for a 14km (8.7 mile) by 8.5km (5.3 mile) island with 41 fronds. Due to a substantial change in depth in the Persian Gulf the further out the island goes, the island was redesigned in May 2007. The project then became a 12.5km (7.76 mile) by 7.5km (4.66 mile) island with 18 larger fronds.[2] It will be located alongside Deira.

By early October 2007, 20% of the island's reclamation was complete, with a total of 200 million cubic metres (7 billion cubic feet) of sand already used. Then in early April 2008, Nakheel announced that more than a quarter of the total area of the Palm Deira had been reclaimed. This amounted to 300 million cubic metres (10.6 billion cubic feet) of sand. Since the island is so large, it is being developed in several phases. The first one is the creation of Deira Island.[2] This portion of the Palm will sit alongside the Deira Corniche between the entrance to Dubai Creek and Al Hamriya Port. Deira Island will act as "the gateway to The Palm Deira" and help to revitalize the aging area of Deira. By early April 2008, 80% of Deira Island Front's reclamation was complete.

Interesting Facts About Palm Island

• Due to its immense scale and unique shape, The Palm, Jumeirah and The Palm, Jebel Ali are visible from space with the naked eye.

• The creation and development of The Palm is an unparalleled feat of design and engineering. The Palm is destined to be like no other place on earth.

• The brilliance of The Palm is both in its tribute to the date palm tree, referred to as 'bride of orchard', and in its ideal geometry for creating maximum beach frontage.

• Each island will add 60 kilometres of shoreline to Dubai, increasing the UAE's beachfront by an extraordinary 166%.

• Rocks weighing a total of 7 million metre cubed (per island) are being brought in from sixteen different quarries throughout the United Arab Emirates.
• The Palm comprises approximately 100 million cubic metres of sand and rock.

• If all the fill materials used to build one Palm island were placed end to end, a wall two meters high and half a metre thick could circle the world three times

• Dredges play a prominent role in building The Palm. Sand is first dropped into place and piled at a specific angle of repose, ensuring it will hold its place.

• After the initial dumping of sand, a dredger brings the sand level to the surface with a process called "rainbowing", which literally sprays the sand into proper position.

• The Crescent surrounds the island and acts as a breakwater - able to withstand a 4m wave. It is built from the bottom up, beginning with the sand, geotextile fiber, small rocks, and then medium sized rocks, once above water.

• Expert Divers examine rock placement underwater to ensure correct positioning. Divers are also used to review placement of geotextile.

• Over 100 studies from transportation, marina design and water supply to technology and civil works have been completed to assess and ensure The Palm's feasibility.

Top 10 Must Visit World Cities

Bangkok

Bangkok is a massive sprawling city that offers charms galore. Bangkok is dotted with historical palaces and temples that offer a glimpse into the city's ancient history, yet Bangkok offers much more than beautiful temples and glorious palaces. It comfortably nestles at the forefront of Asia's most visited cities attracting millions of tourists each year. Majestic sites such as The Temple of the Dawn and The Marble Temple should not be missed. Lumphinee Park offers a diversion from Bangkok's bustling city streets. Bangkok is a modern city that encompasses a bustling nightlife, supreme shopping experiences, delicious aromas that fill up the senses from the many gorgeous restaurants and marketplaces. Bangkok's wonderful architecture and soothing climate solidifies its deserved place in this list and indeed why it so frequently crops up on similar lists.

Las Vegas

Well it had to be didn't it? Surely no list of this nature could be complete without Sin City itself, Vegas. Vegas falls into the category of love it or hate it for most people and with visitor numbers increasing each year it seems most people love it. The Entertainment Capital of the World does not disappoint. Where else can you go for a gondola cruise in the morning, see the Grand Canyon in the afternoon and be back in time to see shows such as Siegfried & Roy, Cirque du Soleil and similar headline acts in the afternoon? Ok it's not everyone's cup of tea but it is a city that has to be seen to be believed. Oh, and did I mention you can also gamble there apparently.

London

Ok the weather is not ideal, and the food can be mediocre but no list of this ilk would be complete without including London. It has attractions and sights for people of all ages and is a cosmopolitan city on a grand scale. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, London Eye, Tower of London is just a few of the majestic attractions in England's capital city. If it's good enough for The Queen well it's good enough for me, just don't forget your brolly.

New York City

So good they named it twice as the saying goes and there few cities in the world that offer the amount of iconic landmarks and attractions that New York can. Even leaving aside world famous attractions and sights such as The Empire State Building, The Statue of Liberty, and Times Square, New York is such a vibrant pulsating city that it has more than enough to tempt visitors going back time after time. It is one of the world's great shopping cities, has a nightlife second to none and has often been referred to as one of the world's great cities. You won't find an argument here.

Paris

I would like to say it was the romantic side in me that welcomes Paris to this list, but it is not, it is because it deservedly nestles here as it as a European heartbeat of culture, beauty and indeed romance and offers some of the most beautiful and majestic sights on the planet. The Eiffel Tower one of the most famous landmarks in the world proudly stands tall in this city that also is graced by Champs Elysees, Notre Dame and The Louvre. The Louvre is home to The Mona Lisa whose ageless beauty bewilders generation after generation. Paris should not be missed.

Rome

This historic city, known as The Eternal City, has some of the most historical sights in the world such as The Pantheon, The Coliseum and The Roman Forum. St Peter's Basilica is just one of the many glorious churches in Rome, and is an essential visit while in the city. Trevi Fountain is yet another treat in this majestic city. And no it wasn't built in a day.

San Francisco

The Bay area of California is home to one of America's most popular destination retreats San Francisco as well as being one of the country's most liberal cities. The hilly streets are as familiar as perhaps the city's most famous landmark, The Golden Gate Bridge. The Bay itself sparkles under the warm sun whilst San Francisco is also renowned for its famous cable cars. The twisty streets in Lombard Street are another essential visit whilst harbor tours often include a trip to Alcatraz, the famous, though now inactive, prison. San Fran is a warm wonderful city with a new treasure each time you come, and no, you don't need to wear flowers in your hair.

Sydney

Beautiful beaches, breathtaking sights and the famous Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge entwined with the beautiful weather and cosmopolitan cuisine make Sydney an unmissable city. The city is a hotbed of activity and one of the friendliest on the planet. Darling Harbour offers enthralling sights and attractions including museums, stunning hotels and shopping whilst The Rocks provides charm in abundance. Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognisable buildings of modern times and is an essential visit. Sydney has it all culture, arts, scenery, climate, and often tops Most liveable city polls. It's not hard to see why.

Tokyo

A metropolis city on a grand scale Tokyo is a vibrant almost futuristic city that engulfs one's senses from the start. Tokyo revels in shrines, museums, temples and the city's Imperial Palace. Sensoji Temple reigns amongst Tokyo's enduring sights along with The Meiji Shrine and The Imperial Palace itself. Museums align the streets competing with restaurants and shops of all descriptions. Those seeking a more modern approach have options like Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Dome City and Tokyo Disneyland. There's truly something for everyone in this great city.

Venice

Many cities claim to be unique, and indeed many are but few can compare to Venice's quirky charm and decidedly unique canals that transcend across the city. Romantic gondola rides alone do not capture the entire beauty of this marvelous city. St Marks Basilica is a glorious church that often has long lines to visit. It nestles in St Marks Square a wonderful open square with charming coffee shops and is a hive of activity as it is one of the most photographed parts of Venice. Doges Palace, The Bridge of Sighs, and The Rialto Bridge are further landmarks of this extraordinary city.

10 Most Amazing Temples Of the World

Tiger's Nest Monastery, perched precariously on the edge of a 3,000-feet-high cliff in Paro Valley, is one of the holiest places in Bhutan




Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Mai, Thailand is unlike any Buddhist temples in the world.
Prambanan is a Hindu temple in Central Java, Indonesia. The temple was built in 850 CE, and is composed of 8 main shrines and 250 surrounding smaller ones
No one knows exactly when the Shwedagon Paya [wiki] (or Pagoda) in Myanmar was built - legend has it that it is 2,500 years old though archaeologists estimate that it was built between the 6th and 10th century.
Temple of Heaven is a Taoist temple in Beijing, the capital of China. The temple was constructed in 14th century by Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty Chion-in Temple [wiki] was built in 1234 CE to honor the founder of Jodo (Pure Land) Buddhism, a priest named Honen, who fasted to death in the very spot.




In the 19th century, Dutch occupiers of Indonesia found a massive ancient ruin deep in the jungles of Java. What they discovered was the complex of Borobudur, a gigantic structure built with nearly 2 million cubic feet (55,000 m³) of stones. The temple has nearly 2,700 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues .


The Harmandir Sahib (meaning The Abode of God ) or simply the Golden Temple [wiki] in Punjab, India is the most sacred shrine of Sikhism.


The Temple of Srirangam ( Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple [wiki]), in the Indian city of Tiruchirapalli (or Trichy), is the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world (Ankor Wat is the largest of all temple, but it is currently non-functioning as a temple - see below).


Last but definitely not least is the largest temple in history and the inspiration to countless novels and action movies of Hollywood: Ankor Wat.

The Thousand Islands are a chain of islands that straddle the U.S-Canada border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. The islands stretch for about 50 mi (80 km) downstream from Kingston, Ontario.

Check For Videos at the Bottom

The islands are unique, offering a wonderful recreation experience that spans two nations. Each island has its own individuality with features such as stately granite cliffs, soft sandy bays, tall dark pines and vibrant maple trees - it’s a sightseer’s paradise. Many islands are privately owned but ample public access can be found at island parks and villages throughout the region.

Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario. The U.S. islands are in the state of New York. The islands, which number 1,865 in all, range in size from over 100 km² (40 sq mi) to smaller islands occupied by a single residence, to even smaller uninhabited outcroppings of rocks that are home to migratory waterfowl.

The Islands in History

It was French explorers who named the region. Vacationers discovered the islands in the 1870s, when wealthy people began to build summer homes while other travelers came to stay in large hotels. For more than a century the area has been a mecca for summer visitors. In the more distant past the islands were stepping stones between New York State and the Province of Ontario - in times of trouble between Canada and the United States, a place of refuge and a setting for disreputable deeds.

The number of islands was determined using the criteria that any island must be above water level for 365 days per year, bigger than one square foot (roughly 900 cm²), and support at least one tree or shrub.

The area is very popular among vacationers, campers, and boaters, and is often referred to as the 'fresh water boating capital of the world.'

Did you know there are actually over 1,800 islands (1,864 to be exact) that make up the 1000 Islands region? To become an official part of the count, an island must meet two criteria: it must be above water 365 days a year and it must support two living trees. Ferries or bridges provide access to Wellesley, Hill, Wolfe and Howe Islands.

Videos - 1000 Island

Alexandria Bay, NY

Boldt Castle

Clayton, NY & The Antique Boat Museum

Find More Here : http://www.visit1000islands.com/