The world is full of remote islands scattered around the globe’s oceans, which make great destinations for those seeking something out of the ordinary.
Some of the most well-known include the Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean, Spitsbergen off the coast of Norway, and Pitcairn Island in the South Pacific.
The latter is the only inhabited island of the British overseas territory of Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno islands.
Of course, it is famous as the haven of the mutineers of the British ship HMS Bounty, who settled there in 1790.
However, one of the largest collections of islands in the world is the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).
The country consists of more than 600 islands spread out across the western Pacific Ocean and is made up of four island states – those of Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk and Yap.
They lie northeast of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, and south of Guam and the Marianas.
Though its total land area is small at 271 square miles, the country’s waters occupy nearly 1.2 million square miles.
That is more than double the total territory of the UK, Spain and France combined, reaching 537,824 square miles.
The country emerged from the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) which the United States administered on behalf of the United Nations from 1947 until 1978.
The FSM adopted its constitution and became an independent country in 1979.
It is known for palm-shaded beaches, wreck-filled dives and ancient ruins, including Nan Madol.
Nan Modal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of more than 100 islets off the southeast coast of Pohnpei.
Constructed with walls of basalt and coral boulders, the islets harbour the remains of stone palaces, temples, tombs and residential domains built between 1200 and 1500 CE.
These ruins represent the Saudeleur dynasty’s ceremonial centre, a vibrant Pacific Island culture period.
The edifices’ huge scale, technical sophistication, and concentration of megalithic structures bear testimony to the complex social and religious practices of the island societies of the period.
Chuuk Lagoon offers some of the best underwater exploration for divers, with its collection of Japanese naval ships sunk in 1944.
Most of the wrecks are intact and filled with eerie relics of the past, including tanks, artillery guns, discarded bullets and even skeletons.
Most lie at depths of just 30 – 40 metres, making them easily accessible to recreational divers.
