Discover some tourist destinations that are going to disappear due to climate change

Tuvalu, Kiribati and Maldives are picturesque and tropical islands, located in different parts of the world. They tempt with a paradisiacal landscape, but almost nobody knows that they will soon disappear from the face of the earth due to the activity of the oceans and the rise in sea level, which successively flood the islands. In turn, the rising temperature of ocean waters poses a threat to coral reefs and the fish species that live in their waters. It is estimated that many of them will disappear in the next tens of years.

Kiwi.com has prepared a mini-guide with advice on these places, one of the most inaccessible in the world geographically speaking, where flights reach astronomical amounts, even around 6000 euros.

“Many tropical islands, especially those that form coral atolls, such as the Maldives, are extremely vulnerable to ocean activity. Island states and coastal areas are the most vulnerable to sea level rise. They will slowly disappear as climate change progresses,” says Dr. Brown. Justyna Orowska, researcher on the social aspects of climate change, member of the climate crisis team of the presidency of the Polish Academy of Sciences and author of the guide on the Maldives published by Pascal. “IPCC scientists predict a rise in the water level in the oceans of at least several tens of centimeters this century. For small, flat islands, this is a clear sentence,” adds Orowska, who spent several months in the Maldives investigating the perception of the threat of the effects of climate change by the inhabitants of the “sinking” islands as part of doctoral research for the Polish Academy of Sciences. as well as the impact of climate change on children commissioned by UNICEF.

Tuvalu: paradise doesn’t come to work

Tuvalu is an island and one of the smallest countries in the world, located in the Western Central Pacific roughly halfway between Australia and Hawaii and bordering Kiribati and Fiji.

Tuvalu is an archipelago of 9 small small islands, full of coral reefs and deep blue lagoons. The highest point in Tuvalu is only a few meters above sea level, making the island paradise extremely sensitive to sea level rise. The only airport is located in Funafuti, the capital. Once there, the best means of transport is the motorcycle. It is worth renting one, for about 10 euros a day. In this way, you can reach any corner and know the authentic essence of island life. Kiwi.com recommended to visit the local lagoons, absolutely incredible to dive under their crystal clear waters. One of the best things about traveling to tropical islands is exploring the small islets and atolls around. To do this, nothing better than renting a boat and jumping between them, better known as island hopping. It is worth remembering that Tuvalu, although a paradise for travelers, is not a place to work. The Internet is very weak there, so
It pays to focus on relaxing and disconnecting from the outside world. Although the local cuisine is not well known, the food is simply delicious, and the hospitable islanders invite tourists to try it in their own homes.

When to fly: The most favorable season to travel to Tuvalu is from April to October, when the weather is very pleasant with little rain.

How to get there: Getting to Tuvalu is not easy. The only airline that gets there only twice a week is Air Fiji. It is also one of the most exclusive destinations. The search engine of Kiwi.com has verified that the cheapest offer is from Barcelona airport with a price of 2,391 euros in October-November. To travel to Tuvalu you do not need a visa, however, as the journey includes some stopovers in other countries, it is recommended to obtain it for all those destinations where it is required.

Kiribati: 5000 km from any other country

Kiribati is another tropical island, off the tourist trail, due to how difficult and expensive it is to get there. This paradisiacal island will delight everyone, and will especially attract lovers of extraordinary experiences and adventures. Kiribati is located in the equatorial Pacific (it is a total of 33 islands spread over an area of 3.5 million square kilometers of the ocean). For the curious, Kiribati has the highest ratio of water per land of any country in the world. Even the country’s largest single atoll, Kiritimati (Christmas Island), is about 5000 km from any other country. The largest coral atoll in the world is the heart of Kiribati’s tourism. Kiribati, with an average height of only 2 meters above sea level, has many beaches, but it is also one of the most threatened by sea level rise in the South Pacific. Diving, snorkeling and kayaking in the magnificent turquoise lagoon are the most popular attractions, and fishing enthusiasts won’t be disappointed either. Kiritimati is home to marlin, breastplates, barracudas and huge schools of tuna.

When to fly: all year round, except February and March, which can be rainy. The rest of the months guarantee beautiful sunny weather and pleasant temperatures.

How to get there: This is one of the least visited and geographically most inaccessible corners in the world. Kiwi.com has proven that starting the trip in Barcelona will be the cheapest option to reach the destination, with a price of 2,704 euros in November-December. No visa required: visa waiver is implemented under the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kiribati.

Maldives

The Maldives are, above all, one of the most accessible tropical islands, where a plane trip will not ruin the pocket. A few years ago, they were visited by the richest, due to the astronomical costs of accommodation with a very limited offer at the same time. In recent years, the situation has changed so much that the Maldives has become a paradise for workation fans. This Muslim country, located in the Indian Ocean, about 500 km from the furthest tip of India, attracts lovers of water sports and fans of so-called island hopping. Kiwi.com recommended to open up to the inhabitants of the islands, who are willing to establish relationships and friendships with tourists, welcome them in their homes and show them real life on the paradisiacal islands. The Maldives is an archipelago of about 1190 islets embedded in 26 coral atolls that grow in the submarine volcanic chain.

Interestingly, few people know that the Maldives has its dark side and they struggle with the huge problem of the growing mass of garbage generated by the tourism sector. The waste is taken to the artificial garbage island of Thilafushi, which no one sorts.

When to fly: The best time to go to the Maldives is the European winter: January, February and March are the best months to travel, as they guarantee beautiful and sunny weather.

How to get there: Paradoxically, getting to the Maldives is no longer unattainable. More and more airlines are opening new connections with the capital in Male. Kiwi.com has proven that, leaving Barcelona, and landing in Madrid, you can reach the Maldives for only 451 euros during March and April.

Kiwi.com recommended to check all the necessary information about visa requirements in the countries of stopover, as well as possible COVID restrictions.

Source: The Economist