Tourist Destinations World Travel Guides
Melanesia is made up of a group of islands lying in the northeastern parts of Australia. This is a place that tourists say that will let you know the real meaning of ‘paradise on earth’. Islands on Melanesia are stunning and amazingly beautiful. Both the culture and history of Melanesia are exotic with the locals being regarded as the friendliest and happiest hosts you can ever wish to find at a destination.
Melanesia is quite a fascinating destination and besides its natural beauty, it is one of the most mysterious places in the world you might want to visit. However, there is no much information regarding the history of Melanesia which makes travelers very curious in trying to discover the island on their own. In fact, a significant proportion of the community here doesn’t have interaction with the ‘modern world’ and their lifestyle is characterized by traditional beliefs and customs.
Men of Huli tribe living in Melanesia do make things and this might the first thing to capture your attention during your visit. The men are fierce warriors who regard hair to be one of the most important things in their life. In fact, you will be surprised to learn about the ‘hair school’ where men are taught how to grow healthy and strong air as they tend to live in a monastic lifestyle. Apart from the traditions is that men can only marry once their wig is ready. Bungee jumping is claimed to have been invented in Melanesia and simply called land diving by the locals, this is an important aspect of traditions and a way in which men prove their manhood by throwing themselves from wooden tree vine towers into the ground with their head first.
Melanesia is a perfect destination especially for the adventure travelers. The islands are known to have great scuba diving reefs that will definitely keep any visitor busy. Papua New Guinea makes the northern islands and together with Vanuatu and The Solomon Islands, the three islands are definitely worth a visit. Interacting with local kastom villages is always a great experience as you also learn about the thriving and vibrant craft and tribal dances.
A popular sport in Melanesia is where people play without a winner. A major sport in Melanesia is the cricket even though some of the removed villages have no idea about it. However, unlike what you would expect with a real cricket game, the locals have slightly changed the rules to suit their attitude. The lack of a winner in the cricket game is explained by many as a sign of caring, honesty, and an ego-less society that has been seriously ignored and suppressed by the west and more developed countries.
Palau Lake has over time come to be renamed as the jellyfish lake after many jellyfish were trapped in it and made the waters salty. The jellyfish in the lake adapted to their new conditions and lost their sting. You can go snorkeling and swimming in the jellyfish lake which is always an exciting experience.
