INDONESIA - Raja Ampat Islands

Thanks to Marina for the card.

"Situated off the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula on Papua, the most eastern island of the Indonesian Archipelago, Raja Ampat or literally meaning ‘The Four Kings’ is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool. The name Raja Ampat itself is believed to derive from a legend where a woman found seven eggs, with four of them hatch and become the kings of the four main islands, while the other three became a woman, a ghost, and a stone.

The territory within the islands of the Four Kings is enormous, covering 9.8 million acres of land and sea, home to 540 types of corals, more than 1,000 types of coral fish and 700 types of mollusks. This makes it the most diverse living library for the world's coral reef and underwater biota." Source

WASHINGTON - San Juan Islands

Thanks to Richard for the card.

"The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific Northwest of the United States between the U.S. state of Washington and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of Washington state. In the archipelago, four islands are accessible to vehicular and foot traffic via the Washington State Ferries system."

CANARY ISLANDS - Canary from Space

Thank you Annette for the nice Canary Islands view from the space.

CROATIA - Croatian Adriatic

Thanks to Anja for the beautiful Croatian Adriatic card.

"The Adriatic Sea is a part of the Mediterranean Sea. It is positioned between the eastern coastline of Italy and the coastline of countries of the Balkan Peninsula (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania).

The coastline and the islands all make up a continuous Mediterranean tourist destination spanning from the smallest island village and hidden cove to a national park or urban coastal town. Crowned with 1,244 islands, islets, rocks and reefs, and characterised by cleanliness and clearness, the Croatian Adriatic can claim to be among the top sailing destinations in the world."

About the stamp, is Mediterranean monk seal, one of the most endangered mammals who also lives in Adriatic. The stamp was issued in 2011 and comes in 20-stamp sheets and three 10-stamp booklets.

INDONESIA - Raja Ampat Islands in Papua

Thank you Yanita for the wonderful card of Raja Ampat Islands in Papua. I earn a nickname from her!

"Located off the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, in Indonesia's West Papua province, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo, and the smaller island of Kofiau."