(Dive Travel Business News - January 6, 2012) --The New 7 Wonders of Nature were recently announced at the N7W headquarters in Zurich on 11/11/11. Based on the first count of the worldwide vote, Komodo Island National Park (Indonesia) joins Table Mountain (South Africa), the Amazon Rainforest, Halong Bay (Vietnam), Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), Jeju Island (South Korea), and Puerto Princesa Underground River (Philippines). All hold provisional status (except Jeju Island) where the first step of the verification process is still underway.
Indonesia’s Komodo National Park is an astounding dive destination that includes the three larger islands Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, for a total area of 1,817 square kilometers (603 square kilometers of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon. Later, it was also dedicated to protecting other species, including marine animals. The islands of the national park are of volcanic origin. read more »