It’s good to have a hobby, doing something that takes your mind off schoolwork. Many people choose to play sport, whilst others watch movies regularly. Some like to collect things. Creating a collection of something can be very interesting, even educational. But we’ve learnt of a new kind of collecting. It’s called Island Bagging.

Did You Know?

Some continents are surrounded by water. Because they are so big, they are not considered to be islands. Australia is the smallest continent, but is three times bigger than Greenland, the largest island.

What’s Island Bagging?

Island bagging is where you visit as many different islands as possible.

How Do You Prepare To Go Island Bagging?

Before you start, you have to decide on your criteria. Some islands are very small and may not be worth visiting. Some are impossible to land on because the sea is too rough. In the United Kingdom, to be registered as an island, the land has to rise at least 30 metres from the sea or should be larger than 300,000 square metres. Island baggers, Helen and Paul Webster, focus on islands that can be reached by ferry or on a commercial boat trip.

Do People Really Go Island Bagging?

Oh yes! Some have even written books about it. The current record in England is bagging 518 islands out of 706. It’s a relatively new hobby, so there are lots of records to be made for being the first person to visit all the islands of one country.

Are There Really That Many Islands?

Definitely! Take a look at this:

• Australia                      8,222
• Hong Kong                  263
• India                            1,208
• Indonesia                    17,508
• Malaysia                      878
• United Kingdom          706

What’s The Point Of Island Bagging?

By choosing to visit the islands of one country, you may be able to see hundreds of new places without having to step on an aeroplane. If you care about the environment, this is an important issue. Many of these remote and uninhabited islands do have a long history which you can learn about. You can find old derelict buildings of historic interest. You also usually manage to find a whole beach which you can have all to yourself.

Question:

Take a look at this promotion video for the Islands of Tahiti. Would you like to go Island Bagging there?

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