(EMAILWIRE.COM, January 30, 2009 ) KOSRAE, Micronesia - Kosrae, one of the Federated States of Micronesia, is a pristine island in the South Pacific, with a tropical rainforest jungle and surrounded by stunning coral reef. The island also has a long history - it has been populated for several thousand years and many of the ancient elements are still around today. It is an ecotourist's dream, and Kosrae Village Ecolodge and Dive Resort is conveniently located so visitors can experience it all.
Little is known about why the first settlers came to Kosrae, but the ruins on the island demonstrate that that they came a very long time ago - and allow visitors and archeologists to imagine a world very different from today's modern lifestyle. Some of the most famous ruins in Micronesia, the Lelu ruins, were built around 1400 AD and consist of a series of walled compounds with paved streets. Lelu is said to have been the home of the royal family. But Lelu is not the only archeological wonder on Kosrae - hidden quietly in a river valley lies Menka, which oral history says was a religious site, and islanders often made the pilgrimage to honor Goddess Sinlaku. The Menka valley was only recently opened to visitors and there has yet to be any formal archaeological excavation of the site, so each visit offers the opportunity for a new discovery.
But history did not stop with ancient civilizations. In World War II, Kosrae was occupied by the Japanese, who also left behind artifacts of their stay. Bunkers and a radio station can be found near Malem, and the 1959 film "Up Periscope," which features a very young James Garner as a Navy frogman sent to retrieve a Japanese codebook from an occupied island, is said to take place on Kosrae. A drive around the island will reveal rusting tanks and other war remnants, but visiting the caves and tunnels up close is an active pursuit and require some hiking.
Visitors to the island who wish to explore the amazing ecosystems, culture and history of the island can relax and rejuvenate at Kosrae Village Ecolodge, which offers the "Kosrae Adventure" package for $936 per person (based on double occupancy) that includes six nights and seven days of island exploration, hikes to the ruins, kayaking in mangrove channels, and snorkeling or scuba diving one of the world's last pristine reefs. Or, guests may choose to stay on a nightly basis, which starts at $119. More information on packages is available at www.kosraevillage.com/packages.shtml.
Kosrae Village Resort is the first and only ecolodge and dive resort in Kosrae, and was eco-friendly before it was the “in” thing. The resort was named a Top 50 Eco-Lodge and a World's Best Eco-Outfitter of 2009 by National Geographic Adventure Magazine; awarded Islands Magazine's Global Sustainable Tourism Award in December 2007 and was awarded the 2006 Project Aware Environmental Achievement Award. For more information or to book a stay at the resort, contact Kosrae Village at +691 370.3483, via e-mail at kosraevillage@mail.fm or visit www.kosraevillage.com
