Welcome to Amasi Part IV: Las Islas Maracainas
Check out introductions to Yanura, Orona, and Guayra, and read on for Las Islas Maracainas (north to south): Maragua, Caragua, Muraya, Zuraya and Costa Reina!
Las Islas Maracainas
Las Islas Maracainas are actually an archipelago of five islands and are a highly popular tourist location/vacation spot. Known for pristine white sand beaches and sparkling aquamarine waters on the eastern coast where the Secoya Sea meets Mar Maracaí, as well as for stunning marine life and snorkeling, Las Islas are the most sought after tropical island destination.
The northernmost island, Maragua, is where visitors typically arrive. Its capital, Ciudad Maracaí, is located at the eastern point and is usually just a pit stop before tourists travel to some of the smaller beach towns along the eastern and southern coasts, or to the other islands by boat. Maragua’s western coast is covered by sharp cliffs and is less popular for tourists looking for a beach vacation, though more adventurous visitors enjoy hiking to the flat summits to enjoy an unobstructed view of Mar Maracaí in front of them and the dense Maraguan jungle behind them.
The Maraguan jungle is open to visitors to an extent, and with many restrictions to protect the wildlife living there. Visitors have not had many complaints about these restrictions, given that there is an understanding they are meant to protect the jungle itself just as much as they are meant to protect people from dangerous predators lurking among the trees.
Caragua is known for its inactive volcano, named after the island itself, which promises breathtaking sunrise views at its peak. The surrounding jungle is generally off-limits to visitors, who are only permitted to travel to the volcano via an established and regulated path. It also is home to the only black sand beaches on Amasi on its western coast, which makes it a unique vacation locale.
Muraya and Zuraya are the smallest of the islands, and are perfect for those seeking the ideal beach vacation. Almost entirely covered in soft, white sands, and featuring the clearest, turquoise waters, these islands are destinations generally sought after for quiet rest and relaxation.
Finally, Costa Reina finds itself distinct from the rest of the archipelago in a number of ways. Originally named Xuralí after the active volcano on the island, it was renamed Costa Reina after the Technological Revolution to honor the incredible inventions and discoveries by genius engineer, inventor, and scientist, Reina Cruz, whose discoveries completely transformed Amasi society and culture, and who was born and raised on the island.
Because of the volcano’s active status, Costa Reina does not share the same tourist attraction as the other islands, though some still enjoy visiting its small beach towns around the southern coast. The northern half of the island is uninhabitable due to the volcano’s eruption zone, and the southern half is now home to numerous laboratories and manufacturing plants established by Reina Cruz at the height of her career. It is also home to a prestigious university focusing on sciences and technological studies, located in the island’s capital, Ciudad de la Reina, founded by Reina Cruz to encourage research and training in sustainable technology and development.
Given the islands’ popularity, Maracuchos (general term for natives of the archipelago) were concerned that the islands’ natural beauty would be quickly destroyed by tourism, but also believed strongly that this beauty belonged to the whole world and thus should be open to any who wished to see it. Working with the mainland countries, Las Islas quickly developed a plan to protect the archipelago without closing off borders to willing visitors.
Over the years, the various countries had worked in collaboration to develop a strong, shared norm throughout Amasi that nature deserves the highest levels of respect, regardless of borders. As Amasi developed technologically, this norm became a cornerstone to ensure nature would remain protected in any developmental endeavors. Of course, the Technological Revolution was hugely influential in instituting sustainable processes for resource use and extraction, but even before then, it was well-understood that protection of the environment comes before progress.
It was therefore not too difficult for Maracuchos to bring the rest of Amasi on board in coming up with a workable plan to protect the islands. Ultimately, tourism was restricted to prevent the islands from being overburdened with visitors at any given time, but the already deeply ingrained norms for all Amasians meant that this restriction did not limit anyone interested in visiting the islands from doing so. Visitor residences were integrated with existing residential zones to encourage the sentiment of community and respect on the part of tourists and promote knowledge of the islands’ diversity and conservation efforts among all visitors. With such a plan in place, Las Islas have been able to continue welcoming visitors from the mainland without sacrificing the protection of the land.
Some areas of the islands are off-limits to visitors to protect communities that require isolationism as a religious practice and who are entrusted with the care and protection of more vulnerable areas of the archipelago.
Main Inspiration: Los Roques; Isla Margarita