Island in the Smog

Has vacationing to Thailand, the Philipinnes or Bali become too passé? Next time you're asked about a trip would you like the reply to be, “Oh, just heading to my Chinese island.”? Now you can make that happen.

Reported in the Chinese news, the Oceanic Administration has announced that companies and individuals can now be “island masters,” a opportunity that extends to foreigners as well.

Up for sale are 176 unoccupied islands from 8 provinces that can be bought for personal luxury or tourism management. The islands are off the coasts of "Liaoning, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region," and will most likely offer more smog than sun.

According to the Global Times the sale of islands was halted a decade ago because of environmental damage and pollution, though now the claims are that strict controls and regulations will off-set any further environmental concerns.