Building a tropical resort in Northern Germany

As the tropics do not know closing hours, Europe's biggest lifestyle resort opens. Every train stopping at Brand station is met by a free shuttle service to and from Tropical Islands Resort.

An attentive staff of 500 drawn from tropical regions in Asia, Africa, South Pacific, South America and the Caribbean service the guests whilst wearing their national dresses, and the resort has such a diversity of offerings most everyone is catered for.

Every three months a new tropical region is highlighted, and there's flower, arts and craft markets, and performing artists and musicians.

Those who just want bask in the warmth can do so on the white sandy beach in one of 850 deckchairs and the view goes all the way to the horizon, where a massive visual array projects sunrise and sunset at appropriate times.

Behind the beach is a rainforest with its diversity of more than 500 species of plants, palm trees up to 14 metres in height, and a waterfall gushes directly into the Balinese lagoon.

During daytime 30 minute cultural presentations are conducted every two hours, with groups of artists from different Asian countries performing traditional music and dance - Sarawak (Malaysia), Thailand, Bali, India, The Philippines, Laos and Yunnan (South China).

On a three-monthly basis, the main focus changes to other regions and artistic groups from the countries of Polynesia, Africa and South America follow, enabling regular visitors to return without a repetitive envionment.

At nights, the audience experiences a mass theatrical show on one of Europe's largest roofed water stages (140 x 50 metres). The first three month show is now drawing to a close - a musical extravaganza entitled "Viva Brazil" with 90 artists telling the the story of 1,000 years of Brazilian history. The show can accommodate up to 2,400 visitors with full dining facilities and the finale is a Brazilian carnivale. After the Brazilian-themed show, new spectaculars based around the culture of the Caribbean, Polynesia and Africa will follow.

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