Barbados

Barbados' real seduction happens beneath the surface. From amultitude of historic shipwrecks and shallow snorkeling sites to deeper, thickly overgrown banking reefs, you will find a level of diving that is both different from competing destinations and sublimely satisfying.

The wreck of the SS Stavronikita is one example of what keeps dive travelers coming back. From 18 feet at the tip of the mast to 137 feet on the seafloor, the 365-foot "Stav" is one of the queens of Caribbean wrecks. Easy penetration combined with thick marine life makes it a do-every-day dive. Ditto for the Carlisle Bay wrecks, including the Berwyn, the Fox and the CTrek. Seahorses and frogfish resting in the heavy invertebrate growth are the daily fare.

www.sportdiver.com/barbados

Round out the day with the local pub crawl, rum shops armed with a variety of fine local varieties and flying-fish sandwiches, gossiping citizens and that most typically Caribbean of sounds — men slamming down dominoes with shouts and laughter.