They're every snorkeler's dream come true: 15 welcoming Caribbean havens where the water's warm, clear, teeming with kaleidoscopic sea life -- and just steps outside your door.
Anegada, BVICow Wreck Beach ResortHundreds of ships have met their fate on the reefs of Anegada, and for years after one particular 19th-century wreck, cow bones washed ashore on the island's northwest coast. This tragedy not only led to maritime laws forbidding cattle from ever again serving as crew aboard merchant ships, but it also bestowed a quirky name on the local bay.Cow Wreck Beach Resort comprises three self-catering cottages and an inviting beach bar/restaurant astride one of Anegada's endless powdery-white strands. Accommodations sit just 25 feet from the sand, and good snorkeling begins just offshore. Grass beds dotted with conch and patrolled by bonefish give way to scattered coral heads crowded with sea life -- all in just 5 feet of water. Keep making your way toward the drop-off marked by dark patches and deep blue, and you'll find huge coral bommies undercut with ledges rising from the sandy bottom 30 feet below. One-bedroom cottages are $200 year-round; one-bedrooms with air conditioning, $250; and two-bedrooms, $300. 284-495-8047; cowwreckbeach.com
BarbadosCoral Reef ClubThey didn't pull this place's name out of thin air: A nice bulwark of reef sits directly offshore of this exquisite, family-run hotel on Barbados' calm Platinum Coast. They didn't get the clubby bit wrong either; many of the guests have been returning for years (if not generations), which along with attentive hosting from the O'Hara clan and their excellent staff fosters an eminently congenial atmosphere. The beach is nicer on the north side of the resort, but the south is where snorkelers want to be. What at first appears to be a solid bank of coral rising nearly to the surface at low tide is actually a sponge-covered Swiss cheese of tunnels, ledges and small caves. The calm water and close reef make it an ideal spot for night snorkeling. Doubles start at $395 in low season, including breakfast ($800 high). 800-223-1108; coralreefbarbados.com
BelizeRanguanaFor snorkeling addicts, this private island 18 miles off Placencia in southern Belize offers total immersion. Ranguana consists of two acres of sand shaped by the currents, and it lies just inside the world's second-longest barrier reef. Bonefish school in the brilliant-blue lagoon, minnows burst from the water with jacks in hot pursuit, and stingrays glide across the shallows. Patch reef, stony ledges and grass beds stretch as far as you can see, with fine skinny-water snorkeling from the beach all the way to the fringing reef and beyond. Three rustic, air-cooled cabins are available for overnight guests. (Be sure to bring a submersible light for night snorkeling, or rent one from the Robert's Grove dive shop in Placencia before heading to the island.) The fishiest spot is right near the cabins, with snappers, grunts, barracudas, nurse sharks and eagle rays often in attendance. Divers, fishermen and cruising sailors stop by Ranguana to picnic during the day, but the rest of the time you'll have the island -- and the snorkeling -- all to yourself. A two-night, three-day all-inclusive package costs $543 per person year-round. 800-565-9757; robertsgrove.com
Bonaire Buddy Dive ResortIsland-time languor kicks in the moment you arrive at Buddy's, two miles north of Bonaire's capital, Kralendijk. The unabashedly laid-back setting boasts spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with kitchens, and an enormous tiki-style waterfront restaurant where barefoot breakfasts are the norm. Weekly beach barbecues and live music spice up the evenings. The sea is just a few steps away, and ladders on the docks drop you into schools of snapper; the house reef is only a few fin kicks farther. Along the coast are chances to spot some 75 species of tropical fish in what's almost always calm water. Keep an eye out for schooling Caribbean squid and resident tarpon. One-bedrooms start at $165 in low season ($173 high). 866-GO-BUDDY; buddydive.com
Plaza ResortThis family-friendly hotel's 12 acres are landscaped more lushly than is typical on this arid isle, and they lend a feel of exotic escapism (as do the iguanas that wander everywhere). Set on one of Bonaire's nicer beaches, the expansive property has a large pool, a marina, three restaurants and a dive operation. All rooms have a European openness and simplicity. Youth programs get children engaged in marine activities, and it isn't unusual to see whole families exploring the house reef, 18 Palms. The shallow-water fish are accustomed to snorkelers and the occasional handout, much to the delight of little ones. Doubles start at $180 in low season ($230 high). 800-766-6016; plazaresortbonaire.com
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