Recommend April 2011 - (Page 49)

The U.S. Virgin Islands are a snorkeling paradise. Curaçao With more than 60 dive sites, Curaçao ranks right up there with its sister Dutch islands in the diving paradise category, ranking in the top “Gold 100 List” by Scuba Diving magazine, with its SUPER PRODUCER dive site ranked as the “Best Dive Site” by the publication. The island is famous for its wall dives but there’s plenty of other action for wreck divers—a plane wreck site at SANTA MARTHA that can be reached from the shore or by boat. + The SUPERIOR PRODUCER site is on the top 10 sites on Curaçao and home to one of the ﬁnest wrecks in the Caribbean. The ship is upright, with her wheelhouse at 80 ft., and her hull rests in over 100 ft. The site can be accessed by shore or boat, and the entry is near the HOLIDAY BEACH HOTEL. Look for grouper, barracuda, coral and anemones. HOTEL HIGHS: The luxurious LODGE KURA HULANDA & BEACH CLUB, on the islands’ west coast, and the LIONS DIVE & BEACH RESORT, located ﬁve minutes from Willemstad and positioned on the National Curaçao Underwater Park. FAST FACTS: GETTING THERE: From the U.S., nonstop and connecting service to CUR ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: U.S. passport BEST TIME TO GO: Year-round U.S. Virgin Islands The waters around the U.S. Virgin Islands are truly a diver’s paradise with beautiful and colorful coral formations, a vast array of marine life and a variety of wrecks divers love to explore. + Around ST. CROIX, some of the must-do sites include NORTHSTAR, PAVILLION, SALT RIVER, FREDERIKSTED PIER, and THE WRECKS on the west end. Depths range from 30 ft. to 110 ft., except for the PIER, which averages about 35 ft. Visibility is generally quite good, averaging approximately 75 ft. Expect to see a wide variety of marine life, including tropical ﬁsh, trunkﬁsh, ﬁleﬁsh, parrotﬁsh, angels, hawksbill turtles, lobster, crab, nurse sharks, and stingrays. When over the wall, there’s occasional black-tip shark or eagle ray. Salt River has huge coral heads and giant swim-throughs, as well as some small caves. The Wrecks lie on sandy bottom where garden eels often reside. + BUCK ISLAND REEF NATIONAL MONUMENT, north of the northeast coast of St. Croix, is perfect for snorkeling. With its 4,554acre-long reef there is plenty to explore and experience in the water. Snorkelers can follow an underwater marked trail—one of only three underwater trails in the U.S.—on the eastern tip. + On ST. THOMAS at GRASSE CAY, there are four dive sites along the reef of this barrier island offering a great dive variety. The shallow water, with the ocean ﬂoor only 15 ft. below the surface, gives the new diver a chance to try their sea-legs. Moving on to a hard coral reef system in less than 40 ft., beginner and certiﬁed divers enjoy the colorful hard corals and schools of huge dog snapper living at the CORAL GARDENS site. The clear, clean water at this shallow depth coupled with the brilliant colored sealife also makes this a great spot for night diving and night snorkeling. + At the rocks at CARVAL in the south, you can spot reef ﬁsh, lobsters, eels, octopus, squid and turtles 20 to 80 ft. below the surface, while at CONGO BAY NORTH, colorful reef ﬁsh and corals abound in the shallow waters at the south face of the island. Cliffs, boulders and canyons ﬁll with minnows and tarpon in the spring. In the north at about 80 ft. on the coral-covered sea ﬂoor, you’ll ﬁnd eels, lobsters, turtles, nurse sharks and jeweled color reef ﬁsh. HOTEL HIGHS: BOLONGO BAY BEACH RESORT on St. Thomas. CARAMBOLA BEACH RESORT on St. Croix. FAST FACTS: GETTING THERE: From the U.S., nonstop, direct and connecting service to STT and STX ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens don’t need a passport, just a government photo ID BEST TIME TO GO: November to May ● C23

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend April 2011

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk
Tour Talk
Hurtigruten's Trollfjord
Savoring Adventure on Small Ship Cruises
Turkey Beyond Istanbul
Stepping Out in Eastern Europe: Go Escorted
2011 Guide to The Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda
Heading Down Under
India's New Gems
Show-Stoppers on Stage—and on the Plate
Two Sides of a Hawaiian Vacation
Little Palm Island & Ocean Key Resort, Florida
Key West Fun Pass
RIU Panama
Tea Time for Swingers

Recommend April 2011