World's Best Spots

Diving in Some of the World's Best Spots
By Michael Russell

1. Diving into Belize's Blue Hole - The Ambergris region of Belize may well have the best diving and snorkeling in the world. First stop: a visit to Captain Rene, tel. (501) 26-2819. He'll take you to all the coolest spots, such as the (ominous sounding) Blue Hole, a 400-foot-deep, 1,000-foot in diameter former cave, located in the center of the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. You may remember this place from when Jacques Cousteau brought the world's attention to it in the 70s. No worries if you don't because you'll never forget this place once you've visited. You'll descend 130 feet and explore huge stalactites and stalagmites and may even catch sight of the reef sharks that inhabit this underwater cave.

2. Searching for pirates' treasures in the Cayman Islands Ahoy! More than 300 shipwrecks occupy the waters surrounding the Cayman Islands. Plus, because the water is so clear, you'll have visibility of over 200 feet--definitely an occasion for the underwater camera. Some say the ill-fated ships here still contain pirates' treasures; bringing back booty would sure beat a souvenir shot-glass, hey? There's no shortage of diving companies in the area, but the oldest is Bob Soto's Diving, tel. (809) 949-2022, run by Ron Kipp. If you find any real treasures, maybe you'll consider splitting the loot with Ron.