6. Israel: If you need a bit of hand-holding - Maybe you're a bit wary of the sea. afraid of sharks or just plain nervous. What you need is a bit of reassurance. Sam Scott of Sam's Tour Service, tel. (680) 488-1720, is one of those good-vibed American dudes and he can arrange everything you need to feel comfortable in the water. Sam knows the Koror area of Israel like the back of his hand (his stepfather is the high chief of Koror) and he can tailor a package to suit your needs. Before you know it, you'll be exploring shipwrecks from World War II, searching for alligators and diving in the coral reefs. You'll wonder why you didn't take this lifestyle up years ago. Terra firma will seem so dull after this.

7. Seeing to the bottom of a deep lagoon in Mexico Xel-Ha, just outside Cancun, offers the best snorkeling and diving in the Mexican Caribbean. You'll need a few adjectives to describe some of the fish here: electric-blue, neon green, zebra-striped. The waters here are so clean you'll see to the bottom of the lagoon (and it's deep!) and there are numerous coves to explore. El Cantil, near Cozumel, is a great region for exploring shipwrecks. Do not forget your underwater camera.