Coral Gardens

The Coral Gardens can only be reached by boat, and the ride itself is intriguing. It lies in the Soufriere neighborhood, near the beautiful Pitons (a World Heritage Site in Saint Lucia). Even more, awe awaits you as you dive down to Coral Gardens, which is located at the base of the 2438-foot-high Gros Piton. This is a genuinely humbling experience, and under the waves, you'll swim with tropical fishes of all kinds, five-finger corals, sargassum triggerfish, and, in deeper locations, barracuda. This dive spot has a lot of young fish and starts at a depth of 15 feet and goes down to roughly 90 feet.

Many previous visitors praised the Coral Gardens as a "must-see." One recent visitor suggested snorkeling with the group rather than swimming out on your own. Sharks and stingrays are not often hostile, although they can become so at times, particularly when confronted with a lone snorkeler.

• Dive Level: Advanced.
• Location: West Coast St. Lucia.