Out of the Blue

Honduras beckons scuba divers, waterfall rappellers, and other thrill seekers. Nora Walsh takes the plunge.

- Nora Walsh

AFTER CHECKING MY scuba gear, I backrolled into the turquoise water and found myself in a wonderland of candycolored corals, giant barrel sponges, lacy sea fans, and neon fish. I drifted along in silent awe as schools of indigocolored creole wrasses darted through shafts of sunlight and a colony of garden eels poked up through the seabed like miniature periscopes.

For years, fellow divers had been telling me that the coral reefs of Honduras rivaled those of neighboring Belize, renowned as a divers' paradise. After six days, I was convinced. I also came to understand why this part of the country has emerged as an ecotourism destination, thanks to fewer crowds, lower prices, and virgin keys.

My adventure began at the airport on Roatán, a string-bean-shaped island off the coast of northern Honduras. The customs line was packed with middle-aged Americans sharing tips about the island's best dive sites and where to spot six-foot manta rays, hawksbill turtles, and seahorses. Roatán lies at the southern end of the six-mile-long Mesoamerican Reef (second only to the Great Barrier Reef in size) and promotes scuba and snorkeling to encourage tourism. I couldn't wait to get into the water.

A half-hour taxi ride took me to the Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa (doubles from $500), the island's first big-brand hotel, which opened last year on a strip of golden sand at the southern tip. It's an idyllic place to watch the sunset, perhaps from a driftwood swing chair at the waterside bar. I stayed in a Wellness suite with an sea-facing terrace above the Kao Kamasa Spa, which has four therapeutic plunge pools, a glass-bottom infinity pool, and treatment rooms within earshot of the surf.