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Tropical island fitness: from Hawaii to Belize, four balmy isles where you can swim with dolphins, surf with sea turtles, kayak aqua waters or kickbox with waves - Venture Out

Shape, Dec, 2002

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3. Kickboxing with waves Rosewood's Caneel Bay Resort, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

-- Amy Goldhammer

It's not hard to find a beach at this elegant, 170-acre resort located in Virgin Islands National Park. There are seven of them, and all are private, pristine and peaceful.

There's no lack of water activities either. You can kayak, windsurf, sail, snorkel or learn to scuba with a resident marine naturalist. (All water activities are free, including beginner scuba.) At nearby Trunk Bay, underwater signs on the Snorkel Trail lead you to close-ups of colorful coral reefs and schools of tropical fish.

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But what really makes Caneel Bay stand out is its Self Centre, a new mind-body fitness facility that offers everything from "BreathWalk," a relaxation trek on the beach, to "M'ai Chi," an hour-long muscle-toning mix of tai chi, kickboxing and yoga done in the ocean at sunset. Or try "Deep in Motion," a 45-minute pool workout with weighted belts that's guaranteed to kick-start your heart rate into fat-burning mode (all group classes are $25; private sessions are $90; Rosewood's Caneel Bay Resort, from $375 per night, double occupancy; 888-767-3966, caneelbay.corn).

-- Valerie Latona

4. Snorkeling tropical grottoes Staniel Cay Yacht club, the Exumas, Bahamas

You're face-to-snorkel-mask with a harmless breed of shark as the spongy skin of another tickles your leg. Later, as your boat approaches a pristine beach, its residents -- pigs -- emerge from the brush and swim out to greet you.

Sound like a dream? It is - a dream vacation spot for visitors to the Exumas, Bahamas. With its 365 islands and cays and countless deserted beaches, favorite (and wild) water activities rule, especially at the Exumas' gem, the Land and Sea Park (exumapark.com). This national park and marine fishery reserve enchants snorkelers and divers with abundant rainbow-colored reefs and fish like grouper, yellowtail snapper and barracuda. Try snorkeling through Thunderball Grotto, a cavern where schools of tropical fish surround you (part of the 1965 James Bond classic, Thunderball, was shot here). You can also kayak, motorboat or sail to and around uninhabited cays.

Located on the outskirts of the Land and Sea Park, Staniel Cay Yacht Club (from $125; 954-467-8920, stanielcay.com) is a tropical charmer with seven brightly colored waterfront cottages and a nearby landing strip for scheduled charter flights on Flamingo Air from Nassau ($140 round trip; 242-377-0354, thebahamasguide.com/flamingo), Boats, watersports gear, guided tours and fishing excursions are available, and the dining room serves just-caught seafood includihg conch, a Bahamian favorite.

-- Beth Janes

(All prices are per person per night, double occupancy, unless otherwise noted.)

Tropical island fitness: from Hawaii to Belize, four balmy isles where you can swim with dolphins, surf with sea turtles, kayak aqua waters or kickbox with waves - Venture Out

Shape, Dec, 2002

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