Swim amongst sea turtles, whale sharks, and a kaleidoscope of colorful reefs at these top-tier hotels.

Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort/@khemric

From the Caribbean to the Mediterranean , there is a rare collection of refined hotels dedicated to world-class snorkeling experiences on the world's most vibrant coasts. A stay here means booking a seamless passageway into the big blue: a separate underwater world that recalibrates your sense of scale, and, briefly, eliminates your sense of worry . These reefs are living, breathing snapshots of a watery world that you can peek into: refreshing oases where the noise of the land falls away; in its place, an intricate and utterly at-ease slice of life that you’re lucky enough to witness.

What elevates these stays beyond your standard beach vacation is their exceptional access and curation of the underwater experience.…