What had I seen? Was it a species as yet undescribed by science? In places as remote as the Weddell Sea, it is quite possible to come across unknown animals, but it is also very difficult to know for sure that what you have found is really new.

For a small, ocean-loving subset of visitors, this dusty corner of the Middle East is renowned for more than political turmoil. Every year, from February to May, the coral reef off Eilat's coast is an unparalleled place to spot some of the planet's strangest, most beautiful animals: nudibranchs, or tiny, jewel-like sea slugs. While the words "sea slug" probably don't ignite your imagination like "great white shark" or "blue whale," there may not be more spectacular critters in the entire ocean.

Jordan's capital, Amman, balances more modern elements that add a cosmopolitan flair to the natural beauty of this traditional kingdom.

THINGVELLIR, Iceland (AP) — The air above the Silfra rift was freezing and the water in it was only a couple degrees higher, just warm enough to be ...

There aren't any Chinese tourists on Little Cayman. Yet.

THE BOTTOM, Saba (AP) — The small propeller airplane lands quickly and softly, like a butterfly, on one of the world's shortest commercial runways o...

As a stalagmite blocks the cave mouth from view, I find myself sinking into the noduled gullet of Sistema Sac Actun, the cave system running some 135 ...

Graceful turtles off Hawaii. Tiny sea critters on Caribbean coral. Dark holes in the earth where only the bravest and most competent adventurers should journey.

It's at depth that you get a real sense of their size.

Its been a whirlwind of a year and frankly, I am eagerly anticipating it coming to an end.

There are few places left where you can predictably encounter tiger sharks without luring them in with bait, and to the surprise of many, Costa Rica's Cocos Island is now one of them.

There are vast patches of North America that are still left to be discovered, so gear up and prepare for an adrenaline rush.

The best way to go down the Devil's Throat is to plunge in head first. You may hesitate at first because you are essentially falling into a deep, dark, narrow hole, but soon you realize that you can't afford to panic and the only option left is to enjoy the ride.

You are only an hour away from the fresh water cenotes and Whale Shark tours

Thanks in large part to its conservation efforts, Palau is now one of the best places on the planet to get up close and personal with sharks underwater, as my wife and I, both certified divers, discovered on a recent visit. Surprisingly, seeing sharks up close is simple -- and not nearly as terrifying as you might think.