Eat. Sleep. Dive. With fruit-bat stew treats for everyone!

Located seven degrees north of the equator, Palau enjoys balmy temperatures year-round. And since the archipelago lies outside the main typhoon tracks—one of the reasons its reefs are so healthy—rain is the only significant weather variable. February and March are the driest months, ideal for kayaking and diving.

Getting There: You won't waste much time shopping for fares to Micronesia. There's only one major carrier from the U.S.: Continental. Round-trip flights from L.A. through Guam to Koror run about $1,700 with a seven-day advance purchase.

Staying There: For a reasonably priced diving-and-no-frills-lodging package, head to West Plaza by the Sea (doubles, $77; 011-680-488-2135). At the luxe end, there's the 160-room beachfront Palau Pacific Resort (high season doubles, $285, low-season doubles, $215; 800-327-8585). For ambience, try The Carolines Resort (doubles, $150; 680-488-3754), seven bungalows perched on stilts on a lush hilltop overlooking the sea.

Eating Out: While Spam is a major local staple and the range of fresh produce is limited, Palau's food is still remarkably pleasing and diverse. The Dragon Tei, a Japanese restaurant in downtown Koror, serves everything from sashimi to—yum!—fruit-bat stew. Try lunch at Melle Mau, on the nearby island of Malakal; a plate of fresh wahoo teriyaki runs you less than $10. For local specialties like sweet roasted taro root, stop by Yano's market on Koror's main drag.

Outfitters: Koror-based Sam's Tours (680-488-1062) charges $99 for a two-tank dive; guided kayak day trips with Planet Blue Kayak Tours cost $85; single kayaks rent for $35 per day, doubles, $55. Other dive options are Splash, a five-star PADI dive center headquartered at the Palau Pacific Resort ($110 for a two-tank dive; 680-488-2600); and Neco-Marine Dives (680-488-1755), which offers two-tank dives for $100. For general information on Palau, call the Palau Visitors Authority at 680-488-2793. —S.E.