6 healthy Island Paradises: If you've had enough of winter and indoor workouts, check out these sunny butt-busting alternatives to the gym - Ventureout

Shape, Jan, 2002 by Amy Goldhammer

This year, instead of bemoaning the headaches, hassles and pounds of Christmas past, why not escape to an island resort? You'll burn calories by land and by sea, enjoy naturally lowfat fare and come home relaxed, fit and leaner. Here are six isles where you can recover from the holiday hustle. Oahu, Hawaii

Oahu, Hawaii

Growing up in California near the beach, the closest I got to surfing was keeping sand out of the chocolate chip cookies I baked for my surfer boyfriend. This year, though, I took the plunge and headed to Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu to finally learn to surf.

There's no gentler place for beginners. Even in winter, the water, air and your body are so close in temperature it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. The waves curl and carry you forever. And taking a lesson is as easy as stepping outside your hotel and grabbing a beach boy to teach you. Right in the center of Waikiki Beach, in front of the Sheraton Moana Surfrider (from $270; 808-922-3111), famed ex-surfer Didi Robelo of the resort's Aloha Beach Services will rent you a board and teacher (mine was a Tahitian man named Willie) for an hour lesson ($25 includes instruction and surfboard rental; 808-922-3111).

Paddling out to catch the waves was an exhausting upper-body workout, but Willie's-instruction was generously laid-back: "When I push the board into the wave, stand up," he said. We waited together for a wave, he pushed and yelled, "Stand up!" and suddenly - I was!

Once comfortable in gentle surf, I headed east for Hans Hedemann's Surf School (808-924-7778) to learn to ride slightly wilder waves off Oahu's Diamond Head Beach. After dry-land instruction, I plunged in. Again, more exhausting paddling -- but much better riding.

After all this, I had more than earned my Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage ($98 for an hour treatment; 808-923-7721) at the new Mandara Spa at Kalia Tower, located at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Spa just north of Waikiki.

My last day on Waikiki, I got up at 6:30 a.m., rented a board from Robelo's stand and went out by myself. Arms still aching but getting much more efficient, I paddled out and floated in the early morning light and flat water with the other eager wannabes. And waited. I only caught one wave in the entire hour, but I left the island happy with a new passion. Not only is it marvelous to finally learn how to use all those beautiful waves, but between paddling, jumping up and standing on the board (not to mention dragging it around), surfing is an amazing workout that exhausts every fiber of your body. Beats an hour in the gym any day!

Tips for beginners: You'll do best on a long, heavy board (they're the most stable) with a leash (so it won't float away from you) and a rash guard (to protect against chafing). Use waterproof sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher), but don't put any on the front of your legs. It'll rub off and make your board slippery. Don't bother with a hat -- it's likely to wash ashore before you do.

Peg Moline

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

Other islands to explore

The Buccaneer, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Life is sweet at the Buccaneer. The former sugar-plantation-cum-elegant-resort is consistently rated one of the top in the Caribbean. A country club with a white sandy beach, the Buccaneer boasts an 18-hole golf course, eight tennis courts and a dress code for dinner.

Calorie burner Burn off your rum punches with a two-mile jogging trail or on-site snorkeling. Or take a guided three-hour sea-kayak tour of the Salt River. Discover bird and marine life and local legends and history. One hour of kayaking burns about 300 calories (Caribbean Adventure Tours, 340-773-4599).

Good-for-you food Kallaloo, a tasty soup of kallaloo leaves, okra, fish, crab and chilies poured over a cornmeal-like concoction similar to polenta, is a local delight. Don't let its "green gruel" appearance fool you -- it's quite spicy.

Don't miss night diving, St. Croix is surrounded by pristine coral reefs. The purples and oranges are even more vibrant by flashlight, but turn off your lantern and you're immersed in glow-in-the-dark algae, which seems like swimming in stars (877-567-1367).

Taboo Ignoring your neighbors. Everyone offers a "good morning" or "good afternoon" to passersby.

Info From $195 (800-255-3881, 340-773-2100 or thebuccaneer.com).

- Cris Beam

Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands Just getting to Bitter End is a scenic adventure: You'll take two, possibly three, flights and two boat rides, the last one dropping you directly at your stilted beachfront bungalow. It's worth the trek, with three beaches and a freshwater pool, plus snorkeling, windsurfing and sailing. Or collapse in a hammock and gaze out to where sea meets sky.

Calorie burner Rent a Jeep, drive to the verdant Gorda Peak National Park and hike up 1,500 feet to the best panoramic views of the island, followed by a swim and snorkel at any of the island's 20 beaches.