Who else wouldn’t mind getting stranded here? Warm sunlight, an ocean breeze and turquoise waters at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Northern Pacific Ocean make this place the epitome of paradise. Found about halfway between Hawai'i and American Samoa, the refuge and surrounding waters are home to some of the most intact coral reefs in the world. Water visibility depends on the tides, but it can be so clear that it feels like you’re swimming through the air. Consisting of 26 islets nestled among several lagoons; Palmyra Atoll provides a necessary haven for millions of birds and marine life that depend on the shallow areas and islands. Photo by Ian Shive, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.