You'll find it at Cotton Valley Shores on St. Croix's peaceful northeast end where a collection of exclusive, private villas face the Caribbean Sea. One of the most enticing is Paradise Found, where a one-level main house and two-story guest house frame a dramatic, oceanfront pool deck facing Buck Island.

An interior designer searched for just the right touches to give this villa post-colonial style evocative of a Somerset Maugham novel. Wicker, curved rattan, woven cane, and mahogany fine furnishings are beautifully set off by cool clay floors and a collection of monkey and tropical bird figurines, oriental porcelains, and works of art. There's even a telescope placed by the great room window, perfect for close-up views of sea turtles peering above the waves.

The main house has three bedrooms with comfortable touches like feather toppers for the beds and air conditioning, should you choose to use it on this breezy shore. A private bath is included for the master bedroom, and a second full bath is shared by the other two bedrooms-with an additional half bath in the great room.

A gourmet kitchen, with glazed tiles matching the aqua hue of the sea just outside, has a stainless steel refrigerator-freezer and plentiful storage and counter space. The dining area provides picture-window views of Buck Island under a charming pineapple chandelier, while an entertainment area offers cushiony seating for a crowd.

At the adjacent guest house, the first level features an office, sitting room, and fulls kitchen-even its own patio. Upstairs there's a roomy dressing area and the bedroom has French doors leading to a private sea view balcony.

Dish Network television and internet access are included throughout, but you'll want to spend your days outdoors on the spacious, trellised decks bordered by lush palms, colorful bougainvillea, giant philodendron, and red torch ginger plants.

Your own beach is waiting for swimming, shelling, and snorkeling, and the pool, with its view of Buck Island, is irresistible. Or, for the ultimate in relaxation, snooze afternoons away in your hammock, rocked to sleep by the breeze and the lullaby of the surf.

When you can tear yourself away from this paradisiacal world, you'll find plenty of activities-shopping, sightseeing, and water sports-in nearby Christians Ted, an easy 20-minute drive away. Additional restaurants and a casino are even closer.

But much of your entertainment can be found in simply watching the absorbing world of the sea in your own back yard.

By day, windsurfers, dolphins, and yachts glide by and by night, the dark water reflects moon rays and shooting stars, enhancing a villa that is truly a paradise-just waiting to be found.