If you visit Honolulu simply for the wide Pacific beaches, the striking views of Ko'olau's pali (cliffs) and the laid-back "aloha" feeling, you'll be missing out on much this city has to offer.

Venice makes you a believer in fairy tales. Cars are banned, so the only way to get around the 1,500-year-old city is by foot or by water.

The Mayan Riviera, Mexico's Caribbean coastline, is more than just the resort town of Playa del Carmen. Stretching from the fishing village of Puerto Morales to the biosphere reserve of Sian Ka'an, the area offers visitors a plethora of both eco-tourism and luxury destinations.

Glamorous Santorini, in the southern Aegean's Cyclades islands, curves round a giant lagoon, a caldera left by a volcanic eruption.