Where else are Ernest Hemingway and Jimmy Buffett equally revered? Key West is a sunny, fun destination with enough sights to keep you busy when you're not snorkeling, parasailing or catching some rays.

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

Paphos, the capital of western Cyprus, has some serious historical clout. Site of the vast fourth-century BC Tombs of the Kings, set high on a cliff above the sparkling sea, as well as a dramatic Byzantine castle and fine mosaics, it's also known as the birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite.

Luxury resorts rub elbows with backpacker accommodations on the Thai island of Ko Samui, a 15-mile-long palm-covered tropical oasis located off the country's east coast.