Say aloha to tropical breezes, oceanfront luaus and iconic Diamond Head on Oahu, the most populated Hawaiian island. Follow in the sandprints of surfing forefather Duke Kahanamoku on Waikiki Beach, visit the royal quarters of Iolani Palace and tour Pearl Harbor.

A gorgeous backdrop of pine-clad mountains looms behind the seaside resort of Marmaris in southwest Turkey. Popular as a cruise ship and yacht port and with the British budget holiday crowd, Marmaris offers an abundance of fast food restaurants, the restored castle of Suleyman the Magnificent and an appealing cobblestoned old quarter.

A beach-lover's paradise, this Caribbean island's interior boasts desert, but the coasts are filled with picture-perfect, powdery white sand and tranquil sapphire waters.

Puerto Morelos, a peaceful village on the Mayan Riviera, offers visitors a glimpse of the real Yucatan. Closer to Cancun airport than Cancun is, Puerto Morelos makes an excellent base for those seeking someplace quieter than glitzy nearby hotspots, Cancun and Playa del Carmen.