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.

The Disney influence is everywhere in the city that was reborn in 1955 with the opening of Disneyland. Formerly a sleepy suburban town, Anaheim today is a vibrant tourist center with fine dining, shopping, festivals, myriad attractions and a range of accommodations.

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.

With its ultramodern skyline, it's easy to forget that Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates, was once a small town of Bedouin traders.