Dreaming of a steamy, languid tropical escape but looking for someplace a bit more exotic than Hawaii or the Caribbean?  Venture further afield in Southeast Asia, which has a dazzling array of sandy options.  You can easily find luxury, a hint of adventure and even a few spots where the U.S. dollar still holds its value.

Thailand may sound far but consider that the British seem to think nothing of hopping over to that tropical kingdom. It’s worth it once you get there: warm hospitality, deliciously spiced food, gentle water, sandy beaches and islands galore.  Ko Phi Phi, or Phi Phi island is still one of the most idyllic. Located just thirty minutes by speedboat from either Phuket or Krabi, people question whether these pretty little roadless isles, immortalized in the film The Beach, are overexposed.  Meanwhile, cleaned-up and considerably less congested since the tragedy of the December 2004 tsunami, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley (a marine preserve) continue to be a unique hot spot, mixing nubile backpackers with wealthy jet-setters.  There's no debate about Ko Phi Phi's enduring natural beauty: sugar sand set off by turquoise waters and limestone cliffs, healthy coral reefs and multiplying populations of tropical fish.

The emerging country of Vietnam is alive with the electric energy of youth. Half the country is under the age of 25, and willing to forgive and forget the country's troubled past.  And with 2,000 miles of coastline, Vietnam's many beaches beckon.  China Beach is still among the best.  Once a surf spot and escape for American GIs, this generously wide, seemingly endless, historic stretch between DaNang and Hoi An has now been reborn as a tony civilian  destination (it's also home of the priciest resort in all of Vietnam, the gilded Nam Hai).  The combination of South China Sea swell, two UNESCO World Heritage sites and two thriving cities nearby, has made China Beach the R and R capital of Vietnam, but best of all, the US dollar is still strong here.