Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
A holiday in Punta Cana? Yes please. Especially if you can ring in 2023 with lady luck in your favor at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana or The Greek Casino Resorts Punta Cana. Or, for an all-inclusive experience that dazzles, check into Royalton Punta Cana, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort & Casino (Christmas Eve dinner at the property is especially lovely).
Pine Cay Meridian Club, Turks and Caicos
The little island of Pine Cay in Turks and Caicos is a total reset for your nervous system: 800 acres of co-op-owned land encircled by a halo of white sand. The island’s sole resort, The Meridian Club, has just 12 rooms and suites set 150 feet from the ocean, giving guests access to some of the most beautiful, untouched, and empty beaches in the Caribbean. Borrow a golf cart (the transportation of choice on Pine Cay) and explore sandy roads leading to secluded coves.
Amilla, Maldives
It’s hard to select one standout private island paradise in the Maldives, an archipelagic country brimming with them, but Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences gets our vote. Situated within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, 70 percent of the island is composed of untouched, lush rainforest and pristine beach, so you never have to go far to find a deserted patch of paradise.
Hapuna Beach, Hawaii
Your first stop should be Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best winner Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area, where a lava-rock bottom makes for exceptionally clear water. Keep an eye out for humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa, an electric blue and yellow triggerfish that’s also the state fish of Hawaii.
Islas Secas, Panama
There’s no better place to get acquainted with Panama’s wild Pacific Coast than Islas Secas, a tropical archipelago composed of 14 volcanic islands—13 of them untouched and brimming with wildlife. Guests stay on the destination’s one occupied island, which contains just seven elegant casitas sleeping two to eight guests.
Song Saa Private Island, Cambodia
Though Cambodia’s coastline isn’t as famous as neighboring Thailand's, it’s every bit as beautiful. Case in point: Song Saa, a private island retreat in the Koh Rong Archipelago with a strong emphasis on sustainability. Here, 24 private villas and overwater bungalows, each with their own pool, are made from reclaimed timber and decorated with upcycled items (think: driftwood tables and lamps made from old oil drums).
Waimea Canyon, Hawaii
Spend your morning hiking along the rim of Waimea Canyon, a Travelers’ Choice Award winner often referred to as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Then, head to the Hanapepe outpost of Paco’s Tacos, a Travelers’ Choice Award winner that offers Baja-style street tacos. Wander around Old Koloa Town and pick up any last-minute souvenirs before ending the day with a truly memorable meal at Tidepools, a Travelers’ Choice favorite.
Ke'e Beach, Hawaii
Secure a permit in advance for Ha’ena State Park. Then, choose between two options: Relax on Ke'e Beach, a filming location for the 1958 film South Pacific, or hike eight miles along the Kalalau Trail—a strenuous, often muddy trail—to Hanakāpī‘ai Beach. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you can hack it, you’ll be rewarded with some of the best views of the entire trip.
Lava Lava Beach Club
Start off with one of the creative appetizers—like purple sweet potato ravioli or the lobster and goat cheese wontons with macadamia nuts and guava plum sauce—and end with the “Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory” warm cake. If you still have the energy, enjoy a nightcap at the hotel’s Lava Lava Beach Club. Most nights, there’s live music until 9 p.m.
Waldorf Astoria, Cancun
Warm weather destinations are a big draw for holiday travel, too. Make your stomping grounds the newly opened Waldorf Astoria Cancun. There, reset from holiday stress with a facial or massage at the spa that draws on Mayan traditions. While Cancun may have a reputation for spring breakers, December and January are a great time to visit with temperatures hovering in the 70s and 80s, festive decorations abounding, and holiday festivals.
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park
The Mamalahoa Highway is a scenic route to the east side of the island that takes about three hours without stopping. But you’re going to want to stop to soak up places like Ka’u Coffee Mill and the Travelers’ Choice Award–winning Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, a sacred place of refuge for the Kānaka Maoli people that includes temples and kiʻi, carved statues that represent Hawaiian gods and ancestors.
Pool at Club Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Resort
Try the Crispy Boys IPA off the Backyard Batch menu. It’s got a hint of pineapple but isn’t as hoppy as you might expect from a West Coast IPA. When it’s time to turn in, the Club Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Resort, another Travelers’ Choice Award winner, has apartment-style accommodations in a beautiful garden setting.