Another place we went was Boca del Toro, it is on the east coast of Panama.
Fly in, we stayed on a smaller outer island, took little boats around to the places to eat and drink, really, really inexpensive. Great diving, but like someone said about the Maldives, after a few days you are ready for someplace else. I lasted three days. My wife would have been ok with a week.

Petit St. Vincent -- see www.psvresort.com. 150 acre private island, 22 stone cottages. If you want privacy, it's great.

St. Vincent as an island isn't that nice. The resort might be, but not the rest of the island. Try Dominica, not the Dominican Republic, Dominica. Its a non-touristy island, and dirt cheap. Great Eco-Tour island. We shot Pirates of the Caribbean II there. We shot Pirates I, in part, on St. Vincent

OK PSV looks incredible! Think I have a shot at getting a grid girl to go with me?

$770/night-double occupancy, a little steep for me.

How about Croatia?

Helmethead

That sounds like a winner to me.

Capri is nice.... Or the mountains in Monterrey Mexico....

I spent a week on the island of Panang, off the coast of Malaya, great place.
Someplace close I have always wanted to go but couldn't get my wife to go, CUBA, lots of my friends have been and loved it, fly to Mexico first. They still love the American Dollar.

Speaking of Mexico, Loreto is a small coastal town half way down the east side of Baja. Great little town, the oldest mission in the Californias, another old one up in a vally, kinda the Shangri La of Baja. Google the Hotel called
Posada de Los Flores, great place to stay and super good place to eat. A glass bottom pool on the third floor, when you walk into the hotel from the street you look right up into the pool. Not a good summer spot, way to hot. You don't need a car, eveything in town is a walk. The airport is five miles out of town. I like this place. right on the water.

Go to China, don't go with a tour group, just show up and have an adventure. Dirt, dirt cheap to live and eat like a king, never a dull moment, best food on Earth and richest history too.

Excellent point...closest I've been is Taiwan. China is on the list, once the kids are out of college...;)

You guys rock! I've got tons of research going on now.
Keep the ideas coming.

New Zealands ok but you wouldn't want to live there...

Actually Fishcop is here right now skiing around the Queenstown area and may come to Wellington for some beers and pizza.

Andes in Peru.

close, cheap, and exotic.

+1

Go before there is a McDonalds on every corner. You can stay at The Penninsula in Beijing for $330 a night. Finest Hotel on offer there. Very nice. Climb the great wall. Go to the forbiden city. Tianamen Sqaure. Amazing.

Other cities are VERY affordable.

Bali - down the East end of the Island like Chandidasa.
Thailand - northern part near Chang-Mai where you can hike up into the hills to visit the elephant camps, ride them and then come back down the river on bambo pole rafts.
Island of Borneo - Kota Kinabalu - Climb Mount Kinabalu and watch the sun rise from 14,200feet, then visit the Uragutang's in their natural habitat.
Fiji - for just kicking back and relaxing. These guys delayed the military coup by a couple of days so it did not interfere with an annual Rugby game between the Police and the Army. Gives you an idea how laid back they are!

Tim