Playa del Carmen, Mexico

The heat of this Yucatán getaway, easily one of North America's 10 sexiest beaches, rises from hordes of jet-setters, college backpackers, and pleasure-seekers that play on its pristine beaches. Playa del Carmen combines intoxicating coastal scenery and cosmopolitan chic. The nightlife of Cancun is close by, along with mesmerizing Mayan ruins in Tulum. When the sun goes down, the peninsula's best DJs get everyone into the groove at Deseo Hotel, whose very name means "desire." Guests at the Tides Resort enjoy jungle seclusion and sensual Mayan saunas on the beach.