There is no question that New Zealand is one of the world’s most beautiful spots. This is a destination that forces visitors to literally stand back and gasp at unrivaled natural splendors.

Sergio Ortiz, our Asia/South Pacific editor, took a detour from his usual beat and headed to England, capturing the country’s magnificent landscapes.

Alaska will always beckon. At least that’s what many of the state’s travel brochures emphatically state, underscoring a fact that is well known since the first explorers set foot on this magic land of jaw-dropping scenery, overwhelming vastness and unrivaled character.

It’s indisputably the capital of Europe. Unlike other world centers, however, Brussels overflows with an urban flair rare in Northern Europe.

Sergio Ortiz, our Asia/South Pacific editor, took a detour from his usual beat and headed to Brussels, capturing life in this chic European city.

For years the most economic and colorful way to reach Macau from Hong Kong was on waterborne vessels. What the early traders once dreaded as an overnight ordeal of sail and waves evolved in modern times into a 1-hour ride on sleek crafts that departed from a wharf near the old Star Ferry terminal on Hong Kong Island.

Of the multitude of attractions in Thailand none has captured the imagination of foreigners like its proliferation of spas. In this land of rainforests and golden beaches, the practice of indulging oneself in the luxury of spas goes back hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Foreigners first setting foot on the fabled islands that comprise the Japanese archipelago don’t have to look far to find the storied Japan of literature, art and myth, for the majesty and incredibly rich culture of the Land of the Rising Sun is manifest everywhere—from the exquisite and delicate gardens so ubiquitous in its large cities, to quaint and serene mountaintop teahouses prevalent in the more remote parts of the country.

It doesn’t take much to understand why those who seek luxury, pampering and top-notch service surrounded by the majesty of mountains deem Beaver Creek Lodge to be a dreamland.

Las Vegas is in full swing for 2012, ready to blow visitors’ minds yet again.