By Jason H. Harper

updated 2:51 p.m. ET Dec. 4, 2008

Real life is the enemy of sexiness. Real life is a bad economy, mortgage worries, global warming. Sexiness is the act of shedding worries and slipping off the constraints of real life. Best of luck doing that at home. While finding a sexy beach is a good start, at this point you need more. You need the total escape that comes only with an island, preferably one that's not merely physically set apart from the mainland but that feels a million miles away. The type where inhibitions are lessened, the locals friendlier and more open-minded, and where less actually is more. Whether you choose a beachy scene like Mykonos or an energetic city island like Hong Kong, these are the places where it's okay to meet a stranger on the beach or at a club and embark on a licentious adventure. Or where you and your partner can forget about the horrors of the boring old real world and get back to sexy.

For a complete slideshow of the World’s Sexiest Islands, click here.

1. Mykonos, Greece

Perfect for: Insatiable singles with the fortitude to play on the beach all day every day and dance at the clubs all night every night.

The scene: Mykonos is a party-hardy island that burned itself out in the 1990s amid a glut of U.K. package-tour revelers pounding cheap ouzo. But the heat returned with a spate of high-end openings that enticed the beautiful (and randy) crowd back. Welcoming to both gays and straights, the postcard-perfect Greek isle encourages bare-chested mash-ups with a schedule that begins with an eye-opener on the beach, segues into afternoon naps, sunset cocktails, late dinners, and dancing till the sun comes up. Depending on your whim, any particular night you can opt for Galleraki, a small bar favored by the Greeks; the excellent DJs at the intimate Astra; or the gay mecca Pierro's. Or you might make for a massive dance hall such as Cavo Paradiso. Whatever your choice, a heady buzz, loud music, and beautiful gyrating bodies are a certainty.

Don't miss: Going Mykonos's full Monty. Tops are optional on most beaches, but you'll see the most skin and general frolicking on the southern coast's infamous Paradise and Super Paradise beaches. Enjoy the glories and recoil at the horrors, but remember that taking pictures is bad form.

Between the sheets: The island still gets its share of budget-minded lager louts, so hedge your bets by staying at the Belvedere in Mykonos Town. Whether or not you agree that all-white everything is still chic or just tired, you can't fault the worldly crowd it attracts. Trust us, they know where the party will be that night.

2. Fernando De Noronha, Brazil

Perfect for: An exotic, return-to-Eden honeymoon.

The scene: When Brazilians dream of going to an island with that special bikini-ed someone, they dream of this place, 250 miles off the northeastern coast. Reached by small plane from the city of Recife, Noronha is a remote volcanic archipelago with calm, pool-like waters on the leeward side and violent, passionate waves on the other. Along the main island's seven square miles, you'll discover more than a dozen individual beaches, each with its own character. Some visitors will also find its environmentally conscious stance sexy: Waters are so pristine that in certain areas, you are not even allowed to swim with suntan lotion.

Don't miss: The perfect, calm waters off of Baía do Sancho. You'll have to negotiate a vertiginous cliff side using slippery metal ladders. (A charm of Brazil is the absence of personal injury lawsuits—it's all at your own risk.) Back on terra firma, you'll find velveteen waters and hollow formations in the rock to indulge in private moments.

Between the sheets: There are no major hotels on the island and all accommodations are inland, so as not to spoil the sea views. But the Pousada Maravilha is a sexy little spot frequented by São Paulo jet-setters and models from Rio, with eight private bungalows, a sauna, and an infinity pool. If you're looking for more basic (i.e., cheaper) digs, the family-owned Pousada do Vale is much closer to the beach than most places—a five-minute walk—and has two-story bungalows with balconies and an outdoor barbecue.

3. Anguilla

Perfect for: A long-weekend jaunt for "reconnecting"—preferably with as few clothes as possible.

The scene: Sixteen miles long and three miles wide, Anguilla has 33 of the most fantastic beaches in the Caribbean, and there are no T-shirt or postcard stands sullying any of them. Gargantuan cruise ships aren't welcome, either. What does this mean to you? Well, as you cuddle on the sand with the warm sea nibbling at your toes, you won't be set upon suddenly by a sunburned family of six toting digital cameras. And you won't have to contend with tacky casinos or skyline-wrecking high-rise hotels, as Anguilla doesn't allow those, either. Who might you be seeing instead? Celebrities such as Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, Beyoncé, or Jennifer Aniston, who come here for the same reasons you do: mind-blowing beaches and no fears of being photographed by gawkers.

Slide show Cool Caribbean View photos of this easy, breezy, tropical paradise. more photos

Don't miss: Lunch on the islet of Scilly Cay. Stand at the dock in the harbor and wave your arms to call over the restaurant's boat. Five minutes across the water awaits a feast of grilled seafood, rum punch, and a live jazz guitarist. Since there's no electricity, the live lobsters are kept in natural tide pools. Argue over which is better—the food or the setting.

Between the sheets: Anguilla's beaches are hard to beat, and the best is arguably the two-mile-long, white-sand-carpeted Shoal Bay East. So make your daily commute as painless as possible, and stay at Kú, located on the beach itself. This 27-suite property has a happy-go-lucky vibe, in no small part because of the crowd that comes for the open-air restaurant Kuyah and its rollicking bar. Body shot, anyone?

4. Hong Kong

Perfect for: Playboys (and playgirls) looking for international action with a bit of Eastern flair.

Win 1,000,000 travel miles World’s sexiest beaches World’s sexiest hotel pools Travel guide: The Caribbean

The scene: Since Hong Kong has gone back to China, the city feels even more like a beacon of sexiness in a gray, smog-filled sea. With the world's most sensual skyline, gaggles of fusion restaurants, and private clubs filled with a global (and beautiful) clientele, this city has seen it all at one time or another. You'll be partying with other scene-chasers from London, Singapore, Los Angeles, and Dubai.

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Don't miss: The nightlife. Hong Kong in the dark somehow feels like the set of an old Bond film or a noir spy thriller. Start out at the Kee Club, a private boîte where upscale locals make flirty eyes at financiers and moguls. When it gets late, head for the sweaty dance hall Volar, which throws nightly parties and hosts world-class DJs.

Between the sheets: Hong Kong caters to those in the know, so better put yourselves in the hands of those who really do. The Peninsula Hong Kong is marking its 80th anniversary this year, and the concierge can get you access to the Kee Club or anywhere else you might desire. It has 300 rooms with bathrooms clad in cool marble. Book one in the modern tower, which has sensational views over Victoria Harbor.

5. Kauai, Hawaii

Perfect for: The couple that likes to take their desires off the beaten path.

The scene: Maui is too family-oriented to be sexy. For a throwback island with a primal vibe, make for Hawaii's most northerly hunk of rock, Kauai. This is the real Hawaii: Instead of loud silk shirts with flowers on them, you'll find rippling fields of luscious hibiscus. Instead of locals performing in grass skirts, you'll find them out in the sea, communing with the waves.

Slide show   Aloha! The Hawaiian Islands offer tropical adventures you will never forget. more photos

The landscape is so potent and sensual that most visitors can't help but be overcome. Sharp, high mountains rise out of the thick green foliage, and dramatic cliffs give way to cerulean waters. You'll want to embrace all that raw beauty—and each other.

Don't miss: The all-but-inaccessible Na Pali Coast. Kauai is a get-out-there-and-do-it place, and the roads that ring the coast will bring you to most of the oceanside highlights. But adventurous souls will love the fierce Na Pali cliffs, which can only be reached by sea or by foot. Those waters can be awfully rough, so consider the Kalalau Trail, a footpath high above the coastline. It's an extremely strenuous 11 miles, but the first four hours are enough to get your heart thumping and your soul stirring—an awfully good excuse for fruity drinks later back at the hotel.

Between the sheets: This is not the kind of island where you want staff barging in to find you in some degree of undress. In the free spirit of the place, look to Pure Kauai, which rents out all types of private villas. Score an intimate cottage or a sprawling estate, and order up just the amount of staff and service you prefer. Or none at all.

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