India, Feb. 14 -- Season 3 of The White Lotus drops tomorrow. Everyone's already flocking to Koh Samui, Thailand, where it is set, to play out their own vacay dreams. It means that hotel rates will be through the roof, the sights will be even more crowded, and the idyll you expected will be nowhere in sight.

South-East Asia has plenty of beach destinations that make for chill alternatives. But what about destination dupes for other overrun holiday hotspots? We asked in-the-know travel editors and writers Joanna Lobo, Kiran Mehta, Salil Deshpande and Sudipta Basu on which locations they'd switch out and why. "Each place has its own culture, customs, history and vibe," admits Mehta. "As long as you're realistic about the similarities and d...