Australia and New Zealand
Donna Thomas, New Zealand Travel, Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Thomas's knowledge of every inch of New Zealand shines through in the minutely detailed, personalized road atlas she gives each traveler, with driving routes highlighted and notations marking where to stop for idyllic hidden beaches, locally grown artisanal snacks, and gas. And, thanks to her 40 trips there-she goes 3 times a year-Kiwi hoteliers welcome her clients as family. Tacking on a few days in Oz? Thomas has spent 3 weeks a year there over the past decade, checking out everything from Sydney's finest private collection of Aboriginal art to the elusive wildlife of Tasmania with the island's best bush guide (800-367-5494; nztravel@aol.com or aussietrvl@aol.com; newzealandtravel.org).

French Polynesia and the Cook Islands
Kleon Howe, The Art of Travel, San Diego
Howe fell in love with these islands during the year he spent exploring them aboard a 44-foot sailboat, and he goes back for 2 weeks annually. He knows not only which overwater bungalows at which resorts have the most panoramic views but also the best dive locations, black pearl farms, deep-sea fishing boat captains, and B&Bs for the budget-minded (888-294-3598; kleon@theartoftravelonline.com).

UNITED STATES

Alaska
Margret Propper, Brownell Travel, Birmingham, Alabama
She's been to Alaska 42 times-and in every season of the year. She's driven the back roads, taken the scenic trains, flown on bush planes to remote Eskimo villages, sussed out the most atmospheric lodges and B&Bs, and tested a wide range of local adventure outfitters (for glacier dog-sledding, kayaking among the whales, hot-air ballooning, etc.) to determine which offer the most authentic experiences at the lowest price. She's also cruised on ships large and small, taken every shore excursion, and figured out the best ways to combine days at sea with days on land (800-999-3960; margretp@brownelltravel.com).

Hawaii
Judi Chaitman, Great Getaways, Leawood, Kansas
Recommended Generalist
Chaitman knows how—and where—to live large in Hawaii. She has friends at all the finest hotels, which means her clients often get the VIP treatment. She is up to speed on the islands' swankest restaurants and cushiest guided excursions (helicopter tour of Volcanoes National Park, anyone?) and has plenty of experience planning multi-generational trips, including a recent one with her four grandchildren (800-546-8747; judi@greatgetaways.travel).

Betty Cox, Travel Concepts, Fountain Valley, California
Cox, a condo connoisseur, has been planning great-value family trips to Hawaii for the past 25 years. She guides her clients to the best deals on all the islands, from an oceanfront hidden gem on Maui's Napili Bay to a first-class town house smack on a lava-rimmed Big Island golf course. She even knows where to find an amazingly affordable gourmet Thanksgiving dinner just a short drive from the beach (800-369-0107; betty@travelconceptsfv.com).