South Florida

Gayle Forman traveled around the world for a year with her husband, Nick, and wrote about the trip in You Can't Get There From Here, which comes out next month. But she saved her best tips for us. Take time off from your companion(s) It's better to go to separate corners before a fight happens. Even if you simply adore the person you're traveling with--be it your spouse, lover, or auntie Mame--give yourselves some breaks. Long breaks, if necessary. After a quarrelsome period in East Africa, Nick and I parted ways for a month while he explored Zambia and Botswana and I wandered through South Africa. When we reunited, we no longer wanted to strangle each other. Trust Third World doctors Your first visit to a local clinic can be nerve-racking, what with your mysterious malady and the doctor's oldfangled equipment. But local medics know a lot about native diseases (the majority of U.S. practitioners, after all, don't have much experience treating malaria, dengue fever, and other exotic ailments). When a worm took up residence in his big toe, Nick visited a doctor in rural Malawi who gave him medication that killed and dissolved the interloper. The visit and drugs cost all of a buck. Skip the taxis Hiring a cab is fine for jaunts around town, but employing a driver for long-distance trips often results in disaster. In the mountains of Yunnan Province, China, our driver crashed into a horse cart and we wound up in the local police station for the day. En route to Almaty, Kazakhstan, our crazy hack, Murat, almost ran out of gas--twice--and took several hours-long breaks, turning a 12-hour drive into a 22-hour ordeal. For long hauls, stick to public transport. Don't stress over a quarter In India, I would often get completely inflamed when negotiating with rickshaw drivers because I knew those rascals were overcharging. Just as I was about to pop, Nick would remind me that I was freaking out over a quarter. Bargaining is a fact of life in much of the world, and, as a foreigner, you will be a rip-off target. Haggle smart, but keep your perspective. Give money, not cigarettes Marlboros cost less on the streets of Beijing and Moscow than at the duty-free, so attempts to grease palms with smokes will not be well received. When a border guard in Kazakhstan solicited a "gift" from Nick and me, I offered up a pack of Reds, and we wound up detained for a few hours. Had I ponied up the cash he was looking for, we would've saved ourselves so much trouble. Just eat it When Doctor Bi, the Chinese pediatrician who enlisted my help in writing a book about curing cancer through learning English (don't ask), invited us to lunch, I was thrilled. Nothing beats an invitation to dine with a local. I was less thrilled when Bi presented Nick and me with a plate of fluorescent-green eggs, what looked like long strands of leather, and some shiny, fatty, truffley stuff. I made it through the meal by not asking what anything was and eating with an open mind. It would have been harder to do so had I known, as I was later informed, that I'd been lunching on animal fat and skin, pig's ears, and tripe. Leave the drugstore at home Why waste space and money by toting value packs of Tylenol or Cipro or doxycycline, when in big cities you can usually find cheap generic versions of common meds? Heck, in Bangkok you can readily stock up on everything from Valium to Viagra. A good rule of thumb: If a disease is endemic, you can usually find a medication to prevent or treat it (at a fraction of what you'd pay here, and usually sold over the counter). One big exception, ladies, is tampons. Although I found sanitary pads to be ubiquitous, tampons were another matter altogether. By packing a year's supply of those tiny O.B.'s--they didn't even fill a large Ziploc--I saved myself from many an emergency. Build vacations into the vacation Being the constant stranger in a strange land--navigating foreign geography, culture, language, and money on a daily basis--is wonderful but also grueling. You absolutely need time off from your traveling routine. If you're camping a lot, splurge now and again on a hotel. If you're racing through cities, as Nick and I did, hit the coast. We took quarterly lazy beach vacations, tanning ourselves in New Zealand, Thailand, and Tanzania. Bring U.S. dollars Though most travel guides warn against carrying them, sometimes only greenbacks will do. On the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar, dollars are the currency of choice, not the Tanzanian shilling. Traveler's checks aren't widely accepted there, so we had to exchange U.S. traveler's checks for Tanzanian shillings and then turn around and exchange the shillings for dollars, losing about 15 percent of the value in the process. Take advantage of opportunities to stock up on cash (like in hard-currency-starved Cambodia, where banks will exchange traveler's checks denominated in dollars for their face value in American bills). Know when to be brave Sure, the world can be dangerous, and, yes, prudence is a good thing, but sometimes the State Department goes over the top with its travel warnings. Kenya and Nepal are both on the current no-go list, even though plenty of tourists happily visit these places. Of course, terrorism is always a consideration, but if that's the main criterion for warnings, New York City is as dangerous as New Delhi. We skipped a stop in Yemen as was advised, but ignored the warning about India, where we had a grand time and got great deals because other tourists were staying away. Embrace local beauty rituals Here's my big admission. I'm a fake redhead. I wanted to stay red on the road, but accidents happened, like in India when a hotel beauty salon left me with dark-brown hair that looked hideous. (And I didn't want to strip out the color and totally wreck my weary locks.) Eventually I flagged down an old pilgrim woman who had the perfect shade; she told me to use henna with coffee grounds. Not only did I manage to restore my hair to its rightful red, but I learned a great tidbit about local life. Of course, this strategy has risks: An elderly barber in Saigon gave Nick the classic GI buzz. Try being nice to touts "Psst, you wanna buy a rug? You need a good hotel? You want a tour?" In the developing world, touts are omnipresent and pesky. But bear in mind that they're poor, and, relatively speaking, you're rich, so of course they want to take advantage of your presence. Refusing is fine (and necessary, unless you're looking to purchase 200 carpets), but remember your humanity. I had a rough time with the onslaught of neediness in Cambodia: dozens of people begging, offering me rides or shoeshines or newspapers or tours. Ignoring them made me feel terrible, and they still hounded me. Once I started talking to them, I felt less harassed and often met the human behind the sales pitch.

The three-mile, mostly level trail to Lower Calf Creek Falls in southern Utah's magnificent Canyon Country is not difficult. But I was getting plenty hot from the sun's burning glare, which radiated ovenlike off the red rock cliffs overhead. So when I reached the slender falls, which spill 126 feet into a large, deep pool at the trail's end, I didn't hesitate. Off came my shirt and hiking boots, and I plunged into the clear, frigid water. Brrrrr! Later, fully refreshed, I dried out on a large, flat rock, eating the picnic lunch I'd packed and listening to the cheery serenade of the splashing stream. A terrific day, I remember thinking at the time. And the fun had hardly cost me anything. Etched by deep, sinuous slick-rock canyons and shadowed by forested mountain peaks, southern Utah ranks as one of America's great outdoor playgrounds - a surprisingly inexpensive vacation destination that is as awesomely beautiful as it is geologically chaotic. From this compact region of multicolored rock formations - graceful arches, towering spires, soaring cliffs - five national parks, three national monuments, a sprawling national recreation area, and several state parks have been carved. Many people come to Canyon Country simply as sightseers to gaze in awe at the natural spectacles. For others, the parks mean exciting wilderness adventures, a place where they can hike, bike, kayak, raft, or rock climb beneath a dazzling blue sky. On Calf Creek Trail, a popular hike in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, study the ancient pictographs of humanlike figures painted in red on a smooth cliff side. At Capitol Reef National Park, venture into a deep red rock canyon so narrow you can almost touch both sides with your extended arms. On a high, pinon-shaded plateau at Escalante State Park, examine fine deposits of petrified wood, including brightly hued tree trunks polished by the ages to the shiny gleam of giant marbles. At Bryce Canyon National Park, descend the steep switchback path called the Navajo Trail that leads into a fantastical wonderland of eerie pink rock pillars and pinnacles called "hoodoos." At Arches National Park, climb the scary cliff's-edge trail to snap a photo of Delicate Arch, the park's majestic emblem. There is a frontier look to this rugged, unspoiled land, as well as easy-on-the-wallet prices that hark back to an earlier era. If you plan ahead, you can easily find good economical lodges and motels - often in a scenic setting. Expect to pay $7.50 for a hearty chicken-fried steak dinner, less than $8 for a burger-and-beer combo (big enough to satisfy a hungry ranch hand). Like my Calf Creek hike, most of what you will want to see or do costs little or nothing. Indeed, Canyon Country - or "Color Country," as it often is promoted - could just as appropriately be dubbed "Budget Country." Trivia pause: On this trip, it's useful to know the difference between a natural bridge and a natural arch - which look exactly alike. Both are formed by erosion. A bridge is carved by a rushing stream or waterfall; the weather-wind, rain, snow, heat, cold-shapes an arch. Getting there To get you on your way, I've plotted a budget traveler's itinerary to what I consider the highlights of Canyon Country. In a hurry, you could cover the route in a week (as I describe it), but two weeks are better. If time is short, plan to visit only one or two of the parks described here. On my last trip, I spent four memorable days hiking and sightseeing just at Grand Staircase-Escalante. Summer is the busy season; spring and fall are quieter and cheaper. In winter, the parks remain open but many budget-priced tourist facilities close. You can begin and end this circle route at either Salt Lake City to the north or Las Vegas to the south. Or begin in one city and end in the other. Both are served by budget airlines. A search of the Internet suggests summer car rentals are cheaper out of Las Vegas. Dollar recently quoted a weekly rate for mid-August 2001 of $108 for a four-door compact with unlimited mileage. From Salt Lake, the lowest rate I could find for the same car/same week was $167 at Payless. No matter which city you pick, your vacation begins with a five-to-six-hour drive to Kanab, the inexpensive gateway to Utah's canyon parks. But this is not as tiring a slog as you might imagine, because the scenery is eye-catching almost every mile of the way. At the first park you visit, buy a $50 National Parks Pass. It covers entrance fees for you and everyone in your car at all national parks and monuments for a year. Seniors 62 and older can purchase a lifetime Golden Age Passport (good for a carload) for $10. Room rates below are for two people per night during summer high season. Zion National Park About 40 miles west of Kanab, Zion National Park (435/772-3256) makes a dazzling introduction to Canyon Country. Carved by the rippling Virgin River, Zion Canyon is a deep, narrow gorge of vividly colored sandstone walls rising 3,000 feet. The approach from Kanab on Utah Route 9 provides a panoramic view before the road takes you on a heartstopping, zigzag descent into its depths. Only recently, park officials have banned most vehicular traffic on the seven-mile Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which threads the canyon past Zion Lodge to the road's end at the Narrows. Now you must board a free shuttle at the Visitor Center or you can walk all or part of the way beneath willows and cottonwoods lining the Virgin River. A number of side trails from easy to strenuous ascend the canyon walls. The short but steep climb to the Emerald Pools (two miles round-trip) is a favorite of mine because it rewards with more lovely pools and cascading falls. Unless you're an avid hiker, plan to spend no more than a half day in the park, and then move on. Details: Within the park, Zion Lodge (303/297-2757) is lovely but somewhat pricey. Instead, stay in Kanab, once favored by Hollywood as a dramatic setting for westerns. I like the rambling old Parry Lodge (435/644-2601), an 89-room motel with an outdoor pool that has decorated its rooms with photos of the movie stars who came to town. Rates begin at $50 per double room. Dine at the inviting Parry Lodge Restaurant, where the prime rib plate costs $14, the chicken-fried steak just $7.50. Alternative digs, if Parry Lodge is full, are found just down the street at the 31-room Aiken's Lodge (435/644-2625) at $47 per double. A bit pricier, the 119-room Shiloh Inn (435/644-3562) charges $85, which includes continental breakfast for two. And you'll find more choices in Springdale at the western entrance to Zion. Consider the 41-room Pioneer Lodge (435/772-3233), $59 per double room. From Kanab, convenient day trips are possible south to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona and east to Wahweap Marina (on the Utah/Arizona state line) for an escorted boat trip on Lake Powell to Rainbow Bridge National Monument, the world's largest natural bridge. Bryce Canyon National Park One of America's oddest national parks, Bryce Canyon National Park (435/834-5322) looks like something out of a fairy tale. Formed by erosion, pink stone pillars in fanciful or bizarre shapes - the hoodoos - soar like the towers of a castle or ancient cathedral. Here and there, a natural tunnel pierces the rock or an arch leaps overhead. From the canyon's rim, you can peer into this chaotic jumble. But better yet, don sturdy boots and descend into its maze of narrow passageways. The 1.5-mile (round-trip) Navajo Loop Trail is my favorite. Starting from Sunset Point, it drops rapidly into the canyon in a series of 29 switchbacks and then squeezes through a narrow, high-walled passage dubbed "Wall Street." Climbing out, it skirts the Pope, Thor's Hammer, and other aptly named rock formations. Plan on a half day in the park. Details: Bryce is about 85 miles northeast of Zion. Here, too, is Bryce Canyon Lodge (303/297-2757), beautifully located but expensive. I recently stayed just outside the park at Bryce Canyon Pines (800/892-7923), a pleasant 52-room motel where the rate is $75. Prices are cheaper about 15 miles west in the town of Panguitch. There, the 55-room Best Western New Western (800/528-1234) charges $65 with continental breakfast. At the 13-room Hiett Lamplighter Inn (800/322-6966), $55; at the 16-room Horizon Motel (800/776-2651), $49. Or try one of the motels in the town of Tropic, seven miles east of Bryce. The rate at the 65-room Bryce Valley Inn (435/679-8811) is $55 per double. And a minor note: a T-bone steak at Bryce Canyon Pines costs a too-high $16.50. But the dinner special (just $9.95) features thoroughly acceptable baked chicken or porkchops. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument The immense emptiness of Grand Staircase-Escalante (435/826-5499) is intimidating. Indeed, rangers regularly warn inexperienced hikers of the potentially fatal danger of getting lost in this harsh, unforgiving wilderness. But don't let those daunting words keep you away. Much of the huge monument can be viewed - and enjoyed - easily by almost any traveler. And see it you should. Utah Route 12, one of America's most scenic highways, traces its northern edge, and a handful of roads paved and unpaved provide limited access to the interior. If the name - a real mouthful - puzzles you, join the crowd. In fact, Grand Staircase-Escalante recognizes two very distinct geological features. To the west, the Grand Staircase is a series of cliff-edged plateaus that climb like giant stair steps from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon. To the east, the Escalante is the incredibly rumpled landscape drained by the many slender feeder canyons of the Escalante River. Calf Creek, where I took my cooling dip, flows through one such canyon to the river. Both areas are gorgeous, but Escalante is where you're going to want to spend most of your time. Because of its size, allow for a two-day stay. If one vista in the monument might thrill more than any other - the kind of view where one literally gasps in awe - it comes suddenly at the summit of a low pass about ten miles east of the little town of Escalante on Route 12. Spread out before you for miles around is an eerie landscape of polished yellow rock-as if a hard, shiny pottery glaze had been sunbaked atop the scrambled gorges, domes, ridges, and cliffs. Tour guides call it "an ocean of rock." In a series of steep switchbacks, Route 12 plunges deep into this sandstone sea. Hike along Calf Creek, marvel at the petrified stumps at Escalante State Park, and then take a detour drive on the 67-mile Burr Trail, which begins in the town of Boulder. At the outset, huge petrified sand dunes, created millions of years ago, soar like giant cones of soft ice cream, right down to the swirls on top. And then the road drops quickly into a landscape turned a dark, rich red. This is Long Canyon, a narrow, seven-mile-long winding valley cut between majestic cliffs. In Utah's realm of many spectacles, the canyon is a glory. And on a recent day in June, my wife and I had it to ourselves. Details: On two trips in recent years, I made my headquarters in Boulder, about 85 miles east of Bryce Canyon. The 20-room Boulder Mountain Lodge (800/556-3446), perched on the edge of a bird sanctuary and pond, is perhaps the finest lodging in Canyon Country. Rates begin at $69. A block up the road, the 13-room, family-run Pole's Place Motel (800/730-7422) is basic but spotlessly clean, and cheaper at $49. Dine five minutes away at Boulder Mesa Cafe, featuring a $14.95 New York steak dinner or a $9.95 roast beef plate. You can also find good, inexpensive lodging and dining in nearby Escalante, another Route 12 gateway to the park. A newly refurbished room at the 12-room Padre Motel (435/826-4276) begins at $40, while the same at the 50-room Prospector Inn (435/826-4653) is $57. Just down the street, the Circle D Restaurant serves up a full grilled chicken dinner for $7.95. Capitol Reef National Park Capitol Reef (435/425-3791) is the national park almost nobody knows. And maybe we should keep it our secret. Traffic jams can clog Zion and Bryce in summer, but it's not a problem here. Stretching in a slender, 100-mile, north-to-south strip, the park preserves a rare and mighty fold in the earth's crust known to geologists as the Waterpocket Fold. The name comes from the numerous pockets and potholes in the rocks that capture rainwater. To the uninitiated, the fold most resembles an oddly tilted ridge or reef thrusting into the air, its broad face tinted in reds and oranges and wrinkled with the weathering of ages. The "Capitol" pays tribute to many rounded grayish-white domes. A nine-mile scenic drive links several of the major rock formations. But to really see the park, plan on a hike or two. As a starter, go for a two-mile journey into the Grand Wash, a rock-filled gully that winds beneath towering red cliffs. It's an easy trek that gets more intriguing as the high, water-polished canyon walls narrow into a winding tunnel barely the width of outstretched arms. Details: Stay in Torrey, just outside the park's west entrance. At the lovely ten-room Capitol Reef Inn & Cafe (435/425-3271), the room decor and the menu reflect the local southwestern style. A room is $44, a nine-ounce ribeye steak $12.95. Other less romantic options: the Torrey/Capitol Reef Super 8 Motel (435/425-3688), $58; and the 39-room Days Inn (435/425-3111), $79. You could also stay in Boulder and make a day trip to Capitol Reef. The 32-mile drive via Route 12 climbs the shoulder of 11,000-foot Boulder Mountain, offering spectacular views. Arches/Canyonlands National Parks The 1.5-mile trail that climbs to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park - one of nature's most graceful rock sculptures - is steep, tough, hot, and just a little scary as it edges a sheer drop-off. But the payoff, as the narrow path swings abruptly around a soaring red bluff, is a spectacular vista. The massive arch, which leaps into the sky with the muscular agility of a ballet dancer, frames majestic cliffs, canyons, mesas, and mountains. At first sight, I gasped both to catch my breath from the ascent and from wonderment at the panorama spread for miles before me. Arches (435/719-2299) and Canyonlands (435/259-7164) are neighboring parks outside the Old West town of Moab. By far the larger of the two, Canyonlands is a rugged wilderness most suited to the hardy, experienced, and well-prepared - although the 12-mile drive to Grand View Point shouldn't be missed. For the rest of us, however, little Arches actually offers more in the way of interesting rock sculptures, scenic drives, and easy-to-moderate hikes. Arches boasts more than 1,500 catalogued arches, the greatest density of them in the world. Many can be seen from the park's 28-mile scenic road. But short trails lead to many more. Overwhelmed by their numbers, I almost missed Delicate Arch. But a ranger I met in the visitor center on my final day there all but ordered me to make the climb or regret missing one of Canyon Country's greatest views. So I obeyed and was bedazzled. What a grand, spirit-boosting way to end my trip. Details: Give yourself at least two days in Moab to see both parks. Moab is about 150 miles east of Capitol Reef via Utah Routes 24 east and 95 south and U.S. 191 north. En route, stop for two or three hours at Natural Bridges National Monument. Moab's lodging rates tend to be a little higher than elsewhere on this tour. Stay at the 50-room Red Stone Inn (800/772-1972), $59.95; the 40-room Bowen Motel (800/874-5439), $70; or the 50-room Best Inn (435/259-8848), both $75. All three have pools. On a tighter budget, try the Lazy Lizard International Hostel (435/259-6057), $8.72 in a bunk room for four (women) or eight (men). About 50 miles north in Green River, the 105-room Motel 6 (435/564-3436) charges $56. In Moab, dine at Smitty's Golden Steak, the town's bustling favorite. Full dinners-hamburger steak, ham steak, liver and onions - cost just $6.95. To complete your Canyon Country tour, return to Salt Lake City or Las Vegas via I-70 and I-15 - perhaps with a detour to Cedar Breaks National Monument - another red rock spectacular.

You stick a coin into a slot, and the tiny, caged elevator jerks and wheezes its way to the sixth floor, filling you with all sorts of dread about what awaits upstairs. But what awaits is a scene of such splendor as to make you catch your breath. A glamorous, duplex apartment of Rome, whose owner--a cultivated Florentine--has devoted a lifetime to furnishing its rooms with stunning antiques, the twelve-room "pensione" is a ravishing sight, more elegant by far than Italy's most expensive hotel. Yet how much does it charge? Approximately $40 a day per person, including two meals: breakfast and dinner. And why so cheap? Because not a single room in it comes equipped with a private bath, but rather the bath is down the hall. Because of that lack, the establishment is officially categorized as a "second-class Pensione," and prohibited by Italian law from charging more. Now I don't mean to imply that the place just described--with its ultra-glamorous but bathless rooms--is typical of Europe's budget lodgings lacking a private bath. Obviously, it's a very special "find" that I've secreted away for my own stays in Rome. But I mention that wondrous little inn to make a point: that the occasional willingness to forgo a private bath can lead to the most memorable of travel experiences, at the lowest of costs. When all is said and done, booking a room without a private bath is the one sure way to travel inexpensively overseas in these days of a weak dollar. In every major city on earth, people by the dozens who have fallen onto hard times, and needed extra income, have converted what was earlier their residence--an apartment, a townhouse--into a tiny hotel. Because the structure wasn't initially designed to be a hotel, it obviously can't contain the intricate network of plumbing needed to physically attach a private bath to each room. While a great many such places have later corrected the deficiency, the majority haven't, and possess only a single bath (and toilet) per floor, maybe two. And because of that, they're instantly shunned by the great majority of all international travelers, who absolutely insist of their travel counselors that they be put into rooms with a private bath. Result: the tiny, converted lodgings must charge low rates--often a quarter the level of the standard hotel--to attract their clientele. What's odd about the refusal of travelers to consider such lodgings is that most of us continually live, at home, in residences that don't always possess a private bath attached to each bedroom; we think nothing of sharing a single facility with members of our family. Or more relevantly, most of us work each day in offices or schools where we share such facilities with scores, even hundreds, of other people, and yet we don't regard ourselves as humiliated, degraded, made uncomfortable or subject to hazard by the necessity of doing so. Yet when we travel, we demand the private bath, and thereby make it impossible to stay (or save money) in some of the world's most attractive lodgings that simply happen to possess no rooms with a private bath. We end up paying four times as much, and yet ultimately enjoy the same bath we could have had by paying less. Let me explain: In a Japanese "ryokan" (budget inn) lacking rooms with a private bath, taking a bath is a highlight of the stay. An elderly chambermaid ushers you down the hall to a room maintained solely for bathing. Here you first soap and thoroughly clean yourself outside the tub, sitting on a small wooden stool and using lukewarm water from a hose. You then lower yourself into a recessed rectangle in the floor, filled with water so unimaginably hot that the only way you can stand it is by not moving once inside--it hurts when you move. After 45 seconds, about all you can take, you emerge red as a beet and, exhausted, return to your sleeping cubicle where, in your absence, the chambermaid has unrolled a futon mattress onto the floor and placed a small pillow at its head (because you're a Westerner). There, she has also placed a small floor lamp and, invariably, a delicate cup of tea next to the pillow, so that you can read and refresh yourself before falling asleep. Now I would not exchange the unique experience of a classic Japanese bath, taken at a low-cost ryokan, for all the supposed comforts of a modern, first-class Japanese hotel with a private bath. I wouldn't substitute one for the other even if they were priced equally. But of course, they're not. What other advantages do you gain by opting for the non-standard, non-traditional lodging when you travel abroad? Well first, you meet people. Since all the facilities there are communal ones--a single television set around which everyone gathers at night, a single, large table for the morning meal--you have no alternative but to meet people and talk with other guests. Contrast the ease of doing so with the cold, impersonal barriers of the standard hotel, where often it's regarded as "forward" to attempt to strike up a conversation in the lobby. And you meet a better class of people, the kind without rings in their noses for the commercial travel industry to pull. Adventurous, spirited, intellectually-curious people. People from Australia and the Middle East, cost-conscious types from Canada and South America, people who opt for the unpretentious lodgings, indigenous to their nations, that bear such names as "pension," "b & b", "canal-house hotel," "ryokan", "hostel," "locanda." You not only save money on the accommodations element of your trip, but instantly learn (from your fellow guests) about other inexpensive facilities of the city: the local transportation, the free swimming pools, the cheap nightspots. And then you visit these places, or use those facilities, in the company of your hotel friends. The entire coloration and dimension of your holiday take on a different, and rewarding, intensity. Next time you travel overseas, consider a room without a private bath. These days, it's often the key to affordable international travel.

Budget travelers usually run in the other direction when the word Japan is uttered. But we've unearthed some accommodation secrets that will have you yelling "Bonsai!" How about a room with a view in Hiroshima for $15, with buffet breakfasts for $3.50? Or a sumptuous hot-springs inn on the northern island of Hokkaido for $52, including two delicious meals? Even repeat visitors to the Land of the Rising Sun miss the little-known government-sponsored lodges in gorgeous settings -- as little as $60 per night, including two large meals. With the sharp decline of the Japanese currency to a rate of 120-125 yen to one U.S. dollar (compared with 90 yen to the dollar seven years ago), Japan is again reasonably priced for Americans of average means. It's even more accessible at the unexpected lodgings-hostels for anyone, hot-springs inns, and public resorts -- which we'll now describe. Note: When calling these numbers from the U.S., dial 011-81 and then drop the initial zero. HOSTELS FOR ALL AGES Although Japan's hostels have varying rules, these do not require membership (with the exception of the first one listed), and -- like all hostels in Japan -- welcome guests of all ages. Hiroshima Youth Hostel 1-13-6 Ushitashinmachi, Higashi-ku, Hiroshima city, Hiroshima-ken, island of Honshu, 082-221-5343, fax 082-221-5377. 104 beds. $15 per night (slightly cheaper in fall and spring when A/C or heating are not needed). Without a valid Hostelling International membership card, add about $6 per night. Reception: 3-10 p.m. (Doors close for the night at 10 p.m.) Bus stop: Ushitashinmachi 1 chome. Situated amid lush vegetation atop a hill in a quiet neighborhood of Hiroshima (a ten-minute walk from the bus stop), this hostel offers friendly reception and a calm atmosphere. Bunk-bed rooms sleep two, six, or ten people. Guests can use the kitchen facilities (free, except using the gas stove, about 80¢), but the hostel also serves a Japanese dinner ($6) and American- style breakfast ($3.50). In the summer there's a pool (40¢ for guests under 18, 80¢ for adults). The English-speaking staff can help you map out your visit to the Hiroshima Peace Park or other sights. Toji-an Guest House (Kyoto) 8-Jyo Omiya, Nishi Iru, Kujyo cho 6-2-1, Minami- ku, Kyoto city, island of Honshu, 075-691-7017, fax 075-691-0304, linkclub.or.jp/~bangkok/touji.htm. 30 units, about 65 beds. $16 per person in dorm rooms, $19 per person in private rooms (up to six guests), monthly rates also available. 24-hour reception, no curfew. With no shortage of temples and old-fashioned wooden houses, Kyoto is a must. Located within easy walking distance of Kyoto Station, this brown two-story building features A/C rooms, free laundry and kitchen facilities, and proximity to a Japanese public bath (80¢). Although no meals are offered, the hostel is surrounded by stores and restaurants and offers bicycle rentals ($4 per day) for those who wish to venture farther. This hostel offers coffee, tea, chocolates, and "Kimono Service" -- during which the staff will help you experience traditional Japanese life by dressing you in a kimono and taking your photo-free of charge. Energetic staff members (who speak English) take a keen interest in their many international visitors. Tokyo Kokusai (International) Youth Hostel Central Plaza, 18th Floor, 1-1 Kagurakashi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, island of Honshu, 03-3235-1107, fax 03-3267-4000, homepage2.nifty.com/tokyo-yh. 158 beds. $28 per night, three-night limit. Reservations not required, but strongly recommended during peak travel periods. Reception: 3-9 p.m. (doors close for the night at 10 p.m. and during the day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Subway and Japan Rail Stop: Iidabashi. This modern hostel is in the heart of Tokyo, accessible to public transportation and within walking distance of many restaurants, a large public park, and a Shinto shrine. Its greatest asset is a gorgeous view -- on a clear day, Mt. Fuji is visible on the horizon. There are rooms with four, eight, and ten beds (bunk-style) that are single gender, unless the entire room is reserved by the same group or family. Sheets are free; each bed comes with a personal locker (a key is provided) and a curtain for privacy. The laundry can be used for free. Personal showers and the usual Japanese-style public bath are also free. Although dinner ($6.50) changes daily, it typically consists of traditional Japanese cuisine. Breakfast is $3.25. The staff speaks English. HOT-SPRINGS INNS Be prepared to pay an extra 10-15 percent for weekends and national holidays and perhaps more for New Year's, Golden Week (the first week of May), and mid-July to mid-August. Peak-season surcharges are standard in Japan -- the entire country often has the same days off, so it's important to plan ahead if traveling during these times. Aoni Onsen Taki no ue 1-7, Okiura Aonisawa, Kuroishi city, Aomori-ken, island of Honshu, 0172-54-8588, fax 0172-54-2655. Non-Japanese speakers should make reservations in English by fax. 33 units. One night with two meals, $68-$81 per person (up to four people per room). Add $12 from December to March to cover heating charges. Aoni Onsen is one of Japan's greatest secret treasures. A scenic 40-minute car ride from the nearest town (the staff makes trips to the Kuroishi train station daily at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.), this secluded inn is lit entirely by oil lamps; there's no electricity. The intimate cluster of traditional wooden buildings includes four hot-springs baths-two are mixed gender and two are segregated. To get from the main lodge to the springs, guests -- lantern in hand -- cross a narrow wooden footbridge spanning the Aoni River. Breakfast and dinner are Japanese-style and highlight fresh fish from the river and wild vegetables from the nearby forests. The inn is open year-round and is beautiful in any season. Yunni No Yu Fushimi 122 Fushimi, Yunicho, Yubari-gun, island of Hokkaido, 01238-3-3800, fax 01238-3-3811. 19 units. Japanese-style rooms with private outdoor hot springs, Western rooms, and combined Japanese/Western-style suites. One night with two meals from $52 per person for three or $60 per person for two in a Western-style room, $80 per person for two in a combined Japanese/Western room, and $112 per person for two in a room with hot springs. Children stay for $32 a night in any room with kids' meals. Western-style rooms have beds, whereas Japanese-style rooms have woven tatami mat floors and futon bedding. People from the small farming town of Yuni refurbished and added new buildings to this luxury spa and inn about four years ago. Yuni's main attraction is its coffee-colored hot springs, which locals claim calm nerves and relieve aches and pains. Even if you don't have any maladies, the water is relaxing and will leave your skin soft as a baby's. Although the main baths are shared with day visitors, during late nights and mornings they are reserved for overnight guests. The chefs specialize in Japanese, Chinese, and Western cuisine, and breakfast is all-you-can-eat. The inn is about five minutes by taxi from the Yuni rail station. GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED LODGES Not typically noted in English-language guides, this reasonably priced lodging category is a valuable budget resource. If there's a drawback, it's that it caters to Japanese visitors, so there are few English-speaking staff members. If you don't speak Japanese, write well in advance for reservations via fax or e- mail; most lodges find simple written English easiest to understand. Once at the lodge, Pictionary skills and simple phrases should suffice for any traveler. Kyukamura Shikotsuko Shikotsuko-Onsen, Chitose city, island of Hokkaido, 0123-25-2201, fax 0123-25-2202, webmaster@j-yado.com. 39 units. One night with two meals, $60 per person. Built about three years ago, this attractive lodge has a beautiful view of Lake Shikotsu, the largest lake in Hokkaido. The lake is ringed by volcanoes and was itself the caldera of an ancient volcano, which lends it not only mountainous scenery but also naturally occurring hot springs. Unlike most other developed hot-springs towns in Hokkaido, Lake Shikotsu lacks high-rises; it has a more natural energy. This lodge is the cheapest and newest in the area and features spa-style facilities (free to overnight guests). Its Western-style rooms are designed for two to three guests and have private showers, while Japanese-style rooms accommodate two to five guests; both styles have TVs and A/C or heating, depending on the season. The $60 price is per person, regardless of how many occupy the room. Dinner is a scrumptious seafood menu and breakfast is all-you-can-eat with both Western and Japanese cuisine. Although surrounded by nature, the lodge is accessible to public transportation-buses leave from New Chitose Airport, Chitose Rail Station, and Sapporo, and the hotel will fetch guests from the stop if arranged in advance (otherwise it's a ten-minute walk from the main Shikotsu-ko stop). Although staff members are not as accustomed to foreign guests as those at the youth hostels, they can communicate in English if you use easy words and enunciate. Extras include a karaoke room. Kokumin Shukusha Unomisaki 640 Oaza-Ishi, Jyuo-cho, Taga-gun, Ibaraki-ken, island of Honshu, 0293-32-2202, fax 0293-32-2204. 58 units. One night with two meals from $67 per person (price varies by number of guests and the style of the room). Rated the top lodge in Japan by the national association of Kokumin Shukusha (for government- sponsored lodges), Unomisaki is near the ocean, amidst a fragrant pine forest. All rooms in this new eight-story brick building are equipped with refrigerators and have a sea view (partially obscured by pine trees in some rooms). The lodge has Japanese rooms, some with private baths, for up to six, Western rooms with private baths for up to three, and wheelchair-accessible rooms for up to four; the price for two is $80-$85. Guests may use the hot-springs spa for free. Dinner is Japanese cuisine and breakfast consists of both Japanese and Western foods. Additional perks include walking trails though the woods, a tennis court, and transportation from the Jobansen Kawajiri train station (if prearranged). Karaoke and coin laundry facilities are available, but cost extra.