Spring Break for Grown-ups

By Tara Weingarten
June 4, 2005
No Jell-O shots! No thumping music! No Girls Gone Wild!

 Who says college students get to have all the fun? Here are ten places to play in the sunshine--no earplugs required.

Del Mar, Calif.

Stay at the Stratford Inn, a Best Western on the bluff overlooking the Pacific (710 Camino Del Mar, 858/755-1501, stratfordinndelmar.com, doubles from $110, including continental breakfast). For lunch, try Americana, which serves soups and sandwiches alfresco, with a partial ocean view (1454 Camino Del Mar, 858/794-6838). And for dinner, there's Bully's North. It has dark-wood paneling, red-leather booths, and terrific burgers (1404 Camino Del Mar, 858/755-1660, burger, $8).

Tulúm, Mexico

Tulúm doesn't have any large resorts and, as a result, public transportation isn't all that reliable (rent a car at the Cancún airport). A hotel called Zamas is ideally positioned between beach and jungle. Each of the thatched-roof bungalows has a hammock on the porch and a private bath--the latter is something of an anomaly in these parts (415/387-9806, zamas.com, rates from $80). Bring cash or traveler's checks, since the hotel and most of the region's restaurants don't take credit cards. Pack a flashlight, too--there's little outdoor lighting around the hotel.

Essaouira, Morocco

Stay at Villa Maroc, originally four 18th-century riads (houses built around a central courtyard) later joined together. It's in the middle of town and a 10-minute walk to the beach (011-212/4447-3147, villa-maroc.com, doubles from $93). Another worthy riad hotel, the Dar Loulema has seven charming rooms, all recently renovated. It's just off the main town square, near the port and ramparts, and has a lovely rooftop terrace (011-212/4447-5346, darloulema.com, doubles from $90).

Las Vegas

Las Vegasis all about the thrill of the new. Just off the Strip--around the corner from the Bellagio and Caesars Palace--you'll find Vegas's latest hotel, the Westin Casuarina. Most of the city's premier resorts have 3,000 or more rooms; the 815-room Casuarina is a boutique property by comparison (160 E. Flamingo Rd., 866/837-4215, westin.com/lasvegas, doubles from $119). As for new restaurants, head over to Simon, in the always festive Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (4455 Paradise Rd., 702/693-4440). Having once worked for New York City's culinary king, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Kerry Simon is now cooking affordable gourmet comfort food, like crisp calamari and zucchini chips ($10) and macaroni and cheese ($7).

Old-fashioned cheap thrills are still available. Hitch a ride--but maybe not right after dinner--on a roller coaster. The Manhattan Express at the New York-New York hotel goes for nearly a mile; it's the town's longest, and lasts nearly four minutes ($12). At the Sahara, Speed will make you feel like a human cannonball. Get shot through a tunnel and a loop, going from 0 to 70 mph in a hair-shedding four seconds ($10). And the Stratosphere Tower's High Roller coaster starts 900 feet above the Strip and circles the tower's outer edge. The combined coaster and tower entrance fee is $11. Go at night for a view of the dazzling lights.

Kauai, Hawaii

Hotels tend to be expensive in spring. Rent a condo from Kauai Vacation Rentals, which has extensive listings from $595 a week (kauaivacations.com).

Ojai, Calif.

For a romantic tour of the hills, drive along Creek Road, a country lane that passes streams and stands of ancient oaks and giant sycamore trees. Or spend an afternoon at Bart's Books, an outdoor used-book shop built around a massive oak tree (302 W. Matilija St., 805/646-3755).

Santa Cruz DeLa Palma, Canary Islands

A wonderfully unique combination of trade winds and ocean currents, along with a location way off the northwest coast of Africa, gives the Canaries a sunny, warm climate year-round. Add sizzling beaches and a Spanish sensibility when it comes to food, drink, and nightlife (the islands are provinces of Spain), and it's no surprise this is one of the most popular spots for Europeans to holiday in winter. But spring--March and April in particular--is relatively uncrowded.Of the seven inhabited Canary Islands, perhaps the most beautiful is La Palma. Shaped by volcanic activity millions of years ago, the lava flows and steep mountain slopes are now softened by exotic flora and pine forests. The main town, Santa Cruz, is a port with 18,000 people and beautifully preserved 17th- and 18th-century houses. Just outside town, on the Los Cancajos beach, is the Hacienda San Jorge, where you can lounge and order tapas all day by a large saltwater swimming pool. Each room has a kitchen and balcony (011-34/922-181-066, hsanjorge.com, doubles from $80).

Phoenix, Arizona

Stay downtown at the Hotel San Carlos, a National Trust property that once hosted Clark Gable, Ingrid Bergman, and Spencer Tracy. Built in 1927, it still has its original woodwork and Italian-marble floors. Some believe the place is haunted by a young woman who threw herself off the roof after a love affair went sour (202 N. Central Ave., 602/253-4121, hotelsancarlos.com, doubles $109 to $166).

At night, see a show at the Orpheum Theatre, celebrating its 75th anniversary. The Spanish baroque revival building features concerts, plays and Broadway musicals (203 West Adams Street, 602/262-7272)

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Live Talk Transcript: Last Minute Getaways

The Web has transformed the way we travel. Need proof? You're using it right now to get vacation advice. According to a 2002 study by the Travel Industry Association of America, 64 percent of leisure travelers planned trips within just two weeks of departure. The same study also found that one in five travelers used the Internet to book. Last-minute travel isn't just a trend. It's the way many Americans vacation now. In fact, it's the Internet, and the technology that fuels it, that made the last-minute boom happen so quickly. A generation ago, last-minute deals were so hard to find they were virtually nonexistent except to a select group of insiders. Today, the biggest bargains in travel crop up on the Internet daily. Think fast and pack faster-you could discover the markdown of your life. But to find the deals, you must be in the know. Where to book, when to book, and what to expect. What are the tricks of last-minute travel? Post your questions-and your tips!-and we'll spend an hour comparing notes and revealing the secrets that will get you the best last-minute deals. Have a question about last-minute travel? Jason answered your questions Tuesday, February 3, at noon EST. Jason Cochran is Senior Editor of Budget Travel magazine. In addition to writing for publications such as Entertainment Weekly, The Village Voice, and Arena, he wrote questions for the first season of ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He recently spent two years backpacking around the world, visiting six continents and over 40 countries. A current resident of New York City, he has also lived in Chicago, Atlanta, Key West, and Cape Town, South Africa. _______________________ Jason Cochran: The hour has come! It's time to begin. We're talking last-minute bargain hunting here-with a few general travel questions tossed in for variety. Fire away! _______________________ Lumberton, NC: With so many discount cruise agencies, how does one really know that they are getting the best deal available on a specific cruise? Jason Cochran: That used to be a quandary. Until recently, you just had to run around to every site you could think of until you declared a winner. But a new site called CruiseCompete.com has emerged. It works like this: You go to that site and plug in what kind of cruise you want (length, where-even the specific ship), and then, lots of different cruise companies receive your request for information. For the next few hours, You'll receive e-mailed bids (don't worry-the cruise lines will have no way to contact you twice if you don't like their offers). Take the lowest one. It's one-stop shopping. Not every cruise company is on that site, of course, but plenty are. There's a service on CruiseMates.com that is kindasorta the same-between the two sites and the dozens of bids they'll show you, you'll feel confident in your final price. _______________________ Great Neck, NY: I am looking for a vacation of GUARANTEED sun at a beach. What do you suggest? Jason Cochran: The only sands with guaranteed sun would probably be on Mars. Unless you have your own rover, though, you'll have to head for a place with PROBABLE sun, and for that, I submit Aruba, Bonaire, or Curacao. In the deep Caribbean, they lie outside the Hurricane Belt, which means they're more or less insulated from the weather patterns that hamper tourism in other parts of the Caribbean Sea. Keep in mind that places with minimal rainfall are going to be light on vegetation and won't feel as lush as you might want. Otherwise, for guaranteed sun, head to a place that's more or less a desert. Namibia comes to mind, though the Atlantic is cold in those parts. Morocco is another consideration. But I suspect you were thinking closer to home, right? _______________________ Tampa, FL: How I find good deals on hotels in London and the UK at the last minute? Jason Cochran: There's a snazzy site called LateRooms (http://www.laterooms.com/), operated out of Manchester, UK, that provides exactly what its name suggests. I also like CheapNights (now called http://www.cheapaccommodation.com/--as if that's easier to spell!), an offshoot of a popular British flight search engine called CheapFlights. I just checked CheapAccommodation a moment ago, and I found rates as low as £43 at a 3-star property in Bayswater, a popular tourist-hotel district north of Hyde Park. That price is about as good as you can get for central London accommodations. Lastly, try Octopus Travel (http://www.octopustravel.com/), which sells successful air-hotel packages but also deals in hotel-only sales; it has a wide inventory. _______________________ New York, NY: How "last minute" can you really be during the holidays? Are there deals to be gotten during those times? Jason Cochran: You can be as last-minute as at any time of year, but expect fewer options. With many planes and hotels filling up, you may find your choices restricted to places you never thought you'd be on Spring Break, such as Des Moines or Columbus. Consider it an opportunity to immerse yourself in an area you would otherwise have known nothing about. But it brings up the first rule of last-minute travel: Be flexible! Don't expect to find breathtaking sales to places everyone wants to visit on a holiday. When you begin your last-minute shopping with the following prayer: "Lord, I need to get away this weekend. Please help me accept the list of discount options that you're about to present me with, help me understand that Monte Carlo or St. Bart's is probably not one of them, and help me to embrace the drastically reduced opportunities for travel that are about to present themselves." Part of the magic of last-minute deals is that they're about seizing unexpected opportunity. _______________________ Washington, DC: Hi, I'm an African-American male who's never been to Jamaica partly because I'm fearful of all-inclusive packages. I'm not the sun, sea & sand type either. I want to meet Jamaicans -- not tourists locked in some resort. Am I the only one here? Jason Cochran: No, you are most certainly not. So what's keeping you? Flights on Air Jamaica are easy to come by, as are cheap seats on charter flights from companies like Apple Vacations (http://www.applevacations.com/). If you sign up for last-minute airfare alerts from the airlines (American Airlines is especially strong in the Caribbean), you can find some terrific deals. Then you simply get a hotel on your own. Budget Travel recently ran a fascinating article about Jamaica's South Coast, where a vacation is spent roaming from authentic village to village instead of rolling around on a beach of some resort (which are mostly in the north). Or grab a guide book written for independent travelers, such as a Rough Guide or a Lonely Planet. It's as easy as that. Go! You'll come back a changed person. _______________________ Durham, NC: When planning international travel, what is the latest for booking reasonable airfare? We are planning a trip to Australia from the US, vacation approved, etc., but we're not sure whether the fares will dip any lower. What are the risks of waiting? Jason Cochran: Stock answer: I wouldn't wait any longer than a week before you want to go. There are visa considerations, and in some cases, because of screening demands by the TSA, you can't even buy a ticket within a day or so. Longer reasoning: When are you going to go? Right now, we're in Australia's summer, its high season, so airfare rate aren't likely to plummet in the next month or so. If you were going in June, though, I should think you could wait, because I know that Australia's airfare deals crop up in late April or May. Now, let's say you found an international airfare deal leaving in five days that you just couldn't pass up. If you did that, pay with a credit card and never with cash-it speeds the security process. _______________________ Indianapolis, IN: I'm so frustrated! I want to go to Baton Rouge, LA from Feb. 23-25 for a short vacation. Even through Expedia, the best fare I can find is $297. I thought about Priceline (I have used it for hotels before and was happy), but I can't risk a Monday evening flight or Wednesday morning one, which will cut me to maybe just one full day. Should I just give in and book it now, or wait a little longer? Do you think the package deals with hotel included are a good idea? Thanks for your thoughts on this. Jason Cochran: Right away, I tell you that your chances of finding your dream deal have gotten a little slimmer. Why? Because your situation doesn't allow you to be flexible: You are locked into a destination and you're locked into days. When it comes to finding the best last-minute deals, you have to be flexible, otherwise you're truly gambling that what you want will be available a price you like. That said, I do agree that you should wait a week or so. Today is February 3, and you want to travel in three weeks. As we sit here, the airlines are praying to fill up their planes in time. In another week or two, they'll know where they stand, and if there are any seats to be had, the carriers usually mark them down the week before. It's a risk, of course-they could fill up, and then you'll wish you had snagged that $297 fare. I would caution against relying on last-minute sales to get to a destination that you must to reach on a set of fixed dates. The nature of last-minute travel is that you're getting deals on unsold merchandise, and if everyone else has the same idea as you, you may get shut out. Be prepared for that outcome and decide accordingly whether that $297 is really a killer. When it comes to sales, there are never guarantees. _______________________ Brevard, NC: If I could get a REALLY good deal, I would be interested in booking at the REALLY last minute--like a week or less before departure. Which websites or travel agencies should I check out for these deals? Jason Cochran: Grab your pencils! King among them is Site59.com (http://www.site59.com/), which sells air-hotel, air-car, and air-restaurant deals between 14 days and 3 days before departure. It really does provide some good deals and packages that supply transportation and a bed, and it's heavily used for weekenders. Another popular site is http://www.lastminutetravel.com/. For airfare alone (like, if you're going to book your own hotel or stay with friends), look to http://www.hotwire.com/, www.digitalcity.com/travel, and http://www.smarterliving.com/. The latter two sites merely collect announcements of marked-down airfare, which is handy for knowing what your options are without going through a time-consuming search process. (In Canada, I also suggest http://www.travelcuts.com/). When you're talking about buying a week or so before departure, you should also consider a beach vacation--a number of companies sell flights and rooms at swanky resorts for peanuts once they realize the slots are going unsold. Get the deals out of the ads in your paper's weekend travel section, or try one of these companies, which operate in different cities across America: http://www.applevacations.com/, http://www.vacationexpress.com/, http://www.pleasant.net/, http://www.funjet.com/. (Canada: http://www.signaturevacations.com/). For hotel rooms only, use http://www.hotels.com/, http://www.laterooms.com/, and http://www.quikbook.com/. Whew! _______________________ Fair Oaks Ranch, TX.: I would like to take an Alaskan cruise this summer. Should I book now to get the early bird discount or wait and try my luck booking last minute for a bigger discount? Jason Cochran: If you're not sweet on a specific cruise line, you could stand to wait. The last-minute deals are almost always better than the early-bird discounts-you just have to have the nerve to hold out until April, when many of the deals start rolling out. Remember that in the cruise industry, "last-minute" doesn't mean the week before. It means four to six weeks before sailing-plenty of time for you to catch a plane to Seattle or Vancouver, or wherever the cruise port will be. _______________________ Atlanta, GA: Are all of "The Players" listed in the last-minute article credible? Do you recommend them or is it just a list? Jason Cochran: As with everything we cover, we do our best to pass along information that is credible and reliable. Budget Travel magazine even has a team of fact-checkers that verifies everything that's published. We consider it a service to provide our readers with a wealth of information and options, but as impartial journalists we have no obligations or ties to these companies, and we have no qualms removing them from our list of recommendations if we encounter repeated or unresolved problems. So, you can use our list of companies the same way you would use a list handed to you by a friend. If you encounter trouble with any of them, we want to know about it. I hope this answers your question. _______________________ Elmhurst, IL: Is there any way to get a deal on a last minute Disney Cruise during the high season? Jason Cochran: If there is, I would love to hear about it. Disney Cruise Line is already one of the stingiest discounters on the seas-there are only two ships, and demand keeps them so full that last-minute bargains never come up-and you'd be spectacularly lucky to see a Disney cruise discounted even in the doldrums of low season. Some Disney-sold park-and-cruise packages combine a short trip with visits to the theme parks, and you might save a few bucks off regular prices that way, but you'll still be paying way more than you have to for a cruise. _______________________ Scottsdale, AZ: Hi Jason. Do you know of any last minute travel site that does not severely penalize a person financially for being single? Good-looking last minute travel deals don't look so good after pressing the button for one person. Thanks. Jason Cochran: I know what you're talking about; I have to travel single all the time. Because the entire travel industry works in terms of double occupancy, there's no way to get around it entirely. Last-minute sellers are just as beholden to this archaic mode of calculation as everyone else is. Air-hotel packages, especially, hit solo travelers for extra fees--most of these are passed on by the hotel. What I do to assuage this somewhat is book a la carte. Airfare never costs more if you buy it alone. Neither do cars. The one sticky spot is hotels. In Europe, some hotels have single rooms, so book one of them. If you choose your hotel wisely, you can save a little. I personally think it's a colossal waste for hotels to adhere to double-occupancy rules even in the face of letting that room go unrented. If they're about to stand empty anyway, they should mark them down for single occupancy. But so far, hoteliers haven't figured out a way to accomplish this, even considering the great strides in computerized booking. They also can't figure out how to make their TV easy to turn on, either, but that's just one more technological hurdle we must wait to conquer. _______________________ Secaucus, NJ: When is the best day of the week for lowest published airfares? Jason Cochran: Do you mean published or last-minute? Published fares are essentially the retail, off-the-rack rates before discounting. The whole idea is to avoid paying those. Last-minute deals, of course, are the deals you want. Fortunately, for most destinations, the answer is the same for both types of fares: midweek. That's Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. That's because business people and vacationers tend to fill up planes for weekend trips (meaning Friday, Monday, and Sunday are likely to be the most expensive). Because fewer people travel on Saturday, it can also be a bonanza day for deals. But it also depends on what's going on at your destination; last Saturday in Houston, before the Super Bowl, you can bet the flights were jammed. _______________________ Salina, KS: I have never been to the Caribbean and am considering going to the US Virgin Islands. Is this considered a nice area to vacation for 4 or 5 days versus Cancun? Jason Cochran: For my money, the Virgin Islands win hands down. Most of the island of St. John, a 20-minute ferry ride away from Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, is mostly comprised of a National Park. So for unspoiled sugary beaches, tropical hikes, and the charm of the West Indian people, you really can't beat the VIs, and I know Americans who feel safer on those islands than anywhere else they have been in the Caribbean. Cancun is more about giant resorts, family frolic, and shopping-mall development. Cancun is deep-fried Mexico, but the VIs are fresh-air Caribbean. There are lots of people who will disagree, of course, but in the end, it depends on what experience you want to have. The VIs are more "Caribbean." _______________________ Honolulu, HI: Do you know of any low-cost hotels or motels that are not run-down in New York City? I'm a single guy and I don't mind sharing a room but I'm not going with any family or friends. I'll be arriving on May 11, 2004 and leaving on May 17th. The Westside YMCA offers a room with a shared bath for $67 per night. Do you know of anything lower? Thank you. Jason Cochran: Okay, this is off the topic of last-minute travel, but it happens to be one of the questions I'm asked the most as a travel writer. Here are some of my choices: In Midtown, there is a Red Roof Inn, a La Quinta, and a Super 8, all recently refurbished or built, with free in-room wi-fi access. Book those through http://www.applecorehotels.com/. For five nights, you might consider renting a studio apartment through an outfit like www.ahospitalitycompany.com. Prices start at $99/night, but you get the place to yourself and you save by cooking your own food. Chelsea Star Hotel, by Madison Square Garden, is a shake more welcoming than the Y: http://starhotelny.com/. There are many more, of course, but New York is a giant topic, and that will get you started. Visit http://www.quikbook.com/ for a few more. _______________________ Bradenton, FL: My husband and want to take our first cruise during the week of March 21. I know this is a spring break time. What are our chances of getting a last-minute deal to the Western Caribbean during that week? Jason Cochran: I think your chances are fairly good--Western Caribbean is hugely popular area and there are a gazillion cabins going. Because your ideal cruise would leave in about seven weeks, the first last-minute deals should start appearing shortly. Trawl some cruise consolidator sites (http://www.cruise411.com/, http://www.cruisedirect.com/, http://www.cruisesonly.com/, http://www.cruisebrothers.com/) or use the Cruise Compete site I discussed above, and see what they come up with. In another two to three weeks, the bulk of the deals should be ripe for picking. _______________________ Ontario, Canada: Hi Jason, as an avid adventurer/traveler, I am totally jealous of you for being able to travel the world and get paid to write about it. How can I be just like you? Jason Cochran: Well, garsh! Thanks! Actually, this is another question I get asked all the time. "How can I become a travel writer?" The answer is pretty easy: travel and write. It doesn't take much more than that, but you'd be surprised if you knew how many people wanted to try it but never did. And try to hone your observational skills--at least, that's what I try to do. As for the practical career-oriented end, read travel magazines and your local paper's travel section to know what sort of stuff gets published, and on your next trip, write something that fits the mold. Then try to sell what you have written. Or just get it published somewhere for free, such as on a Webzine or in a newsletter. And you're off. _______________________ Dallas, TX: I am about to graduate from law school in May, and after I take the bar, I want to take a big trip with my boyfriend. But I don't know where I want to go. The trip would be in August and I would like to get out of the country. Ideally it would be for 2 weeks. And, of course, I would prefer to not spend a lot. I think backpacking would be fun. Australia sounds nice. Also, I recently found a special to Rio. Any suggestions? Jason Cochran: If you're going in August and you want it cheap, stay away from Western Europe. Or maybe even Europe in general. Europeans vacation in all the good spots by the million in August--even Prague and Budapest and Poland are elbow-to-elbow these days. Instead, choose places where a) costs are low and b) it's also low season, since airfare will be down. Australia is a good option, since August is prime time for low airfare there, and its winter is milder than what most Americans could imagine. (Its currency is rebounding against the dollar, making it less of a bargain on the ground, but it's still reasonable.) New Zealand is another good choice, and two weeks is a good amount of time for a first-time visit there. South Africa is also a good choice. Rio is also less crowded than in the winter--go there if if grabs you. ...Did you notice what all these choices have in common? They're all in the Southern Hemisphere, when their low season is the perfect antidote to Europe's high season. Asia is also a good choice for that time of year. _______________________ Darlington, SC: We are a retired couple and hear about last minute deals on cruises. Some of these are fantastic deals. I heard that you must call the cruise line direct. Is this true and how do we do this? Thanks. Jason Cochran: That's not the case for all lines. Rather than confuse the issue by explaining which cruise lines refuse to be undersold anymore, let me give some blanket advice that should cover you in any situation: Even if you find a deal from a cruise consolidator that floats your boat, so to speak, you should still contact the cruise line directly to compare its price for the exact same ship and dates. Most of the time, it will be the same or higher. But it's always smart to ask, just in case it's lower. Then you will have covered your bases. (The same applies to airfare, too!) If the price turns out to be the same, ask if the cruise line can throw in any extra goodies (like airfare, a free cabin upgrade, or shore excursions) to earn your business over the equally priced consolidator. The best way to find a cruise line's phone number is to call toll-free directory assistance at 800/555-1212, or to find it on its official Web site, which you can find by going to http://www.google.com/ and searching for the name of the cruise line. _______________________ Jason Cochran: Oh, no! It looks like I'm out of time. I had a terrific afternoon, though, and I thank you for your intelligent and provocative questions. I hope that by the next time we chat again, many of you have taken the last-minute plunge at least once-it's easy and it's fun, and when it comes down to it, you can often take two or three last-minute vacations for what you'd pay for one advance-purchase one. Don't forget that you can learn more about last-minute vacationing-including more sites and tricks to get you the best deals-by reading the cover story of the current issue of Budget Travel magazine. Happy travels! -Jason _______________________

Last minute travel

According to a 2002 study by the Travel Industry Association of America, 64 percent of leisure travelers planned at least one trip within just two weeks of departure. The same study also found that one in five travelers used the Web to book. At first blush, those two facts seem only loosely related. But, in fact, it's the Internet that made the last-minute boom happen so quickly. A generation ago, 11th-hour deals were usually the by-product of a time-consuming series of phone and fax negotiations between travel agents, and there were few methods for getting the word out to vacationers. Even in the late '90s, as online reservations gathered steam, shoppers had to cobble together their last-minute getaways from a welter of sellers, plugging in dates and praying for decent prices. Today, the most successful sellers employ technology that provides instant gratification. Airlines, for example, routinely scan for half-empty flights and instantaneously put the vacant seats on sale. Other companies are even more sophisticated: Site59 invented its own technology (using what it calls "intelligent algorithms") to contact various travel sellers across the world, cherry-pick their inventories, and put the results on sale--one-stop shopping, no more paperwork. So what qualifies as last minute, anyway? Essentially, it's after that moment when a vendor decides to unload its unsold products in a fire sale. For cruise lines, that's 30 to 45 days before departure, while passengers still have time to reach port. Packagers of charter-flight vacations generally start dealing a month before departure. Airlines and hotels begin discounting two to three weeks ahead, and they step up entreaties as the clock ticks down--or they offer their vacancies to consolidators like Site59, which try to pass along their wares until the zero hour. So, knowing the complexity of the marketplace, what tricks can consumers use to save cash? Here are our 10 indispensable rules for making the most out of procrastination. 1. Subscribe to the e-newsletters Most airlines and packagers pump out free weekly dispatches announcing sales for the current week or the next (some even give discounts for signing up). Third-party sites, such as Smarter Living and Digital City, exist just to tell you about everyone's sales. If you don't want all that mail in your in-box, set up a free Hotmail or Yahoo account expressly for travel deals. 2. Make the big sites do the work for you Travelocity's Fare Watcher and Orbitz's DealDetector let you establish your favorite departure and arrival cities. You're alerted by e-mail when fares between the two drop below whatever price threshold you specify. 3. Avoid using airfare engines blindly Yes, you can book late on, say, Orbitz or Expedia, but some of the best last-minute sales are only available at the airlines' individual sites. Tools like DealDetector notwithstanding, the best fares are usually booked via each airline's page of specials. 4. Underbid on Priceline If you have the patience, bid 20 percent less than the lowest airfare you have found. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll get an answer--usually yes. 5. Target your destination's off-season. It's Travel 101: Drops in demand bring jumps in sales. Off-seasons include winter in Europe and Asia, summer and early fall in the Caribbean, and the Southern Hemisphere's winter. 6. Schedule trips wisely Saturday and midweek flights are less crowded and, thus, more prone to last-minute discounting. Also, business hotels are apt to charge less on weekends. 7. Consult your newspaper's travel section Despite the immediacy of the Internet, many companies, especially those hawking complicated packages for cruises and beach stays, still rely on good old-fashioned newsprint to get the word out there. Read it and reap. 8. Don't forget about vacation rentals Unlike hotels, houses and condos usually sell by the week, so an empty unit costs owners up to seven times as much as a vacant hotel room. Swoop in through local real estate agents, on laterooms.com/, or via the tourist office for your destination. 9. Trust cruise consolidators With few exceptions (such as Carnival), liners don't fuss with handling last-minute sales. They dump cheap cabins with independent brokers (see sidebar). 10. Negotiate It's amazing what a friendly attitude can buy in hard times. Hotel managers might throw in free parking or extend the weekend deal to Thursday nights. If rates go down after you reserve a car, most agencies can give a revised quote. It all depends on your demeanor and their desperation. IN EUROPE, A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF BARGAINS Europeans are better at vacationing than we are. First, they have plenty of time to do it. They also have tons of companies selling charter flights to heart-skipping destinations like Turkey, Tunisia, and Malta. But Americans shouldn't sulk. Rather, we should exploit their system for our own gain. It's as simple as tapping into their network. London, with five major airports and many more a few hours' train ride away, is the best base. One of London's top sources for late-breaking charter airfare and packages is Cheapflights.co.uk, which match-makes sun-starved patrons with travel agents selling markdowns like $132 round trips to Faro, Portugal, and four nights air/hotel in Dubai for $650. One prolific agency is Lupus Travel (lupustravel.co.uk/), which posts charter airfare such as $82 to Alicante, Spain, and $149 to Antalya, on the Turkish coast. And because the deals leave anytime between tomorrow and next month, we can book them while we're still at home and have time to find cheap transatlantic tickets, or, if we're feeling gutsy, while we're already enjoying London. For extremely last-minute trips--leaving within seven days--there's Airtours Cancellations (airtourscancellations.co.uk/) for unbelievable prices such as $182 for a week in the Canary Islands, including air and hotel. For user friendliness, Amsterdam is second to London; sources include Holidayspot.nl and Travelbrokers.nl--both in Dutch but easy to figure out. Stockholm and Frankfurt are also handy for English speakers, but no matter the city, you can simply duck into a travel agency--often near train stations or hostels--and ask what's going cheap.

Ghana

If gold medals were given to the world's friendliest peoples, Ghanaians would definitely be semifinalists. Travelers to Ghana are met with jovial smiles and waves, even in the big cities. Everywhere you go, young people often sing out the word obruni! (foreigner) in a fun-loving manner; they are obviously happy you came. Although located in the sometimes politically troubled region of West Africa, Oregon-sized Ghana is a far-removed democratic model of stability and tranquility. Nearly 100 diverse tribes are found within its border, but peace-loving Ghanaians have never experienced any major tribal wars. Moreover, Ghana's Christians and its Muslim minority live side by side in harmony, often within the same tribe. Best of all, Ghana's prices are joyfully cheap: Simple hotel rooms can cost as little as $5 per person, soft drinks are only $.20, and museum fees are an astonishing $3 or less. At one point, two Ghanaian friends and I recently enjoyed dinner with drinks, and the bill totaled $7 for all of us! Accra, Ghana's capital city of two million, has less crime than many U.S. cities its size. Pickpockets, taxi drivers who overcharge, and traffic are the worst culprits most tourists will ever have to deal with. Even though it's an achingly poor country, the locals proudly declare, "Ghana is a nation of laws." English-speaking Ghana is one of the most popular destinations for American tourists to Africa who do the "triangle tour" of Accra, the coastal slave fortresses, and the Ashanti city of Kumasi. But other wonders lie beyond, like Lake Volta (the world's largest artificial lake) and the timeless, arid northern regions. No matter where you go, the magic, struggles, and enduring spirit of modern Africa are sure to hold you in their spell. Note: To call Ghana, dial 011-233 before the numbers listed below. The hotels listed without prices in cedis (Ghana's currency) request payment in U.S. dollars only. Colorful, frenetic Accra Travelers who have never experienced the lively mayhem of a developing country may be in for a shock when they come face to face with Accra's hustle and bustle. Women with towering loads atop their heads weave through traffic; hand-painted beer ads shout, "It Gives You Power"; sellers rush up to cars plying anything from pirated videos to toilet paper; and overloaded outdoor markets selling chickens and underwear spill out onto highways. It's a colorful, frantic jumble that somehow works. If you can handle crowds, then by all means slip into one of Accra's markets. The largest one, Makola Market (between Kojo Thompson Road, Kinbu Road, and Independence Avenue) has everything including beads and fabrics. For tourists, you'll find the best choice of arts and crafts at the Arts Centre market (right on the coast along 28th February Road near the intersection of Barnes Road). Aggressive sellers offer anything from smoking pipes to hand-carved stools--bargaining is essential. As for other sights, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park (on High Street near the intersection of Barnes Road; 30,000 cedis/$3.40 entrance fee) is a grand monument to this leader, complete with crypt, museum, and garish fountains. The small museum is a fascinating glimpse into the country's founding father, who wrote numerous books and laid the groundwork of Pan-Africanism. East of the park is the Soviet-style Independence Square, a huge space with cement arches that can hold up to 30,000 people. Also swing by the National Museum (Barnes Road near Museum Circle; 21/221-633) to take in Ghana's rich cultural heritage. For a scant 10,000 cedis ($1.15), you can peruse fascinating trinkets like intricate gold weights and gold dust boxes, clan staffs, fertility dolls, swords, currency, bracelets, and more. To escape the flurry of Accra, hop into a taxi (for roughly 25,000 cedis/$3.25 depending on the time of day) and head for Labadi Beach. This spacious strand is safe for swimming and is lined by pleasant cafes where you can sip on 2,000-cedi ($.25) soft drinks, sitting in a chair in the sand. The entrance fee to the beach is only 10,000 cedis ($1.15). Beverly Hills Hotels and Lemon Lodges Here are my lodging picks in ascending order of cost, starting with the cheapest: The residential Asylum Down area of Accra is a quiet refuge from the city's hopping streets, but still close to the action. Safe and tranquil, it's the recommended area to stay in Accra. For intrepid backpacker types, the pink-walled Lemon Lodge (2nd Mango Tree Avenue; 21/227-857) is not nearly as bad as its name may imply: seven basic double rooms with cement floors, double beds, private baths, and ceiling fans go for a laughable 54,000 cedis ($6) a night per person. Right next door to the Lemon Lodge, the Korkdam Hotel (21/226-797, 21/223-221) is for more mainstream travelers. Twenty-one large and clean rooms come with private baths, air-conditioning, and TVs for 310,000 cedis ($35) per person per night. Fully cooked breakfasts are available in the hotel's dining room for only 17,000 cedis ($2.20). Another good value in Asylum Down is the Beverly Hills Hotel (21/224-042) at the intersection of Samora Machel Road and Farrar Road. Although the street is busy, the hotel's 12 simple rooms are serene, cost $30 per person, and include air-conditioning, private bath, TV, and radio. Slightly larger rooms with all that and a fridge cost $40 per person. Breakfast is available upon request for 27,000 cedis ($3). The nearby Gye Nyame Hotel (Ring Road; 21/223-221) offers 180,000-cedi ($20.25) per-person rooms with all those amenities in a carpeted two-story building, complete with a bronze African statue in front and a cozy wood-paneled dining room, where cooked breakfasts are a mere 20,000 cedis ($2.25). Coastal castles and friendly fishermen During the slave trade of the eighteenth- and nineteenth-centuries, millions of human beings were shipped in chains from West Africa and funneled through Ghana's coastal slave fortresses. Often up to half perished in dungeons like animals. Visiting these huge structures (most are UNESCO World Heritage sites) has the emotional impact of stepping into a WWII concentration camp--many visitors simply break down into tears. One of the most impressive is the Cape Coast Castle, roughly 90 miles west of Accra. Begun as a lodge by the Dutch in 1627, this white castle towers over Cape Coast town, and houses a superb museum on Ghana history and culture (built with help of the Smithsonian). The entrance fee is a mere 30,000 cedis ($3.40). The best place to stay near Cape Coast is the unique Han's Cottage Botel (Kakum National Park Road; 42/336-23), about a 15-minute drive away. Thirty rooms (doubles ranging from 133,000 to 310,000 cedis/$15-$35) are situated next to a man-made pond filled with live crocodiles, and you dine on inexpensive meals (30,000 cedis each/$3.40) served on open-air, thatched-roof decks built over the water, with live music on the weekends. Another 20 minutes north of Han's is the breathtaking Kakum National Park, not to be missed. This lush outdoor attraction is a mixture of rain forest and semideciduous forest, with 250-foot trees from the silk cotton family jutting high up above the canopy to create a dreamlike landscape. The highlight of Kakum is the 1,000-foot-rope-and-cable walkway strung up hundreds of feet above the forest floor-not for the faint of heart. Knowledgeable guides teach visitors about the endangered wildlife and are included in the park entrance fee (90,000 cedis/$10.10). A 15-minute drive west of Cape Coast is the oldest and largest European structure in sub-Saharan Africa: St. George's Castle in friendly Elmina (entrance 30,000 cedis/$3.40). First built in 1482, Christopher Columbus visited it before he sailed to America. Around the monumental castle, you can watch fishermen chant while dragging their colorful boats ashore. In Elmina, stay in the Coconut Grove Bridge House (42/345-57) right across the street from the castle. Ten spiffy rooms reside in a two-story stone house, with single rooms starting at $40, going up to double rooms for $45 per person per night (rates include continental breakfast). Meals like fried chicken and rice cost 31,000 cedis ($3.50). Guests can utilize the pool and sports facilities at the nearby Coconut Grove Beach Resort for free. Another 70 miles west of Elmina is the coastal resort village of Busua. The main hotel here, the Busua Beach Resort (31/212-10), is a collection of individual chalets (more like nice cabins) that start at $50 a night per person. But its budget rooms with shared bathroom for $10 per person ($20 for air-conditioned) are a real deal, since they are nearly as cozy and modern. What's more, the hotel's beach is one of the best in Ghana. Kumasi: Heart of the Ashanti One hundred or so miles north of Cape Coast is the capital of the Ashanti Region: the hilly, colonial city of Kumasi, a gold and timber center. It took the avaricious British four wars to finally conquer the brave Ashanti in 1900. But the Ashanti culture is still strong and dominates other tribes in Ghana (their language, Twi, is the country's lingua franca, along with English). In 1687, legend has it that a golden stool and sword descended from heaven, establishing the Ashanti kingdom. Even now, the golden stool is kept secure and brought out only for special ceremonies--the sword is still visible, thrust into the ground at the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Kumasi is full of colonial buildings decorated with terraces and columns, and the thriving, massive Kejetia Market is said to be one of the largest on the continent, covering over 24 acres in the center of the city with thousands of vendors--don't venture in unless you have plenty of time and patience. Your search could be rewarded with finds like Ashanti sandals, Muslim smocks, even smoked monkey meat. The National Culture Centre off Bantana Road and the Manhyia Palace Museum off Antoa Road both house excellent exhibitions of Ashanti artifacts (15,000 cedi/$1.70 entrance fees), but for the real thing, visit the crafts villages that surround Kumasi in a loop. For 80,000 cedis ($10.45), a taxi will take you on the 45-minute drive to three rustic villages: Bonwire, where skilled men weave multicolored kente cloth on large wooden looms; Ahwiaa, famous for its mahogany wood carvers; and best of all, Ntonso, where the vivid adinkra cloth is stamped with special symbols sacred to the Ashanti people. Although slightly touristy, no place encapsulates Ghana's vigorous culture as well as these humble hamlets. In Kumasi, stay at the Justice Hotel (Accra Road, 51/225-25), a two-story cement building that is cozier inside than it looks from the outside. With 38 rooms and a patio restaurant, the Justice is a quiet reprieve from Kumasi, and rates are only 133,500 ($15) per person for a double with private bath and fan, or 160,000 cedis ($18) for an air-conditioned double. Simple breakfasts are 4,000 cedis ($.50). Jofel's on the Airport Roundabout (51/212-13) is probably Kumasi's best restaurant, large and roomy with African dishes ranging from 30,000-40,000 cedis ($3.40-$4.50), and fried golden lobster or shrimps for around 30,000 cedis ($3.40). The far, dry north Fewer tourists venture into the north of Ghana, which is less developed but just as fascinating. The terrain is arid, the roads caked with red dust, and round mud-hut villages dot the landscape as they did thousands of years ago. Tamale in the northeast is an interesting contrast to Accra, and makes a good base for exploring the north. It's a sleepy city where men play cards under trees, and women pound fufu in large carved-out bowls with wooden pestles. Picorna Hotel (71/226-72) is Tamale's best, run by friendly folks with first-class service. Rooms start at 126,000 cedis/$14.20 while fancier ones with air-conditioning and TVs are 236,000 cedis ($26.50). Its entertainment space holds live events. A two-and-a-half-hour drive directly east of Tamale is the Mole National Park, known for its wildlife. You can arrange for a taxi to drive you from Tamale to Mole and back for 350,000 cedis ($45.75) for up to four passengers. The entrance into Mole National Park is 45,000 cedis ($5) per person, and there's the rather solitary Mole Hotel (71/722-014) on the cliffs of the park with 30 chalets for 130,000 cedis ($14.60) per person a night, or you can camp for 20,000 cedis ($2.60). Park rangers armed with rifles (to scare off the odd lion) lead visitors on bush hikes costing an astounding 5,000 cedis ($.65) per hour. Surprisingly good meals (for being out in the boondocks) are provided at the hotel for about 25,000 cedis ($3.25), and you can take a dip in the swimming pool for 10,000 cedis ($1.30). You might spot elephants, baboons, jackals, warthogs, hyenas, and crocodiles at the park. Just outside the park's entrance is the tiny town of Larabanga, famous for its thirteenth-century mud mosque (10,000 cedis/$1.12 is requested to see it). The stunning white structure is said to house the oldest known copy of the Koran in West Africa. Kids smile and tug at your clothes, while elderly women dry tobacco in the mud courtyards. Have a local show you the Sacred Stone nearby. This rock kept mysteriously reappearing in the middle of the road during its construction, so they finally built the highway in a curve around it. Peering at the hazy savanna descending below the stone, you can't help but be engulfed by the mystical atmosphere that forever permeates the land of Ghana. Mind your Ghanaian manners Dashes (tips) are a way of life in Ghana. Rather than calling it a bribe, a dash is a tip that may be requested by anyone from train conductors who seat you to youngsters who may run errands for you. Seen as gifts, dashes will ease your way through Ghana immensely, and are usually about 5,000 cedis ($.67). When taking photos, always ask the person beforehand, and you may be asked to give a dash as well. Always shake hands and pick up food with your right hand, since the left is used to perform other personal functions. When traveling with another person of the same sex, you are often required to rent separate hotel rooms. However, unmarried mixed-sex couples have no problem. When meeting a chief or village elder, always lower yourself or bow with your knees to show respect. Learning a few words of Twi (akwaaba means welcome) will make you a big hit among Ghanaians. Be sure to always smile and wave to strangers--everyone loves it and invariably waves back. The nitty gritty Pack lightly: Weather in both Ghana's tropical south and arid north is warm year-round. Getting there: Ghana Airways (212/371-2800) offers weekly flights from New York, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore to Accra--the only airline offering nonstops from the U.S. to Ghana. Round trips cost around $1,200, or alternatively, call Silicon Tours (205/821-3886, silicontours.com) for its dirt-cheap air-and-land packages to Ghana that include daily tours and accommodations for around $1,900 for nine nights, including airfare from the United States. 2Afrika (877/200-5610, 2afrika.com) also offers personalized, inexpensive tours to Ghana and West Africa. Transportation: Tro-tros (the main transportation within Ghana) are minivans that pack passengers in like sardines and go most everywhere for a buck or less. But due to their lack of schedules, frequent breakdowns, and agonizingly sluggish rides, hiring a taxi is recommended instead, especially for long distances. The cost is still minimal, you have a built-in guide, and you'll arrive in half the time than a tro-tro would require. Ask your hotel how much the fare to where you're going should be, and settle on a price with the driver before getting in. Rental cars are not recommended because of their cost ($45 per day) and Ghana's poor roads. Other transportation options include the sleeper train from Kumasi to the coastal town of Takoradi (50,000 cedis/$7). For the truly adventurous, the cargo ship Yapei Queen (251/206-86) sails up Lake Volta once a week, stopping at remote villages. The boat has three unpretentious cabins for 60,000 cedis ($8)--reserve as far in advance as possible. Required reading: Be sure to pick up a copy of the brilliant novel The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born by Ghanaian writer Ayi Kwei Armah for a glimpse into the country's modern psyche. For general information and news on Ghana: Surf to ghanaweb.com and ghana.com.

You Loved Snorkeling, Now Dive Deeper

It's not like riding a bike. To scuba dive safely, you need professional training. Today, we answer your questions on how to engage in this exciting, yet dangerous sport, responsibly. Question: Do I need to get certified? Complete a certification course from either NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors, naui.org) or PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors, padi.com), and dive shops around the world will let you do your thing up to 50 feet deep with minimal supervision. Courses take about 30 to 40 hours, with the main focus on safety and understanding the equipment. Lukewarm about all the time and money required? Skip to question #3. Question: Where should I get certified? At home or on vacation? Outfitters at popular diving spots teach the entire course in four days, but it's more pragmatic and affordable to do most of the coursework at a neighborhood pool. You then get your certification card after a few training dives out in the open seas. "I always recommend that the academic and technical work be done before going on vacation," says Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of the Ocean Futures Society and son of diving legend Jacques Cousteau. "Most ocean diving is so idyllic, and there are so many distractions, that it's best to be qualified and competent beforehand." Contact NAUI, PADI, or a local dive shop to find out where courses are offered. Question: Can I go diving without getting certified? Yes, to an extent. Many hotels and dive shops offer "resort courses." These typically consist of a morning session in a pool followed by a shallow dive in the ocean with an instructor. "The resort course is good for someone not quite sure about scuba diving," says Malen Thompson, a PADI representative. "It gives you a taste of the experience." Question: How long will I be in the water? For certified divers, the morning typically consists of two dives, each using up a tank of compressed air (a two-tank trip, as it's called). You venture out for a 40-minute descent, take a break, then motor over to a shallower site for a second dip. By lunchtime, most people find they're had their limit of saltwater for the day. "any of our divers want the afternoons free to hike, mountain bike, or kayak," says Karen Moise, owner of Nature Island Dive, on the Caribbean island of Dominica (natureislanddive.com). If you're not a morning person, afternoon and even night dives--with flashlights--are often available. Question: What will I see? It depends on where you go. Australia's Great Barrier Reef is a cold-water favorite, with chances to see sharks and three-foot-wide clams. Boat wrecks are the big draws in the Bermuda Triangle and Micronesia.The South Pacific is famous for warm waters, spectacular visibility, and colorful corals. Much of the Caribbean has a good mix of wrecks and reefs. There are often dozens of options within each region, so ask around. Question: Should I rent or buy? There's always that one guy huffing and puffing in the airport as he carts heavy tanks and the latest nifty regulators. Just rent the stuff! That said, many divers always travel with their masks. It's hard to find the perfect fit around the bridge of your nose. Question: What's the diver-to-instructor ratio? Many boats have space for 20 or more divers, but big groups can be overwhelming. With fewer divers, guides are more relaxed--and more likely to show you that moray eel hidden in the crevice or where puffer fish can be found puffing. Aim for a diver-to-instructor ratio of about four to one. If you're stuck with a large group, ask if it's OK to leave them behind. "More-experienced divers like independence," says Buck Butler, editor of Scuba Diving. "They don't mind a big group if they can go off on their own." Question: How far is the boat ride? Getting to the reef off the Caribbean's Grand Turk takes five minutes by boat. But at Raiatea, French Polynesia, boat rides can be a rocky 45 minutes, which might make you too woozy to dive. Take non-drowsy seasickness medication if you're going to be on a boat more than 30 minutes. Or skip the long ride entirely. Question: How deep will we go? There are instructors who lead divers to depths of 100 feet, only to be immersed in darkness. The finest dives are usually 40 to 60 feet below the water's surface, where fish are bountiful and the reef is awash in sunlight. "The only reason to go deeper is to find a wreck," says Butler. Question: How much will it cost?Prices vary. In Cozumel, a two-tank dive with a company called Aqua Safari costs $55 (aquasafari.com); a similar dive in in Kauai, with North Shore Divers, is $135 (garden-isle.com/nsdivers). But the biggest expenses on dive trips are lodging and transportation, not the actual dives. You often get the best overall price with a package that includes any combination of diving, accommodations, food, and airfare. Two more ways to save: Visit during a destination's low season, and go where the U.S. dollar is strong.