World's Weirdest Hotels, Part Deux

You'll find Southern grace and hospitality, and a lesson in history—all at a slow pace. I like to take visitors to Hominy Grill. The shrimp and grits are to die for, but it's the chocolate pudding that keeps me coming back. —Kim Rich, 42, 10-year Charleston resident Firefly Distillery, just 30 minutes south of the city, infuses its sweet tea vodka with tea leaves from a nearby plantation. I mix it with lemonade on hot days (fireflyvodka.com, $17). —Tracey O'Brien, 43 For the best views of the Cooper River and the city, stroll over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. It leads to the town of Mount Pleasant, but the diamond-towered Ravenel is a worthy destination in its own right. —Haley Abbott, 26 Expect to see benne wafers at any gourmet-food store in town. Benne is an old Southern term for sesame seeds, and, legend has it, these cookies bring good luck. But watch out—they're addictive. —K.R. It may seem like an unassuming seafood dive, but don't be fooled by Bowens Island Restaurant. This cash-only oyster bar recently won a James Beard Award. Sit on the dock and order a bottomless tray of steamed oysters when they're in season (months with an r in the name). (843/795-2757, $23). —Pat Votava, 55 The Meeting Street Inn embodies Southern charm. Its 56 rooms all open to a courtyard, and wine and cheese are served every afternoon at 5:30 (meetingstreetinn.com, from $119). —Anna Hitchins, account executive

This Month's Prize! Vietnam The best response we receive between August 29, 2009, and September 30, 2009, wins a 10-night trip for two in Vietnam, courtesy of Intrepid Travel. The prize includes the Spirit of Vietnam tour, with lodgings, some meals, and transport within Vietnam, plus the winner's choice of Urban Adventures—either a visit to a mountain village or a tour of the Mekong Delta. Does not include airfare to Vietnam. For more info: 800/970-7299, intrepidtravel.com. How to enter: E-mail us at TrueStories@BudgetTravel.com or mail us at True Stories, Budget Travel, 530 7th Ave., 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10018. Full guidelines are available at BudgetTravel.com/truestories. The prize has an estimated value of $1,956. No blackout dates; prize valid until August 1, 2010. Taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prize is subject to availability, nontransferable, and nonnegotiable. Contest is open to residents of the 50 United States and its territories, except Arizona. Trip Winner September's winner is Helen Cicirello of Leesburg, Va. Her prize is four nights at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in Coronado, Calif. My husband and I and our kids were checking in at the airport and answering the security questions: "Did you pack your bags yourself?" "Yes." "Have your bags been in your possession since you packed them?" "Yes." "Do you have any weapons?" Before my husband or I could respond, our 8-year-old son shouted, "Yes!" When we asked what weapon, he said no, he didn't have any weapons. The agent laughed and let us board. When we asked our son about it, he said he thought the woman had asked, "Do you have any Webkinz?" It's a brand of stuffed animal, and he did indeed have his. Reminds us of college One day when I was doing volunteer work in rural Peru, about 50 locals approached me. Explaining everything in Quechua (which I don't speak), they led me to their Carnival and had me do a traditional dance that involved whipping my male partner. Then they drew on my face with chalk and gave me chicha, an alcohol the Quechua make by chewing corn, spitting it into a vat, and letting it ferment—corn-spit beer, essentially. I managed to drink two cups. Needless to say, I loved it there. Jessica Cornett, Palm Harbor, Fla. Next time, try the feta My boyfriend and I were in Athens recently and had lunch at a really nice café. Our waiter didn't speak English very well, and we speak no Greek, but the menu was in English and we were able to order. Before the meal arrived, the waiter brought us some bread and an incredible cheese spread that we couldn't stop raving about. I was really eager to learn what it was, thinking we might pick some up before we left the country. I tried to ask if it was goat cheese, but our waiter just shook his head as if anyone should know what it was and said, "Phyllo Delphi." Shortly thereafter, the manager approached and asked, "You were wondering about the cheese, madam?" I said yes, and he called over our waiter, who brought the wrapper of the "local" delicacy: It was Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Erin Nathe, Carlsbad, Calif. Naked story number one My husband and I were on a cruise when, one night at about 2:30 a.m., he got up to go to the bathroom. I waited a couple of minutes and thought I might as well go, too. When I reached the bathroom, he wasn't there. I searched the cabin—even the closets and the balcony—but no Charlie. I couldn't imagine where he was. Then I heard a low voice calling, "Mary, Mary." I opened the hall door to find him locked out of our room. Not fully awake, he had gone into the hall and taken a few steps before realizing he wasn't in the bathroom. He didn't remember which cabin was ours and was afraid to knock on a door because he was stark naked. I told a friend about the incident later and said I was just glad nobody had seen him. She said, "You know they have security cameras in those halls." No wonder the cruise director kept smiling at us all week! Mary Keating, St. Marys, Ga. Naked story number two—must be a trend! After my husband and I checked in at a hotel in Baton Rouge, we went to our room. My husband entered first, and I heard him say, "Oh! Sorry, sir!" We had been given the key to someone else's room, and that someone else was already in bed. We settled into another room; then my husband went down to our car, and I decided to take a shower. As I was about to get in, I heard the room door. I peeked out of the bathroom, and there was a stranger! I don't know who was more surprised, him or me. He backed out of the room, and a few minutes later my husband came back and said he had a funny story. He had met a flustered-looking young man in the elevator and told him our story about walking in on a man in bed. The young man said, "I can beat that—I just walked in on a naked lady!" And I said to my husband, "I can beat that—I was the naked lady!" Denise Kerkhoff, Opelousas, La. A hands-on wedding planner My husband is from Casablanca, and I was excited to get married there. I don't speak Arabic or French, so his family arranged the wedding. My four dresses and jewelry were provided by a Moroccan wedding planner, who also helped me get ready. She motioned for me to undress and then sized me up as I stood there in my underwear. She took one look at my chest, shook her head disapprovingly, and immediately left the room and fetched two hand towels. Before I knew what was happening, she stuffed the towels into my bra, gave them a push upwards, and nodded with satisfaction at my new C cups. Maria Rachidi, Jersey City, N.J. With friends like you... A close friend had a destination wedding, and I played a trick on him as he and his fiancée were checking in at the airport: I arranged for a group of women to pretend they were his past flings and run over and beg him not to abandon them. Better yet, they had a bunch of small children with them. The women and children, of all ages and ethnic backgrounds, played the roles perfectly, mentioning his name and other details about him. "How can you leave your daughters and me?" asked one woman. Another chimed in, "You always said I was your only love." One child grabbed his leg and cried, "But, Daddy, it's my birthday next week! You promised you'd be there!" After a few minutes, the joke became apparent and everyone laughed. The check-in agents who saw the whole thing got such a kick out of it that their supervisor upgraded the bride and groom to business class! Conrad von Peterffy, Chicago, Ill. Because Londoners never yell I flew to London last summer, and the airline lost my luggage. The morning after my arrival, I went to a Starbucks near my hotel. My dad called my cell phone, and I told him my luggage woes as I ordered and walked back to the hotel. The more I talked about the missing bag, the more heated I became. When I hung up, I was in the lobby and glanced over at the concierge. "New Yorker?" he asked. Startled, I said, "Yes, how did you know?" "Americans drink Starbucks," he said. "New Yorkers drink Starbucks and yell on their cell phones." Kyra Vezina, Kings Park, N.Y. He hasn't aged a day On our trip to Rome, my parents, my boyfriend, and I were walking to the Vatican when my boyfriend pointed out a very retro hairdo. It looked just like Elvis's hair! I approached the man and learned that he was German and didn't speak much English. But when I said, "You look an awful lot like Elvis," he smiled and said with the King's drawl, "Thankyou...thankyouverymuch." It was one of our most memorable moments in Rome. Brenda Chavez, Cypress, Tex. They really should have thrown this catch back At dinner with two girlfriends one night on a recent trip to the Cinque Terre in Italy, I was horrified when the waiter set my dish down. I had opted for the "little fishes," an assortment of fried fish. One still had its head and fins, another looked like it had already been chomped on, and the last was some sort of eel-I could barely keep from gagging. A Belgian couple sitting at the next table couldn't stifle their laughter as I took a photo. Turns out that the woman had ordered the same dish and had been equally horrified. When we ran across the same couple the next day at lunch, the man looked at my spaghetti and said, "Much better than the fish, eh?" Allison Rumph, Houston, Tex. Hold on to your lunch! While visiting Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica, we decided to enjoy a day at the beach. My wife hung our beach bag packed with extra clothes and snacks from a nearby tree. In just a few minutes, the bag was gone, stolen by a troop of capuchin monkeys, who ran off out of sight. We later found our bag and clothes thrown away deep in the jungle, but our sandwiches were gone. The locals told us those monkeys are skilled sandwich thieves. Ronald Perez, Norwalk, Calif. No five-finger discount here I fell in love with the indigenous crafts in each city I visited in India. In Udaipur it was perfume, and I found a store with exquisite scents in camel-skin bottles. After sniffing and sampling, I chose several and asked the price. The man helping me answered, "1,200 rupees." I countered with 1,000, but he repeated, "1,200 rupees." I held up my hands and, pointing at my 10 fingers, said once again, "1,000 rupees." He held up his hands and said, "1,200." I shook my head and was about to count off finger by finger when I saw that the man had six perfect, manicured fingers on each hand. I paid the 1,200 rupees. Liz Berger, New York, N.Y.

The Good Fork On a narrow strip of land at the tip of New York's Long Island, tiny wineries are working to rival their famous peers around the globe—and stay mellow in the process. See the slide show The Budget Travel Challenge: Last-Minute Long-Haul For our latest Budget Travel Challenge, we pitted two travelers against each other in a competition to have the most far-flung adventures possible on seven days' notice—for $1,200. World's Best Flea Markets Sure, you can learn a lot about a destination by touring its museums and visiting its landmarks. But to experience the true heart of a place, spend a few hours at one of its flea markets. We picked the world's top 25. See the slide show Hobnob With the Masters for $1.50 Europe has long been the world's art capital. Now it's outdone itself. Welcome to Shoulder Season The tourist hordes have left (or haven't yet arrived), prices have dropped, and the weather's just delightful. Here's your worldwide guide to that overlooked moment between the high and low seasons. Road Trip: True West in Wyoming With some of America's most majestic landscapes and wildlife, Wyoming stays faithful to its Old West heritage. See the slide show Real Deals Over $4,900 in savings—exclusively for you!

It pays to be a Budget Travel reader! This month, our exclusive deals net you more than $4,900 in discounts and bonuses. Among the freebies: a volcano tour in Costa Rica, a hot-air balloon ride in Turkey, and an ocean-view cabin upgrade on a Mediterranean cruise. For more savings, search the 175-plus Real Deals at BudgetTravel.com—the star means you've found a package just for BT readers! How was your trip? Have you taken a Real Deals vacation? E-mail us how it went at RealDeals@BudgetTravel.com. Before you book... These trips and starting prices ("From") sell out quickly, and details may change. Call the companies for complete info. Most rates are based on midweek dates; weekend travel can raise the price. Under "Why it's a deal," round-trip flights are based on the lowest September departures on kayak.com at press time. Usually not included: service, security, and visa costs; hotel, car-rental, and airport taxes. Check each listing for fuel surcharge details. Prices are per person, with two people sharing a room, unless otherwise noted. The single supplement ("SS") is the extra fee charged to solo travelers. UNITED STATES Denver, from $199 Two rooms at the Curtis hotel for one night, four tickets to the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, one $50 food-and-beverage credit, and parking. The price is for two adults and two kids. Book by Oct. 30 and mention PROCCC. Why it's a deal: You receive the second room at no extra cost. When: Sept. 1–Nov. 30. Contact: The Curtis, 800/525-6651, thecurtis.com. Gurnee, Ill., from $269 Two nights at the KeyLime Cove resort, about an hour from Chicago; breakfasts; and passes to the resort's indoor Lost Paradise Waterpark. The price is for two adults and two kids. Mention BT09. Why it's a deal: The required two-night stay typically starts at $398, so this package saves you at least $129. You also receive the breakfasts (an $80 value) at no extra cost. When: Sept. 8–Nov. 25. Contact: KeyLime Cove, 224/656-8685, keylimecove.com. Houston, from $358 Two nights at the Crowne Plaza Downtown, breakfasts, parking, and four CityPasses valid at Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium, and other attractions. The price is for two adults and two kids. Mention BUDGET TRAVEL. Why it's a deal: Booking each component separately costs at least $145 more. You also receive a free room upgrade worth about $40. When: Sept. 1–Nov. 30. Contact: Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800/446-8786, visithoustontexas.com/budgettravel. San Francisco, from $441 Air from L.A., four nights at the Westin St. Francis in Union Square, and a one-hour narrated cable-car tour. Includes fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: You receive the cable-car tour (a $20 value) at no extra cost. When: Sept. 1–Nov. 30. Other gateways: Chicago ($579); Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New York ($659). SS: $369. Contact: Travel Themes and Dreams, 877/870-7447, travelthemesanddreams.com. South Lake Tahoe, Calif., from $176 One night at Zephyr Cove Resort, breakfast, and an Emerald Bay cruise aboard the Dixie II. The price is per room. Mention BUDTRV. Why it's a deal: This rate is 24 percent less than the regular package price. When: Sept. 22–Nov. 26; Nov. 29–Dec. 21.Contact: Zephyr Cove Resort, 888/896-3830, zephyrcove.com/budgettravel. CANADA Nova Scotia, from $1,197 Air Canada flights from New York to Halifax, a seven-day car rental, six nights' hotel, a city tour, and entry to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. Spend two nights each in Halifax and Baddeck, and one each in Sydney and Antigonish. Add from $35 for fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: This price is about 10 percent less than the regular package rate. When: Sept. 1–Nov. 30. Other gateways: Atlanta ($1,355), Boston ($1,416), Chicago ($1,442), L.A. ($1,477), Miami ($1,652). SS: $524. Contact: Maxxim Vacations, 800/567-6666, maxximvacations.com. CARIBBEAN Jamaica, from $519 Air from Fort Lauderdale or New York to Montego Bay, transfers, and three nights at the all-inclusive beachfront Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort. Includes fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: Booking each component separately would cost at least $42 more. You also receive a free room upgrade worth $30. When: Sept. 1–30 ($519); Oct. 1–Nov. 30 ($594). Other gateways: Baltimore (add from $75).Contact: Travel Themes and Dreams, 877/870-7447, travelthemesanddreams.com. Puerto Rico, from $610 Four nights at the Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, a $100 credit, and one day's rental of a poolside cabana. Add $150 for transfers. Airfare isn't included. Mention BTMAG. Why it's a deal: This price is 25 percent less than the usual rate for the required four-night stay. The cabana rental (a $150 value) and a room upgrade are free. When: Sept. 1–Nov. 4. Contact:Wyndham Rio Mar, 877/636-0636, wyndhamriomar.com. CENTRAL AMERICA Costa Rica, from $879 American Airlines flights from L.A. to San José, an eight-day car rental, seven nights' hotel (two nights in Arenal at Arenal Volcano Inn with breakfasts, two in Monteverde at Hotel Fonda Vela, and three in Manuel Antonio at La Mansion Inn with breakfasts), and a half-day Arenal volcano tour. Includes fuel surcharges. Mention BT75. Why it's a deal: Booking each component separately would cost at least $196 more. You receive the volcano tour at no extra cost. When: Sept. 1–Nov. 15. Other gateways: San Francisco ($914), New York ($919), Chicago ($929). SS: $493.Contact: Capricorn Leisure Corp., 800/426-6544, capricornleisure.com. SOUTH AMERICA Buenos Aires, from $1,253 American Airlines flights from New York, transfers, six nights at the Claridge Hotel, breakfast daily, fuel surcharges, and a half-day city tour. Mention BT75. Why it's a deal: Booking each component separately would cost at least $75 more. When: Sept. 1–Nov. 15. Other gateways: L.A. ($1,298), Seattle ($1,328), D.C. ($1,358), San Francisco ($1,469). SS: $640.Contact: Capricorn Leisure Corp., 800/426-6544, capricornleisure.com. Cartagena & Bogotá, Colombia, from $699 Avianca airlines flights from Miami to Cartagena (returning from Bogotá), transfers and local transportation (boat, car, plane), six nights' hotel (four in Cartagena, two in Bogotá), tours of each city, and a full-day boat tour of the Rosario Islands with lunch. Includes fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: Booking the airfare and hotel separately costs at least $125 more. This package already includes two city tours; you also receive the Rosario Islands tour (a $45 value) at no extra cost. When: Until Nov. 30. Other gateways: D.C. (add $135), New York (add $200), L.A. (add $265). SS: $285. Contact: Escapes Unlimited, 800/243-7227, escapesltd.com. EUROPE Berlin, from $1,030 Air from Chicago or New York, five nights in one of 10 apartments in the Mitte area, a Berlin Wall walking tour, fuel surcharges, and more. Book by Sept. 30 and mention BUDGET. Why it's a deal: Airfare typically starts at $539. For $491 more, your lodging and the extras are covered. When: Sept. 1–Nov. 30. Other gateways: Miami (add $10), Boston (add $20), L.A. (add $25). SS: $300. Contact: Nonstop Travel, 800/949-6362, nonstoptravel.net. Bologna, Italy, from $1,459 Alitalia flights from New York, five nights at Hotel Orologio, breakfasts, a cooking class with lunch at La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese, a dinner at Ristorante da Cesari, guided walking and bus tours, daily bike rentals, and fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: Booking the airfare and hotel separately costs at least $1,283. For $176 more, the cooking class, lunch, dinner, and tours are covered. You also receive free bike rentals (a $105 value). When: Sept. 1–Oct. 31 (from $1,629); Nov. 1–Mar. 31 (from $1,459). Other gateways: Boston (add from $20); Chicago, Miami (add from $75). SS: $333. Contact:TourCrafters, 800/482-5995, tourcrafters.com. Cappadocia & Istanbul, Turkey, from $1,499 Turkish Airlines flights from New York to Kayseri (via Istanbul), transfers and local transportation (plane), six nights' hotel split between Cappadocia and Istanbul, breakfasts, two private tours, and a hot-air balloon flight in Cappadocia. Add from $333 for airport taxes and fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: Booking the components separately costs at least $481 more. When: Wednesday and Friday departures Sept. 2–Nov. 27. Other gateways: Chicago (add $120), Miami (add $160). SS: $350. Contact: Troy Tours, 800/748-6878, troytours.com. Dublin, from $940 Delta Air Lines flights from New York, six nights at the Hilton Dublin Kilmainham, breakfasts, fuel surcharges, and a guided bus tour to Malahide Castle and Howth village. Mention BT10589. Why it's a deal: You receive the tour (a $52 value) free. When: Tuesday departures Sept. 15–Nov. 17. Other gateways: Memphis (from $1,137), Detroit (from $1,209), Minneapolis (from $1,221), Atlanta (from $1,279). SS: $482. Contact: Delta Vacations, 800/654-6559, deltavacations.com. Mediterranean Cruise & Rome, from $1,799 Air from New York, a seven-night sail aboard MSC Cruises' Splendida in an ocean-view cabin, and three nights at the Hotel Milton in Rome. Cruise highlights include stops in Savona, Italy; Marseille, France; Barcelona, Spain; Tunis, Tunisia; Valletta, Malta; and Messina, Italy. The price includes 23 meals, transfers and local transportation within Italy, and fuel surcharges. Add from $42 for port charges. Mention BTMAG283. Why it's a deal: You get the ocean-view cabin upgrade (a $200 value) at no extra cost. When: Sept. 24 ($2,999); Oct. 15 ($2,599); Nov. 5 ($1,799). Other gateways: None. SS: From $1,099. Contact: Foreign Independent Tours, 800/248-3487, fittours.com/budgettravel. Rhine River Cruise, from $1,487 An eight-day sail on the Rhine River from Zürich to Amsterdam (or Amsterdam to Basel) on the Avalon Affinity or Avalon Creativity with transfers, all meals and drinks (with beer and wine at dinner), and port and fuel surcharges. Stops include Strasbourg, France, and a Heidelberg Castle excursion. Airfare isn't covered. Book by Oct. 15 and mention RHINE. Why it's a deal: This price is $500 less than the regular rate. When: Saturday departures Sept. 5–26 (from $1,987); Oct. 3–31 (from $1,587); Nov. 7 (from $1,487). SS: From $418. Contact: Avalon Waterways, 877/380-1535, avalonwaterways.com. Stockholm & St. Petersburg, from $1,999 Air from New York to Stockholm (returning from St. Petersburg), transfers and local transpor­tation (plane), eight nights' hotel (three in Stockholm and five in St. Petersburg), a three-day Stockholm Card valid for admission to Drottningholm Palace, the Vasa Museum, and other attractions, and a folk show and a private city tour in St. Petersburg. The price includes fuel surcharges. Mention BUDTRVL. Why it's a deal: Booking the airfare and hotels alone would cost at least $17 more. You also receive the Stockholm Card (a $76 value) at no extra cost. When: Sept. 1–Dec. 15. Contact: East West Tours, 800/776-3341, east-west-tours.com. AFRICA Kenya Safari, from $2,495 Air from New York to Nairobi and a 10-day escorted round-trip itinerary with transfers and local transportation, seven nights' lodging, 20 meals, and nine game drives. Spend three nights in Masai Mara National Reserve at Mara Simba Lodge, two near Samburu National Reserve at Ashnil Samburu Camp, and one each in Nairobi at the Jacaranda Hotel and in Lake Nakuru National Park at Lake Nakuru Lodge. Includes airport taxes and fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: This price is about $500 less than the regular package rate. You also receive upgraded lodgings and a lunch at the Carnivore restaurant in Nairobi—a total value of $150. When: Sept. 1–Oct. 31 ($2,595); Nov. 1–30 ($2,495); Dec. 1–31 ($2,795). Other gateways: Boston, D.C. (add $100); Chicago (add $150); L.A. (add $250). SS: From $390. Contact: Masai Travel, 800/587-1644, masaitravel.com. South Africa Tour, from $2,874 South African Airways flights from New York to Johannesburg and a 10-day escorted tour with transfers and local transportation, seven nights' lodging (two each in Malalane, Mozambique, and St. Lucia, and one in Swaziland), a full-day game drive in Kruger National Park, 10 meals, airport taxes, and fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: This price is 10 percent less than the regular package rate. When: Sept. 5, 19, Oct. 3, 17, 31 ($2,874); Nov. 14, 28 ($2,906). Other gateways: Atlanta (add from $200), L.A. (add from $300). SS: $181. Contact: Karell Holidays, 800/327-0373, karellholidays.com. ASIA Hong Kong, from $999 Cathay Pacific Airways flights from L.A. or San Francisco, transfers, five nights at the Courtyard by Marriott in the Sai Ying Pun area, a Hong Kong Island tour, and fuel surcharges. Book by Oct. 15 and mention TSBT0909. Why it's a deal: Booking the airfare and hotel separately costs at least $147 more. You also get the free island tour (worth $50). When: Until Sept. 13 ($999); Sept. 28–Oct. 11, Nov. 1–Feb. 28 ($1,065). Other gateways: None. SS: From $229. Contact: Travelscene, 866/914-4457, travelscene.com. Korea & Bali, from $1,599 Singapore Airlines flights from L.A. or San Francisco to Seoul (returning from Bali), transfers and local transportation (car, plane), eight nights' lodging (three in Seoul at the Hyundai Residence Hotel and five in Bali at the Kind Villa Bintang Resort or the Kuta Beach Club Hotel & Spa), breakfasts, and fuel surcharges. The price includes a Seoul city tour and a two-hour massage at Anika spa in Bali. Mention SAYBT08. Why it's a deal: Multicity airfare alone can cost $1,486. For $113 more, your hotels, breakfasts, local transport, and city tour are covered. You receive the massage (a $55 value) for free. When: Sept. 1–Nov. 30. Other gateways: Denver (add $200), Chicago (add $350), New York (add $375). SS: $375. Contact: Sayang Holidays, 888/472-9264, sayangholidays.com. Northern Thailand Tour, from $2,099 Air from L.A. or San Francisco to Bangkok and an eight-day escorted tour with transfers and local transportation, seven nights' hotel (two each in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok, and one in Phitsanulok), an elephant ride, and fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: You get two nights in Bangkok and a city tour free. When: Until Nov. 30. Other gateways: Many. SS: $400. Contact: Escapes Unlimited, 800/243-7227, escapesltd.com. SOUTH PACIFIC Fiji, from $1,349 Air Pacific flights from L.A. to Nandi on Viti Levu, transfers, six nights in a beachfront room at the Sonaisali Island Resort, and all meals. Add from $297 for fuel surcharges. Why it's a deal: This price is $535 less than the regular package rate. You also receive a free room upgrade. When: Until Mar. 31. Other gateways: None. SS: $508. Contact: Sunspots International, 800/334-5623, sunspotsintl.com.