D.C.'s Cherry Blossoms Without the Crowds

INDIAMahindra Homestays makes a welcome alternative to India's no-frills backpacker options and five-star luxury hotels. Take your pick among historic palaces in Rajasthan, bungalows along Goa's tropical beaches, and modest homes in the Himalayan town of Manali. Hosts, who might be retirees or young professionals, can arrange activities like horseback riding or yoga.Planning and pricing Search the online database and pay in advance. Nightly per-person rates range from $22 for a stay with an army officer and his family in Alleppey, Kerala, to $143 for a Portuguese-colonial house in Goa, both with private bathrooms and including breakfast.See it! Photo 1 of 4 RIO DE JANEIRORio is all about being part of the scene, so there's no better way to get to know and love the city than through a well-connected local. Cama e Café simplifies the process by matching travelers with like-minded hosts. The 23 available homes are scattered throughout the boho neighborhood of Santa Teresa in the hills overlooking Rio.Planning and pricing Browse online or call to get a personal recommendation. Pay a third up-front and the balance through the company office when you get to Rio. Nightly rates, with breakfast, range from $42 per person in student houses (with shared bathrooms) to $150 per person in more luxurious mansions with private bathrooms and air-conditioning. Only a few hosts speak English.See it! Photo 1 of 3 PARISSome of the 150 families who work with Homestay in Paris have been at it for 20 years. If you have at least two weeks to spare, you can beat France's high hotel prices, get on the inside track with Parisians, and learn a little French along the way.Planning and pricing Pay the reservation fee of $198 online (for a minimum stay of between 15 and 29 nights, extendable for up to a year) and the balance direct to the family. Prices start from $33 per person per night with breakfast or from $54 per person per night with breakfast and six dinners a week.See it! Photo 1 of 1 CUZCO, PERUCentro Tinku Language School combines a homestay in Cuzco—the former Inca capital high in the Peruvian Andes—with an intensive course in your choice of Spanish or Quechua (the language of the native Andean people). Fill any downtime by exploring Inca monuments, Spanish baroque churches, Quechua markets, and bars packed with locals and backpackers. It's a short train ride from here to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.Planning and pricing Book through U.S.-based Learn 4 Good. Prices start at $310 per person per week for Spanish classes, accommodation, and all meals, with a minimum one-week stay and 20 hours of language instruction per week. Bathrooms are usually shared, and host families speak little English. See it! Photo 1 of 2 BELARUSLife still follows rural rhythms in Belarus, where primeval deciduous forests cover about a third of the territory. Green Belarus coordinates farmhouse stays in villages and towns watched over by Renaissance churches and rugged castles. The infrequency of tourists makes for above-and-beyond hospitality and a pioneering travel experience.Planning and pricing Green Belarus's homestays start at $12 per person per night (or $23 for full board) and can be combined with sightseeing excursions led by English-speaking guides. Payments can be made online or over the phone.See it! Photo 1 of 1 CHIANG MAI, THAILANDOn the outskirts of Northern Thailand's arts and crafts capital, Chiang Mai, the House of Clay is a teak-wood refuge with a lovingly tended, heliconia-filled tropical garden. The Thai family living here shares their beautiful home with guests, who are easily looped into the daily routine. Mornings bring trips to a produce market and work on the pottery wheel with Mae, mother and locally renowned artist; afternoons are spent visiting temples or attending a Thai cooking class; and dinners are eaten round the table with the family, all of whom speak English well.Planning and pricing Stays are paid for in advance through Tell Tale Travel as part of a longer Thailand or Southeast Asian trip, which will cost from $180 per person per day for guides, half board, and transfers. International flights are extra.See it! Photo 1 of 1 LONDONSo many foreigners pass through London that it can be tough to pinpoint the locals. At Home in London has been breaking the ice for nearly 25 years, placing guests with Londoners in apartments and historic town houses citywide. Pick the neighborhood that feels homiest to you: central Covent Garden, posh Belgravia, or hipster Notting Hill, among others.Planning and pricing Expect to pay $113 per night for two, including breakfast and taxes, or as little as $28 per night for single-occupancy rooms rented for longer than a week in the Hammersmith neighborhood, with a deposit in advance and the balance upon arrival in the family home. Mid-range options ($135 per night for two with breakfast) can feel surprisingly luxurious. Some homes require a minimum two-week stay; most have private bathrooms and Wi-Fi. Browse the full catalog online.See it! Photo 1 of 2 JAPANHomestay in Japan works with some 1,000 hosts, from young Tokyo professionals to traditional rural families. Stays are organized through the philosophy of kikkake (cultural immersion), so be prepared to make the jump across the language barrier. No prior language experience is required, but very few hosts speak English, and you'll be expected to make an effort to fumble through conversations in Japanese over shared meals and outings.Planning and pricing Homestay in Japan guides guests through the whole process from cultural orientation before arrival to emergency support on-site. Prices start at $45 per person per night (with one or two meals), plus a $170 arrangement and orientation fee. Japanese houses tend to be considerably smaller than American ones and few have private bathrooms.See it! Photo 1 of 2 BELIZEWhen you book through Toucan Trail, you'll be welcomed into a Mayan village as an equal—and expected to pitch in as one, too, whether that means working in the cornfields, washing clothes, or preparing meals of corn-flour tortillas, beans, fish, and meat. The 20 or so host families (across three villages) live in one- or two-room palm-thatched adobe houses with shared outhouses, so there's little privacy. Planning and pricing Pay a one-off $2 administration fee and a $5 registration fee, plus $6 per person per night and $2.50 per meal upon arrival in Belize. There's local bus service between Punta Gorda and the participating villages of Aguacate, San Jose, and Na Luum Ca.See it! Photo 1 of 1 MAE HONG SON, THAILANDTell Tale Travel can place you with a Lahu family of subsistence farmers for two to 14 days in the rain-forest-shrouded hills of the Mae Hong Son province. Prepare to get a crash course in traditional handicrafts and tilling the soil. It's not all hard work, though—optional guided excursions include forest treks and visits to nearby sacred caves. You'll live as your hosts do, sleeping on mats on bamboo floors, with outhouse bathrooms.Planning and pricing Prices start at $100 per person per night, including guides, transport to and from the village, all meals, cultural activities, and excursions. Guides speak English, but villagers do not.See it! Photo 1 of 2

River cruises—leisurely, elegant, and easy—are quickly gaining in popularity. Some cruise lines have seen bookings grow by 60 percent over the past five years. Europe is especially fashionable right now: In a recent study, booking site cruisecompete.com found that requests for European river cruises have increased more than 22 percent since August 2009. Why all the interest? River cruises sail on major waterways like the Danube and the Rhine, docking at charming towns along the way. You'll be much closer to the heart of a city than you would be when cruising by sea—for example, river cruises along the Seine dock at Port de Grenelle in Paris, within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower. And with perks like gourmet food, wine pairings from local vineyards, a room with a view, and guided tours and excursions often included in the price, it's hard to resist the urge to pack up and leave tomorrow. Europe's cruising season extends from March to September. Cruises in May, June, and July (the region's high season) are more expensive. Planning ahead is a must: The ships are much smaller and more intimate than their seafaring counterparts, and trip dates tend to book up fast. POPULAR RIVERS Rhine The mighty, 820-mile Rhine begins in Switzerland and streams northwest along the border between France and Germany and into the Netherlands, passing by Basel, Switzerland; Strasbourg, France; and Cologne, Germany. Major providers: AMA Waterways, Avalon Waterways, Cruise West, Gate 1 Travel, Tauck, Uniworld, Viking River Cruises. Sample itinerary: Viking River Cruises' seven-night Rhine Getaway stops in Amsterdam and Kinderdijk in the Netherlands, where cruisers can debark for a tour of a working windmill. Heidelberg, Germany, home to the country's oldest university, is also a stop, and castle tours are on the docket, including Germany's 700-year-old Marksburg Castle. Prices start at $1,256 per person for an outside stateroom, guided shore excursions, and meals (including multicourse dinners nightly with wine). Another popular Rhine cruise is a springtime tulip cruise that sails through Holland and Belgium and their smaller rivers. The itineraries are timed to the famous—and visually stunning—tulip season in the Netherlands. Seine The second-longest river in France (the Loire is the longest) flows through Paris before emptying into the English Channel. Major providers: Avalon Waterways, Uniworld, Viking River Cruises. Sample itinerary: Uniworld's seven-night Paris & Normandy cruise includes stops in Rouen; Honfleur, a harbor town that was a favorite of impressionist painters; and Vernon (Giverny), where Claude Monet's home and garden are located. Prices start at $1,999 per person, including a river-view stateroom, all meals, wine and beer, guided shore excursions with an audio tour, complimentary use of the ship's bicycles, and a lecture on the role of the Seine River in impressionist paintings. Danube The 1,771-mile Danube begins in southwestern Germany's Black Forest region and stretches across Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria before joining the Black Sea. Major providers: AMA Waterways, Avalon Waterways, Cruise West, Gate 1 Travel, Tauck, Uniworld, Viking River Cruises. Sample itinerary: Because the Danube is so huge, there are plenty of itineraries and cities to choose from (Nürnberg and Passau, Germany; Vienna; and Budapest are on many cruises). A four-night sailing from Passau to Budapest on Gate 1 Travel floats along the Wachau Valley near Melk, a city famous for its Grüner Veltliner and Riesling wines and apricot brandy. The itinerary calls for dockings in Vienna and Budapest, with plenty of time to explore on your own; there's also a special onboard performance of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro." Prices start at $649 per person, including 11 meals, unlimited wine with dinner, evening entertainment, and a Mozart and Strauss concert in Passau. Rhône The 505-mile Rhône rises in Switzerland and runs south into the Mediterranean Sea, drifting through Lyon and the wine-growing Côtes du Rhône region of southern France. Major providers: Avalon Waterways, Uniworld, Viking River Cruises. Sample itinerary: Viking River Cruises' Portraits of Southern France stops in Lyon, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Avignon, and Arles. Highlights include guided tours in cities like Beaune, the capital of the Burgundy wine region, and the fortress town of Avignon, called the "City of Popes" because seven popes lived there from 1309 to 1377. The itinerary also puts you in the heart of Provence's lavender fields, with plenty of time for wine tasting at local vineyards. Prices start at $1,856 per person and include accommodations in a river-view cabin, all meals, wine, and guided tours. Volga A classic Russian cruise includes the longest river in Europe, which runs for almost 2,300 miles. Most Volga itineraries involve journeys between St. Petersburg and Moscow and traverse other waterways in addition to the "Great Mother Volga" itself. Major providers: AMA Waterways, Gate 1 Travel, Viking River Cruises. Sample itinerary: Gate 1 Travel has a weeklong cruise itinerary with stops in Moscow, including a city tour with stops at Red Square and Lubyanka, the former headquarters of the KGB; ancient Uglich, where the pastel-colored Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood, raised in honor of the murdered son of Ivan the Terrible, still graces the banks of the river; and Kizhi, a small island on Lake Onega, northeast of St. Petersburg, where the onion-domed, wooden Church of the Transfiguration complex, built without a single nail, is located. Prices start at $1,149 per person, including guided shore excursions, 20 meals, entrance fees, and all transfers.

What Should I Do When... ...I MISS MY FLIGHT?Get to the airport right away and ask to be put on the next flight. If an agent gives you grief, explain why you missed the flight—particularly, why it wasn't your fault (snarled traffic, for instance). Airlines are more likely to ask for additional payment if an agent thinks you missed the flight simply because you wanted to change your ticket without paying a change fee. With a little luck (and a sympathetic agent), you'll be on a flight later that day at no extra charge.Worst case: Paying the difference between your new ticket and the original fare, plus a ticket-changing fee of about $150 for domestic flights.When all else fails: Realize that no matter what the official policy is, agents can cut you some slack. Mentioning that you belong to the airline's frequent-flier program can't hurt. May we also suggest crying as a tactic? ...THE AIRLINE LOSES MY LUGGAGE?Take the obvious first step and contact the airport's lost-and-found. File a bag-claim form and ask about the airline's policy for reimbursing you for toiletries and other essentials. Most bags are recovered and will be shipped to you (at home, a hotel, wherever—and at the airline's expense), so stay polite.Worst case: About 2 percent of delayed luggage disappears forever. If your bag vanishes for good, file a form that itemizes what was inside it. Most airlines won't pay for precious items, including cash, artwork, electronics, and jewelry. So don't pack them in luggage. For covered items, you'll be paid for the depreciated value, not what it would cost to buy brand-new gear (including the bag itself). Sometimes you'll even have to produce receipts. On domestic flights, a carrier's liability maxes out at $3,300 per passenger. Weirdly, liability on most international flights is even less—about $1,700 per passenger.When all else fails: Instead of looking for receipts for items purchased years ago, bring in printouts of the current value of comparable items for sale as "used" on Amazon. Overall, the moral is: Never pack anything of value in your checked luggage. ...I CRASH MY RENTAL CAR?After the accident (here or abroad), insist on calling the police (even if it's a minor fender bender), and make copies of the report. If you declined collision damage waiver insurance coverage, your auto-insurance policy should cover damages. If you declined rental coverage and don't have auto insurance, the credit card you used to pay for the rental should pay for damage to the vehicle.Worst case: You didn't check for loopholes in your policy's fine print, and now you're stuck with a huge bill. Coverage provided by your credit card or auto insurer often doesn't apply to vans and luxury vehicles. Rentals in some countries, such as Ireland and Jamaica, may not be covered either. That's why you need to call your credit card company and check the fine print before you depart.When all else fails: Never agree to pay anything to the rental company on the spot. If you've looked into all the other options and it looks like you're on the hook for thousands of dollars, call a lawyer. ...MY TOUR OPERATOR GOES OUT OF BUSINESS?Hopefully, you paid with a credit card, which you should always do because it offers the most protection. If so, call your card company and explain what happened. Your money can be refunded if you contest the charges within 60 or 90 days of when your statement is mailed to you.Worst case: You paid with a check and didn't buy travel insurance that specifically covers the financial default of a tour operator. In which case, you're not getting your money back.When all else fails: Contact the United States Tour Operators Association (ustoa.com) to see if the tour operator was a member of their group—and as such, would have been required to keep $1 million in reserves to refund to customers. ...MY PASSPORT IS STOLEN—AND I'M THE VICTIM OF A CRIME?For most crimes except minor pickpocketing, call the police. If you've been hurt or robbed, or your travel plans must be changed, the police report will help you file claims with health and travel insurers. Cancel any stolen debit and credit cards, too. Worst case: Your passport was stolen, and without it you won't be allowed back into the country. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate ASAP. With luck, you normally either travel with a photocopy of your passport, which will help speed up the process of getting a new one, or you've e-mailed a scan of your passport to yourself at a Web-based account you can access. When all else fails: Bust out your emergency stash of traveler's checks, which you brought along for just such an occasion—and which should hold you over until you get your hands on new cards and a new passport. ...MY CHECKED LUGGAGE IS ROBBED?You'll probably never get your stuff back, but you should file reports anyway. Why? They increase the chances that the thieves will eventually be caught. If there's a slip in your bag stating that the TSA inspected it, file a claim at the TSA website (www.tsa.gov). Worst case: There's no slip of paper from the TSA noting that your bag has been inspected. So file a claim for reimbursement for lost and stolen items with the airline directly—and quickly, because claims often must be submitted within as little as 24 hours of an incident. Ironically, airlines won't pay for the most-likely-to-be-stolen items, such as jewelry and electronics, and they impose caps on their total liability per passenger.When all else fails: File claims with the airline, the airport(s), and the TSA. To be safer next time, put a TSA-recognized lock on your bag to prevent the half dozen, non-TSA workers who handle it from being able to pry it open. ...I GET SICK WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER PASSENGERS ON A CRUISE?If your cruise is interrupted or postponed because of an outbreak, you should expect to be given the option to cancel for a full refund or to reschedule at a discount of up to half off.Worst case: Cruise ships are not required to compensate passengers for illnesses. If you and a small number of passengers get sick on an otherwise uneventful sailing, don't expect a refund.When all else fails: Call the cruise line's customer-service department and request a discount on a future sailing, explaining that your vacation was ruined and that you'd like to give the experience another shot at a discounted rate, or with credit for on board purchases. ...I NEED EMERGENCY MEDICAL HELP AT MY DESTINATION?Most U.S.-based health-insurance plans offer some coverage overseas, but only for emergencies, such as broken bones or heart attacks—anything that would send a reasonable person to the ER. Chances are you'll have to pay the hospital or doctor directly and get reimbursed later, so keep all receipts. In some rare cases, health plans work with doctors and clinics overseas, and if your treatment occurs in-network, your insurer may be able to pay the bill directly, saving you the trouble of paying out of pocket.Worst case: You have no insurance and rely on Medicare or Medicaid. Neither program will protect you outside the U.S. Be sure to buy supplementary travel insurance in advance of your trip. To scout out the policies of multiple established, well-regarded providers, use insuremytrip.com.When all else fails: Get to a doctor or hospital and worry about payment later. In many parts of the world, medical treatments cost far less than in the U.S. And in countries with socialized health plans, medical bills have a way of disappearing, even for foreigners. ...I'VE BEEN ARRESTED OVERSEAS?Drugs are involved in roughly one-third of the arrests of Americans abroad, so it goes without saying to just say no. Legal systems vary widely around the globe, however, and to avoid getting in trouble because of an unusual foreign law—in Singapore, for instance, you can be fined for not flushing the toilet—study up on your destination's peculiar regulations in guidebooks and at travel.state.gov. Worst case: You're facing serious jail time, or worse. When speaking to the police, be respectful and apologetic without necessarily admitting wrongdoing.When all else fails: Tell everyone who will listen that you demand to speak with a U.S. embassy officer, who can help you navigate that country's legal system, find a local attorney, and send messages to your family. ...I'M CAUGHT IN A NATURAL OR MAN-MADE DISASTER? Serious emergencies can happen anywhere (see: London, Haiti, Chile, Mumbai, New Orleans), so it's a good idea to e-mail your itinerary, including flight and hotel info, to a friend back home. Register your trip with the State Department for free at travel.state.gov, so that the government will know where you are and will be able to help get you to safety in a crisis. Worst case: If you're fortunate enough to have life and limb intact, money shouldn't be a concern: When true emergencies occur, hotels and airlines are generally very sympathetic to travelers and waive cancellation and change restrictions.When all else fails: Figure out a way to get yourself to a U.S. embassy or consulate, which can provide safety and coordinate evacuations. Getting home may take time, so be patient, and try to console the travelers around you, who may become your new best friends. CORRECTION: The link for registering a trip with the U.S. State Department has been corrected. Sorry.

We're still laughing about... Newbies on the Napali Coast who gingerly began their hike in new shoes. No chance! Plan on trashing the ones you wear, because the deeper you go into the hike, the muddier it gets. It took us several hours to trek four miles roundtrip on Kauai's Napali Coast. That "path" is rough, rocky, muddy, hot, and straight uphill in places, but the views are worth it. [PHOTO] Great local meal... Plate lunches under $10 at two spots in Honolulu: Kaka'ako Kitchen, at Ward Center, and Nico's at Pier 38, where we watched the fishermen come in. Five-spice shoyu chicken, ahi with wasabi cream, the freshest Nalo salads, and sides with flavors from the islands' many cultural influences are served in generous portions. When we wanted an upscale, sit-outdoors-with-a-great-view of the beach lunch instead, we went to Ola's, at the Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku. The North Shore shrimp will spoil you forever. One note: cooling winds blow off the ocean, so bring a light sweater. What we should have packed... A little flashlight. We learned that 1) lights do go out, and 2) walks at night can be very, very dark. Fun surprises... The waves in Waimea Bay on Oahu peaked at 45 feet the day after we landed. [PHOTO] It was lucky timing! We got to attend the famed Eddie Aikau invitational surf event, which was held for the first time in five years. [PHOTO] The Triple Crown of Surfing Pipeline Masters began the day after. The waves were (only!) 25 feet, but the surfing was still spectacular and the beaches packed. A few more surprises: all the peacocks at Waimea Valley on Oahu [PHOTO], holiday parades in every town, and handmade treasures for the holidays, like the little Hawaiian angel ornament I couldn't resist. [PHOTO] Never again... Paying a $7.50 beach-entrance fee—the charge for Hanauma Bay on Oahu. While it's wonderful for snorkeling, you can snorkel for free in places like Shark's Cove on Oahu or Poipu Beach [PHOTO] on Kauai. Worth every penny... Eating at pricey Roy's or Merriman's. They've mastered the fusion of Hawaiian-grown food with complex flavors. A grand birthday celebration at Roy's had our waiter serving 15 different-flavored dishes to the three of us. I loved Roy's classic four-fish dinner: two ounces each of four different fish prepared four ways. My rule of thumb: Never skip dessert on vacation. At Merriman's, in Poipu, we melted for the handmade phyllo dough brushed with coffee, filled with liquid chocolate, baked, and served with vanilla bean ice cream. Ahhh.... Wish we'd known that... Ordering a Hawaii Entertainment book before leaving the mainland could have saved us lots, even on lodging. A mental note for next time. Hotel we liked... Waimea Plantation Cottages, in Kauai, made us feel like we lived in Hawaii. [PHOTO] We strolled the beautiful grounds, hung out on the huge porch, and walked into town for snacks at the Big Save—little coconut pies at Yumi's or shave ice at the original Jo-Jo's. A great, almost always vacant swimming beach is a short drive down the road toward Waimea Canyon.