Home, in Buenos Aires

Lavender Armed with a basket, scissors, and a twist tie, you'll set off into the lavender fields (which come into full bloom in July) to pick bouquets. Owners Barbara and Gary Hanna, software industry refugees from Seattle, also give out free dabs of lavender honey. Who knew? There are some 200 varieties of lavender--Lost Mountain alone has more than 120--and each emits a different fragrance. Plus, not all types of lavender are lavender. They can be white, pink, blue, or purple. Info: Lost Mountain Lavender, Sequim, Wash., 888/507-7481, lostmountainlavender.com, tours free, bouquets $5. Honey Outfitted in a full-body suit, a net hood, Wellies, and gloves, you'll take out the frames that hold the honeycomb, remove the debris that collects on the frames, and make sure the queen is alive and well. The complicated process of collecting honey is left to the professionals, but you do get to sample the final product. Who knew? The best way to tell the queen bee from the drones and the worker bees is by size: She's slightly bigger. To make it even easier, Mark Dennison, the master beekeeper at Beechenhill, marks her at the beginning of the season with a spot of paint. Info: Beechenhill Farm, Ilam, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, 011-44/1335-310-274, beechenhill.co.uk, $35 per group of six for a one-hour tour. Goat Cheese You'll participate in the making of fromage blanc, chèvre, and other goat cheeses--from hand-milking one of the goats, to seeing how the mixture is hung to dry, to tasting the various cheeses at their delicious finish. Who knew? Llamas are often used to protect farm animals from hungry predators. At Harley Farms, Bart the brown llama has fended off everything from foxes to bobcats. Info: Harley Farms Goat Dairy, Pescadero, Calif., 800/394-2939, harleyfarms.com, $20 for a two-hour tour. Vanilla Vanilla actually comes from the seed pods of an orchid, but first the flowers must be hand-pollinated. You'll get to do the honors: With a wooden stick, you push the stamen and pistil together (a membrane separating the two prevents this from happening naturally). Nine months later, a pollinated flower will turn into a string bean--like pod. It takes four months of curing for the green pod to turn the familiar black--and you'll be able to see beans in different stages on the farm. Who knew? The vanilla orchid's only natural pollinator is the Melipona bee. The problem, however, is that each vanilla orchid bloom lasts for just one day--so the bee must show up at precisely the right time. Hence the need for human assistance. Info: Villa Vanilla, Villa Nueva, Costa Rica, 011-506/779-1155, rainforestspices.com, $25 for the standard two-hour tour.

UBUD Ulun Ubud Resort & Spa In an open-air workshop just to the west of Ubud, Bali's cultural capital, a young woodcarver is contemplating his latest work--a goddess slowly emerging from a twisted tree trunk. Satisfied at last, he marks the wood and begins carving again. The craftsman's boss is Gus Tu, son of a noted local woodcarver and owner of the Ulun Ubud, which sits next to the workshop. The artistic heritage is obvious as you meander down the paths and steep steps linking the hotel's 22 thatched cottages: Each nook and cranny holds a statue or a carving--a Hindu warrior here, a head of the Buddha there, and everywhere countless carved frogs, fish, shrimp, and crabs. The rooms are simple but comfortable, with bathrooms that could do with a little updating and wide balconies that overlook a lush river valley. The hotel has a reasonable restaurant serving Balinese and Western dishes, and there's a free shuttle if you're inclined to sample some of Ubud's many restaurants. If you take breakfast on your balcony, you may hear the distant chink-chink-chink of iron on stone. Look down toward the river and you'll see that along its banks, local craftspeople are cutting stone to make new carvings, some of which may well show up on the hotel's rambling grounds. 011-62/361-975-024, ulunubud.com, from $75 year-round, breakfast included. Nirvana Pension & Gallery I Nyoman Suradnya is a little worried about tourism in Bali: "The relation between Balinese and tourists is too much business," says the artist. At their homestay in Ubud, Suradnya and his wife, Ni Wayan Rai Rupini, who owns several jewelry and crafts shops, are trying to turn tourists into guests. In their family compound, which Suradnya designed, it's hard to say where the home ends and the hotel begins--reflecting, in good part, Suradnya's belief in maintaining the three harmonies essential for a human: harmony with one's god, harmony with other humans, and harmony with the natural world. The rooms blend seamlessly with a stone shrine and Suradnya's open-sided studio, and plants, trees, and songbirds pepper the grounds. There are just four rooms in the homestay ("I want to leave time for my art," explains Suradnya) in two small pavilions. Each room has attractive wood carvings painted in bold reds, greens, and golds; its own bathroom; and a balcony or terrace. For many guests, though, the real attraction is Suradnya. While he's a gifted painter, he specializes in teaching batik, a traditional Indonesian method of patterning fabric using wax and dyes. Suradnya describes the careful processes involved as "meditation in action"--a way to focus on what you're doing in the here and now. As he speaks, his adorable granddaughter jumps up behind him and rings a bell. "We ring that bell to call people to lunch," he says with a grin. "It's how we invite them to come back to the present." 011-62/361-975-415, nirvanaku.com, from $22 year-round. MUNDUK Puri Lumbung Cottages The village of Munduk is a world away from the beaches that draw most tourists to Bali. Life moves at a different pace: Farmers lay out cloves and cocoa beans along the road to dry in the sun, village dogs meander about, and the sound of chanting drifts in on the evening breeze. To introduce visitors to his world, I Nyoman Bagiarta set up the Puri Lumbung Cottages in a garden bursting with guava, lime, papaya, pineapple, and other tropical fruits. In 12 of the 17 cottages, the top floor was converted from an old lumbung--a rice granary of wood and bamboo, with a thatched roof (Bagiarta has substituted shingles). Inside, there's room for a bed, and not much more. But there's also a balcony, and a bathroom on the lower floor, so the cottages don't feel cramped. The hotel doesn't have a pool, but there's plenty to do, including trekking, participating in music and dance classes, and taking part in a reforestation project. In the evening, you can dine in the hotel's restaurant, which serves good food, including timbungan be siap (a chicken soup with cassava leaves and shallots), and offers great views of the surrounding hills. Bagiarta, though, wants to do more than just host visitors. He believes his hotel can also help his community by bringing in jobs and acting as a template for other hotels owned and run by Balinese. He's succeeded: Already the hotel has inspired a number of locals to open their own homestays. "If people copy, OK," he says with a smile. 011-62/362-92-810, purilumbung.com, from $75. LOVINA Rumah Cantik In northern Bali, Lovina is a miniature version of the hugely popular resort towns that lie along the island's south coast. So it might seem surprising that just 300 yards or so from the area's main drag is a place of peace and quiet. The Rumah Cantik--a homestay with four rooms in a flower-filled garden--was built by Made Kantra and Jette Stampe, a Balinese-Danish couple, and its eclectic design reflects its owners' diverse backgrounds. On the outside of the two pavilions housing the guest rooms, European-style pillars support a Balinese roof with upturned eaves. Inside, the mix of influences continues in the generous guest rooms: The beds are done up with romantic canopies, while the other furniture has a hint of Japanese simplicity. The large bathrooms have floors and walls made of layers of gray stones. In the garden, the feel is Balinese, with a large bale, or open-sided living room, surrounded by a small fish pond. On sunny afternoons, reflections from the water dance on the bale's ceiling. There isn't a lot to do: no pool, no TV, and--apart from breakfast and light snacks--no restaurant. Then again, nothing may be exactly what you crave. The homestay can be a little hard to find; if you tend to have difficulty navigating, Kantra and Stampe will meet you on the main road. 011-62/362-42-159, lovinacantik.com, from $65. AMED Blue Moon Villas Though it's long been popular with divers and snorkelers, Bali's remote northeast coast is still off the beaten track for most visitors. That may change if more hotels follow the example of Blue Moon Villas, a stylish boutique hotel that makes the most of its dramatic coastal setting. Designed by local architect Pak Jaya, it has five rooms in three bright, airy villas, as well as an open-sided lobby/restaurant and a small infinity pool. The rooms all have balconies or terraces, some of which are large enough to double as living rooms. As in many Balinese hotels, the bathrooms are partly open to the outside but completely private. The staff is friendly but less deferential than in the main Balinese resorts--which could be because many of the staff members are related to the hotel's co-owner, Komang John, an engaging local guy who also gave his name to the hotel's restaurant (his brother is one of the chefs). After a dinner of fresh wahoo barbecued over coconut husks, you'll want to sit on your balcony and watch the fishing boats fan out into the ocean. In the morning, if the local roosters wake you in time, you can go out in a fishing boat to watch the sun rise. 011-62/812-362-2597, bluemoonvillas.com, from $60. SIDEMEN Nirarta Centre for Living Awareness One of the things that first attracted Western visitors to Bali at the beginning of the 20th century was its rich spiritual tradition, which draws on elements of Hinduism, Buddhism, and animism. These days, most visitors pursue physical pleasures, but anyone interested in exploring the inner self might like the Nirarta Centre. Founded by British psychologist Peter Wrycza and his Balinese wife, Dayu Mayuni, the hotel has nine rooms total in five cottages, some of which have two stories. Built of wood and stone with grass or shingle roofs, the spacious cottages--two are octagonal, from a traditional Hindu symbol--are simple but comfortable and offer pretty views of the valley below. The center sits amid rice terraces and has its own extensive vegetable gardens, which supply most of the largely vegetarian food served there in a separate, open-sided restaurant. Nirarta offers a number of coaching and counseling courses. Guests are free to take part in two daily 45-minute meditation sessions in the large meditation hall, also octagonal. Close to the river there's a small massage center with just one massage table. The river itself is what the hotel cheekily calls its "natural Jacuzzi." 011-62/366-24-122, awareness-bali.com, from $30, additional fees for non-meditation courses. Patal Kikian In 1963, Ida Ayu Mas Andayani and her family fled their home when Mount Agung erupted. "Stones and rocks fell from the sky," says Andayani. The eruption was Agung's first in 120 years, and while the mountain has been quiet ever since, experts warn that it may erupt again. Andayani will cope with whatever nature throws at her; she's not a lady to be put off for long by a mere volcano. The descendant of an important local family, she has welcomed an impressive list of celebrities to her homestay: Indonesian presidents and international artists and musicians, including Mick Jagger and David Bowie. She began building the three well-spaced villas in 1979, although they look as if they've been around for centuries. The villas are red brick and gray stone, and covered in intricately carved panels depicting scenes from Hindu epics. Fanned by breezes, the villas' wide terraces make for cool and calm outdoor living rooms. Inside, the bathrooms are a bit too functional-looking, but the bedrooms are large and tastefully furnished with antiques and original paintings, many by Andayani's friends. Indeed, she's just the person to ask if you want to know more about the area's famously rich cultural heritage. 011-62/366-23-005, patalkikian@yahoo.com, from $45 (with breakfast) or $75 (three meals a day). If you're traveling in a group . . . On Bali, villas--with their own pool and staff, where you and your friends are the only guests--get much more affordable outside high season (which runs from mid-July to mid-September and over Christmas/New Year's). You can also cut costs by booking last-minute, usually within 10 days of arrival, although such offers are hard to come by in high season. Most management companies insist on a minimum stay of two days in low season and five to ten days in high season; meals generally cost the price of groceries plus a service charge. Ask when booking if prices include taxes (10 percent) and service fees (5 to 11 percent). Some villas worth a look: Villa Uma Hidden behind a rice paddy 20 minutes outside Ubud, the two-bedroom Villa Uma has gorgeous valley views, tall windows, high ceilings, and well-chosen furniture. A reception room, a kitchen/dining room, a multitude of terraces and balconies, and a pool and deck all contribute to a sense of spaciousness. Elite Havens, 011-62/361-731-074, elitehavensbali.com, from $300 per night, sleeps two couples. Sukhavati Retreat The stunning estate in Bebengan has six villas, each with a bedroom and semi-enclosed bathroom, arranged on broad terraces linked by a dramatic staircase. Traditional Balinese and modern design are integrated in the villas and the other spaces, which include a spa, dining pavilion, and meditation bale. It's more like a hotel than a traditional villa; there's even a restaurant. 011-62/361-742-2928, sukhavatiretreat.com, from $1,200 per night, sleeps six couples (villas can be booked individually, starting from $150). Villa Jembar Lawang Jembar Lawang is a two-wing villa in Canggu built around a high-ceilinged, semicircular living room with huge windows. The look is modern but with lots of Balinese and Asian art, and there's a long pool and large garden. When they have outdoor barbecues, the staff lights the garden with candles. Bali Homes Management, 011-62/361-730-668, balihomes.com, from $480 per night, sleeps five couples. Villa Bali Impian Jimbaran Hill may not be in the most beautiful part of Bali, but the four-bedroom Impian has a nice relaxed air and is a five-minute drive from the beach. There's a large living room, a bar area with a pool table, and an infinity pool that, following some recent construction in the neighboring lot, no longer sees to infinity. 011-62/361-703-060, balivillas.com, from $650 per night, sleeps three couples and two singles. Spa Villa Barong Also located in Jimbaran Hill, Spa Villa Barong was built in a modern manner with plain but attractive dark wood furniture. The living and dining areas are open-sided, and the pool is a good size. The villa offers two free hours of spa treatments a day. 011-62/361-703-060, balivillas.com, from $420 per night, sleeps three couples.

Hotel Rathaus Wine & Design Salzburg-based chef Klaus Fleischhaker and his wife, Petra, were already busy running a hotel and a Michelin one-star restaurant when they decided to take on a property in Vienna. The couple knew they'd need help revamping the dilapidated, 19th-century Hotel Rathaus, and enlisted Wine Academy graduate Martina Pöll as their go-to hotel manager. The three hit on the idea of dedicating each room to an Austrian wine. After much back-and-forth, they chose 31 winemakers, one distiller of schnapps, and one champagne maker. An identifying wine label runs the length of each door; black-and-white photographs of the vineyard and its cellar hang on the walls; and bottles of its star vintage fill the minibar. With the concept set, the boutique hotel was rechristened Rathaus Wine & Design. "Sometimes in these modern design hotels you get the feeling of being in a hospital, it's a bit too cold," says Martina. She and the Fleischhakers worked with an Austrian interior designer to make the 33 enlarged rooms sleek yet still cozy. They retained the original dark wood and high ceilings, and added boxy, custom-made light fixtures, flat-screen TVs, skylights, and cream-colored bedding. The lounge, which overlooks a tiny courtyard, stocks almost 300 wines and serves antipasti such as homemade pâté, local cheeses, and seasonal fruit salads. Martina can organize impromptu wine tastings tailored to guests' interests ($24-$49) and, with advance notice, day trips to the Danube Valley, Burgenland, or Vienna's own Wieninger Wineries, a 20-minute metro ride from the Rathaus's picturesque Josefstadt neighborhood (free tastings; transportation costs vary). Langegasse 13, 011-43/1- 400-11-22, hotel-rathaus-wien.at, doubles from $179, continental breakfast, $5.50, buffet breakfast, $16, free Internet in lobby Altstadt The five-story Altstadt rubs shoulders with Baroque townhouses and chic galleries in the cobblestoned Spittelberg Quarter. Built as an aristocratic home in 1902, the design hotel blends a filigreed wrought-iron staircase with funky halogen light fixtures, and scattered works by Andy Warhol and Annie Leibowitz. The 35 rooms and suites are individually decorated, and almost anything goes: prim stripes, splashy patterns, African and Chinese touches, and minimalist furnishings worthy of Philippe Starck's approval. There's even a Freud Room with a suitably big, complex-inducing leather couch (50-minute hour consulation not included). Named for its bright walls, the Red Salon's open fireplace and comfy sofas are the setting for free buffet breakfasts and afternoon tea and cakes. Eleven new rooms dreamed up by award-winning Italian architect Matteo Thun, known for his refined, pared-down style and stark colors, will open in June 2006. Kirchengasse 41, 011-43/1-522-66-66, altstadt.at, doubles from $155, includes buffet breakfast Drei Kronen Facing the Naschmarkt, Vienna's largest and most colorful outdoor market, the hotel makes an ideal jumping-off point for exploring the Freihausviertel as well as Vienna's nearby attractions (Theater an der Wien, Secession Building, St. Stephen's, State Opera House). Its 41 art nouveau rooms have blond wood furnishings, bright blue carpets, and crisp white bedding. Three crowns on the facade pay homage to the former empire of Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia, and to the hotel's name. Schleifmühlgasse 25, 011-43/1-587-32-89, hotel3kronen.at/, doubles from $110, includes buffet breakfast Hotel-Pension Suzanne A taste of fin de siècle Viennese elegance on a budget, the family-run Suzanne is done up with antique wood furnishings, landscape oil paintings, and plush chairs in deep shades of burgundy and green. The nine larger apartments have kitchenettes and sleep between three and seven people. It's central--around the corner from the State Opera House and the main drag Kartnerstrasse--without being noisy; nearly all the rooms face an inner courtyard. Walfischgasse 4, 011-43/1-513-25-07, pension-suzanne.at, doubles from $115 and apartments from $138, includes buffet breakfast Pension Nossek Mozart lived here briefly while drafting The Abduction from the Seraglio and the Haffner Symphony in the early 1780s. Most likely he was drawn to the building for the same reason as countless modern-day tourists: its unbeatable location. The small, family-run pension is a few minutes' walk from St. Stephen's Cathedral and Hofburg Palace, once the winter residence of Hapsburg emperors. Spacious front rooms have gorgeous views overlooking the shop-lined, pedestrian-only Graben. Original stucco, parquet floors, and crystal chandeliers add some pizzazz to the conventional floral bedspreads and wood furnishings. Book early! Graben 17, 011-43/1-533-70-41-0, pension-nossek.at, doubles from $132, includes buffet breakfast

Growing up in Hawaii in the mid-'80s, my only visit to a resort was the night of my senior prom. Even though my family had a history with the resorts--my grandfather used to play there in the 1930s, when he was a member of the Royal Hawaiian Band--the areas felt somehow kapu, or forbidden, and the other kids and I avoided them. I couldn't afford to hang out there anyway; my allowance was $12.50 a week. Twenty years later I was living in New York City, working for magazines. After I switched my focus to travel writing, I got to go all over--23 countries and counting--and my work has enabled me to return to Hawaii four times a year. I finally explored the gilded hotels and restaurants I barely knew existed in my youth. I'd be a liar if I said I didn't enjoy them. But I do believe that if you want a taste of authentic Hawaii, you're better off being on a budget. That's especially true on Maui. Though A-list celebs are constantly shown in tabloids romping on the island, Maui isn't just for millionaires. It may have a reputation as the least Hawaiian and the most expensive of the islands, but Maui still has soul. First, however, you have to leave the tourist areas of Wailea, Lahaina, and Kaanapali. And here's where you should go instead . . . . Kahului and Wailuku Kahului is the commercial center of Maui, home to the main airport, fast-food chains, hospitals, and so on. In other words, unless you have errands to run, you'll probably be happier elsewhere. Neighboring Wailuku, in contrast, is a sleepy local town, where eclectic businesses are popping up because it's the last area with affordable commercial rents. Lodging: The Old Wailuku Inn is a B&B inside a 1920s plantation-style home built by Charles Lufkin, former president of the Bank of Maui, which later merged into the still-prominent Bank of Hawaii. There's a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit and pastries, and a lending library of travel and gardening books. Each room is unique: Some are a little over-the-top, so be sure to check them out online. Food: Tricky to find but worth the hunt, A Saigon Cafe serves authentic Vietnamese food on generous plates meant for sharing. The Goi Ga chicken salad, with cabbage and peanuts, is low-carb but satisfying. Activities: Kanaha Beach Park, behind the rental-car lots at the airport, is a lovely white-sand beach for swimming, sunning, windsurfing, and surfing. (You have to paddle out about 100 yards, however, to get to the surf break; for gentler waves, head over to Waiehu Beach Park.) HST Windsurfing & Kitesurfing School teaches wind- and kite-surfing to beginners. Shopping: At Saturday's Maui Swap Meet in Kahului, more than 100 vendors sell souvenirs at a fraction of what they'd cost in hotel gift shops. If you've fallen in love with island fabrics, buy Hawaiian prints at the Fabric Mart for as little as $5 per yard. Nightlife: Wailuku's new lefty bookstore, Maui Booksellers, attracts counterculture types as well as academics looking for rare Hawaiiana. The $5 Friday movie nights feature controversial documentaries, preaching to the converted who sit on uncomfortable plastic chairs for the opportunity to debate after the screening. Down the street, Café Marc Aurel hosts wine-tasting evenings with live musicians--from cute surfer girls playing bubblegum pop to salty dogs on acoustic guitar. Throughout the year, the Maui Film Festival hosts a weekly indie $10 movie series, CandleLight Café & Cinema, at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. Hipsters gather beforehand for veggie stir-fries and wine in the courtyard. It's also where, in December, the Maui Film Festival hosts Oscar-contender screenings that are open to the public. Lodging   Old Wailuku Inn 2199 Kahookele St., Wailuku, 800/305-4899, oldwailukuinn.com, from $140 Food   A Saigon Cafe 1792 Main St., Wailuku, 808/243-9560, Goi Ga salad $7.50 Activities   HST Windsurfing School 425 Koloa St., Kahului, 800/968-5423, hstwindsurfing.com, from $79 Shopping   Maui Swap Meet S. Puunene Ave., Kahului, 808/877-3100   Fabric Mart 55 E. Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului, 808/871-5770 Nightlife   Maui Booksellers 105 N. Market St., Wailuku, 808/244-9091, mauibooksellers.com   Café Marc Aurel 28 N. Market St., Wailuku, 808/244-0852, cafemarcaurel.com   CandleLight Café & Cinema Maui Arts and Cultural Center, 1 Cameron Way, Kahului, 808/579-9244, mauifilmfestival.com/ccc Kihei As late as the '70s, Kihei's beaches were almost barren--miles of sugary sand. Now they're home to miles of condos, too. But the town still has a relatively youthful energy. Food: Jawz Tacos started as a roadside truck parked at the entry to Makena Beach Park, but by popular demand soon grew to include an air-conditioned surfer hangout serving taco salads big enough for two. Pile on the sauces at the free salsa bar, where each topping is rated from one to five, five being spiciest. For a traditional "plate lunch"--and one of the few places outside of a luau where you can try kalua pork, pork laulau (steamed in taro leaves), and lomi lomi salmon--stop by Da Kitchen. It's in a strip mall, so get your dinner to go, drive to one of the beaches across South Kihei Road (Kamaole Beach Parks I, II, or III), and eat watching the sunset. From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, one of Hawaii's top chefs, D.K. Kodama, sells half-price sushi specials at Sansei. The catch: While you eat, people sing karaoke. Activities: Makena Beach Park is divided into Big Beach, popular with families, and Little Beach (up over the cliffs at the north end), a stretch with an outrageous, clothing-discouraged Sunday-sunset drumcircle that attracts more than a hundred revelers. It's a happy, mostly innocent gathering the authorities kindly ignore. The adjacent Puu Olai crater, 360 feet in elevation, is a 15-minute hike. There's usually no better whale-watching spot on the island during the November to March season. Beware: Both Big and Little beaches have dangerous currents and shore breaks. Kamaole I, II, and III are safer swimming options, as well as beach volleyball hotspots. Take advantage of free valet parking at the Four Seasons Resort, then spring for a drink inside the hotel, or stroll along the Wailea Beachwalk, a public jogging/bike path that provides an oceanfront tour of the Wailea resorts. Shopping: Here's a tip: You can get 10 percent off many purchases at the Foodland supermarket if you give them your condo address and sign up for a Maikai Card (locals also call it the "Kamaaina Card"). Or just say you left your card at home. Nightlife: Willie K--imagine a Hawaiian Lenny Kravitz plus a hundred pounds--plays Mondays at Hapa's (there's a $10 cover those nights). You never know who'll show up: Both Prince and Janet Jackson have jammed with him. Also, the large young Irish population on Maui (they work at the resorts) makes the local Irish pub, Mulligan's on the Blue, a lively watering hole. Lodging   Maui Lu Resort 575 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, 808/879-5881, from $119   Hale Hui Kai 2994 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, 808/879-1219, from $165, five-night minimum Food   Jawz Tacos 1279 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, 808/874-8226, taco salad $10   Da Kitchen 2439 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, 808/875-7782, kalua pork $7.75   Sansei 1881 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, 808/879-0004, sanseihawaii.com Activities   Four Seasons Resort 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 808/874-8000 Shopping   Foodland 1881 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, 808/879-9350 Nightlife   Hapa's 41 E. Lipoa St., Kihei, 808/879-9001, hapashawaii.com   Mulligan's on the Blue 100 Kaukahi St., Wailea, 808/874-1131 Haleakala and Upcountry Upcountry Maui surprises people: The cooler temperatures, misty green rolling hills, and small farms can fool you into thinking you've wandered into Brigadoon. It makes for a heck of a contrast with the stark beauty of Haleakala, a volcano 10,023 feet high at the summit. Lodging: Conveniently about halfway up, the Kula Lodge & Restaurant is pretty much the only stop on the drive to Haleakala for full meals and lodging. It's a cozy place to refuel, with a fire by which you can fight the chill. Food: Komoda Store & Bakery sells fresh pastries, like chocolate cream puffs sprinkled with white sugar. While dinner is a splurge, lunch at the Haliimaile General Store doesn't have to be. With some restraint, you can enjoy outstanding regional cuisine, such as a sashimi napoleon, for around $15 per person. Activities: The winding road to Haleakala National Park is legendary, but it's the summit's Mars-like crater that will amaze you. Dress warmly if you plan to be there for sunrise or sunset--temperatures drop into the low 30s. The high elevation means that the free tasting at Tedeschi Vineyards can go to your head; be sure to designate a driver. Shopping: Ching Store, founded in 1939, is one of Maui's last family-owned plantation general stores--meaning it was open when plantations were the mainstay of the economy. It has a full shelf of cans of Spam (Hawaii consumes an extraordinary amount of the pork product). Rodeo General Store is a good place to overhear gossip and pick up local produce, including strong Kula-grown coffee. Nightlife: Casanova, a modest Italian restaurant, morphs into Maui's most happening nightspot, jammed with sun-kissed surfers and nubile hippie chicks. Ladies' Night is the hot ticket (guys pay a $10 cover). Lodging   Kula Lodge 15200 Haleakala Hwy., Kula, 808/878-1535, kulalodge.com, from $115 Food   Komoda Store & Bakery 3674 Baldwin Ave., Makawao, 808/572-7261   Haliimaile General Store 900 Haliimaile Rd., Haliimaile, 808/572-2666, haliimailegeneralstore.com Activities   Haleakala National Park 808/572-4400, nps.gov/hale, $10 car fee per week Shopping   Ching Store 9212 Kula Hwy., Kula, 808/878-1556   Rodeo General Store 3661 Baldwin Ave., Makawao, 808/572-1868   Tedeschi Vineyards Ulupalakua Ranch, Ulupalakua, 877/878-6058, mauiwine.com Nightlife   Casanova 1188 Makawao Ave., Makawao, 808/572-0220, casanovamaui.com Paia and Haiku Since the '80s, athletes from South America and Europe have flocked to Maui's north shore, so don't be surprised if you overhear conversations in Portuguese, Spanish, and French. Both Paia and Haiku have hippie roots tempered by an influx of new money; the result is a global village with hearty, healthy restaurants and everything from tattoo parlors to boutiques selling $200 bikinis. Lodging: Haiku Plantation Inn is a historic home turned B&B five minutes from the best north shore beaches. It offers lomi lomi massages and other healing remedies, including a ceremony in which you drink a tea infused with kava, a mildly stimulating root Hawaiians call awa. While Mama's Fish House is famous for serving the best food on Maui in a Polynesian-style tiki mansion right on the beach (entrées start at $32), most folks don't know that Mama's also rents stylish beach cottages, including five one-bedrooms with kitchens and patios. Alas, staying there gets you no discount on dinner. Food: Hawaiians favor fatty, salty foods, which makes a health-food store like Mana Foods so welcome. The Paia Fish Market, a casual place to see and be seen, offers a tasty, satisfying mahi taco plate with home fries, coleslaw, or Cajun rice for $11. Colleen's is a cavernous café in the same complex as Studio Maui (see below), popular for post-yoga chat-and-chai. Activities: The galvanizing event of the winter, drawing hundreds of spectators into the pineapple fields to watch with binoculars, is tow-in surfing at Jaws--a 40-foot-plus wave made famous by extreme surfer Laird Hamilton and movies like Riding Giants and Step Into Liquid. Beginners and experienced surfers alike rave about feeling safe with lessons from identical twins Tide and Kiva Rivers, who own Rivers to the Sea. The waves at Hookipa Beach Park are a bit more manageable (at least from April to October), and those who simply hope to take a dip should head for Baldwin Beach Park, adjacent to Paia's skateboard park, or Baby Beach, a mellow bay. Yoga aficionados will want to pose with former Hewlett-Packard executive Jennifer Lynn at Studio Maui, a state-of-the-art yoga studio that can accommodate up to 110 participants. Locals (ahem) can buy two classes and get one free--otherwise, it's $12 a pop. Shopping: When Argentinean designer and Haiku resident Tamara Catz was asked if an awareness of fashion was growing on Maui, she replied, "Yes--people are starting to wear shoes." The dresses at her boutique average around $180, but there are worthwhile seasonal sales in the store and on her website. Nightlife: Charley's is a honky-tonk joint dedicated to patron saint and local resident Willie Nelson. On occasion, Big Willie does sing here, though it's generally only announced the day before--and tickets go in an hour. Lodging   Haiku Plantation Inn 555 Haiku Rd., Haiku, 808/575-7500, haikuleana.net, from $99   Mama's Fish House 799 Poho Pl., Paia, 800/860-4852, mamasfishhouse.com, cottage from $175, three-night minimum Food   Mana Foods 49 Baldwin Ave., Paia, 808/579-8078   Paia Fish Market 100 Hana Hwy., Paia, 808/579-8030, taco plate $11   Colleen's 810 Haiku Rd., Haiku, 808/575-9211 Activities   Rivers to the Sea 808/280-8795, riverstothesea.com, group session from $75   Studio Maui 810 Haiku Rd., Haiku, 808/575-9390, thestudiomaui.com Shopping   Tamara Catz 83 Hana Hwy., Paia, 808/579-9184, tamaracatz.com Nightlife   Charley's 142 Hana Hwy., Paia, 808/579-9453 Huelo and Hana The pretty and difficult two-hour drive that separates lush Hana from the rest of the island has protected it from rapid development. Hana is also where you'll find the largest population of blood Hawaiians outside the island of Molokai. Almost all are employed by some branch of the Hana Ranch, next door to the four-star Hotel Hana-Maui. Forty miles away, Hana's closest neighboring town, Huelo, is the new frontier for travelers who don't mind unpaved roads and a little rain. Lodging: On cliffs overlooking the ocean, Hale Akua Shangri-La is an intimate New Age-y retreat. Some rooms have shared baths, and the grounds (including a saltwater pool and two Jacuzzis) are clothing-optional. If you can bear that, it's quite a deal. Also worth a look is the Hana Hale Malamalama Inn, where the coolest room is the Treehouse Cottage. For romance, it's tough to top the private cliff-top yurt at the Luana Spa Retreat. Massages start at $75. Food: Prepare for the long drive on the road to Hana (the Hana Highway) by stopping at Maui Grown Market. Pick up a picnic lunch and you'll have the option of borrowing a sweet dog for the day. (Dogs have right of refusal.) Once in Hana, your dining options are limited. Go to Tutu's snack bar for the tasty breakfast sandwich or the taro burger, and the Hana Ranch Restaurant's take-out window for hot plates, including a filling one of shoyu chicken with macaroni salad and rice. Activities: Hamoa Beach has something for everyone--a wide black-sand beach for sunning, two breaks for surfing (experienced riders only), and maybe the best break for body boarding and bodysurfing on the entire island. More enriching is a visit to Kahanu Garden, site of the massive and well-preserved ancient Hawaiian temple known as Piilanihale Heiau. Shopping: Hasegawa General Store, one of the island's oldest plantation stores, stocks dusty, offbeat souvenirs, such as an Instant Immersion Hawaiian language CD ($10); Noni tea, a Hawaiian cure-all ($6.50); and coconut candy made in Hana ($3). Nightlife: There's free Hawaiian music from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays, inside the Paniolo Lounge at the Hotel Hana-Maui. Keeping it real is important. But there's nothing wrong with an occasional taste of the luxe life--or a really good mai tai. Lodging   Hale Akua Shangri-La Huelo Point, Huelo, 808/572-9300, from $60, two-night minimum   Hana Hale Malamalama Uakea Rd., Hana, 808/248-7718, hanahale.com, from $135   Luana Spa Retreat 5050 Uakea Rd., Hana, 888/898-2772, luanaspa.com, from $100 Food   Maui Grown Market 4320 Hana Hwy., Haiku, 808/572-1693   Tutu's Hana, 808/248-8224, taro burger $6.25   Hana Ranch Restaurant Hana Hwy., Hana, 808/248-8255, shoyu chicken plate $7.50 Activities   Piilanihale Heiau Kahanu Garden, Hana, 808/248-8912, ntbg.org/gardens/kahanu.html, $10 Shopping   Hasegawa General Store 5165 Hana Hwy., Hana, 808/248-8231 Nightlife   Hotel Hana-Maui 5031 Hana Hwy., Hana, 808/248-8211, hotelhanamaui.com