Just Back From... a Family Trip to Oahu & Kauai

Mexico City Unmasked Steering your way to the heart of a city of nearly 10 million isn't easy. These 20 insider tips demystify the metropolis, from its homegrown design scene to its best cheap eats.See the slide show Happy Campers In an era when the family dinner is hard enough to schedule, family camp—weeklong programs open to all ages—has real appeal. We visited one in New Hampshire and asked campers to tell us why it floats their boats.See the slide show The Swellest Little Town in Costa Rica Despite the country's boom in tourism, the coastal town of Sámara somehow has remained blissfully under the radar. And for newbie surfers, it's the perfect place to catch a break. Timeless Adventure The view of Africa's Victoria Falls will stop your heart. The activities on offer will get it beating again. Road Trip: A Low-Key Drive Island-hopping in the Florida Keys, where the fish is fresh, the pies are tart, and each character is more eccentric than the next. Real Deals Exclusive discounts for Budget Travel 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 April 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 fee charged to solo travelers. Some companies will pair singles at no additional cost. UNITED STATES Orlando Extravaganza, from $449 The most unfun thing about Disney World? Planning the trip. This package does the work for you (flight, hotel, car), so all that's left is getting to the park and letting the magic happen. The fine print: Air from Atlanta, D.C., New York or Philadelphia to Orlando; five nights at a Disney-area hotel, such as a Clarion Inn & Suites, with breakfast daily; six-day car rental; and fuel surcharges. Plus, a dinner/show for two at family-friendly Capone's. Mention TD-10. Why it's a deal: Comparable packages cost at least $100 more. When: Through Dec. 15. Other gateways: Chicago, Phoenix ($75); L.A. ($99). SS: $199. Contact: Travel Themes and Dreams, 877/870-7447, travelthemesanddreams.com. Sonoma County, Calif., from $300 Select from one of four wine-country hotels and get your third night free with any two-night stay. Participating hotels: Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza, Healdsburg Modern Cottages, Camellia Inn, and the Irish Rose Inn. The package also includes a wine-and-cheese basket upon arrival, all-day bike rentals for two, and a bicycle-friendly food lover's map created just for BT readers. Mention BUDGET TRAVEL. Why it's a deal: You save up to $575, depending on which hotel and room type you choose. When: Through June 30. SS: None. This price is per room. Contact: Healdsburg Lodging Coalition, 310/464-0896, healdsburglodgings.com. CARIBBEAN Curaçao, from $436 Five nights at the all-inclusive Breezes Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino, a property on a 1,500-foot white-sand beach that's prime territory for snorkeling and scuba. Includes meals, drinks, and land and water sports. Plus, the resort has a no-tipping policy. Airfare not included. Book by Apr. 30 and mention BUDGET25. Why it's a deal: The price is 25 percent off Breezes' standard rates. When: May 1–Dec. 31. SS: $240. Contact: 877/273-3937, breezes.com/budget. CENTRAL AMERICA Belize, from $1,369 American Airlines flights from San Francisco and an eight-day tour with a three-day car rental, three nights in a deluxe cabana at Black Rock Lodge, round-trip air from Belize City to Placencia, and four nights at the Inn at Robert's Grove. Mention BT100. Why it's a deal: Airfare alone starts at $590, and the hotels total $603. When: Through June 30. Other gateways: New York ($20), D.C. ($30). SS: $690. Contact: Capricorn Leisure, 800/426-6544, capricornleisure.com. Costa Rica Take 25 percent off several Classic Journeys tour extensions in Costa Rica. Offerings include walking tours and family outings, such as a four-day trip to Tortuguero National Park. Mention BT10. Why it's a deal: Most extensions cost around $599; with the discount, BT readers pay $449. When: Select departures Apr. 4–Dec. 27. SS: $255. Contact: Classic Journeys, 800/200-3887, classicjourneys.com. A Five-Day Tour Through Classic Guatemala, from $449 Airfare from New York to Guatemala City and a guided five-day group trip (usually 10 to 15 people) with three nights lodging at Barceló Guatemala City and one night at Mayan Inn in Chichicastenango, breakfast daily, all transfers, excursions—like a day at Tikal and a trip to Lake Atitlán—and fuel surcharges. Book by Apr. 30 and mention BTGT100. Why it's a deal: Airfare alone starts at $255; this is $100 off the package rate. When: Select departures through Dec. 24. Other gateways: Miami ($26), Chicago ($78), Boston ($87), L.A. ($216), Houston ($278). SS: $171. Contact: Gate 1 Travel, 800/682-3333, gate1travel.com. EUROPE Move to Provence for Two Weeks, from $2,429 Round-trip airfare from New York and 14 nights in a private apartment or cottage. You get to choose from the company's 11 Provençal properties, such as a restored stone farmhouse in St.-Didier. Also includes a 15-day car rental and fuel surcharges. Mention BUDGET TRAVEL. Why it's a deal: Airfare alone is around $930. When: Apr. 2–May 5 ($2,429); May 19–June 16 ($2,839). Other gateways: Chicago ($190), L.A. ($317), Atlanta ($360). SS: $1,223. Contact: Untours, 888/868-6871, untours.com. ASIA Vietnam, from $1,799 A six-night tour of North and South Vietnam with Cathay Pacific flights from L.A. or San Francisco to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, three nights each at Hanoi's Anise Hotel and at an Asian Ruby Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, a daylong boat tour of the Mekong Delta, a day trip to Ha Long Bay, a flight within Vietnam, other transfers, and more. Mention EUVTNS10. Why it's a deal: Airfare alone starts at $863. The exclusive Ha Long Bay cruise has a $100 value. When: Select midweek departures through Nov. 30. Other gateways: Seattle ($140); New York ($200); Denver, Salt Lake City ($240). SS: $580. Contact: Escapes Unlimited, 800/243-7227, escapesltd.com. AFRICA Modern Comforts in Cairo With a Lake Nasser Cruise, from $2,299 This seven-day trip includes nonstop airfare from New York to Cairo, all flights within Egypt, three nights at Cairo's recently opened boutique Villa Belle Époque hotel, a three-night cruise on Lake Nasser in an upper-deck cabin, guided tours with an English-speaking Egyptologist, fuel surcharges, and more. Mention BTMAG273. Why it's a deal: Airfare and three nights at the Cairo hotel normally total at least $1,395, and this deal includes flights within Egypt and the three-night cruise. When: Apr. 7, 21 ($2,699); Apr. 14, 28 ($2,299); May 5, 12, 19, 26 ($2,999). SS: $499. Contact: FIT Tours, 800/248-3487, fittours.com. SOUTH PACIFIC Five Nights at Your Own Beach Bungalow in Fiji, from $2,189 Air Pacific flights from L.A. to the capital city of Suva, five nights in a private beach bungalow at Toberua Island Resort Fiji, all meals, and water sports (including snorkeling, kayaking, and low-tide golf), plus fuel surcharges and transfers to the resort's private island. Book by May 15 and mention TOBBT. Why it's a deal: Airfare alone starts at $1,084. You receive a bottle of sparkling wine, a fruit basket, and a massage at no extra cost. When: Apr. 1–June 30. SS: $480. Contact: All About Tours, 800/274-8687, allabouttours.com.

FOR THE CAMPER Santa Cruz, Calif. Students at Richard Schmidt Surf School sleep in tents, but they're not exactly roughing it. Mornings begin with yoga, and every camper gets a midweek sports massage. Surfing sessions are videotaped, and then everyone gathers in a tent to hear Schmidt's critiques. 831/423-0928, richardschmidt.com, five-night camp $1,000, including all meals. FOR THE PAMPER-ME TRAVELER British Virgin Islands The three-to-one student-teacher ratio at the weeklong Surf Camp Tortola means the odds are good you'll pick up some serious skills. But even if you never catch a wave, it'll be hard to complain. "Campers" stay at the oceanfront Lambert Beach Resort and are chauffeured to secret breaks each day. And evenings are spent listening to reggae bands and sipping drinks called painkillers: rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and orange juice. 866/844-7873, wbsurfcamp.com, $2,195, including all meals except dinner. FOR THE NOMAD Australia The four- to seven-day program run by Waves Surf School starts in Sydney and travels 500 miles north to Byron Bay, stopping for the best swells along the way. Cabins on Australia's North Coast serve as base camp. 011-61/180-085-1101, wavessurfschool.com.au, four-day trip $439. FOR THE GLOBE-TROTTER Portugal As the first operation of its kind in the country, Baleal Surf Camp staked out a top surf spot: the gentle, consistent break at Cantinho da Baía beach, on the Peniche Peninsula on the country's west coast. Camps last 3, 5, or 10 days and include two 2-hour training sessions a day. Students can choose to stay in hostels or in apartments, both less than a five-minute walk from the beach. www.balealsurfcamp.com, three-day camp from $262, including accommodations.

Surfing should be in my veins. I grew up in southern California, a few miles from the legendary breaks at Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, the sort of place where kids plan their lives around the morning surf report. But my early attempts were a profound bust. There was the afternoon camp in San Diego seven years ago, where a single harried teacher tended to eight students. (I spent almost the entire lesson waiting for my turn.) Then there was the overheated instructor in Mexico who encouraged me to find my balance by yelling, "Stand up!" at the top of his lungs (not the most effective technique). So when my friend Kathy asked me to join her at a school in Costa Rica, I was very ready to get up on my own two feet. Most surf camps bundle a hotel and several days' worth of lessons into a preprogrammed package, but Kathy and I were looking for a more flexible experience. Our aim was to start with a single class, practice relentlessly, and then sign up for additional lessons as necessary—a DIY surf camp of sorts. And even though we sought the best experience, we didn't want to have to fight the hordes for every wave. Our search took us to Sámara, a village on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, on the country's northwest coast. A tiny town of about 1,000 people that's stretched out along the edge of a wide, jungle-fringed bay, Sámara is a rare throwback to a time when Costa Rica's beach towns were all about laid-back living, not all-night partying. Over the years, I've explored every inch of the country's coastline, and I was certain I didn't want to go to a place like Tamarindo, to the north, which starred in the 1994 Endless Summer sequel, or Nosara, one of the most common stops for vacationing surfers. Sámara, on the other hand, has always had a hold on me. The roughly one dozen square blocks—sandwiched between a hilly range and the Pacific Ocean—are dotted with low-key inns and beach cottages. Howler monkeys bellow from the treetops, iguanas scuttle across dirt roads, and carefree young couples stroll along the uncrowded beach. Sure, it has the classic Costa Rican activities—kayaking, horseback riding, and watching sea turtles nest on the nearby beach of Ostional—but without the relentless soliciting that has become an unavoidable part of the travel experience in the country's more popular beach spots. Most important, it's also not a drag to get there: The town is at the end of a paved road (rare in these parts) that's accessible from both of Costa Rica's international airports. For me and Kathy, looking at a quick, five-day itinerary, that had real appeal. Another draw was approachably tame waves. Sámara is on a protected bay and, unlike other parts of the coast, doesn't have powerful riptides or undertows. On any given day, you'll find native—and master rider—James Flores, 29, greeting friends on the sand. In addition to being the unofficial mayor of these parts, James teaches at Jesse's Sámara Surf School and Gym. The 10-year-old setup has a staff of eight English-speaking instructors and a one-to-one student-teacher ratio. James says proudly that he can get anyone to ride. "I've worked with 4-year-olds and 75-year-olds," he told us. "They all stood up on the board by the end of the day." Kathy and I planned to spend most of our time on the beach, but our B&B, the Hotel Entre Dos Aguas, was a pretty sweet place to recoup at day's end. Set on a forested hillside three blocks from the water, the hotel has a pool and a manicured garden; the location, away from the beachside bars and restaurants, ensured us a respite from the random truck driving down the main drag. Run by Brandon and Lilah Park, transplanted 30-something New Yorkers, the chalet-style building has seven whitewashed rooms accented with driftwood shelves, linens in primary colors, and stone showers. On our first morning, Kathy and I fortified with a pre-surf breakfast on the Dos Aguas terrace: scrambled eggs, house-made granola, fresh papaya, and steaming Costa Rican coffee from beans grown in the Central Valley. At 8:30 a.m., we reported to the surf shop, about a 15-minute walk from the hotel along the broad, brown-sand beach. Kathy and I got sized up for boards and rash guards (the thin Lycra surf shirts that protect your skin from the elements), and we listened to a safety discussion. Then James laid out a pair of foam longboards on the sand and walked us through how to get from our bellies (paddling position) to the bent-knee stance. Rather than pop up in a single move (the point at which most beginners topple), we were to take a series of deliberate steps: Push up onto hands, slip the left foot forward, pivot the right foot down, lift hands. Voilà, you're Laird Hamilton! James also marked the boards to show us where our various body parts should go, a simple step that proved inordinately helpful. Once we were in the water, our teachers launched us into the waves so our timing would be just right. No matter how much we floundered, James kept up the encouragement. And, sure enough, before the lesson was half over, Kathy and I both managed to rise and ride a swell—and, yes, we were totally stoked. For the next four days, we returned to Jesse's to rent boards and hit the break in front of the shop as often as the tides allowed (at least twice a day). James always managed to pop by to give us complimentary pointers and help us refine our skills. For all the effort we exerted in the water, Sámara was the kind of place that made me feel utterly entitled to relax. Kathy and I spent our non-surfing time lounging by our hotel's shaded pool, chatting and reading books that had been stacking up for months. In the evenings, we ambled over to what had quickly become our favorite open-air beachside barbecue joint, El Lagarto, and worked our way through the menu. The tender-to-the-bone grilled chicken figures into several dishes, always accompanied by simple, fresh salads and (for us, at least) ice-cold Imperials, the local lager. Our last day in town, we were intent on getting in as much wave riding as possible. Since we got to the beach a little late at 10 a.m., we remained in the water for hours and hours. As the sun started to set, we were still holding strong. Sitting on our bobbing boards, we looked back at the shore and saw the dark-green jungle illuminated by a brilliant orange light. I may have had to leave California to learn how to surf, but it was clear I'd chosen the right spot. LODGING Hotel Entre Dos Aguas 011-506/2656-0998, hoteldosaguas.com, from $40, including breakfast FOOD El Lagarto 011-506/2656-0750, ellagartobbq.com, entrées from $8 ACTIVITIES Jesse's Sámara Surf School and Gym 011-506/8373-3006, samarasurfschool.com, one-hour lesson $40