Out of Your Hair

FOR CURRENCYThere are dozens of free currency-converter apps, but Oanda stands above them all for its reliability and depth of data. To calculate exchanges between more than 190 currencies, the app pulls from interbank market rates—what banks use when trading money. For even greater accuracy, the app also adjusts results to reflect the specific transaction type (credit card or cash) you select. Android, BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone. Free. FOR LANGUAGEForeign-language mix-ups can make for some serious travel stress. iTranslate—basically a digital phrase book—comes to the rescue. The app includes 52 languages and translates faster than you can say, “Huh?” Just type in the perplexing phrase and iTranslate displays it back in your language of choice. (The app requires Internet access, but you can store key phrases for future Wi-Fi-free reference.) Android, iPad, iPhone. Free. FOR SIZINGClothing size is unreliable from label to label—and country to country. Now men and women can shop with confidence by using 3-month-old Convert Clothes. When you roll a dial to pick your U.S. size in four categories (clothes, shoes, pants, and bra), the app’s simple interface spits out the corresponding numbers for eight countries, including Japan and France. Whether anything will actually fit is another story. Android, iPad, iPhone. Free. FOR EVERYTHING ELSETraveling can seem like one long equation, from figuring out temperature (Celsius?) to assessing how much gas is left in your tank (liters?). Conversion-catchall Convertbot does the math for you. Spin a wheel to select one of 22 categories—time, speed, even data download size—then type in the amount. The app instantly converts the figure into the desired unit of measure. You’ll never go over the baggage limit in a foreign country again. iPad, iPhone. $2.   See more popular stories What Your Bank Won't Tell You About Currency Conversion Citibank and Chase Drop Foreign Exchange Fees on Some Cards 11 Places We'd Rather Be on a Wednesday  

ALL-INCLUSIVE EPICTanzania and KenyaOne of the few affordable, soup-to-nuts safaris, the 12-night Grand Combo: Kenya and Tanzania tour from 2Afrika includes 17 game drives within the Ngorongoro Crater and in Serengeti and Maasai Mara national parks, overnights at upscale lodges, plus airfare from New York, Boston, or Washington, D.C.—all for a very attractive price. 2afrika.com, from $4,669 per person. NO-HASSLE CLASSICKenyaIn a single seven-night safari, Gate 1 Travel manages to tour three of Africa’s most storied reserves—Maasai Mara, Kigio, and Lake Elementaita. Tent-camp accommodations are included for all nights, as is round-trip transportation from Nairobi, a guide’s services, all meals, and daily game drives in a seven-seat, open-roof van. gate1travel.com, from $1,089 per person*. REMOTE JUNGLE TREKUgandaOn the Go Tours’ five-night trip focuses on one creature only: the mountain gorilla. Visitors take ranger-led treks into the Virunga Mountains, home to 700 wild gorillas, and camp out near Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest crater lake in Africa. onthegotours.com, from $739 per person*. LOCAL IMMERSION AND LUXURYZimbabweOn Africa Adventure Company’s seven-night package, guests divide their time between game drives and volunteer sessions at local schools. Three nights are spent at the Ivory Lodge, a set of elevated chalets overlooking a watering hole popular with rhinos and lions. africa-adventure.com, from $1,950 per person*. RUGGED ADVENTUREBotswanaUsually one of the priciest safari destinations, Botswana is made affordable on this 10-day Eyes on Africa tour. The trip takes in the Okavango Delta (one of Africa’s most animal-rich habitats), the Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe National Park, and Victoria Falls. Nights are spent in tents, some with no running water. As a reward for roughing it, consider splurging on the $100 bonus scenic flight over the Okavango. eyesonafrica.net, from $2,000 per person*. UP-CLOSE ACCESSSouth AfricaHiking is strictly prohibited in most of Kruger National Park, but on select Wilderness Trails excursions, a tracker and armed ranger lead groups of eight on three-night camping treks into the bush. Buffalo, elephants, crocs, and cheetahs are not uncommon sights, and even though the pace is leisurely, the days are long, covering up to 12 miles on foot, so excellent physical condition is mandatory. sanparks.org, three-night walking tour $355 per person*. *International airfare not included

Africa's a big place. How do I decide where exactly to go? To the uninitiated, planning a safari can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Wildlife excursions are largely confined to eastern and southern Africa, where the Big Five (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and Cape buffalos) converge. Within those regions, there are some basic rules that help distinguish the kind of experience each country offers. On the approachable end of the spectrum, Kenya and South Africa are among the easiest-to-navigate nations in Africa. Both have well-developed tourism infrastructures with accessible parks, plush lodges, and plenty of flights and outfitted trips, so safaris there tend to be simple to arrange and comparatively cheap. On the more adventurous side, Tanzania and Uganda in the east and Botswana and Zimbabwe in the south offer more rugged, unique experiences and fewer crowds, although generally at a higher price. Once you decide which type of adventure you’d prefer, it seriously helps to zero in on specific trips by tapping a safari-savvy travel agent. Travelhub.com has a robust database that lists hundreds of travel agencies, and it allows you to search specifically for safari specialists. How much can I expect to pay? Regardless of how you do it, safaris don’t come cheap. A weeklong trip is typically at least $4,000: Guided safaris start at roughly $250 per person per day—and that’s before you’ve paid for airfare to Africa. International flights aren’t usually included in safari packages and typically cost $2,000 or so. That said, there are some strategies that help keep prices relatively low. Booking your initial flight through an Africa-focused ticket consolidator, such as Premier Tours (premiertours.com) or Magical Holidays (800/228-2208) can save you up to 30 percent. Also, if you don’t mind a little rain, you can cut the cost of lodging in half by traveling during the wet season, from November to March. The Mara Serena Safari Lodge in Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserve, for instance, charges $260 for a double room in early December and $600 for that same room during the peak July–October period. Also, storms are brief and usually limited to the afternoon. “Personally, I think you’re missing out if you never see a rain shower in Africa—they’re spectacular,” says Bill Given, a biologist and researcher at the Denver Zoo who also guides custom safaris for his company, The Wild Source (thewildsource.com). “The worst that happens is you get a little wet and wind up spending a few hours indoors watching a powerful display of Mother Nature.” Finally, make sure to read the fine print. Much like an ocean cruise, a safari with a higher price tag may end up being cheaper than one that costs less up front but requires paying extra for one-off experiences as you go. Upgrades such as traveling in a private group, visiting private game reserves, and hopping around on charter planes will quickly ratchet up costs, sometimes to the tune of $1,000 a day. And those splurges don’t always pay off: “You don’t necessarily get better wildlife experiences by spending lots of money,” Given says. “At some point, the steep rates are because the lodge has a spa and you’re eating gourmet, six-course meals.” How do I find a good outfitter? Bottom line: It’s all about your guide. “That person will absolutely make or break your trip,” says Peter Allison, who chronicled his own adventures in Whatever You Do, Don’t Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide. “A good guide will not only point out where the lions are, but will also teach you how to listen to calls, follow tracks, and spot that lion tail in a field of tall grass.” Allison recommends looking for outfitters that specifically tout the expertise of their trip leaders. Fodor’s The Complete African Safari Planner, which lists descriptions of 24 reliable agencies, is a good place to start. When you speak to the company representatives, don’t hesitate to ask about the strength of individual guides, and be sure to request references. Finally, because animals move based on migratory and weather patterns, a good safari operator will adjust itineraries throughout the year to maximize wildlife sightings. Consider it a red flag if a company offers the exact same trips year-round. Any other general tips? Focus on the experience, not your photo album. If your head is behind a lens the whole time, you may not be able to take in the bigger picture. Also, don’t have unrealistic expectations about the number of animals you’ll see. “Some novices expect every plain to be carpeted with cheetahs chasing gazelles,” Allison says. You’re not on a Discovery Channel show; it’s a vacation. So keep an open mind and remember that every animal has its charms, from warthogs (“possibly the only animal that looks better from the back than the front,” Allison says) to zebras (“no less fantastic-looking than unicorns”). By the Numbers 8,000 Approximate number of wildebeests born each day in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, from December through March 29 Number of elephants per square mile at Botswana’s Chobe National Park—some 120,000 in all 19,300 Size, in square miles, of Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve, Africa’s largest national park (about the same area as 19 Rhode Islands!)

Warm waters, sheltered coves, consistent winds, and a seemingly endless array of islands-the Caribbean was made to be sailed. But that doesn't mean all parts were created equal, which is why sailors tend to gravitate to five regions: the British Virgin Islands, St. Martin and Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. Each has its draws. The Virgins, for example, have the best sailing infrastructure (most charters, well-defined routes and moorings), but that means the islands can be over-crowded in high season (December to mid April). On the flip side, Grenada and St. Lucia are less crowded, but the sailing often involves longer passages over open water, which can make landlubbers a bit squeamish. St. Martin and Antigua are great bets for pristine beaches, but  power boaters have figured that out as well, so you'll have (loud) company. That leaves St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Sparely visited and with occasionally choppy seas, this country's collection of tiny, uninhabited cays and lush green islands feels like the Caribbean 30 years ago-all charming ports, undeveloped bays, and untracked beaches. Casting Off To hoist your own sail, you've basically got two options. You could captain a private charter boat, otherwise known as bareboating. Or you could skip the sailing courses, the charts, and the nail-biting passages around unfamiliar reefs, and rent a boat with a skipper. (Can you tell which way we're leaning?) When it comes to the actual selection of your boat, there are more than enough charter operations to help you along. The default operators are The Moorings (moorings.com) and Sunsail (sunsail.com); the two chains have new boats, branches in most sailing centers, and prices that reflect the premium service (a week with a skipper will cost you about $210 per person per day, not including food). If you'd prefer lower prices, go with a smaller, local company, such as Barefoot (barefootyachts.com) or Horizon (horizonyachtcharters.com); they have older boats, more laid-back service standards (island time, mon), and rates of $125-$150 per person per day—or as little as $200 a day for a crewed boat, plus a cook and food. If all this sounds baffling, you may want to start your search with a charter broker like Ed Hamilton & Co. (ed-hamilton.com). Brokers help answer pressing questions about the best type of boat (a catamaran, because it's more stable) or the ideal season (late April through June for the best combination of deals and weather). Then they'll pair you with a private owner and captain at rates starting at around $155 a day. Our photographer used Captain Eric Stahl and his boat Tachyon (tachyonsailing.com). Packing & Provisioning A key rule of the sea: If you feel like you've packed too little, you've still probably overdone it. Space is tight on a boat, so bring only the absolute basics and stuff them into a soft duffel (preferable to a wheelie bag for easy storage). Most sailors like to bring a guidebook-but not of the Lonely Planet variety. The Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands (cruisingguides.com, $30) is the true boater's companion for these parts. It covers all you need to know about anchorages, restaurants, and water-sports outfitters. On the topic of food, sailors have three options: Hire a cook (from about $110 a day); buy a provisioning package from your rental outfit so you arrive to a fully stocked boat (about $30 per person a day); or simply do the stocking yourself. The decision is yours, but remember, this is a vacation after all. The Route DAY 1St. Vincent to MustiqueThe private island of Mustique, about three hours from St. Vincent, is the most upscale in the Grenadines; Mick Jagger and Elton John both vacation here. What better place to begin your yacht trip? Moor near the famed Basil's Bar and head up the hill to Firefly (fireflymustique.com) for a sunset cocktail and an incredible view of your boat anchored in the harbor below. DAY 2Mustique to MayreauThanks to the perfect crescent of white sand and the beachside bar at Salt Whistle Bay, about four hours from Mustique, most travelers don't venture to the village atop Mayreau, the smallest inhabited island in the Grenadines. But those who make the 20-minute climb are rewarded with a picturesque stone Catholic church and a stunning 360-degree view of the Caribbean. DAY 3Mayreau to Tobago CaysThe setting for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the uninhabited Tobago Cays are about as idyllic as the Grenadines get. Longtime skipper and Sunsail manager Simon Carey recommends a picnic on Baradal Island's U-shaped beach, then swimming with the green turtles often seen at the nearby reserve. DAY 4Tobago Cays to Mopion to Petit St. VincentA solitary thatched umbrella stands at one end of the 50-foot-long curve of sand that is Mopion island. Stop for a snorkel then move on to Petit St. Vincent. There isn't much here—besides miles of palm-fringed beaches—so guidebook author Chris Doyle suggests radioing the nearby Palm Beach Restaurant & Bar; the staff will shuttle you from your yacht to a table on the beach. DAY 5Petit St. Vincent to Union IslandOn your way into the harbor at Union, about two hours from PSV, stop for a rum punch at Happy Island, an artificial landmass created by one man—Janti—from a mountain of conch shells. Then continue on to Union. For dinner, Doyle recommends the fresh conch and French-Creole fusion fare at West Indies Restaurant. DAY 6Union Island to Petit Nevis to BequiaAccording to Carey, the waters off Petit Nevis, about five hours from Union Island, are one of the area's best-kept secret snorkeling destinations, rivaling even the Tobago Cays. Following a swim, sail north to Bequia, famous for its boat building, to sample a conch roti at a picnic table at the Green Boley Restaurant & Bar. Top it off with a cocktail at Jack's Bar, a tented open-air establishment on Princess Margaret Beach. DAY 7Return to St. VincentMost charters are due in port by noon—just in time to take in St. Vincent. If you can't make the trip up the island's still-active volcano, La Soufrière (about five hours round trip and worth it), then head over to Montreal Gardens (montrealestgdns.f9.co.uk), which are surrounded by banana plantations and rain forest, all cut with walkways and shaded by tree ferns.