Senior Discounts, Travel Clubs, and Hotels

I admit it: We birdwatchers are an odd lot. Never mind those goofy brimmed canvas hats we like to wear (hey, it gets hot in the sun!) and the gigantic binoculars we lug around that look like something James Bond might use to hunt down enemies of state at night. It doesn't bother us at all to plunk down hundreds of dollars for high-powered spotting scopes or to get up at 5 a.m. to catch the morning's feeding activity. But we're like everyone else in one respect: We hate to get fleeced - or should I say de-feathered - on overpriced travel. Unfortunately, many tour companies do just that. Birdwatching jaunts to hot spots in Central and South America can set you back $3,500 or more, and even U.S. trips can be pricey. I was recently quoted an astronomical $695 for a weekend expedition through Florida's Everglades - food and airfare not included! But why spend so much? For around $100 a day, you can get decent or sometimes downright luxurious lodgings, savory food, and expert guides, practically anywhere in the world. Here are picks for the top seven deals that will leave you twittering "Cheap! Cheap!" United States Maine A destination with the word "camp" in it might not appeal to intrepid birders at first. But at the Audubon Society's weeklong ornithology camp in Hog Island, Maine, you're not hemmed in or stuck walking the same terrain every day. The camp, 60 miles northeast of Portland, is a base of operation for hikes over the 333 surrounding acres or day trips by boat to nearby islands. You'll see puffins - those cute, penguinlike birds found in only a few remote spots in the U.S. - plus a variety of shorebirds and warblers. Lectures and workshops are led by Steve Kress, author of The Audubon Society Handbook for Birders. Lodgings are admittedly primitive, in a nineteenth-century farmhouse where singles sleep dorm-style and couples get tiny private rooms. The food, though, is far superior to what you'd expect at this price: Homemade scones at breakfast; make-your-own box lunches from a carvery table; fresh fish or meat and salads for dinner. This year's dates are June 11-17, June 18-24, June 25-July 1, and September 4-10. Other six-day Downeast Expeditions, which visit important mainland habitats including Acadia National Park and Quoddy Head State Park, are operated June 17-23, June 24-30, and July 1-7. For all weeklong programs, both on Hog Island and the mainland, the price is $850 per person for all lodging, three meals a day, guiding, and day-trip transportation. To book: 203/869-2017 or see www.audubon.org, under "education." To get there, fly or drive to Portland and then travel by Mid-coast Limo (888/404-7743 or 320/245-2648; $40 per person one-way; $10 each additional person) to Damariscotta, a mainland town ten miles northwest of Hog Island. Audubon staff will escort you to the coast where you will meet the Puffin IV to take you the final quarter-mile to Hog Island. Kingsville, Texas There's a good reason that Kingsville, Texas, is one of the most popular birding destinations in the country. This tiny town 100 miles south of San Antonio abuts King Ranch, a parcel of land bigger than Rhode Island and home to one of the largest varieties of avian life - more than 400 species - in the country. Ferruginous Pygmy-owls and Tropical Parulas are regular residents here, as are road runners scuttling down dirt paths. You can't tour the ranch unescorted, but a full-day tour (and we mean full: 5 a.m. to 4 p.m.) led by a resident ornithologist is a reasonable $99-$109 per person, including transportation, lunch, and drinks. Tours are conducted several times weekly, September through June; check their Web site (www.king-ranch.com) for exact dates. To make reservations or arrange a private tour any time of year, call 361/592-8055. There are no lodgings on the ranch itself, but a dozen budget chain motels are close by; Best Western, at $45-$65 a night for a good-sized room, outdoor pool, and continental breakfast is just one example. Places for cheap eats, such as 24-hour pancake houses and seafood shacks, are plentiful. While in the area, also visit Bentsen State Park, 70 miles south of Kingsville, to glimpse Mexican species that cross the border. Call the Kingsville Convention and Visitor's Bureau at 800/333-5032 or 361/592-8516 and ask for their "Birder's Guide to Kingsville," which contains bird checklists and maps, plus info on food, lodging, and special events. Also see their Web site, www.kingsvilletexas.org. Arizona Santa Rita Lodge doesn't offer the most elegant of accommodations, but birdwatchers flock to it because it's smack in the middle of mountainous Coronado National Forest, 40 miles south of Tucson. At $73-$93/night (discounts available for multiple nights during off-season), it's an ideal headquarters for any exploration of southeast Arizona, one of the nation's most important birding areas. Owners Lyle and David Collister cater specifically to the binocular-toting crowd, and hang seed and hummingbird feeders outside every window. Rooms and cabins are modest, with fully equipped kitchens. There's ample birding on the grounds - at peak times, at least seven kinds of hummingbirds plus dozens of other species. Guided walks lasting three to four hours cost just $12 and take you to three sites at different elevations in Madera Canyon. Higher-elevation birds can be seen along the trail to the top of 9,543-foot Mount Wrightson; the trail starts about a mile down the road from the lodge. Another legendary site, the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, is an easy day trip, about an hour and a half's drive away. To book, call 520/625-8746. The lodge is open year-round. Hint: There's no restaurant on the premises, and the nearest town, Green Valley, is 13 miles away, so stock up on groceries before arriving. International Peru Here's a single big splurge among our economical selections. Peru has long been out of reach for budget-minded birders, but tour company Explorama, in business for 35 years, has introduced an eight-day package for $1,995 that includes airfare from Miami to Iquitos (575 miles north of Lima) and stays at three different reserves along the Amazon River. This is no mind-numbing "lister" expedition in which you race from spot to spot to check birds off a tally sheet. Instead, Explorama offers a more relaxed pace for beginning or intermediate birders. The itinerary includes daily hikes through assorted habitats - flood plains, pastures, and open fields-plus canoe trips along the Amazon shore and on interior lakes. And good birding abounds right on lodge grounds. At ExplorNapo Lodge, a 118-foot-high walkway offers a thrilling treetop view of the rain forest canopy. It's a great break from "warbler neck," the inevitable stiffness that comes from arching backwards to peer into trees, and a unique way to see species such as Black-headed Parrots and Chestnut Woodpeckers at close range. The trip leader is "Peru Guru" Dennis DeCourcey, a former curator for the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago and birdwatcher for more than 40 years. Departure dates this year are March 16, June 17, and October 14. Custom tours can also be arranged. For more info, see www.explorama.com. To book, call Explorama's U.S. agent, Paul Caira, at 800/707-5275. Belize Birdwatchers have long flocked to Trinidad to view neotropical birds, but in recent years, prices there have soared. Belize is a great alternative: many of the same species but fewer crowds and better deals. One sleeper of a bargain is Lamanai Outpost Lodge, 75 miles east of Belize City. With its 18 thatch-roof cabins, each with its own veranda and private bath, plus a restaurant and bar overlooking the New River Lagoon, it feels more like a tropical resort than a hard-core birding lodge. The species here are spectacular: Scarlet Macaws, Tiger Herons, and the Jabiru Stork, with a wingspan of up to 12 feet, to name a few. There are also plenty of non-feathered attractions. Howler monkeys live right on the premises, and the Mayan ruins at Lamanai Archaeological Reserve are within walking distance. A popular activity is a Spotlight River Safari aboard a pontoon boat at night to view crocodiles, iguanas, and kinkajous, which are tree-hanging mammals with wrinkled, catlike faces. Peak-season cost is $125/day, including room and meals. Discounted packages are available. Some activities, such as guided canoe trips and ruins tours, are extra but reasonably priced at under $30. Ground transport can be arranged. The lodge operates year-round. To book, contact Kenneth Cruce at Center Travel, 800/324-5680 or 830/257-5000. For more information see www.birdtrips.com Ecuador Two lodges here offer value and great birding: One, Hotel Tinalandia, is located 50 miles west of Quito, on the western slope of the Andes. This 60-acre property features trails that snake past whitewater streams and up steep hills to put you at eye level with the rain forest canopy. Guided trips are also offered to nearby habitats. The thatch-roof guest rooms are comfortable and incorporate lots of native tiki wood and bamboo. Typical meals consist of chicken or fish, rice and beans, and lots of local produce such as hearts of palm. Rates run $90-$100/night and include all three meals. At Mindo Garden Lodge, a 16-room property 50 miles northwest of Quito, a big attraction is the Cock-on-the-Rock, a rare, red pigeonlike bird with a colorful crest. Guests here get up at 4:30 a.m. to trek over the lodge's 25 acres in hopes of spying one. Giant Antpittas, tubby ground-dwelling birds once thought to be extinct, have also been spotted. Other native wildlife includes pumas, Blue Morpho butterflies, and Poison Arrow frogs. Rooms are elegant, with hardwood floors and thatched roofs, and the owners happily cater to special dietary needs. Rates run $84/night, with all three meals included. Discounted packages are available, as is ground transport for $60 per person each way. Both properties are open year-round. To book, call Kenneth Cruce at Center Travel, 800/324-5680 or 830/257-5000. For more information see www.birdtrips.com. Costa Rica Sixteen years ago, the Erb family bought this 125-acre farm, and after failed attempts to raise pineapples, coffee, sugar cane, and black pepper, converted it into a luxurious birding lodge they dubbed Rancho Naturalista. It has since become famous, so it's all the more remarkable that they've held the line on price. About $135 a day (or $877/week) buys you a spacious room with panoramic mountainside views, meals of near-gourmet quality (roast pork loin, Spanish-style steak), and amiable guides with encyclopedic knowledge of the nation's 800-plus species. At 5:30 every morning, the staff hangs bananas in trees just off the main veranda while guests gather with coffee to watch a parade of exotic birds coming to feed, including toucans and florescent tanagers. Breakfast is followed by a guided walk over the property's many trails, through pastures, up a mountainside, and down to stream pools where hummingbirds bathe. Walks are repeated in the afternoon, but many guests choose to wander the grounds themselves. Maps are provided. The same family also owns Tarcol Lodge ($99/night, $643/week), which makes a great add-on trip. It's smaller (four rooms) and a more rustic, sink-in-the-hall kind of place, but its Pacific coast location is home to a stunning assortment of shorebirds. Ground transport between the two lodges or to the airport, is $75 for up to four people. To book year-round, call Mark Erb at Costa Rica Gateway, 800/593-3305.

They say Edinburgh's stalwart castle, which the city wears like a crown, was constructed over an extinct volcano. They say ancient subterranean streets burrow beneath the feet of its bagpipers. They say that by night, Edinburgh is the most haunted place on Earth. It's all true. As the rest of Europe chokes itself with chrome, highways, and spiraling prices, the Scottish cling defiantly to old-fashioned customs and cost. The sprawl of London may be just five hours south by rail, but it's literally another country. You will love Edinburgh. I have yet to meet a tourist who didn't. In the bonny capital of Scotland, foot-buffed cobbles, obstinate gabled buildings, and cascades of meandering stairways assemble in the misty rain like set pieces from some forgotten literary dream, turning Edinburgh (pronounced "Edinburrah") into the otherworld most Americans expect of Europe. History, Scot-free A generation ago, economic gloom and a dearth of affordable lodging made visits troublesome. Things have changed. These days, Edinburgh hosts for a month each year the most vital arts festivals in the English-speaking world (see box on next page), and although amenities have caught up to meet the influx, the city retains its timeless quality. Adding to local pride, in 1998 Scotland finally regained legislative independence-residents won't let you forget it, or that the Queen Mum herself was Scottish-and its banner, a field of blue with a white cross, now flaps alongside the Union Jack. Edinburgh is now a European capital worthy of the name. Today, in addition to statue-studded, gravestone-gray lanes, it's stocked with fine, free museums providing a tapestry of Scotland's peculiar culture and history. Queen of them all is the Museum of Scotland (Chambers St., 0131/247-4422; when calling from the U.S., precede numbers with 011-44 and drop the first zero). Purpose-built in 1998, this enormous facility turns up countless treasures dating back to the ancient past. Of the many free museums on the magical Royal Mile, my favorite is the whimsical Museum of Childhood (42 High St., 0131/529-4142). Founded by eccentric Patrick Murray (who didn't even like children), exhibits of old toys come with brittle captions: A bottle of castor oil is described as "Vintage 1900, and a fine fruity year it was. We don't see the like nowadays." Huntly House (142 Canongate, 0131/529-4143) preserves a collection of random antiques from forgotten Edinburgh. Its sister attraction, The People's Story (163 Canongate, 0131/529-4057), peers into daily life's past hardships. The charming Writer's Museum in Lady Stair's Close, off the Mile (0131/529-4901), annotates the lives of locals Robert Louis Stevenson (who set Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde here) and Sir Walter Scott (the 200-foot Gothic spire on Princes Street is also in honor of the Ivanhoe writer-a city after my heart!). With its thistle-shaped steeple presiding over the Market Cross on the Royal Mile, the High Kirk of St. Giles (0131/225-9442) dates to 1120, was once John Knox's pulpit, and is the spiritual center of Scotland (patriots show spirit by spitting on the stone heart on the sidewalk outside). Its highlight is the intricate wood-and-glass Thistle Chapel. In New Town, free attractions include the National Gallery of Scotland, astride Princes Street Gardens (which, believe it or not, were once a lake). It's not huge, but it includes some Titians, Raphaels, Cezannes, and Rembrandts (The Mound, 0131/624-6200). There's also the conservative Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (75 Belford Rd., 0131/624-6200), including Braque, Picasso, Matisse, and Lichtenstein, and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery (1 Queen St., 0131/624-6200), which I find dull-except for the likeness of native son Sean Connery-but others don't. Heather and heliotropes meet at the spacious Royal Botanic Garden (one mile north of Princes St., 0131/552-7171, rbge.org.uk). All ten of those attractions are free. You need spring for only two, maybe three, paid attractions. At the foot of the Mile (site of the new Scottish Parliament), the Palace of Holyroodhouse (£6.50/$10, 0131/556-7371), surprisingly modest beside its ruined cathedral, is the Queen's official residence in Scotland (if the flag's up, she's in). And, of course, Edinburgh Castle (£8/$12.50, 0131/225-9846), the city's nucleus, with its stupendous views, rambling ramparts, and superlative free audio tour, is justifiably the city's top attraction. After visiting these two royal strongholds, you'll never again confuse a castle for a palace, or Scotland for England. Two miles northeast, at the port of Leith, hail Britannia, for 44 years the royal globe-trotting yacht. Her last voyage was for Hong Kong's hand-over in 1997; she's now a rewarding museum, proving Her Majesty doesn't actually sleep in a queen-size bed (£8/$12.50, 0131/555-5566); take bus 34 or 22 from Princes Street to Ocean Terminal (80p/$1.25). Eschew the traps of the Edinburgh Dungeon, Our Dynamic Earth, and the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. You'll pay £25/$39 too much and learn little. Instead, take a ghost walk. Edinburgh pioneered the tours that many cities duplicate so dismally. At nightfall, companies solicit courageous walkers at the Tron Church and the Market Cross, both on the Mile. The ghoulish route through Mary King's Close will thrill even skeptics. On it, you explore the underground city-derelict homes, streets, and vaults-in which hundreds were sealed alive and burnt as a plague-control measure. Poltergeist chasers deem Edinburgh's crypts to be among the world's most haunted places (£6/$9.30, Mercat Tours, 0131/557-6464, mercattours.com). Around midnight, once you're good and spooked, the Caledonian brewery west of town sighs with the fragrance of hops, giving Edinburgh-once nicknamed "Auld Reekie," or "Old Stinky"-a distinctive, nostalgic odor, like fresh loaves on the hearth, to inhabit the crannies of your memory. Sleeping on the Rock One major development is a crop of cheap hotels, all spotless with private bathrooms, which finally make it affordable to sleep in the dreamy warren of Old Town. The Ibis (6 Hunter Sq., 0131/240-7000, ibishotel.com), near the luminous Tron Church, brags bright, well-kept rooms with satellite TV, and the upper floors have heart-swelling views over the rooftops. Per room, the rate is £60/$94 double and £50/$78 single (£70/$108 during Festival), plus £4.95/$7.75 for an optional continental breakfast. I also favor the three-star Jurys Inn (43 Jeffrey St., 0131/200-3300, jurysdoyle.com), a Dublin-based chain. It's an eyesore, but it's steps off the Royal Mile overlooking the monuments on Calton Hill. Nothing fancy-186 business-class rooms sleeping up to four-but spacious for Old Town. Doubles are normally £72-£82/$113-$129 but winter discounts regularly halve rates. Premier Lodge (94-96 Grassmarket, 0870/700-1370, premierlodge.com) is £50/$77 per double year-round. Rooms are small but serviceable, with showers. It's by Victoria Street's galleries (my pick: Rolling Stone at No. 42, which deals in arresting Polish-theater posters), bookstores, and-be warned-pubs. Travelodge Central (33 Saint Mary's St., 0870/905-6343, travelodge.co.uk), off the Mile, is also unsightly, with an aloof staff, but it's popular; satellite TV and a paper are part of the deal, £50/$77 per double weekdays and £70/$108 per double weekends/Festival. It grants free parking-rare for Edinburgh. If you're really scrimping, the 280-bed Castle Rock Hostel (15 Johnston Ter., 0131/225-9666, scotlands-top-hostels.com, £11-£13/$17-$21 dorm bed), on a bluff beneath the Castle and overlooking the university district, has huge rooms, terrific amenities, and a view. A splurge but one epitomizing Edinburgh's wicked charm is the Bank Hotel (1 South Bridge, 0131/622-6800, festival-inns.co.uk). It's a converted money temple at the perfect location, with nine rooms meticulously dressed to evoke a famous Scot-in the "James Young Simpson" (pioneer of anesthesia), you doze among anatomy charts and medical equipment. It's £110/$171 per double (£90/$139 single, but rates are negotiable), with giant bathrooms, a full Scottish breakfast, and a respectable yuppie pub downstairs. And if you'd rather have a flat, one of the best renters is MacKays (mackays-scotland.co.uk), which rents spacious apartments in town starting at £200/$308 a week. Beyond haggis In New Town, sample Victorian elegance at Cafe Royal Circle Bar (19 West Register St.), with its glazed tiles, ornate terra-cotta, and hearty hot beef with horseradish and gravy (£3.95/$6.15), or wonderfully ripe Stilton cheese with strawberries (£4.25/$6.60). The central bar dispenses local ales (£1.80/$2.80 or so), fulfilling a vital role; once, Old Town had at least a brewery a block, and even today, the Scottish £10 note depicts a whisky distillery. Tippoo Sahib (129A Rose St.) scores with a two-for-one Indian dinner special, subtle chicken kurma (£7.50/$11.60), mango-and-spice pathia chicken (£7.50/$11.60), and garlic nan (£2.50/$3.90) that could swaddle a baby. Wok Wok, a stylish chain, serves noodles with a kick (£5-£7/$7.75-$10.85, 137 George St.), but my new favorite is The Lost Sock Diner (11 East London St.), on the eastern edge of New Town. If it smells of soap, it's because it adjoins a laundromat; folks nosh as they wash. Concoctions include baked avocado (£4/$6.20), parsnip chips (£1.50/$2.30), and creamy scrambled egg with salmon and dill on a savory waffle (£4/$6.20). Traditional Scottish fare, like the famous haggis, is unusual-as we do, modern Scots eat deep-fried junk or corporate cuisine. For dessert, or "pudding," don't order a Deep Fried Mars Bar (sadly, they exist) from a chippie; visit Casey's of Edinburgh (52 St. Mary's St.), a tiny, old-time sweet shop that makes Willy Wonka look like a rookie. Behold towers of hand-labeled jars full of Rhubarb Rock, Soor Plooms, Berwick Cockles, Raspberry Fizzies, and the gemstonelike Parma Violets. Just 56p/87¢ buys enough candy to give even the British instant sugar shock. I asked the elderly woman behind the glass counter how she controlled herself among such temptations. "Actually," she admitted, "I don't eat sweeties." And a good thing for her, too. Glimpsing Glasgow Some Americans try to "do" Scotland with 12-hour day trips to Loch Ness-not a good plan. Glasgow, 50 miles west of Edinburgh, isn't just a better springboard, it's worth a day or two itself. ScotRail's 50-minute Edinburgh-Glasgow shuttle departs every 15 minutes; from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. it's £7.50/$11.60 round trip (at Waverley Station, scotrail.co.uk). From Glasgow, it's easy to reach much of Scotland (info: visitscotland.com), including the espresso waters of Loch Lomond, the glory hikes of the Highlands, and the pastel Isle of Skye. But if you're like me, you'll want to hurry back to bonny Edinburgh as often as possible. I admit it: I have fallen in love. I'm plaid to the bone. Senior Editor Jason Cochran, whose forebears fled Scotland for Georgia, visits Edinburgh often; he lost count at ten visits. Going tartan My most recent trips to Edinburgh were handled by go-today.com, which charges $499 for six-night air/hotel packages from New York, $649 from Chicago, and $679 from San Francisco and Los Angeles, November 1 to February 28, per person, double. Prices are around $150 higher in March. No North American carrier flies direct to Edinburgh's small airport, but Glasgow is nearby; Continental (800/525-0280, continental.com) flies there from New York and Air Canada (888/247-2262) flies from Toronto; British Airways (800/247-9297, britishairways.com) can bring you from many U.S. cities via London. Maximize your trip by flying to London and reaching Scotland by other means: by overnight coach from Victoria Station to St. Andrews Square, New Town, for £35/$55 round trip (gobycoach.com), or by five-hour train from King's Cross to Waverley stations for £35/$54 round-trip advance purchase (gner.co.uk). The festival of festivals When people say they're off to the summer "Edinburgh Festival," they really mean to August's six simultaneous festivals. Edinburgh is packed then, so book hotels far ahead (six months isn't too early). But unless there's a show you must see, don't buy tickets in advance. Do what everyone does: Read the local paper to catch the buzz, then head to the ticket offices. The Fringe is the queen of the August festivals, hosting nearly 1,500 shows and comics and some 20,000 performances in three weeks. The cheapest are £3/$4.65, and since curtains begin rising in the morning, it's easy to get carried away (box office: 180 Royal Mile, 0131/226-0026, edfringe.com). You can have a complete Fringe experience without paying a pence. With the city awash in art, performers give away tickets just to build word of mouth. Stroll up the Royal Mile-among the fire-eaters, jugglers, and musicians-and fend off the invitations. Not all shows are good, but most are creative and interesting. The original International Festival (0131/473-2001, eif.co.uk) mounts highbrow dance, opera, and theater. Prices range from £5/$7.75 for matinees to £30/$46 for opera. Buy these ahead; they aren't discounted much, so don't hope for freebies unless a show's unpopular (read: terrible). Another one to buy ahead is the Military Tattoo (box office: 33-34 Market St., 0131/225-1188, edinburgh-tattoo.co.uk). As the sun goes down each August evening, torches flare like flags and hundreds of bekilted bagpipers paint the summer breeze plaid. The £25/$39 tickets are too much; the lateral £9/$14 seats are adequate. Other concurrent festivals (with few discounts) include the 12-day International Film Festival (0131/229-2550, edfilmfest.org.uk); past premieres include Velvet Goldmine starring local boy Ewan McGregor. The 17-day International Book Festival (about £7/$11 per event, 0131/624-5050, edbookfest.co.uk) regularly attracts 100,000 to New Town's Charlotte Square and focuses on author talks, particularly by Scottish writers. The 10-day Jazz & Blues Festival (jazzmusic.co.uk) is the U.K.'s oldest and is held starting in late July. The Scotsman, a local paper, summarizes all attractions at edinburghfestivals.co.uk. Plan ahead for Hogmanay, the New Year's party attracting some 100,000. Tickets are mandatory; hotels tend to supply them to guests (hogmanay.net).

In our May issue, we published a list of 50 Hawaiian B&Bs, making the point that generic hotels are not the only lodging option in the fiftieth state. But why be cooped up in a single room when you can have an entire house? Island vacation rentals are another low-cost alternative, with fully equipped condominiums from $330 a week, roomy cottages from $350, and complete homes from $525. And we're talking amenities such as Jacuzzis and tennis courts, with settings sometimes yards away from a beach or tropical rain forest. That's what you'll find in the following list of rental bargains on Hawaii's four main islands. You may never stay in a claustrophobic hotel room again. Beyond the bargain rentals listed below, search such online directories as Unique Hawaiian Experiences, Affordable Paradise, Goin2Travel Vacation Rentals, or A1 Vacation Rentals. Keep in mind that rates tend to require at least a few nights' stay, fluctuate between summer and winter (most low rates listed here are for summer), and don't include taxes or cleaning fees. Costs for extra persons are usually reasonable -- as low as $10 per night. OAHU Aloha Beach Vacation Rentals (888/259-5023, vacationrentalshawaii.com) offer two separate homes, of which our favorite is a simple two-bedroom, two-story structure in Waimanalo on Oahu's eastern coast, with a coconut-tree-filled garden, a 12-person Jacuzzi, and a large kitchen. Rates start at $623 per week. Aloha Waikiki Vacation Condos (800/655-6055, waikiki-condos.com) also rent out a number of different digs -- studio apartments in high-rises scattered throughout Waikiki, for $330 a week; one-bedrooms (sleeping four) for $623 a week. All accommodations are within walking distance of the beach. Beachside Bungalows (877/640-0990, beachsidebungalows.com) offer a choice of six rentals, from one-bedroom, one-baths starting at $695 per week to two-bedroom, two-baths starting at $850. Their best feature is location: only one block from gorgeous Kailua Beach on the eastern coast. All rentals include the use of snorkels, fins, Boogie boards, and kayaks. Nalo Winds Vacation Rental House (866/625-6946, a1vacations.com/nalowinds/1) is a three-bedroom, three-bath home that sleeps up to eight and is just five houses away from wide Waimanalo Beach; it's especially suitable for families, since the house comes chockablock with extras like a crib, toys, bikes, snorkel gear, and Boogie boards. Weekly rates from $525 per couple. MAUI Aloha Maui Cottages (808/572-0298, bbonline.com/hi/alohamaui) are four detached buildings on the edge of a rain forest (ask a neighbor to take you on a hike or horseback ride through it) and also near hidden pools and waterfalls. A wood-burning sauna and a hot tub are on the property; showers flow with soft, collected rainwater; all in all, the experience is like that of Robinson Crusoe in paradise. From $350 per week. Andrea's Maui Oceanfront Condos (800/289-1522, mauicondos.com) are run by 23-year Maui resident Andrea, who happily rents out (with her daughter Jill) modern, large, and roomy one- and two-bedroom condos in the popular Kihei area starting at $693 a week. A bonus: They can supply you with goodies like free snorkel rentals, two-for-one dinner coupons, drink specials, and discounts for golf and local attractions. Haiku Getaway (800/680-4946, vacationrentalmaui.com) offers three out-of-the-way rentals (two rooms and a two-bedroom cottage) in verdant Haiku on the north shore. The Tangerine Room starts at $455 a week; you can rent the entire cottage for $700 a week. Hookipa Hale (808/575-9357, hookipahale.com) sits on two secluded green acres on Maui's north shore and includes three colorful rooms in one house and a modern, island-style two-bedroom rental cottage as well. From $350 per week for two in the main house, $630 for the cottage. Jack's Maui Vista Condo (800/800-8608, vacationrentalsonline.com/vr/hi/ma/hima02/hima02.htm) is a one-bedroom rental in a spiffy, modern condo complex in Kihei, with tennis courts, a large pool, and cable TV. It starts at $455 per week, but if it's already been booked for the time of your visit, Jack will help you find other vacation rentals in the area. BIG ISLAND Aloha Vacation Cottages (877/875-1722, alohacottages.net) are a fine option for staying on the sunny Kohala Coast, home to many large, elegant resorts. The kitchen-equipped rentals -- a one-bedroom, one-bath guesthouse and a studio cottage -- start at $560 per week. There's free wireless Internet access, and, for an extra charge, on-site therapeutic massages. Kate's Volcano Cottage (877/967-7990, volcanoplaces.com/kates/kates.htm) is a cool, clean studio featuring a lot of wood in the misty Volcano area of the island, complete with kitchen and a 160-square-foot covered deck. Weekly rates start at $570; two other larger rentals in Volcano run a little more. Rainbow Dreams Cottage (415/824-7062, rainbowdreamscottage.com) is a lovely, secluded, oceanfront two-bedroom house with a wraparound lanai and lots of windows and privacy, right alongside dramatic black-rock cliffs in the lush Puna area. From $600 per week. Kuaiwi Farm (808/328-8888, kuaiwifarm.com/rental.html) is on an organic coffee farm 2,000 feet up the slopes of Mauna Loa in South Kona. The one-bedroom condo comes with French doors, private deck, tropical fruit, and complimentary coffee -- grown right on the farm. If that doesn't whet your appetite, how do rates starting at $330 a week sound? Hale Ono (877/924-7464, interpac.net/~waipiohi) is at the edge of the dramatic Waipio Valley, rich in history and greenery, and next to 40 acres of pastureland. The one-bedroom rental has a full kitchen, living room, and lanai, all starting at $510 a week. KAUAI Annie's Condos and Studios (800/481-4991, anniescondoskauai.com) are right on the Princeville golf course, a 10-minute walk to Anini Beach and come with fully equipped kitchens and pool access. Rates start at $435 a week. Aloha Estates at Kalaheo Plantation (808/332-7812, kalaheo-plantation.com) is a renovated, plantation-style house from the 1920s with six suites that can be rented out individually or together (the house sleeps a maximum of 12 adults and 4 children), many with full kitchens. Rooms start at just $299 per week. Condo Bob's Princeville Vacation Rentals (925/820-3253, condobob.com) consist of 13 condos at the Cliffs Resort and the Sandpiper Village Complex in the beach-rich area of the island's north shore (where South Pacific was filmed), none more than $699 per week. Studios go for as low as $299 a week. Poipu Plantation Resort (800/634-0263, poipubeach.com) offers cheery cottage apartments with hardwood floors, rattan furniture, lanais, ocean views, full kitchens, and gardens; one-bedroom units start at $698 a week. Spacious Poipu Beach, one of the best on the island, is a quick hop away.