Would You Choose A Vacation Spot Just Because It's Cheap?

As Japan marked the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the island nation on March 11, 2011, the country's tourism officials report that travelers are starting to trickle back. In January 2012, Japan welcomed 700,000 international tourists, a 4.5 percent decrease compared to January 2011, according to the Japan Tourism Agency, the government's tourism promotion arm. And while the tourism numbers are still slightly down, that represents a major improvement over the 70 percent dive in tourism the country experienced immediately after the earthquake. To mark the anniversary and the recovery efforts, the Japan Tourism Agency and Japan National Tourism Organization launched a campaign called "Japan. Thank You." It is intended to communicate the gratitude of the Japanese people for the global support it has received. As the recovery continues, the nation is hoping that its famous cherry blossom season this spring can help attract even more international travelers. There are also numerous promotions in the Japan travel market intended to stimulate travel back to Japan. The Japan National Tourism Organization issues regular travel advisory updates, hoping to help travelers better understand the situation on the ground in Japan, including the threat of radiation. It reminds travelers that the radiation level in Tokyo is similar to that of New York City. The organization also has a map on its website showing where the Fukushima Daiichi Plant is located in relation to other major cities across the island. Would you still be wary of going to Japan? How come? More from Budget Travel: Wendy's Goes Gourmet in Japan How travelers can help Japan recovery Budget Travel reader reaches out from Japan

Yes, the most famous St. Patrick's Day festival is in Dublin. But did you know that there's a Caribbean island that celebrates the holiday with great fanfare? Montserrat is the only country in the world besides Ireland where St. Patrick's Day is a national holiday. The volcanic island, which has the nickname of "The Other Emerald Isle," was colonized by Irish Catholics from nearby St. Kitts in the 1630s and by 1678 half the residents were Irish. March 17 also has an additional significance to the people of Montserrat beyond the Irish heritage. The celebrations here also commemorate a failed slave uprising on that day in 1768. Today, locals and tourists celebrate with a weeklong festival that lasts until Montserrat Day (March 19). Things are a little different here than on the island on the other side of the Atlantic. The weather is decidedly sunnier, for one. Instead of pints of Guinness, revelers drink rum punch and fresh juice straight from coconuts. It's also doubtful that spear fishing tournaments or goat water competitions have ever factored into the Irish celebration. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 26 Stunning Ireland Photos 15 Things You Didn't Know About Ireland Top Budget Travel Destinations for 2012

Even after a warm winter, there's nothing like early–onset spring to get the mind in beach vacation mode. And from sea to shining sea, America's not short on beaches to brag about. But which of them ranks supreme among public opinion? Surprise: it's not in Hawaii or California. It's in Florida, but—surprise, again!—it's not Miami or the Keys. As part of its 2012 Travelers' Choice Awards, TripAdvisor recently compiled millions of user ratings, and St. Pete Beach, Florida, was crowned Top Beach Destination in the U.S. With seven miles of white sand to its name, St. Pete Beach edged out fellow Florida contender Miami Beach (second place) as well as Myrtle Beach, S.C. (third place) to claim the number one spot. Rounding out the list: Virginia Beach; Honolulu; Daytona Beach; Fort Lauderdale; Lahaina, HI; San Diego; and Key West, coming in at tenth place. St. Pete Beach was so popular that it even took fifth place (out of 181) in rankings for beaches worldwide, coming in just below Providenciales in Turks and Caicos; Palm Beach—a.k.a. Eagle Beach—in Aruba; Tulum, in Mexico; and Negril, in Jamaica. Luckily for us BT–ers, TripAdvisor's most in–demand beach is also a wallet–friendly one, especially when compared to its flashier neighbors. Take Miami, for instance—the average hotel rate was about $159 per night in 2011. Honolulu is even pricier, with hotel rates running about $175 on average last year. Even in Myrtle Beach, where you can find a relative bargain, the average room was still $122 per night in 2011. And for the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area? Try $84. The secret might be out on St. Pete Beach, but we still want to know what your favorite beaches are. Don't forget to nominate your Favorite Secret Beach for our Readers' Choice poll! More from Budget Travel: Where Are the Anti-Spring Breakers Going? Secret Beaches of North America 20 Girlfriend Getaways Within Reach

There's spring break and then there's spring break. The one-week recess is not always a call to all high school and college students to get in their swimsuits and head to Miami or Vegas to party. So, where are the anti-spring breakers heading? According to recent data analysis conducted by the travel booking site Kayak, the top non-traditional spring break destinations for this year weren’t necessarily what you’d expect. The top searches overall on the site for the first three weeks of March, the window during which the majority of the nation’s schools have off, were the usual suspects — Panama City Beach, Daytona Beach, Miami Beach, and Las Vegas. But the top spring break destinations by hotel searches were Austin, Savannah, San Antonio and Phoenix. And the top spring break destinations by flight searches were Austin, Phoenix, Denver and Seattle. Clearly, the anti-spring breakers are still looking for some warmth, heading south rather than north. But they're opting for more urban destinations rather than sandy beaches. So, has the "Girls Gone Wild" take on spring break just finally gotten tired? Or maybe spring breakers are looking for better values, or (gasp!) more culture. Why do you think students are opting for these non-traditional locales? More from Budget Travel: U.S. Lists Non-Advisory Mexico Cities In Time For Spring Break Summer Trips You Need to Start Planning for Now 5 Ways to Cut Down on Rental Car Gas Prices