Royal Caribbean International

Overview

	Address	1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132
	Phone	800/327-6700 or 305/539-6000
	Fax	800/722-5329
	Online	www.royalcaribbean.com
	Enjoyment Factor	5
	Dining	4
	Activities	5
	Children's Program	4
	Entertainment	4
	Service	4
	Overall Value	5

The Line in a Nutshell

Royal Caribbean offers some of the most activity-packed, best-looking, best-designed, and just plain fun megaships in the biz. Along with NCL, they're also out in the forefront of innovation, always challenging the status quo regarding what can and can't be done aboard ships. Sails to: Caribbean, Panama Canal, Alaska, Mexican Riviera, Bermuda, Hawaii, Canada/New England.

The Experience

Though still trailing industry-leader Carnival in terms of size and profit, Royal Caribbean has definitely taken the lead in the excitement and cool-appeal department. You've seen the ads: healthy 30- and 40-somethings hiking across a glacier, kayaking through crystal water, or climbing up a sheer rock face as Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" plays on the soundtrack, then sipping wine on deck as the sun goes down. That's obviously the Madison Avenue take, but the weird thing is, it isn't all just hype: Somehow, Royal Caribbean has managed to turn the "overfed, newly wed, almost dead" cruise stereotype on its ear, and revved up a more youthful product that delivers fun, humor, a touch of class, and a bit of "feel the burn" active excitement, all without charging an arm and a leg. Cruises on these fun, active, and glamorous (but not too over-the-top-glitzy) megaships offer a great experience for a wide range of people, whether your idea of a good time is getting super-active or relaxing in the Solarium pool. There are huge children's centers for the kids, and entertainment for adults is varied and sometimes even novel: The Voyager-class ships even have a resident troupe of clowns that teach juggling, clown history, and makeup application when not doing their act. Decor-wise, these ships are a shade or two toned down from the Carnival brood: Rather than trying to overwhelm the senses, many of their public areas are understated and classy. The Radiance-class vessels are the line's most elegant to date, with a sophistication that's up near the level of Royal Caribbean's sister-line, Celebrity Cruises.

Pros

• Activity central: With rock-climbing walls, miniature golf, basketball courts, and even ice skating among the many diversions, these ships are tops in the adrenaline department.
• Beautiful public areas: Lounges, restaurants, and outdoor pool decks are well designed, spacious, glamorous, and just plain inviting.
• Great solariums: The indoor-outdoor solariums on the Vision-, Voyager- and especially the Radiance-class ships are oh-so-relaxing oases designed around a theme (Venice, Africa, and so forth), a pool, and a pair of enormous whirlpool tubs.

Cons

• Small cabins on the older ships: At just about 120 to 160 square feet, most cabins aboard the Vision- and Sovereign-class ships and Empress of the Seas are downright tiny, ranking with NCL's as the smallest in the mainstream category.

Silversea Cruises

Overview

	Address	110 E. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
	Phone	800/722-9955
	Fax	954/522-4499
	Online	www.silversea.com
	Enjoyment Factor	5
	Dining	5
	Activities	3
	Children's Program	N/A
	Entertainment	2
	Service	5
	Overall Value	4

The Line in a Nutshell

It doesn't get better than free-flowing Philipponnat Royale Reserve champagne and marble bathrooms stocked with wonderful Bulgari bath products. These gorgeous ships offer the best of everything.

The Experience

Fine-tuned and genteel, a Silversea cruise caters to guests who won't settle for anything but the best. The food and service are the best at sea, and the ships' Italian-style decor is warm and inviting. Nothing seems to have been forgotten in the creation of the plush Silversea fleet. Tables are set with Christofle silver and Schott-Zwiesel crystal. These are dignified vessels for a dignified crowd that likes to dress for dinner. If you want the VIP treatment 24-7, this is your cruise line.

Pros

• Doting service: Gracious and ultraprofessional, the Silversea crew knows how to please well-traveled guests with high expectations.
• Truly all-inclusive: Unlimited wines and spirits, including the house champagne (Philipponnat Royale Reserve), as well as tips, are included in the rates.
• Excellent cuisine: Rivaling the best restaurants ashore, cuisine is as exquisite as it gets at sea. Each ship has two alternative venues for dinner, buffets are bountiful, and the room-service menu includes such extravagant snacks as jumbo shrimp.
• Large staterooms and great bathrooms: At 287 square feet, plus 58-square-foot balconies, Silver Whisper's staterooms are bigger than Seabourn's and Crystal's, and the huge marble bathrooms are the best at sea (along with those on Seven Seas Navigator and Voyager).

Cons

• Stuffy crowd: Of course, not every guest fits that bill, but expect a good portion of the crowd on any cruise to be, shall we say, reserved.

Windstar Cruises

Overview

	Address	300 Elliott Ave. W., Seattle, WA 98119
	Phone	800/258-7245 or 206/281-3535
	Fax	206/281-0627
	Online	www.windstarcruises.com
	Enjoyment Factor	5
	Dining	3
	Activities	2
	Children's Program	N/A
	Entertainment	2
	Service	3
	Overall Value	4

The Line in a Nutshell

The no-jackets-required policy defines this line's casually elegant attitude. These sleek, small ships really do feel like private yachts -- they're down-to-earth, yet service and cuisine are first-class.

The Experience

Windstar offers a truly unique cruise experience, giving passengers the delicious illusion of adventure aboard its fleet of four- and five-masted sailing ships, along with the ever-pleasant reality of first-class cuisine, service, and itineraries. This is no barefoot, rigging-pulling, paper-plates-in-lap, sleep-on-the-deck kind of cruise, but a refined yet down-to-earth, yachtlike experience for a sophisticated, well-traveled crowd who wouldn't be comfortable on a big ship with throngs of tourists.

On board, stained teak, brass details, and lots of navy-blue fabrics and carpeting lend a traditional nautical ambience. While the ships' proud masts and white sails cut a traditional profile, they're also ultra-state-of-the-art, controlled by a computer so that they can be furled or unfurled at the touch of a button. When at all possible, the captain shuts off the engines and moves by sail only, to give passengers a real taste of the sea. Under full sail, the calm tranquillity is utterly blissful.

Pros

• Cuisine: The ambience, service, and imaginative cuisine created by renowned Los Angeles chef Joachim Splichal is very good. Seating in the restaurants is open, and guests can usually get a table for two.
• Informal and unregimented days: This line offers the most casual high-end cruise out there -- an approach much loved by passengers who enjoy fine service and cuisine but want to leave their jackets and pantyhose at home.
• Itineraries: The ships typically visit a port every day, and they're wonderfully less touristed than many of those called on by the megaships.

Cons

• Limited activities and entertainment: This is intentional, but if you need lots of organized hoopla to keep you happy, you won't find much here.
• No verandas: If they're important to you, you're out of luck

An Online Update for Frommer's Maui

Already one of the most popular islands on the planet, Maui's popularity soared in 2005. The end of 2005 expects a record breaking 2.3 million tourists, and even more visitors are predicted in 2006. Occupancy rates in hotels are running 87 percent, and during peak periods, in the high 90's. What this means to visitors is book in advance, especially the very popular summer months and Christmas vacation. Don't expect "deals" during these months, but with a little advanced planning, you can find plenty of bargains during the rest of the year.

Here's a roundup of the changes that have occurred in Hawaii since the publication of Frommer's Hawaii 2006.

With more visitors coming to Maui, the airlines have increased the number of flights, and in some cases, added new flights. Low-cost carrier American West (tel. 800/327-7810; www.americanwest.com), which currently has flights from Phoenix to Maui through its code-share partner, Hawaiian Airlines, will begin its own nonstop service Maui on December 16, 2005. Nonstop service between Maui and Las Vegas will be added in March 2006.

Hawaiian Airlines (tel. 800/367-5320; www.hawaiianair.com) has nonstop flights to Seattle and Portland. Aloha Airlines (tel. 800/367-5250; www.alohaairlines.com) added a direct fight from Maui to San Diego to compliment their other nonstop flights to Sacramento, Oakland, and Orange County.

A new airline start up, FlyHawaii Airlines (tel. 808/599-5588; www.flyhi.com) claims it is still on target to have its low-cost, interisland turboprop planes up and running by the first quarter of 2006. The ATR72 aircrafts, which seat 68 passengers, will start with daily flights between Honolulu and Maui. Chris Parsons, FlyHawaii's Vice President of Administration, says that tickets will cost about $50 one-way (currently Hawaiian and Aloha Airlines offer tickets starting at $79 one-way).

Beginning in early 2007, the Hawaii Superferry (www.hawaiisuperferry.com) will provide interisland ferry service between the islands at an estimated cost of $42-$70 each way. In addition to carrying 900 passengers, the 385-foot, wave-piercing catamaran will also carry 282 vehicles and travel up to 45 miles an hour (a three hour travel time from Honolulu to Maui). The $75 million vessel is currently under construction.

The Norwegian Cruise Line (tel. 800/327-7030; www.ncl.com) has added the 2,144-passenger ship, Pride of America, to join the Pride of Aloha, in 7-day cruises around the Hawaiian Islands, stopping on Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and both sides of the Big Island.

The biggest change in accommodations is Aston Resorts, which managed nine different hotels and condominiums on Maui, will be re-branded this month as ResortQuest properties (tel. 877/ 997-6667; www.resortquesthawaii.com).

Destination Resorts Hawaii (tel. 800/367-5246; www.drhmaui.com) is now offering the terrific amenity of free long distances calls (yes, you can call New York City or Abu Dhabi for free) at all their condominium properties in Wailea and Makena (Wailea Ekolu Village, Wailea Grand Champions Villas, Wailea Ekahi Village, Wailea Elua Village, Polo Beach Club, and Makena Surf). In other news, all their properties have high speed Internet access, free parking, and the Polo Beach Club is completely non-smoking (no smoking on the lanais, units, pool or even the Jacuzzi).

Even if you can't make it to Maui this year, the Hale Pau Hana Resort (tel. 800/367-6036; www.hphresort.com), in Kihei, has a live web-cam covering Kamaole Beach Park II, so you can lust over the terrific weather and the tropical setting.

In Kaanapali, the Sheraton Maui Resort (tel. 800/782-9466; www.sheraton.com/maui) is continuing renovations to the 510-unit property with new carpeting, wallpaper, furniture upholstery, and the new Sheraton "Sweet Sleeper Bed" (with dreamy pillow top mattress, high coil count, and "Stay True Foam" to guarantee you will sleep in absolute comfort). In addition, all the rooms are now wired for high-speed Internet access. Unlimited access is part of the daily resort amenity charge ($17 a day). For children, the resort has just started a "Bubble Makers" Junior Scuba Class designed for kids ages eight and up, where they learn scuba skills and underwater safety while hunting for sea treasures. Fee is $49 per child.

Just down the Kaanapali Beach, the Royal Lahaina Resort (tel. 800/44-ROYAL; www.hawaiihotels.com) has re-opened the Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Bar, outfitted in tropical decor and serving a variety of Polynesian liquid libations from 6pm to midnight daily.

Additional entertainment is available at the Royal Lahaina Luau, every Sunday, and Tuesday to Friday evenings, cost is $77 for adults and $38 for children 12 and under.

Speaking of luau, the best luau in the state, The Old Lahaina Luau (tel. 800/248-5828; www.oldlahainaluau.com) is adding a new day program, Ho'omana'o, on Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 to 11am, which serves a huge breakfast (frittata, island-stuffed French toast, Kalua pork hash, haupia oatmeal, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, fruit, assorted pastries as well as coffee, tea, and juice), provides Hawaiian entertainment, and offers interactive cultural experiences centered around hula, warfare, agriculture and fishing. Tickets are $69 for adults, $49 for children 12 and under. They suggest that children seven and older are more appropriate because of the emphasis on education.

The latest restaurant to open on Maui is the Pineapple Grill at Kapalua Resort (200 Kapalua Dr., Kapalua; tel. 808/66909600; www.pineapplekapalua.com), where Chef Joey Macadangdang (former protege of Roy Yamaguchi and executive chef at Roy's Kihei) has created a new twist on Pacific Islands cuisine with such Asian/Filipino dishes as Asian-style bouillabaisse (with lemongrass) or Lehua honey-cured pork chops. Entrees range from $26-$32. The restaurant sits atop Pineapple Hill overlooking the Bay Golf Course and the ocean. If you can tear your eyes away from that view, an exhibition kitchen at the entry is worth a look, with a black-marble bar with plasma-screen TVs and a dining room subdivided into themed mini-rooms.

If you are headed to Haleakala National Park, a new 2,800 square foot store/deli has just opened, Kula Marketplace (tel. 808/878-2135), next door to the Kula Lodge on Kekauleke Highway. A great place to stop to pick up lunch, the open beam market has everything from gourmet food to fine art (plus Maui-made products, women and children's clothes, jewelry, local produce, and an assortment of foods to go). The market is divided into various themes: the Upcountry Garden, Wine Cellar, Favorite Things, Local Flavors, Health is Wealth, and Must Haves. Open daily from 8 am to 7 pm.

Now you can whip up your favorite Maui Taco dishes at home with Maui Tacos Cookbook (www.mauitacoscookbook.com) by Maui Taco restaurant founder, Chef Mark Ellman, and writer Barbara Santos. The great dishes served in the seven Maui Tacos restaurants in Hawaii and 14 on the mainland are detailed in the 80 different recipes.

The Pacific Whale Foundation (tel. 800/942-5311; www.pacificwhale.org) has opened a new Interpretive Center in their Ocean Science Discovery Center, in the Harbor Shops at Maalaea. The free center has displays on whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and other ocean critters, video showings, and a tide pool with live animals. Open daily 10 am to 3pm.

The Sunset Jazz Show, every Sunday from 5 to 8 pm, joins the lineup of free entertainment at the Whalers Village (tel. 808/661-4567; www.whalersvillage.com), in Kaanapali. Center stage features the who's who of the jazz world, from George Benson to Paul Marchetti to John Zangrado. Other free entertainment at the Whaler's Village include: the Drums of Tahiti with Polynesian Dancers; a Polynesian Hula Show; and a Tahitian Dance.

The popular Maui Swap Meet (tel. 808/877-3100), located next door to the Kahului Post Office on S. Puunene Ave. for the past 15 years, now has one year to find a new home. Maui County wants the property to build affordable senior housing, so the 200 plus vendors are searching for a new location. Some 3,200 shoppers attend the Saturday Swap Meet, making the options limited. Will Wong, who heads up the Swap Meet, said he is negotiating with Maui Community College for space, as well as looking at other locations.

On the Island of Molokai

Until December 25, 2005, The Lodge and Beach Villas at Molokai Ranch (tel. 888/627-8082; www.molokairanch.com) is offering a Spirit of Molokai Package, which includes accommodations, breakfast, and a choice of either 18 holes of golf, 50 minute massage, or horseback riding for $138 for the Beach Village (rack rates are $268-$358, without breakfast or activity) or $178 at the Lodge (rack rates are $398-$478, without breakfast or activity).

On the Island of Lanai

After $40 million in extensive renovations to include the addition of a new 1,734-square foot fitness center and a 688-square foot "indoor movement studio," the Manele Bay Hotel (tel. 800/321-4664; www.lanai-resorts.com) will be re-branded the Four Seasons Resort-Lanai at Manele Bay on October 1, 2005. The hotel will be closed from Aug. 16 to Sept. 16 for the completion of the work. The staff will go through the rigorous Four Seasons training in service. The current 800-phone number for reservations will remain, along with the Four Seasons' reservations number, tel. 800/ 819-5053. Rates for 2006 will be $375-$925 and suites will start at $800. The sister hotel, located in Lanai City, The Lodge at Koele, will begin renovations next year to bring it up to the famous Four Seasons standards and will be re-branded in late 2006.

A new outdoor film series has begun on Lanai called Stars Under the Stars. Presented by the Lanai Art Center (tel. 808/565-7503; www.lanaiart.org), a film from the American Film Institute's "All-Time Top 100-Films" list will be shown on a 16-foot screen in the Dole Park in Lanai City every first Wednesday of the month. The free film begins at sunset and is preceded by live entertainment.

Talk with other travelers on our Hawaii Message Boards today.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip

The Best of Hawaii

		The Best of Hawaii

		Best Dining Bets The Best Beaches The Best Cultural Experiences The Best Golf Courses The Best Luxury Hotels		The Best Moderately Priced Hotels The Best Natural Attractions The Best Family Hotels & Resorts The Best Spots for Sunset Cocktails		The Best of Underwater Hawaii The Best Resorts & Spas The Best Island Experiences The Best Websites

		Complete Guide to Hawaii

		Introduction Best Dining Bets, The Best Beaches, The Best Cultural Experiences, more... Planning a Trip Fast Facts, Visitor Information, When to Go, more... For Foreign Visitors Fast Facts, Preparing for Your Trip, Getting to the U.S., more...		In Depth Cuisine, Environment, History, more... Active Pursuits Bird Watching, Boating, Bodyboarding & Bodysurfing, more... Message Boards

		Islands in Hawaii

		Hawaii (The Big Island) Kauai		Lanai Maui		Molokai Oahu

		National Parks and Monuments in Hawaii

Volcanoes National Park

Best Dining Bets

The Best Dining, Hawaii Style

Tropical Fruit: Mangosteen, the queen of fruit in Indonesia, is the sensation at the Hilo Farmers Market on the Big Island. Mangosteen's elegant purple skin and soft, white, floral-flavored flesh (like litchi, but more custardlike) make this fruit a sure winner.

The mango is always a much-anticipated feature of late spring and summer. Hayden mangoes are universally loved for their plump, juicy flesh and brilliant skins. White Piries, with their resinous flavor and fine, fiberless flesh, are even better; this rare and ambrosial variety can be found in Honolulu's Chinatown or at roadside fruit stands in rural Oahu. Watch for the Rapoza, a new species of large, sweet, fiberless mango introduced to Hawaii several years ago.

Kahuku papayas -- firm, fleshy, dark orange, and so juicy they sometimes squirt -- are the ones to watch for on menus and in markets; check out the roadside stands in Kahuku on Oahu, and at supermarkets. Sunrise papayas from Kapoho and Kauai are also top-notch.

White, acid-free, extra-sweet, and grown on Kauai and the Big Island, Sugarloaf pineapples are the new rage. Hilo is the town for litchis (also known as lychees) in summer, but Honolulu's Chinatown markets carry them, too. Ka'u oranges, grown in the volcanic soil of the southern Big Island, are available in supermarkets and health-food stores. Don't be fooled by their brown, ugly skin -- they're juicy, thin-skinned, and sweet as honey.

Noodles: Ramen, udon, saimin, pho, pasta, chow mein -- Hawaii is the epicenter of ethnic noodle stands and houses, with many recommendable and inexpensive choices. Jimbo's Restaurant (Oahu; tel. 808/947-2211), a neighborhood staple, is tops for freshly made udon with generous toppings and a homemade broth. On the neighbor islands, noodle-mania prevails at Hamura's Saimin Stand (Kauai; tel. 808/245-3271), where saimin and teriyaki sticks have replaced hamburgers and pizza as the late-night, comfort-food tradition. Nori's Saimin & Snacks (Big Island; tel. 808/935-9133) is the place in charming Hilo for consummate saimin of every stripe.

Plate Lunches: Zippy's (21 locations throughout Oahu; call tel. 808/973-0880 for the one nearest you) is a household word in Hawaii. Other favorite plate-lunch spots on Oahu include Kakaako Kitchen (tel. 808/596-7488), Ward Centre, serving dinner at indoor and outdoor tables; I ♥ Country Cafe (tel. 808/596-8108); and Yama's Fish Market (tel. 808/941-9994), where the chocolate/macadamia nut cookies and chocolate biscotti have legions of fans. On Maui, Pauwela Cafe (tel. 808/575-9242) serves gourmet feasts from a tiny kitchen, and Aloha Mixed Plate (tel. 808/661-3322) lets you nosh on fabulous shoyu chicken at ocean's edge -- and with a mai tai, too. On Kauai, Pono Market (tel. 808/822-4581), Fish Express (tel. 808/245-9918), and Koloa Fish Market (tel. 808/742-6199) are at the top of the plate-lunch pyramid.

Shave Ice: Like surfing, shave ice is synonymous with Haleiwa, the North Shore Oahu town where Matsumoto Shave Ice (tel. 808/637-4827) serves mounds of the icy treat. Shave ice is even better over ice cream and adzuki beans.

Other Mighty Morsels: Poi biscotti from the Poi Company, available at supermarkets and gourmet outlets, is a new taste treat, the consummate accompaniment to another island phenomenon, Kona coffee. Coffee growers of highest esteem (all based on the Big Island, of course), include: Rooster Farms (tel. 808/328-9173), which sells and ships only organic coffees; Bong Brothers (tel. 808/328-9289); Kona Blue Sky Coffee Company (tel. 808/322-1700); Langenstein Farms (tel. 808/328-8356); and Holualoa Kona Coffee Company (tel. 800/334-0348).

The buttery, chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies of Big Island Candies (Big Island; tel. 808/935-8890) are worth every calorie and every dollar. If you're going through Waimea, don't miss Cook's Discoveries (Big Island; tel. 808/885-3633), where the superlatives never end -- the best cookies, preserves, vinegars, poi, and many other marvelous taste treats. From Kauai, Hanapepe town's venerable Taro Ko taro chips (tel. 808/335-5586 for the factory) are the crunchy snack neighbor islanders drive long miles to find.

The Best Restaurants

Alan Wong's Restaurant (Oahu; tel. 808/949-2526): Master strokes at this shrine of Hawaii Regional Cuisine include warm California rolls made with salmon roe, wasabi, and Kona lobster instead of rice; luau lumpia with butterfish and kalua pig; and ginger-crusted fresh onaga. Opihi shooters and day-boat scallops in season are a must, and grilled lamb chops are a perennial special. The menu changes daily, but the flavors never lose their sizzle.

Chef Mavro Restaurant (Oahu; tel. 808/944-4714): Honolulu is abuzz over the wine pairings and elegant cuisine of George Mavrothalassitis, the culinary wizard and James Beard award-winner from Provence who turned La Mer (at the Halekulani) and Seasons (at the Four Seasons Resort Wailea) into temples of fine dining. He brought his award-winning signature dishes with him and continues to prove his ingenuity with dazzling a la carte and prix-fixe ($56-$93) menus.

Hoku's (Oahu; tel. 808/739-8780): Elegant without being stuffy, and creative without being overwrought, the fine-dining room of the Kahala Mandarin offers elegant lunches and dinners and one of Oahu's best Sunday brunches. This is fusion that really works -- European finesse with an island touch. The ocean view, open kitchen, and astonishing bamboo floor are stellar features. Reflecting the restaurant's cross-cultural influences, the kitchen is equipped with a kiawe grill, an Indian tandoori oven, and Szechuan woks.

La Mer (Oahu; tel. 808/923-2311): This romantic, elegant dining room at Waikiki's Halekulani is the only AAA Five-Diamond restaurant in the state. The second-floor, open-sided room, with views of Diamond Head and the sound of trade winds rustling the nearby coconut fronds, is the epitome of fine dining. Michelin-award-winning chef Yves Garnier melds classical French influences with fresh island ingredients. It's pricey but worth it. Men are required to wear jackets (they have a selection if you didn't pack one).

Padovani's Restaurant & Wine Bar (Oahu; tel. 808/946-3456): Chef Philippe Padovani's elegant, innovative style is highlighted in everything from the endive salad to the pan-fried moi at this two-tiered restaurant. Downstairs is a swank dining room with Bernardaud china and Frette linens; upstairs is the informal Wine Bar with excellent single-malt Scotches, wines by the glass, and a much more casual, but equally sublime, menu.

Roy's Restaurant (Oahu; tel. 808/396-7697): Good food still reigns at this busy, noisy flagship Hawaii Kai dining room with the trademark open kitchen. Roy Yamaguchi's deft way with local ingredients, nostalgic ethnic preparations, and fresh fish makes his menu, which changes daily, a novel experience every time.

Merriman's (Big Island; tel. 808/885-6822): Chef Peter Merriman, one of the founders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, displays his creativity at this Waimea eatery, a premier Hawaii attraction. Dishes include his signature wok-charred ahi, kung pao shrimp, or lamb from nearby Kahua Ranch. His famous platters of seafood and meats are among the many reasons this is still the best -- and busiest -- dining spot in Waimea.

Gerard's (Maui; tel. 808/661-8939): The charm of Gerard's -- soft lighting, Edith Piaf on the sound system, excellent service -- is matched by a menu of uncompromising standards. A frequent winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, Gerard's offers French cuisine with the chef's own island touches. Located in an old Victorian house (ask for a table on the lanai outside), Gerard's has a dreamy, romantic atmosphere and innovative cuisine that will linger in your memory.

Haliimaile General Store (Maui; tel. 808/572-2666): Bev Gannon, 1 of the 12 original Hawaii Regional Cuisine chefs, is still going strong at her foodie haven in the pineapple fields. You'll dine at tables set on old wood floors under high ceilings, in a peach-colored room emblazoned with works by local artists. Gannon's Texas roots shine through in her food, a blend of eclectic American with ethnic touches that puts an innovative spin on Hawaii Regional Cuisine.

Vino Italian Tapas and Wine Bar (Maui; tel. 808/661-VINO): Probably the best Italian food on Maui is served at this exquisite restaurant, overlooking the rolling hills of the Kapalua Golf Course. The surprise is that it's run by two Japanese guys -- D.K. Kodama, chef and owner of Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar and master sommelier Chuck Furuya. The menu changes constantly but always has homemade pastas and seafood masterpieces. Every dish is perfectly paired with wine (the wine list alone features more than 150 selections, many of them estate wines exclusive to Vino).

Henry Clay's Rotisserie (Lanai; tel. 808/565-7211): Henry Clay Richardson, a New Orleans native, has made some welcome changes to Lanai's dining landscape with his rustic inn in the middle of Lanai City. It's very popular and always full. Maybe that's because it's the only option on Lanai that occupies the vast gap between deli-diner and upscale-luxe. The menu focuses on French-country fare, gourmet pizzas, and crispy salads in a quaint, country-inn atmosphere.

A Pacific Café Kauai (Kauai; tel. 808/822-0013): The first restaurant Jean-Marie Josselin opened is still the reigning fave. The signature items (tiger-eye sushi, garlic-crisped mahimahi) are staples. Foodies agree: It's the way Josselin uses Kauai produce and seafood that gives this dining room the edge.

Dondero's (Kauai; tel. 808/742-1234): If you are looking for a romantic dinner, Dondero's is hard to beat. Dine either under the stars overlooking the ocean or tucked away at an intimate table surrounded by inlaid marble floors, ornate imported floor tiles, and Franciscan murals. You get all this atmosphere plus the best Italian cuisine on the island, served with efficiency. It's hard to have a bad experience here. Dinners are pricey but worth every penny.

Hawaii Best Beaches

Lanikai Beach (Oahu): Too gorgeous to be real, this stretch along the Windward Coast is one of Hawaii's postcard-perfect beaches -- a mile of golden sand as soft as powdered sugar bordering translucent turquoise waters. The waters are calm year-round and excellent for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. Two tiny offshore islands complete the picture, functioning not only as scenic backdrops but also as bird sanctuaries.

Hapuna Beach (Big Island): This 1/2-mile-long crescent regularly wins kudos in the world's top travel magazines as the most beautiful beach in Hawaii -- some consider it one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. One look and you'll see why: Perfect cream-colored sand slopes down to crystal-clear waters that are great for swimming, snorkeling, and bodysurfing in summer; come winter, waves thunder in like stampeding horses. The facilities for picnicking and camping are top-notch, and there's plenty of parking.

Kapalua Beach (Maui): On an island with many great beaches, Kapalua takes the prize. This golden crescent with swaying palms is protected from strong winds and currents by two outstretched lava-rock promontories. Its calm waters are perfect for snorkeling, swimming, and kayaking. The beach borders the Kapalua Bay Hotel, but it's long enough for everyone to enjoy. Facilities include showers, restrooms, and lifeguards.

Papohaku Beach (Molokai): These gold sands stretch on for some 3 miles (it's one of Hawaii's longest beaches) and are about as wide as a football field. Offshore the ocean churns mightily in winter, but the waves die down in summer, making the calm waters inviting for swimming. It's also great for picnicking, walking, and watching sunsets.

Hulopoe Beach (Lanai): This golden, palm-fringed beach off the south coast of Lanai gently slopes down to the azure waters of a Marine Life Conservation District, where clouds of tropical fish flourish and spinner dolphins come to play. A tide pool in the lava rocks defines one side of the bay, while the other is lorded over by the Manele Bay Hotel, which sits prominently on the hill above. Offshore you'll find good swimming, snorkeling, and diving; onshore there's a full complement of beach facilities, from restrooms to camping areas.

Haena Beach (Kauai): Backed by verdant cliffs, this curvaceous North Shore beach has starred as Paradise in many a movie. It's easy to see why Hollywood loves Haena Beach, with its grainy golden sand and translucent turquoise waters. Summer months bring calm waters for swimming and snorkeling, and winter brings mighty waves for surfers. There are plenty of facilities on hand, including picnic tables, restrooms, and showers.

Hawaii Best Cultural Experiences

Experiencing the Hula: For a real, authentic hula experience on Oahu, check out the Bishop Museum, which has excellent performances on weekdays, or head to the Halekulani's House Without a Key at sunset to watch the enchanting Kanoelehua Miller dance beautiful hula under a century-old kiawe tree. The first week after Easter brings Hawaii's biggest and most prestigious hula extravaganza, the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival, at Hilo on the Big Island; tickets sell out by January 30, so reserve early. In May there's the Molokai Ka Hula Piko Festival, at Molokai's Papohaku Beach Park, a wonderful daylong festival that celebrates the hula on the island where it was born.

Watching the Ancient Hawaiian Sport of Canoe Paddling (Oahu): From February to September, on weekday evenings and weekend days, hundreds of canoe paddlers gather at Ala Wai Canal and practice the Hawaiian sport of canoe paddling. Find a comfortable spot at Ala Wai Park, next to the canal, and watch this ancient sport come to life.

Attending a Hawaiian-Language Church Service (Oahu): Kawaiahao Church (tel. 808/522-1333) is the Westminster Abbey of Hawaii. The vestibule is lined with portraits of the Hawaiian monarchy, many of whom were crowned in this very building. The coral church is a perfect setting in which to experience an all-Hawaiian service, held every Sunday at 10:30am, complete with Hawaiian song. Admission is free; let your conscience be your guide as to a donation.

Buying a Lei in Chinatown (Oahu): There's actually a host of cultural sights and experiences to be had in Honolulu's Chinatown. Wander through this several-square-block area with its jumble of exotic shops offering herbs, Chinese groceries, and acupuncture services. Before you leave, be sure to check out the lei sellers on Maunakea Street (near N. Hotel St.), where Hawaii's finest leis go for as little as $4.

Listening to Old-Fashioned "Talk Story" with Hawaiian Song and Dance (Big Island): Once a month, under a full moon, "Twilight at Kalahuipua'a," a celebration of the Hawaiian culture that includes storytelling, singing, and dancing, takes place ocean-side at Mauna Lani Bay Resort (tel. 808/885-6622; www.maunalaniculture.org/twilight). It hearkens back to another time in Hawaii when family and neighbors would gather on back porches to sing, dance, and "talk story."

Visiting Ancient Hawaii's Most Sacred Temple (Big Island): On the Kohala Coast, where King Kamehameha the Great was born, stands Hawaii's oldest, largest, and most sacred religious site: the 1,500-year-old Mo'okini Heiau, used by kings to pray and offer human sacrifices. This massive three-story stone temple, dedicated to Ku, the Hawaiian god of war, was erected in A.D. 480. It's said that each stone was passed from hand to hand from Pololu Valley, 14 miles away, by 18,000 men who worked from sunset to sunrise. The best way to see this sacred site is to help out with the monthly cleanups when the Kahuna Nui (high priestess), Momi Mo'okini Lum, is on-site.

Hunting for Petroglyphs (Big Island): Archaeologists are still uncertain exactly what these ancient rock carvings -- the majority of which are found in the 233-acre Puako Petroglyph Archaeological District, near Mauna Lani Resort on the Kohala Coast -- mean. The best time to hunt for these intricate depictions of ancient life is either early in the morning or late afternoon, when the angle of the sun lets you see the forms clearly.

Exploring Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (Big Island): This sacred site on the South Kona Coast was once a place of refuge and a revered place of rejuvenation. You can walk the same consecrated grounds where priests once conducted holy ceremonies and glimpse the ancient way of life in pre-contact Hawaii in the re-created 180-acre village.

Visiting the Most Hawaiian Isle: A time capsule of old Hawaii, Molokai allows you to experience real Hawaiian life in its most unsullied form. The island's people have woven the cultural values of ancient times into modern life. In addition to this rich community, you'll find the magnificent natural wonders it so cherishes: Hawaii's highest waterfall, its greatest collection of fish ponds, and the world's tallest sea cliffs, as well as sand dunes, coral reefs, rainforests, and gloriously empty beaches. The island is pretty much the same Molokai of generations ago.

Hawaii Best Golf Courses

Mauna Kea's Beach and Hapuna Courses (Big Island; tel. 808/882-5400 for Beach Course, tel. 808/882-3000 for Hapuna Course): The Mauna Kea Golf Course, located out on the Kohala Coast, is everyone's old favorite. One of the first fields of play to be carved out of the black lava, the dramatic, always-challenging, par-72, 18-hole championship course is still one of Hawaii's top three. The Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay-designed Hapuna Golf Course rests in the rolling foothills above Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel and provides a memorable links-style golf experience along with one of the best views of this unusual coast.

Mauna Lani Frances I'i Brown Championship Courses (Big Island; tel. 808/885-6655): Mauna Lani's two resort courses, North and South, feature a combination of oceanfront and interior lava-lined holes; both offer wonderful scenery accompanied by strategic, championship-level golf.

Kapalua Resort Courses (Maui; tel. 808/669-8044): Kapalua is probably the best nationally known golf resort in Hawaii, thanks to the PGA Kapalua Mercedes Championship played here each January. The Bay and Village courses are vintage Arnold Palmer designs; the Plantation Course is a strong Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore design.

Wailea Courses (Maui; tel. 808/875-7450): On Maui's sunbaked south shore stands Wailea Resort, the hot spot for golf in the islands. Three resort courses complement a string of beachfront hotels: The Blue Course is an Arthur Jack Snyder design, while Robert Trent Jones, Jr., is the mastermind behind the Emerald and Gold courses. All three boast outstanding views of the Pacific and the mid-Hawaiian islands.

The Lanai Courses (Lanai; tel. 808/565-GOLF): For quality and seclusion, nothing in Hawaii can touch Lanai's two resort offerings. The Experience at Koele, designed by Ted Robinson and Greg Norman, and The Challenge at Manele, a wonderful Jack Nicklaus effort with ocean views from every hole, both rate among Hawaii's best courses.

Poipu Bay Golf Course (Kauai; tel. 808/742-8711): On Kauai's flat, dry south shore is a 210-acre, links-style course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. The course, which hosts the PGA Tour's Grand Slam of Golf, is not only scenically spectacular but is also a lot of fun to play. A flock of native Hawaiian nene geese frequents the course's lakes, and you can often see whales, monk seals, and green sea turtles along the shore.

Princeville Golf Club (Kauai; tel. 800/826-1105): Here you'll find 45 of the best tropical holes of golf in the world, all the work of Robert Trent Jones, Jr. They range along green bluffs below sharp mountain peaks and offer stunning views in every direction. The 18-hole Prince course, one of the top three courses in Hawaii, provides a round of golf few ever forget. It winds along 390 acres of scenic tableland bisected by tropical jungles, waterfalls, streams, and ravines.

Hawaii Best Luxury Hotels

Halekulani (Oahu; tel. 800/367-2343; www.halekulani.com): When price is no object, this is really the only place to stay. An oasis of calm amid the buzz, this beach hotel is the finest Waikiki has to offer (heck, I think it's the finest in the state). Even if you don't stay here, pop by for a sunset mai tai to hear Sonny Kamehele sing the old hapa-haole tunes of the 1930s and 1940s while a lovely hula dancer sways to the music.

Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii (Oahu; tel. 800/367-2525; www.mandarinoriental.com): This palatial oceanside resort has the grace and elegance of a softer, gentler time, when all of Hawaii moved at a more leisurely pace. Its old Hawaii spirit is accented with pan-Asian touches and all the conveniences you could wish for, including a fabulously secluded beach. And the location, 10 minutes from Waikiki in the quiet residential community of Kahala, rounds out the get-away-from-it-all vibe and keeps everything close at hand at the same time.

Turtle Bay Resort (Oahu; tel. 800/203-3650; www.turtlebayresort.com): After a $35-million renovation, this once-sterling hotel is back. The resort is spectacular: an hour's drive from Waikiki, but eons away in its country feeling. Sitting on 808 acres, this place is loaded with activities and 5 miles of shoreline with secluded white-sand coves. All the rooms have great views, but if you can afford it, book the separate beach cottages. Positioned right on the ocean (the views alone are worth the price), the 42 bungalows have been renovated (hardwood floors, poster beds with feather comforters) and have their own check-in and private concierge; it's like a hotel within a hotel.

Kona Village Resort (Big Island; tel. 800/367-5290; www.konavillage.com): This is the best place in Hawaii if you want to stay in a vintage Polynesian village-style resort. The sublimely peaceful, eclectic Polynesian village, with thatched huts and various styles of Pacific architecture clustered by the big blue ocean, stands on 82 coastal acres of palms and tropical flowers. The authenticity and isolation of this oasis revive wounded urban souls, who swing in hammocks, splash like children in the bay, actually smile when spoken to, and move slowly with the calm and grace that come from great leisure. Why anyone ever leaves is a wonder.

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaupulehu (Big Island; tel. 888/340-5662; www.fourseasons.com/hualalai): Private pools, unimpeded ocean views, excellent food, and a new 18-hole championship golf course -- what more could any mortal want? This new low-impact, high-ticket hideaway under the dormant Hualalai Volcano ups the ante with its residential resort of two-story bungalows clustered around five seaside swimming pools on a black lagoon.

Hotel Hana-Maui (Maui; tel. 800/321-HANA; www.hotelhanamaui.com): Picture Shangri-La, Hawaiian-style: 66 acres rolling down to the sea in a remote Hawaiian village, with a wellness center, two pools, and access to one of the best beaches in Hana. Cathedral ceilings, a plush feather bed, a giant-size soaking tub, Hawaiian artwork, bamboo hardwood floors -- this is luxury. The white-sand beach (just a 5-min. shuttle away), top-notch wellness center with some of the best massage therapists in Hawaii, and numerous activities (horseback riding, mountain biking, tennis, pitch-and-putt golf) all add up to make this one of the top resorts in the state. I highly recommend this little slice of paradise.

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (Maui; tel. 800/334-MAUI; www.fourseasons.com/maui): This is the ultimate beach hotel for latter-day royals, with excellent cuisine, spacious rooms, gracious service, and Wailea Beach, one of Maui's best gold-sand strips, out the front door. Every guest room has at least a partial ocean view from a private lanai. The luxury suites, as big as some Honolulu condos, are full of marble and deluxe appointments.

The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui (Maui; tel. 800/659-4100; www.kealani.com): This is the place to get your money's worth: For the price of a hotel room, you get an entire suite -- plus a few extras. Each unit in this all-suite luxury hotel has a kitchenette, a living room with entertainment center and sofa bed (great if you have the kids in tow), a marble wet bar, an oversize marble bathroom with separate shower big enough for a party, a spacious bedroom, and a large lanai that overlooks the pools, lawns, and white-sand beach.

The Lodge at Molokai Ranch (Molokai; tel. 888/627-8082; www.molokairanch.com): This quaint 22-room inn in Maunaloa sits on 8 nicely landscaped acres in the rolling hills of Maunaloa town. Designed to resemble a 1930s-style Hawaii ranch owner's private home, the Lodge features a giant fireplace, huge wooden beam construction, panoramic views, and lots of details (cuffed cowboy boots beside the door, old books lining the shelves) to make it look and feel like a real ranch. Guests step back in time to a Hawaii of yesteryear. The beach is 6 miles and about a 20-minute car ride away.

The Lodge at Koele (Lanai; tel. 800/321-4666; www.lanai-resorts.com): The Lodge, as folks here call it, stands in a 21-acre grove of Norfolk Island pines at 1,700 feet above sea level, 8 miles inland from any beach. The 102-room resort resembles a grand English country estate. Inside, heavy timbers, beamed ceilings, and the two huge stone fireplaces of the Great Hall complete the look. The guest rooms continue the English theme with four-poster beds, sitting areas (complete with window seats), flowery wallpaper, formal writing desks, and luxury bathrooms with oversize tubs. There are plenty of activities here and at the sister resort, the Manele Bay Resort, down the hill on the ocean.

Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa (Kauai; tel. 800/55-HYATT; www.kauai.hyatt.com): This Art Deco beach hotel recalls Hawaii in the 1920s -- before the crash -- when gentlemen in blue blazers and ladies in summer frocks came to the islands to learn to surf and play the ukulele. The hotel's architecture and location, on the sunny side of Kauai, make this the island's best hotel. The beach is a bit too rough for swimming, but the saltwater swimming pool is the biggest on the island. An old-fashioned reading room by the sea houses club chairs, billiards, and a bar well stocked with cognac and port. Golf, horseback riding, and the shops of Koloa, a former plantation town, are nearby diversions.

Princeville Resort Kauai (Kauai; tel. 800/826-4400; www.princeville.com): This palace of green marble and sparkling chandeliers recalls Hawaii's monarchy period of the 19th century. It's set in one of the most remarkable locations in the world, on a cliff between the crystal-blue waters of Hanalei Bay and steepled mountains; you arrive on the ninth floor and go down to the beach. Opulent rooms with magnificent views and all the activities of Princeville and Hanalei make this one of Hawaii's finest resorts.

Hawaii Best Moderately Priced Hotels

Doubletree Alana Waikiki (Oahu; tel. 800/222-TREE; www.doubletreealana.com): This hotel, located within walking distance of Waikiki Beach, offers beautiful, comfortable rooms and the kind of prompt service that you usually get only at twice the price (rack rates here start at $199). Downstairs is the excellent cuisine of Chef Phillip Padovani in Padovani's Restaurant and Wine Bar.

Santa's by the Sea (Oahu; tel. 800/262-9912; www.bestbnb.com): Setting, price ($165 a night), and style make this a great choice if you plan to see Oahu's north shore. Santa's is one of the few North Shore B&Bs right on the beach -- and not just any beach, but the famous Banzai Pipeline. You can go from your bed to the sand in less than 30 seconds -- it's the perfect spot to watch the sun rise over the Pacific. The impeccable one-bedroom units feature finely crafted woodwork and bay windows.

Holualoa Inn (Big Island; tel. 800/392-1812; www.holualoainn.com): The quiet, secluded setting of this B&B -- 40 pastoral acres just off the main drag of the artsy village of Holualoa, on the slopes at 1,350 feet above Kailua-Kona -- provides stunning panoramic views of the entire coast. This contemporary 7,000-square-foot Hawaiian home built of golden woods has six private suites (starting at $175) and window-walls that roll back to embrace the gardens and views. Cows graze on the bucolic pastures below the garden Jacuzzi and pool, and the coffee plantation on the property is the source of the morning brew.

Kona Tiki Hotel (Big Island; tel. 808/329-1425; www.konatiki.com): Right on the ocean, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Kailua-Kona, is one of the hottest budget deals in Hawaii: tastefully decorated rooms with private lanais overlooking the ocean, starting at just $61 a night! Although it's called a hotel, this small, family-run operation is more like a large B&B, with plenty of friendly conversation around the pool at the morning continental breakfast buffet.

Waipio Wayside B&B Inn (Big Island; tel. 800/833-8849; www.waipiowayside.com): Jackie Horne renovated this 1938 Hamakua sugar supervisor's home -- nestled among fruit trees and surrounded with sweet-smelling ginger, fragile orchids, and blooming birds of paradise -- and transformed it into a gracious B&B. Just minutes from the Waipio Valley Lookout and Honokaa village, this comfy five-bedroom house abounds with thoughtful touches, such as a help-yourself tea-and-cookies bar with 26 different kinds of tea. Jackie's friendly hospitality and excellent continental breakfasts really round out the experience. Rooms start at $95 for two.

Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono (Maui; tel. 800/305-4899; www.mauiinn.com): This 1924 former plantation manager's home, lovingly restored, offers a genuine old Hawaii experience. The theme is Hawaii of the 1920s and 1930s, with decor, design, and landscaping to match. The spacious rooms are gorgeously outfitted with exotic ohia-wood floors, high ceilings, and traditional Hawaiian quilts. A full gourmet breakfast is served on the enclosed back lanai or, if you prefer, delivered to your room. The inn is located in the old historic area of Wailuku, about 10 to 15 minutes to the beach. Once you settle in, you may not want to leave -- with rooms starting at $125 for a double, you can afford to stay a while.

Pineapple Inn Maui (Maui; tel. 877/212-MAUI (6284); www.pineappleinnmaui.com): This charming inn (only four rooms, plus a cottage) is not only an exquisite find, but a terrific value. Located in the residential Maui Meadows area, with panoramic ocean views, this two-story inn (one side of the building is the owner's home) is expertly landscaped in tropical flowers and plants with a lily pond in the front and a giant saltwater pool and Jacuzzi overlooking the ocean. Each of the sound-proof rooms is expertly decorated with a small kitchenette, comfy bed, free wireless access, TV/VCR, and an incredible view off your own private lanai. Prices start at $99. If you need more room, they also offer a darling two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage.

Dunbar Beachfront Cottages (Molokai; tel. 800/673-0520; www.molokai-beachfront-cottages.com): Each of these green-and-white plantation-style cottages sits on its own secluded beach -- you'll feel like you're on your own private island. Impeccable decor, a magical setting, and reasonable rates ($170 for two) make these cottages a must-stay.

Hotel Lanai (Lanai; tel. 800/795-7211; www.hotellanai.com): Lanai's only budget lodging is a simple, down-home, plantation-era relic that has recently been Laura Ashley-ized. The Hotel Lanai is homey, funky, and fun -- and, best of all, a real bargain (starting at $105 for two) compared to its ritzy neighbors.

Victoria Place (Kauai; tel. 808/332-9300; www.hshawaii.com/kvp/victoria): This is my favorite bed-and-breakfast on Kauai. The reason to stay here? Two words: Edee Seymour. It's easy to see why she won the Kauai Chamber of Commerce's Aloha Spirit Award. Her motto is "We pamper!" She lavishes her guests with attention and aloha. Her spacious, sky-lit, U-shaped house wraps around the swimming pool and garden. Most of her guests are returnees. As a couple from Germany told us, "Once you stay with Edee, every place else is cold and indifferent." Fantastic rates start at $90.

Kauai Country Inn (Kauai; tel. 808/821-0207; www.kauaicountryinn.com): It's hard to believe that nestled in the rolling hills behind Kapaa, this old-fashioned country inn exists. Each of the four suites (starting at just $95) is uniquely decorated in Hawaiian Art Deco with a touch of humor, complete with hardwood floors, private bathrooms, kitchen or kitchenette, your own computer with high-speed connection, and lots of little extra amenities. Everything is top-drawer from the furniture to the sub-zero refrigerator. They recently added a two-bedroom country cottage for families with young children. The grounds are immaculate, and you can pick as much organic fruit as you want.

Hawaii Best Natural Attractions

Volcanoes: The entire island chain is made of volcanoes; don't miss the opportunity to see one. On Oahu the entire family can hike to the top of the ancient volcano, world-famous Diamond Head. At the other end of the spectrum is fire-breathing Kilauea at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on the Big Island, where you can get an up-close-and-personal experience with the red-hot lava ooze. On Maui, Haleakala National Park provides a bird's-eye view into a long-dormant volcanic crater.

Waterfalls: Rushing waterfalls thundering downward into sparkling freshwater pools are some of Hawaii's most beautiful natural wonders. If you're on the Big Island, stop by Rainbow Falls in Hilo or the spectacular 442-foot Akaka Falls, just outside the city. On Maui the Road to Hana offers numerous viewing opportunities; at the end of the drive, you'll find Oheo Gulch (also known as the Seven Sacred Pools), with some of the most dramatic and accessible waterfalls on the islands. Kauai is loaded with waterfalls, especially along the North Shore and in the Wailua area, where you'll find 40-foot Opaekaa Falls, probably the best-looking drive-up waterfall on Kauai. With scenic mountain peaks in the background and a restored Hawaiian village on the nearby riverbanks, the Opaekaa Falls are what the tourist-bureau folks call an eye-popping photo-op.

Gardens: The islands are redolent with the sweet scent of flowers. For a glimpse of the full breadth and beauty of Hawaii's spectacular range of tropical flora, we suggest spending an afternoon at a lush garden. On Oahu, amid the high-rises of downtown Honolulu, the leafy oasis of Foster Botanical Garden showcases 26 native Hawaiian trees and the last stand of several rare trees, including an East African, whose white flowers bloom only at night. On the Big Island, Liliuokalani Gardens, the largest formal Japanese garden this side of Tokyo, resembles a postcard from Asia, with bonsai, carp ponds, pagodas, and even a moon-gate bridge. At Maui's Kula Botanical Garden, you can take a leisurely self-guided stroll through more than 700 native and exotic plants, including orchids, proteas, and bromeliads. On lush Kauai, Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens, on some 240 acres, is sprinkled with some 70 life-size (some larger than life-size) whimsical bronze statues, hidden off the beaten path of the North Shore.

Marine Life Conservation Areas: Nine underwater parks are spread across Hawaii, most notably Waikiki Beach and Hanauma Bay on Oahu; the Big Island's Kealakekua Bay; Molokini, just off the coast of Maui; and Lanai's Manele and Hulopoe bays. Be sure to bring snorkel gear to at least one of these wonderful places during your vacation.

Garden of the Gods (Lanai): Out on Lanai's north shore lies the ultimate rock garden: a rugged, barren, beautiful place full of rocks strewn by volcanic forces and molded by the elements into a variety of shapes and colors -- brilliant reds, oranges, ochers, and yellows. Scientists use phrases such as "ongoing posterosional event" or "plain and simple badlands" to describe the desolate, windswept place. The ancient Hawaiians, however, considered the Garden of the Gods to be an entirely supernatural phenomenon. Natural badlands or mystical garden? Take a four-wheel-drive trip out here and decide for yourself.

Waimea Canyon (Kauai): This valley, known for its reddish lava beds, reminds everyone who sees it of Arizona's Grand Canyon. Kauai's version is bursting with ever-changing color, just like its namesake, but it's smaller -- only a mile wide, 3,567 feet deep, and 12 miles long. All this grandeur was caused by a massive earthquake that sent all the streams flowing into a single river, which then carved this picturesque canyon. You can stop by the road and look at it, hike down into it, or swoop through it by helicopter.

Hawaii Best Spots for Sunset Cocktails

Duke's Canoe Club, at the Outrigger Waikiki (Oahu; tel. 808/922-2268): It's crowded in the evening, but who can resist Hawaiian music with Waikiki sand still on your feet? Come in from the beach or the street -- it's always a party at Duke's. Entertainment here is tops, reaching a crescendo at sunset.

House Without a Key, at the Halekulani (Oahu; tel. 808/923-2311): Oahu's quintessential sunset oasis offers a view of Diamond Head, great hula and steel-guitar music, and the best mai tais on the island -- all under a century-old kiawe tree. Even jaded locals are unable to resist the lure.

Mai Tai Bar, at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (Oahu; tel. 808/923-7311): This bar without walls is perched a few feet from the sand, with pleasing views of the south shore and the Waianae Mountains. Surfers and paddlers ride the waves while Diamond Head acquires a golden sunset halo. Sip a mighty mai tai while Carmen and Keith Haugen serenade you.

Sunset Lanai Lounge, at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel (Oahu; tel. 808/923-1555): The hau tree here shaded Robert Louis Stevenson as he wrote poems to Princess Kaiulani; today, it frames the ocean view from the Sunset Lanai Lounge. This lounge is the favorite watering hole of Diamond Head-area beachgoers, who love Sans Souci beach, the ocean view, the mai tais, and the live music during weekend sunset hours.

Jameson's by the Sea (Oahu; tel. 808/637-6272): The mai tais here are dubbed the best in surf city, and the view, though not perfect, doesn't hurt either. Across the street from the harbor, this open-air roadside oasis is a happy stop for North Shore wave-watchers and sunset-savvy sightseers.

Huggo's on the Rocks (Big Island; tel. 808/329-1493): Here's a thatched-bar fantasy that's really on the rocks. This mound of thatch, rock, and grassy-sandy ground right next to Huggo's restaurant is a sunset lover's nirvana. Sip a tropical drink while reclining on a chaise and nosh on island-style appetizers while the ocean laps at your feet.

Beach Tree Bar and Grill, at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (Big Island; tel. 808/325-8000): The bar on the beach seats only a handful, but the restaurant will accept the overflow. This is the finest sunset perch in North Kona, with consummate people-watching, tasty drinks, and the gorgeous ocean. The open-air restaurant, with Hawaiian music and hula dancing at sunset, also serves excellent fare.

Kimo's (Maui; tel. 808/661-4811): An oceanfront dining room and deck, upstairs dining, and happy-hour drinks draw a fun-loving Lahaina crowd. Nibble on sashimi or nachos and take in the views of Lanai and Molokai.

Hula Grill (Maui; tel. 808/667-6636): Sit outdoors at the Barefoot Bar, order drinks and macadamia nut/crab won tons, and marvel at the wonders of West Maui, where the sun sets slowly and Lanai looks like a giant whale offshore. It's simply magical.

Hawaii Family Hotels & Resorts

Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa (Oahu; tel. 800/HILTONS; www.hawaiianvillage.hilton.com): The Rainbow Express is Hilton's year-round daily program of activities for children ages 5 to 12. The program costs $50 for a full day, including lunch, and offers a wide range of educational and fun activities. Everything about this hotel is kid-friendly, from the wildlife parading about the grounds to the submarine dives offered just out front. In three of the resort's restaurants, kids ages 4 to 11 eat free.

J. W. Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina Resort (Oahu; tel. 800/626-4446; www.ihilani.com): This resort on Oahu's virgin leeward coast is a haven of relaxation and tropical fun for travelers of all ages. The Keiki Beachcomber Club, for children ages 5 to 12, is available daily. Activities (9am-3pm) range from kite-flying, tide-pool exploration, and snorkeling to Hawaiian cultural activities. The cost is $58 per child.

Kona Village Resort (Big Island; tel. 800/367-5290; www.konavillage.com): This is a parent's dream: custom-designed programs to entertain your kids, from tots to teenagers, from dawn to well after dusk, all at no charge. There's even a dinner seating for children, so Mom and Dad can enjoy an intimate dinner for two later in the evening.

The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii (Big Island; tel. 800/845-9905; www.fairmont.com): The Keiki Aloha program, for kids 5 to 12 years old, features supervised activities from watersports to Hawaiian cultural games for $60 for the full day. The resort has some great money-saving deals; for example, children 5 and under eat free at various restaurants in the resort.

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (Maui; tel. 800/334-MAUI; www.fourseasons.com/maui): The most kid-friendly hotel on Maui not only offers a complimentary kids program year-round and an everyday activities center (daily 9am-5pm), but also makes the children feel welcome with extras such as complimentary milk and cookies on their first day and children's menus at all resort restaurants and even from room service.

Hyatt Regency Maui (Maui; tel. 800/233-1234; www.maui.hyatt.com): The Camp Hyatt program, which takes children as young as 5 years old (and as old as 12), operates daily from 9am to 3pm and offers young guests a range of activities, from "Olympic Games" to a scavenger hunt. The cost is $60 for a full day.

Aloha Beach House (Molokai; tel. 888/828-1008; www.molokaivacation.com): This Hawaiian-style beach house sits right on the white-sand beach of Waialua on the lush East End. Perfect for families, this impeccably decorated, two-bedroom, 1,600-square-foot beach house has a huge open living/dining/kitchen area that opens out to an old-fashioned porch for meals or just sitting in the comfy chairs and watching the clouds roll by. It's fully equipped, from the complete kitchen, to a VCR (plus a library of videos), to all the beach toys you can think of. A family of five can stay here for just $220.

Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa (Kauai; tel. 800/55-HYATT; www.kauai.hyatt.com): In addition to the Camp Hyatt program (for kids ages 3-12), it's the collection of swimming pools -- freshwater and salt, with slides, waterfalls, and secret lagoons -- that makes this oceanfront Hyatt a real kids' paradise. During the summer months and the holiday season, there's Rock Hyatt, an activity room for teens to gather in and play electronic games. Summertime also boasts Family Fun Theatre Nights, when the whole family can enjoy a showing of one of the more than 400 movies filmed on Kauai.

Best of Underwater Hawaii

Hanauma Bay (Oahu): It can get crowded, but for clear, warm, calm waters, an abundance of fish that are so friendly they'll swim right up to your face mask, a beautiful setting, and easy access, there's no place like Hanauma Bay. Just wade in waist-deep and look down to see more than 50 species of reef and inshore fish. Snorkelers hug the safe, shallow inner bay -- it's like swimming in an outdoor aquarium. Serious divers shoot "the slot," a passage through the reef, to enter Witch's Brew, a turbulent cove.

Kahaluu Beach (Big Island): The calm, shallow waters of Kahaluu are perfect for beginning snorkelers or those who are unsure of their swimming abilities and want the comfort of being able to stand up at any time. The sunlight through the shallow waters casts a dazzling spotlight on the colorful sea life and coral formations. If you listen closely, you can actually hear the parrotfish feeding.

Kealakekua Bay (Big Island): Mile-wide Kealakekua Bay, at the foot of massive U-shaped sea cliffs, is rich with marine life, snorkelers, and history. A white obelisk marks the spot where, in 1778, the great British navigator Capt. James Cook, who charted most of the Pacific, was killed by Hawaiians. The bay itself is a marine sanctuary that teems with schools of polychromatic tropical fish.

Molokini (Maui): The islet of Molokini is shaped like a crescent moon that fell from the sky. Its shallow concave side serves as a sheltering backstop against sea currents for tiny tropical fish; its opposite side is a deep-water cliff inhabited by spiny lobsters, moray eels, and white-tipped sharks. Neophyte snorkelers should report to the concave side, experienced scuba divers the other. The clear water and abundant marine life make this islet off the Makena Coast one of Hawaii's most popular dive spots, so expect crowds.

Kee Beach (Kauai): Where the road ends on the North Shore, you'll find a dandy little reddish-gold-sand beach almost too beautiful to be real. It borders a reef-protected cove at the foot of fluted volcanic cliffs. Swimming and snorkeling are safe inside the reef, where long-nosed butterfly fish flitter about and schools of taape (bluestripe snapper) swarm over the coral.

Hawaii Best Island Experiences

Hitting the Beach: A beach is a beach is a beach, right? Not in Hawaii. With 132 islets, shoals, and reefs, plus a general coastline of 750 miles, Hawaii has beaches in all different shapes, sizes, and colors, including black. The variety on the six major islands is astonishing; you could go to a different beach every day for years and still not see them all.

Taking the Plunge: Don mask, fin, and snorkel and explore the magical world beneath the surface, where you'll find exotic corals and kaleidoscopic clouds of tropical fish -- a sea turtle may even come over to check you out. Can't swim? That's no excuse -- take one of the many submarine tours offered by Atlantis Submarines (tel. 800/548-6262; www.go-atlantis.com) on Oahu, the Big Island, and Maui.

Meeting Local Folks: If you go to Hawaii and see only people like the ones back home, you might as well not have come. Extend yourself -- leave your hotel, go out and meet the locals, and learn about Hawaii and its people. Just smile and say "Owzit?" -- which means "How is it?" ("It's good," is the usual response) -- and you're on your way to making a new friend. Hawaii is remarkably cosmopolitan; every ethnic group in the world seems to be represented here. There's a huge diversity of food, culture, language, and customs.

Feeling History Come Alive at Pearl Harbor (Oahu): The United States could turn its back on World War II no longer after December 7, 1941, when Japanese warplanes bombed Pearl Harbor. Standing on the deck of the USS Arizona Memorial (tel. 808/422-0561; www.nps.gov/usar) -- the eternal tomb for the 1,177 sailors and Marines trapped below when the battleship sank in just 9 minutes -- is a moving experience you'll never forget. Also in Pearl Harbor, you can visit the USS Missouri Memorial, where World War II came to an end. The Japanese signed their surrender on the deck of this 58,000-ton battleship on September 2, 1945.

Watching for Whales: If you happen to be in Hawaii during humpback-whale season (roughly Dec-Apr), don't miss the opportunity to see these gentle giants. A host of boats -- from small inflatables to high-tech, high-speed sailing catamarans -- offer a range of whale-watching cruises on every island. One of my favorites is along the Big Island's Kona Coast, where Capt. Dan McSweeney's Year-Round Whale-Watching Adventures (tel. 808/322-0028; www.ilovewhales.com) takes you right to the whales year-round (pilot, sperm, false killer, melon-headed, pygmy killer, and beaked whales call Hawaii home even when humpbacks aren't in residence). A whale researcher for more than 25 years, Captain Dan frequently drops an underwater microphone or video camera into the depths so you can listen to whale songs and maybe actually see what's going on.

Creeping Up to the Ooze (Big Island): Kilauea volcano has been adding land to the Big Island continuously since 1983. If conditions are right, you can walk up to the red-hot lava and see it ooze along, or you can stand at the shoreline and watch with awe as 2,000°F (1,092°C) molten fire pours into the ocean. You can also take to the air in a helicopter and see the Volcano Goddess's work from above.

Going Big-Game Fishing off the Kona Coast (Big Island): Don't pass up the opportunity to try your luck in the sportfishing capital of the world, where 1,000-pound marlin are taken from the sea just about every month of the year. Not looking to set a world record? Kona's charter-boat captains specialize in conservation and will be glad to tag any fish you angle, then let it go so someone else can have the fun of fighting a big-game fish tomorrow.

Greeting the Rising Sun from atop Haleakala (Maui): Bundle up in warm clothing, fill a thermos full of hot java, and drive up to the summit to watch the sky turn from inky black to muted charcoal as a small sliver of orange light forms on the horizon. There's something about standing at 10,000 feet, breathing in the rarefied air, and watching the first rays of sun streak across the sky. This is a mystical experience of the first magnitude.

Riding a Mule to Kalaupapa (Molokai): If you have only a day to spend on Molokai, spend it on a mule. The trek from "topside" Molokai to Kalaupapa National Historic Park (Father Damien's world-famous leper colony) with Molokai Mule Ride (tel. 800/567-7550; www.muleride.com) is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The cliffs are taller than 300-story skyscrapers, but Buzzy Sproat's surefooted mules go up and down the narrow 2.9-mile trail daily, rain or shine, and he's never lost a rider or a mount on the 26 switchbacks. Even if you can't afford to mule or helicopter in, don't pass up the opportunity to see this hauntingly beautiful peninsula. If you're in good shape and brought hiking boots with you, you can get a permit (available at the trail head) and hike down the trail. The views are breathtaking: You'll see the world's highest sea cliffs and waterfalls plunging thousands of feet into the ocean.

Taking a Day Trip to Lanai (Maui): If you'd like to visit Lanai but have only a day to spare, consider taking a day trip. Trilogy (tel. 800/874-2666 or 808/661-4743; www.sailtrilogy.com) offers an all-day sailing, snorkeling, and whale-watching adventure. Trilogy is the only outfitter with rights to Hulopoe Beach, and the trip includes a minivan tour of the little isle (pop. 3,500). You can also take Expedition's Lahaina/Lanai Passenger Ferry (tel. 808/661-3756; www.go-lanai.com) from Maui to Lanai, then rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle from Dollar Rent-A-Car (tel. 800/588-7808) for a day of backcountry exploring and beach fun.

Soaring Over the Na Pali Coast (Kauai): This is the only way to see the spectacular, surreal beauty of Kauai. Your helicopter will dip low over razor-thin cliffs, fluttering past sparkling waterfalls, and swooping down into the canyons and valleys of the fabled Na Pali Coast. The only problem is that there's too much beauty to absorb, and it all goes by in a rush.

The Best Resorts & Spas Hawaii

Spa Suites at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental (Oahu; tel. 808/739-8938; www.mandarinoriental.com): The Kahala Mandarin Oriental has taken the concept of spa as a journey into relaxation to a new level with former garden rooms converted to individual spas, each with a glass-enclosed shower, private changing area, infinity-edge deep soaking Jacuzzi tub, and personal relaxation area. No detail is overlooked, from the warm foot bath when you arrive to the refreshing hot tea served on your personal enclosed garden lanai after your relaxation treatment.

Ihilani Spa at the J. W. Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa (Oahu; tel. 800/626-4446; www.ihilani.com): An oasis by the sea, this freestanding 35,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to the traditional spa definition of "health by water." This modern, multistoried spa, filled with floor-to-ceiling glass looking out on green tropical plants, combines Hawaiian products with traditional therapies to produce some of the best water treatments in the state. You'll also find a fitness center, tennis courts, and a bevy of aerobic and stretching classes.

SpaHalekulani, Halekulani hotel (Oahu; tel. 808/923-2311; www.halekulani.com): This is Waikiki's first spa to explore the healing traditions of the Pacific islands, as well as Hawaii. Like everything else at the top-rated Halekulani hotel, the spa is truly a heavenly experience, from the time you step into the elegantly appointed, intimate spa and experience the foot massage to the last whiff of fragrant maile, their signature scent. Spa connoisseurs should try something unique, like the Polynesian Nonu, a Samoan-inspired massage using stones.

Turtle Bay Resort (Oahu; tel. 800/203-3650; www.turtlebayresort.com): This new, Zen-like spa positioned on the ground floor facing the ocean has six treatment rooms, a meditation waiting area, an outdoor workout area, plus a complete fitness center and a private elevator to the rooms on the second floor, reserved for guests getting spa treatments.

Hualalai Sports Club and Spa at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaupulehu (Big Island; tel. 888/340-5662; www.fourseasons.com/hualalai): It's easy to see why some 6,000 Condé Nast readers voted this 13,000-square-foot facility their favorite resort spa. Five of its 16 treatment rooms are thatched huts (with bamboo privacy screens) nestled into a tropical garden. This is the place to come to be pampered. The fitness facilities, classes, and adventure activities are all excellent, but the attentive service and dreamy facilities are what you will remember long after your vacation.

Kohala Spa at the Hilton Waikoloa Village (Big Island; tel. 800/HILTONS; www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com): The Big Island's oldest (since 1989) spa has something for everyone, including 33 treatment rooms, 50 classes, and a variety of sports ranging from racquetball to indoor rock climbing. Treatments are on the cutting edge and include such unique therapies as acupuncture facials and astrological readings. Spend the day luxuriating in the lava whirlpool, steam room, and sauna before or after your treatment.

Spa Grande at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa (Maui; tel. 800/888-6100; www.grandwailea.com): This is Hawaii's biggest spa, at 50,000 square feet, with 40 treatment rooms. The spa incorporates the best of the Old World (romantic ceiling murals, larger-than-life Roman-style sculptures, mammoth Greek columns, huge European tubs); the finest Eastern traditions (a full Japanese-style traditional bath and various exotic treatments from India); and the lure of the islands (tropical foliage, ancient Hawaiian treatments, and island products). This spa has everything from a top fitness center to a menu of classes and is constantly on the cutting edge of the latest trends.

Spa Moana at the Hyatt Regency Maui (Maui; tel. 800/233-1234; www.maui.hyatt.com): You cannot match the location -- this is Hawaii's only oceanfront spa. The 20,000-square-foot spa houses 15 relaxing treatment rooms and features one of the island's best full-service fitness centers, plus a relaxation lounge, a romantic couples' treatment room, a salon/retail shop, and new treatments for kids and teenagers.

Spa Kea Lani at The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui (Maui; tel. 800/659-4100; www.kealani.com): Come to this intimate, Art Deco boutique spa (just a little over 5,000 sq. ft., with nine treatment rooms), which opened in 1999, for personal and private attention. The fitness center is just next door.

ANARA Spa at the Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa (Kauai; tel. 80808/240-6440; www.anaraspa.com): Come here to get rid of stress and to be soothed and pampered in a Hawaiian atmosphere, where the spirit of aloha reigns. An elegant 25,000-square-foot spa, ANARA (A New Age Restorative Approach) focuses on Hawaiian culture and healing, with some 16 treatment rooms, a lap pool, fitness facilities, lava rock showers that open to the tropical air, outdoor whirlpools, a 24-head Swiss shower, Turkish steam rooms, Finnish saunas, and botanical soaking tubs. Recent renovations make this spa even more serene and relaxing. The four-handed massage (two therapists at once) is not be missed.

Princeville Health Club & Spa, Princeville Resort Kauai (Kauai; tel. 808/826-5030): This spa offers good value. Not only are the treatments a full 60 minutes (versus the standard 50 min. in most spas), but prices are also quite a bit lower. Just a short 7-minute drive (via the free resort shuttle) from the Princeville Hotel, this 10,000-square-foot boutique spa has amenities like a 25m heated lap pool, outdoor whirlpool, sauna, steam room, five treatment rooms (plus massage cabanas poolside at the hotel), exercise classes, a weight room, a cardio room, and even babysitting services.

Hawaii Cuisine

Peter Merriman, a founding member of Hawaii Regional Cuisine (HRC) and a recipient of the James Beard Award for Best Chef/Northwest/Hawaii (along with George Mavrothalassitis of Chef Mavro Restaurant), describes the current trend in Hawaii as a refinement, a tweaking upward, of everything from fine dining to down-home local cooking. This means sesame- or nori-crusted fresh catch on plate-lunch menus, and huli huli chicken at five-diamond eateries, paired with Beaujolais and leeks and gourmet long rice.

At the same time, says Merriman, HRC, the style of cooking that put Hawaii on the international culinary map, has become watered down, a buzzword: "A lot of restaurants are paying lip service."

As it is with things au courant, it is easy to make a claim but another thing to live up to it. As Merriman points out, HRC was never solely about technique; it is equally about ingredients and the chef's creativity and integrity. "We continue to get local inspiration," says Merriman. "We've never restricted ourselves." If there is a fabulous French or Thai dish, chefs like Merriman will prepare it with local ingredients and add a creative edge that makes it distinctively Hawaii Regional.

HRC was established in the mid-1980s in a culinary revolution that catapulted Hawaii into the global epicurean arena. The international training, creative vigor, fresh ingredients, and cross-cultural menus of the 12 original HRC chefs have made the islands a dining destination applauded nationwide. (In a tip of the toque to island tradition, ahi -- a word ubiquitous in Hawaii -- has replaced tuna on many chic New York menus.)

While in Hawaii, you'll encounter many labels that embrace the fundamentals of HRC and the sophistication, informality, and nostalgia it encompasses. Euro-Asian, Pacific Rim, Indo-Pacific, Euro-Pacific, fusion cuisine -- by whatever name, Hawaii Regional Cuisine has evolved as Hawaii's singular cooking style. It highlights the fresh seafood and produce of Hawaii's rich waters and volcanic soil, the cultural traditions of Hawaii's ethnic groups, and the skills of well-trained chefs, who broke ranks with their European predecessors to forge new ground in the 50th state.

Fresh ingredients are foremost here. Farmers and fishermen work together to provide steady supplies of just-harvested seafood, seaweed, fern shoots, vine-ripened tomatoes, goat cheese, lamb, herbs, taro, gourmet lettuces, and countless harvests from land and sea. These ingredients wind up in myriad forms on ever-changing menus, prepared in Asian and Western culinary styles. Exotic fruits introduced by recent Southeast Asian emigrants -- such as sapodilla, soursop, and rambutan -- are beginning to appear regularly in Chinatown markets. Aquacultured seafood, from seaweed to salmon to lobster, is a staple on many menus. Additionally, fresh-fruit sauces (mango, litchi, papaya, pineapple, guava), ginger-sesame-wasabi flavorings, corn cakes with sake sauces, tamarind and fish sauces, coconut-chile accents, tropical-fruit vinaigrettes, and other local and newly arrived seasonings from Southeast Asia and the Pacific impart unique qualities to the preparations.

Here's a sampling of what you can expect to find on a Hawaii Regional menu: seared Hawaiian fish with lilikoi shrimp butter; taro-crab cakes; Pahoa corn cakes; Molokai sweet-potato or breadfruit vichyssoise; Ka'u orange sauce and Kahua Ranch lamb; fern shoots from Waipio Valley; Maui onion soup and Hawaiian bouillabaisse, with fresh snapper, Kona crab, and fresh aquacultured shrimp; blackened ahi summer rolls; herb-crusted onaga; and gourmet Waimanalo greens, picked that day. You may also encounter locally made cheeses, squash and taro risottos, Polynesian imu-baked foods, and guava-smoked meats. If there's pasta or risotto or rack of lamb on the menu, it could be nori (red algae) linguine with opihi (limpet) sauce, or risotto with local seafood served in taro cups, or rack of lamb in cabernet and hoisin sauce (fermented soybean, garlic, and spices). Watch for ponzu sauce, too; it's lemony and zesty, much more flavorful than the soy sauce it resembles.

Plate Lunches & More: Local Food--At the other end of the spectrum is the vast and endearing world of "local food." By that I mean plate lunches and poke, shave ice and saimin, bento lunches and manapua -- cultural hybrids all.

Reflecting a polyglot population of many styles and ethnicities, Hawaii's idiosyncratic dining scene is eminently inclusive. Consider Surfer Chic: Barefoot in the sand, in a swimsuit, you chow down on a plate lunch ordered from a lunch wagon, consisting of fried mahimahi, "two scoops rice," macaroni salad, and a few leaves of green, typically julienned cabbage. (Generally, teriyaki beef and shoyu chicken are options.) Heavy gravy is often the condiment of choice, accompanied by a soft drink in a paper cup or straight out of the can. Like saimin -- the local version of noodles in broth topped with scrambled eggs, green onions, and sometimes pork -- the plate lunch is Hawaii's version of high camp.

But it was only a matter of time before the humble plate lunch became a culinary icon in Hawaii. These days, even the most chichi restaurant has a version of this modest Island symbol (not at plate-lunch prices, of course), while vendors selling the real thing -- carb-driven meals served from wagons -- have queues that never end.

Because this is Hawaii, at least a few licks of poi -- cooked, pounded taro (the traditional Hawaiian staple crop) -- are a must. Other native foods include those from before and after Western contact, such as laulau (pork, chicken, or fish steamed in ti leaves), kalua pork (pork cooked in a Polynesian underground oven known here as an imu), lomi salmon (salted salmon with tomatoes and green onions), squid luau (cooked in coconut milk and taro tops), poke (cubed raw fish seasoned with onions and seaweed and the occasional sprinkling of roasted kukui nuts), haupia (creamy coconut pudding), and kulolo (steamed pudding of coconut, brown sugar, and taro).

Bento, another popular quick meal available throughout Hawaii, is a compact, boxed assortment of picnic fare usually consisting of neatly arranged sections of rice, pickled vegetables, and fried chicken, beef, or pork. Increasingly, however, the bento is becoming more health-conscious, as in macrobiotic or vegetarian brown-rice bentos. A derivative of the modest lunch box for Japanese immigrants who once labored in the sugar and pineapple fields, bentos are dispensed everywhere, from department stores to corner delis and supermarkets.

Also from the plantations come manapua, a bready, doughy sphere filled with tasty fillings of sweetened pork or sweet beans. In the old days, the Chinese "manapua man" would make his rounds with bamboo containers balanced on a rod over his shoulders. Today you'll find white or whole-wheat manapua containing chicken, vegetables, curry, and other savory fillings.

The daintier Chinese delicacy dim sum is made of translucent wrappers filled with fresh seafood, pork hash, and vegetables, served for breakfast and lunch in Chinatown restaurants. The Hong Kong-style dumplings are ordered fresh and hot from bamboo steamers rolled on carts from table to table. Much like hailing a taxi in Manhattan, you have to be quick and loud for dim sum.

For dessert or a snack, particularly on Oahu's north shore, the prevailing choice is shave ice, the island version of a snow cone. Particularly on hot, humid days, long lines of shave-ice lovers gather for heaps of finely shaved ice topped with sweet tropical syrups. (The sweet-sour li hing mui flavor is a current favorite.) The fast-melting mounds, which require prompt, efficient consumption, are quite the local summer ritual for sweet tooths. Aficionados order shave ice with ice cream and sweetened adzuki beans plopped in the middle.

HAWAII History

Paddling outrigger canoes, the first ancestors of today's Hawaiians followed the stars and birds across the sea to Hawaii, which they called "the land of raging fire." Those first settlers were part of the great Polynesian migration that settled the vast triangle of islands stretching between New Zealand, Easter Island, and Hawaii. No one is sure exactly when they came to Hawaii from Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands, some 2,500 miles to the south, but a bone fish hook found at the southernmost tip of the Big Island has been carbon-dated to A.D. 700. Chants claim that the Mo'okini Heiau, also on the Big Island, was built in A.D. 480.

An entire Hawaiian culture arose from these settlers. Each island became a separate kingdom. The inhabitants built temples, fish ponds, and aqueducts to irrigate taro plantations. Sailors became farmers and fishermen. The alii (high-ranking chiefs) created a caste system and established taboos. Ritual human sacrifices were common.

The "Fatal Catastrophe" -- No ancient Hawaiian ever imagined a haole (a white person; literally, one with "no breath") would ever appear on one of these "floating islands." But then one day in 1778, just such a person sailed into Waimea Bay on Kauai, where he was welcomed as the god Lono.

The man was 50-year-old Captain James Cook, already famous in Britain for "discovering" much of the South Pacific. Now on his third great voyage of exploration, Cook had set sail from Tahiti northward across uncharted waters to find the mythical Northwest Passage that was said to link the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. On his way, Cook stumbled upon the Hawaiian Islands quite by chance. He named them the Sandwich Islands, for the Earl of Sandwich, first lord of the admiralty, who had bankrolled the expedition.

Overnight, stone-age Hawaii entered the age of iron. Nails were traded for fresh water, pigs, and the affections of Hawaiian women. The sailors brought syphilis, measles, and other diseases to which the Hawaiians had no natural immunity, thereby unwittingly wreaking havoc on the native population.

After his unsuccessful attempt to find the Northwest Passage, Cook returned to Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island, where a fight broke out over an alleged theft, and the great navigator was killed by a blow to the head. After this "fatal catastrophe," the British survivors sailed home. But Hawaii was now on the sea charts, and traders on the fur route between Canada and China anchored in Hawaii to get fresh water. More trade -- and more disastrous liaisons -- ensued.

Two more sea captains left indelible marks on the islands. The first was American John Kendrick, who in 1791 filled his ship with sandalwood and sailed to China. By 1825, Hawaii's sandalwood forests were gone, enabling invasive plants to take charge. The second captain was Englishman George Vancouver, who in 1793 left cows and sheep, which spread out to the high-tide lines. King Kamehameha I sent for cowboys from Mexico and Spain to round up the wild livestock, thus beginning the islands' paniolo (cowboy) tradition.

The tightly woven Hawaiian society began to unravel after the death in 1819 of King Kamehameha I, who had used guns seized from a British ship to unite the islands under his rule. One of his successors, Queen Kaahumanu, abolished old taboos and opened the door for religion of another form.

Staying To Do Well -- In April 1820, missionaries bent on converting the pagans arrived from New England. The missionaries clothed the natives, banned them from dancing the hula, and nearly dismantled their ancient culture. They tried to keep the whalers and sailors out of the bawdy houses, where a flood of whiskey quenched fleet-size thirsts and the virtue of native women was never safe. They taught reading and writing, created the 12-letter Hawaiian alphabet, started a printing press, and began recording the islands' history, which until then was only an oral account in memorized chants.

Children of the missionaries became the islands' business leaders and politicians. They married Hawaiians and stayed on in the islands, causing one wag to remark that the missionaries "came to do good and stayed to do well." In 1848 King Kamehameha III proclaimed the Great Mahele (division), which enabled commoners and eventually foreigners to own crown land. In two generations, more than 80% of all private land was in haole (foreign) hands. Sugar planters imported waves of immigrants (Chinese starting in 1852, Japanese in 1885, and Portuguese in 1878) to work the fields as contract laborers.

King David Kalakaua was elected to the throne in 1874. This popular "Merrie Monarch" built Iolani Palace in 1882, threw extravagant parties, and lifted the prohibitions on the hula and other native arts. For this, he was much loved. He also gave Pearl Harbor to the United States; it became the westernmost bastion of the U.S. Navy. In 1891 King Kalakaua visited chilly San Francisco, caught a cold, and died in the royal suite of the Sheraton Palace. His sister, Queen Liliuokalani, assumed the throne.

A Sad Farewell -- On January 17, 1893, a group of American sugar planters and missionary descendants, with the support of U.S. Marines, imprisoned Queen Liliuokalani in her own palace, where she later penned the sorrowful lyric "Aloha Oe," Hawaii's song of farewell. The monarchy was dead.

A new republic was established, controlled by Sanford Dole, a powerful sugar cane planter. In 1898, through annexation, Hawaii became an American territory ruled by Dole. His fellow sugar-cane planters, known as the Big Five, controlled banking, shipping, hardware, and every other facet of economic life on the islands.

Oahu's central Ewa Plain soon filled with row crops. The Dole family planted pineapple on its vast acreage. Planters imported more contract laborers from Puerto Rico (1900), Korea (1903), and the Philippines (1907-31). Most of the new immigrants stayed on to establish families and become a part of the islands. Meanwhile, the native Hawaiians became a landless minority.

For nearly a century on Hawaii, sugar was king, generously subsidized by the U.S. government. The sugar planters dominated the territory's economy, shaped its social fabric, and kept the islands in a colonial plantation era with bosses and field hands. But the workers eventually went on strike for higher wages and improved working conditions, and the planters found themselves unable to compete with cheap third-world labor costs.

The Tourists Arrive -- Tourism proper began in the 1860s. Kilauea volcano was one of the world's prime attractions for adventure travelers. In 1865 a grass Volcano House was built on the Halemaumau Crater rim to shelter visitors; it was Hawaii's first tourist hotel. But tourism really got off the ground with the demise of the plantation era.

In 1901 W. C. Peacock built the elegant Beaux Arts Moana Hotel on Waikiki Beach, and W. C. Weedon convinced Honolulu businessmen to bankroll his plan to advertise Hawaii in San Francisco. Armed with a stereopticon and tinted photos of Waikiki, Weedon sailed off in 1902 for 6 months of lecture tours to introduce "those remarkable people and the beautiful lands of Hawaii." He drew packed houses. A tourism promotion bureau was formed in 1903, and about 2,000 visitors came to Hawaii that year.

The steamship was Hawaii's tourism lifeline. It took 4 1/2 days to sail from San Francisco to Honolulu. Streamers, leis, and pomp welcomed each Matson liner at downtown's Aloha Tower. Well-heeled visitors brought trunks, servants, and Rolls-Royces, and stayed for months. Hawaii amused visitors with personal tours, floral parades, and shows spotlighting that naughty dance, the hula.

Beginning in 1935 and running for the next 40 years, Webley Edwards's weekly live radio show, "Hawaii Calls," planted the sounds of Waikiki -- surf, sliding steel guitar, sweet Hawaiian harmonies, drumbeats -- in the hearts of millions of listeners in the United States, Australia, and Canada.

By 1936, visitors could fly to Honolulu from San Francisco on the Hawaii Clipper, a seven-passenger Pan American Martin M-130 flying boat, for $360 one-way. The flight took 21 hours, 33 minutes. Modern tourism was born, with five flying boats providing daily service. The 1941 visitor count was a brisk 31,846 through December 6.

World War II & Its Aftermath -- On December 7, 1941, Japanese Zeros came out of the rising sun to bomb American warships based at Pearl Harbor. This was the "day of infamy" that plunged the United States into World War II.

The attack brought immediate changes to the islands. Martial law was declared, stripping the Big Five cartel of its absolute power in a single day. Japanese Americans and German Americans were interned. Hawaii was "blacked out" at night, Waikiki Beach was strung with barbed wire, and Aloha Tower was painted in camouflage. Only young men bound for the Pacific came to Hawaii during the war years. Many came back to graves in a cemetery called Punchbowl.

The postwar years saw the beginnings of Hawaii's faux culture. Harry Yee invented the Blue Hawaii cocktail and dropped in a tiny Japanese parasol. Vic Bergeron created the mai tai, a rum and fresh lime-juice drink, and opened Trader Vic's, America's first theme restaurant that featured the art, decor, and food of Polynesia. Arthur Godfrey picked up a ukulele and began singing hapa-haole tunes on early TV shows. In 1955 Henry J. Kaiser built the Hilton Hawaiian Village, and the 11-story high-rise Princess Kaiulani Hotel opened on a site where the real princess once played. Hawaii greeted 109,000 visitors that year.

Statehood -- In 1959 Hawaii became the 50th of the United States. That year also saw the arrival of the first jet airliners, which brought 250,000 tourists to the state. The personal touch that had defined aloha gave way to the sheer force of numbers. Waikiki's room count nearly doubled in 2 years, from 16,000 in 1969 to 31,000 units in 1971, and kept increasing until city fathers finally clamped down on growth. By 1980, annual arrivals had reached four million.

In the early 1980s the Japanese began traveling overseas in record numbers, and they brought lots of yen to spend. Their effect on sales in Hawaii was phenomenal: European boutiques opened branches in Honolulu, and duty-free shopping became the main supporter of Honolulu International Airport. Japanese investors competed for the chance to own or build part of Hawaii. Hotels sold so fast and at such unbelievable prices that heads began to spin with dollar signs.

In 1986 Hawaii's visitor count passed five million. Two years later it went over six million. Expensive fantasy megaresorts bloomed on the neighbor islands like giant artificial flowers, swelling the luxury market with ever-swankier accommodations.

The visitor count was at a record 6.7 million in 1990 when the bubble burst in early 1991 with the Gulf War and worldwide recessions. In 1992 Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai. Airfare wars sent Americans to Mexico and the Caribbean. Overbuilt with luxury hotels, Hawaii slashed its room rates, giving middle-class consumers access to high-end digs at affordable prices -- a trend that continues as Hawaii struggles to stay atop the tourism heap.

Hawaii was finally back to record-breaking visitor counts (6.9 million) in 2000. Then September 11, 2001, sent a blow to Hawaii -- tourism dropped abruptly, sending Hawaii's economy into a tailspin. But people eventually started traveling again, and in 2003, visitor arrivals were up to 6.3 million. By 2005, Hawaii's economy was recovering, hotel occupancy rates better than pre-attack levels (record-breaking number of tourists were expected by 2006), business was booming in construction, and real estate sales were higher than ever.

HAWAII Entry Requirements

Check at any U.S. embassy or consulate for current information and requirements. You can also obtain a visa application and other information online at the U.S. State Department's website, at www.travel.state.gov.

Visas -- The U.S. State Department has a Visa Waiver Program allowing citizens of certain countries to enter the United States without a visa for stays of up to 90 days. At press time these included Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Citizens of these countries need only a valid passport and a round-trip air or cruise ticket in their possession upon arrival. If they first enter the United States, they may also visit Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and/or the Caribbean islands and return to the United States without a visa. Further information is available from any U.S. embassy or consulate. Canadian citizens may enter the United States without visas; they need only proof of residence.

Citizens of all other countries must have (1) a valid passport that expires at least 6 months later than the scheduled end of their visit to the United States, and (2) a tourist visa, which may be obtained without charge from any U.S. consulate.

To obtain a visa, the traveler must submit a completed application form (either in person or by mail) with a 1 1/2-inch-square photo, and must demonstrate binding ties to a residence abroad. Usually you can obtain a visa at once or within 24 hours, but it may take longer during the summer rush from June through August. If you cannot go in person, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for directions on applying by mail. Your travel agent or airline office may also be able to provide you with visa applications and instructions. The U.S. consulate or embassy that issues your visa will determine whether you will be issued a multiple- or single-entry visa and any restrictions regarding the length of your stay.

British subjects can obtain up-to-date visa information by calling the U.S. Embassy Visa Information Line (tel. 0891/200-290) or by visiting the "Visa Services" section of the American Embassy London's website at www.usembassy.org.uk.

Irish citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information through the Embassy of the USA Dublin, 42 Elgin Rd., Dublin 4, Ireland (tel. 353/1-668-8777); or by checking the "Visa to the U.S." section of the website at http://dublin.usembassy.gov.

Australian citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information by contacting the U.S. Embassy Canberra, Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600 (tel. 02/6214-5600), or by checking the U.S. Diplomatic Mission's website at http://usembassy-australia.state.gov/consular.

Citizens of New Zealand can obtain up-to-date visa information by contacting the U.S. Embassy New Zealand, 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (tel. 644/472-2068), or get the information directly from the "For New Zealanders" section of the website at http://usembassy.org.nz.

Medical Requirements -- Unless you're arriving from an area known to be suffering from an epidemic (particularly cholera or yellow fever), inoculations or vaccinations are not required for entry into the United States. If you have a medical condition that requires syringe-administered medications, carry a valid signed prescription from your physician -- the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) no longer allows airline passengers to pack syringes in their carry-on baggage without documented proof of medical need. If you have a disease that requires treatment with narcotics, you should also carry documented proof with you -- smuggling narcotics aboard a plane is a serious offense that carries severe penalties in the U.S.

For HIV-positive visitors, requirements for entering the United States are somewhat vague and change frequently. According to the latest publication of HIV and Immigrants: A Manual for AIDS Service Providers, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) doesn't require a medical exam for entry into the United States, but INS officials may stop individuals because they look sick or because they are carrying AIDS/HIV medicine.

If an HIV-positive noncitizen applies for a nonimmigrant visa, the question on the application regarding communicable diseases is tricky no matter which way it's answered. If the applicant checks "no," INS may deny the visa on the grounds that the applicant committed fraud. If the applicant checks "yes" or if the INS suspects the person is HIV-positive, it will deny the visa unless the applicant asks for a special waiver for visitors. This waiver is for people visiting the United States for a short time, to attend a conference, for instance, to visit close relatives, or to receive medical treatment. It can be a confusing situation. For up-to-the-minute information, contact AIDSinfo (tel. 800/448-0440, or 301/519-6616 outside the U.S.; www.aidsinfo.nih.gov) or the Gay Men's Health Crisis (tel. 212/367-1000; www.gmhc.org).

Driver's Licenses -- Most foreign driver's licenses are recognized in the U.S., but you may want to get an international driver's license if your home license is not written in English.

HAWAII Hawaii Honolulu

As the sun rises on the dawn of the 21st century, other tropical islands are closing in on the 50th state's position as the world's premier beach destination. But Hawaii isn't just another pretty place in the sun. There's an undeniable quality ingrained in the local culture and lifestyle -- the quick smiles to strangers, the feeling of family, the automatic extension of courtesy and tolerance. It's the aloha spirit, and you won't find it anywhere else.

The Welcoming Lei--There's nothing like a lei. The stunning tropical beauty of the delicate garland, the deliciously sweet fragrance of the blossoms, the sensual way the flowers curl softly around your neck. There's no doubt about it: Getting lei'd in Hawaii is a sensuous experience.

Leis are much more than just a decorative necklace of flowers; they're also one of the nicest ways to say hello, good-bye, congratulations, I salute you, my sympathies are with you, or I love you. The custom of giving leis can be traced back to Hawaii's very roots; according to chants, the first lei was given by Hiiaka, the sister of the volcano goddess Pele, who presented Pele with a lei of lehua blossoms on a beach in Puna.

During ancient times, leis given to alii (high-ranking chiefs) were accompanied by a bow, since it was kapu (forbidden) for a commoner to raise his arms higher than the king's head. The presentation of a kiss with a lei didn't come about until World War II; it's generally attributed to an entertainer who kissed an officer on a dare and then quickly presented him with her lei, saying it was an old Hawaiian custom. It wasn't then, but it sure caught on fast.

Lei making is a tropical art form. All leis are fashioned by hand in a variety of traditional patterns; some are sewn with hundreds of tiny blooms or shells, or bits of ferns and leaves. Some are twisted, some braided, some strung; all are presented with love. Every island has its own special flower lei -- the lei of the land, so to speak. On Oahu the choice is ilima, a small orange flower. Big Islanders prefer the lehua, a large, delicate red puff. On Maui it's the lokelani, a small rose; on Kauai, it's the mokihana, a fragrant green vine and berry; on Molokai it's the kukui, the white blossom of a candlenut tree; and on Lanai it's the kaunaoa, a bright yellow moss. Residents of Niihau use the island's abundant seashells to make leis that were once prized by royalty and are now worth a small fortune.

Leis are available at all of the islands' airports. Other places to get wonderful, inexpensive leis are the half-dozen lei shops on Maunakea Street in Honolulu's Chinatown, and Greene Acres Leis (tel. 808/329-2399), off Kaimiminani Drive in the Kona Palisades subdivision, across from the Kona International Airport on the Big Island. If you plan ahead, you can also arrange to have a lei-greeter meet you and your travel party as you deplane; Greeters of Hawaii (tel. 800/366-8559, 808/836-0161, or 808/836-3246) serves Honolulu, Kona (on the Big Island), Kahului (Maui), and Lihue (Kauai) airports.

Leis are the perfect symbol for the islands: They're given in the moment and their fragrance and beauty are enjoyed in the moment, but even after they fade, their spirit of aloha lives on. Welcome to Hawaii!

Hiking HAWAII

Hiking in Hawaii is a breathtaking experience. The islands have hundreds of miles of trails, many of which reward you with a hidden beach, a private waterfall, an Eden-like valley, or simply an unforgettable view. However, rock climbers are out of luck: Most of Hawaii's volcanic cliffs are too steep and brittle to scale.

Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club, P.O. Box 2238, Honolulu, HI 96804, offers an information packet on hiking and camping in Hawaii; to receive a copy, send $2 and a legal-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope. Hawaii Geographic Maps and Books, 49 S. Hotel St., Honolulu, HI 96813 (tel. 800/538-3950 or 808/538-3952), offers the Hiking/Camping Information Packet for $7. Also note that the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources, 1151 Punchbowl St., No. 131, Honolulu, HI 96809 (tel. 808/587-0300; www.hawaii.gov), will send you free topographical trail maps.

The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii (tel. 808/537-4508 on Oahu, 808/572-7849 on Maui, or 808/553-5236 on Molokai; www.tnc.org/hawaii) and the Hawaii Chapter of the Sierra Club, P.O. Box 2577, Honolulu, HI 96803 (tel. 808/538-6616), both offer guided hikes in preserves and special areas during the year. Also see the individual island chapters for complete details on the best hikes for all ability levels.

Snorkeling

Snorkeling is one of Hawaii's main attractions, and almost anyone can do it. All you need is a mask, a snorkel, fins, and some basic swimming skills. In many places, all you have to do is wade into the water and look down at the magical underwater world.

If you've never snorkeled before, most resorts and excursion boats offer snorkeling equipment and lessons. You don't really need lessons, however; it's plenty easy to figure out for yourself, especially once you're at the beach, where everybody around you will be doing it. If you don't have your own gear, you can rent it from one of dozens of dive shops and activity booths, discussed in the individual island chapters that follow.

While everyone heads for Oahu's Hanauma Bay -- the perfect spot for first-timers -- other favorite snorkel spots include Kee Beach on Kauai, Kahaluu Beach on the Big Island, Hulopoe Bay on Lanai, and Kapalua Bay on Maui. Although snorkeling is excellent on all the islands, the Big Island, with its recent lava formations and abrupt drop-offs, offers some particularly spectacular opportunities. Some of the best snorkel spots in the islands -- notably, the Big Island's Kealakekua Bay and Molokini Crater just off Maui -- are accessible only by boat.

Snorkel Bob's--If you're planning on visiting several islands and would like to rent snorkel gear on one island and keep it with you for your whole trip, try Snorkel Bob's (www.snorkelbob.com), which lets you rent snorkel gear, boogie boards, life jackets, and wet suits on any one island and return them on another. The basic set of snorkel gear is $3.50 a day, or $9 a week -- a very good deal. The best gear is $6.50 a day, or $29 a week; if you're nearsighted and need a prescription mask, it's $9 a day, or $39 a week.

You can find Snorkel Bob's on Oahu at 702 Kapahulu Ave. (at Date St.), Honolulu (tel. 808/735-7944); on Maui at 1217 Front St., in Lahaina (tel. 808/661-4421), at Napili Village, 5425-C Lower Honoapiilani Hwy., Napili (tel. 808/669-9603), and in South Maui at Kamole Beach Center, 2411 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei (tel. 808/879-7449); on the Big Island at 75-5831 Kahakai St. (off Alii Dr., next to Huggo's and the Royal Kona Resort), in Kailua-Kona (tel. 808/329-0770); and on Kauai at 4-734 Kuhio Hwy. (just north of Coconut Plantation Marketplace), in Kapaa (tel. 808/823-9433), and in Koloa at 3236 Poipu Rd., near Poipu Beach (tel. 808/742-2206).

Some snorkel tips: Always snorkel with a buddy. Look up every once in a while to see where you are and if there's any boat traffic. Don't touch anything; not only can you damage coral, but camouflaged fish and shells with poisonous spines may surprise you. Always check with a dive shop, lifeguards, or others on the beach about the area in which you plan to snorkel and ask if there are any dangerous conditions you should know about.

Surfing

The ancient Hawaiian practice of hee nalu (wave sliding) is probably the sport most people picture when they think of Hawaii. Believe it or not, you too can do some wave sliding -- just sign up at any one of the numerous surfing schools located throughout the islands. On world-famous Waikiki Beach, just head over to one of the surf stands that line the sand; these guys say they can get anybody up and standing on a board. If you're already a big kahuna in surfing, check the same chapters listed above for the best deals on rental equipment and the best places to hang-ten.

Sportfishing

Big-game fishing at its best is found off the Big Island of Hawaii at Kailua-Kona, where the deep blue waters offshore yield trophy marlin year-round. You can also try for spearfish, swordfish, various tuna, mahimahi (dorado), rainbow runners, wahoo, barracuda, trevallies, bonefish, and various bottom fish like snappers and groupers. Each island offers deep-sea boat charters for good-eating fish like tuna, wahoo, and mahimahi. Visiting anglers currently need no license.

Charter fishing boats range widely both in size -- from small 24-foot open skiffs to luxurious 50-foot-plus yachts -- and in price -- from about $100 per person to "share" a boat with other anglers for a half-day to $900 a day to book an entire luxury sportfishing yacht on an exclusive basis. Shop around. Prices vary according to the boat, the crowd, and the captain. See the individual island chapters for details. Also, many boat captains tag and release marlin, or keep the fish for themselves (sorry, that's Hawaii style). If you want to eat your mahimahi for dinner or have your marlin mounted, tell the captain before you go.

Money-saving tip: Try contacting the charter boat captain directly and bargaining. Many charter captains pay a 20% to 30% commission to charter-booking agencies and may be willing to give you a discount if you book directly.

HAWAII Scuba Diving

Some people come to the islands solely to take the plunge into the tropical Pacific and explore the underwater world. Hawaii is one of the world's top 10 dive destinations according to Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine. Here you can see the great variety of tropical marine life (more than 100 endemic species found nowhere else on the planet), explore sea caves, and swim with sea turtles and monk seals in clear, tropical water. If you're not certified, try to take classes before you come to Hawaii so you don't waste time learning and can dive right in.

If you dive, go early in the morning. Trade winds often rough up the seas in the afternoon, especially on Maui, so most operators schedule early-morning dives that end at noon. To organize a dive on your own, order the Dive Hawaii Guide, which describes sites on the various Hawaiian Islands, by sending $2 to UH/SGES, Attention: Dive Guide, 2525 Correa Rd., HIG 237, Honolulu, HI 96822.

Tip: It's usually worth the extra bucks to go with a good dive operator.

Whale Watching

Every winter, pods of Pacific humpback whales make the 3,000-mile swim from the chilly waters of Alaska to bask in Hawaii's summery shallows, fluking, spy hopping, spouting, breaching, and having an all-around swell time. About 1,500 to 3,000 humpback whales appear in Hawaiian waters each year.

Humpbacks are one of the world's oldest, most impressive inhabitants. Adults grow to be about 45 feet long and weigh a hefty 40 tons. Humpbacks are officially an endangered species; in 1992 the waters around Maui, Molokai, and Lanai were designated a Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Despite the world's newfound ecological awareness, humpbacks and their habitats and food resources are still under threat from whalers and pollution.

The season's first whale is usually spotted in November, but the best time to see humpback whales in Hawaii is between January and April, from any island. Just look out to sea. Each island also offers a variety of whale-watching cruises, which will bring you up close and personal with the mammoth mammals; see the individual island chapters for details.

Money-saving tip: Book a snorkeling cruise during the winter whale-watching months. The captain of the boat will often take you through the best local whale-watching areas on the way, and you'll get two activities for the price of one. It's well worth the money.

Not So Close! They Hardly Know You--In the excitement of seeing a whale or a school of dolphins, don't forget that they're protected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act. You must stay at least 300 feet (the length of a football field) away from all whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals. This applies to swimmers, kayakers, and windsurfers. And yes, visitors have been prosecuted for swimming with dolphins! If you have any questions, call the National Marine Fisheries Service (tel. 808/541-2727) or the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (tel. 800/831-4888).

The Best of Caribbean

		The Best of Caribbean

		What's New The Best Beaches The Best Destinations for Serious Shoppers The Best Dive Sites The Best Family Vacations		The Best Golf Courses The Best Inns and Bed & Breakfasts The Best Nightlife The Best Places to Get Away from It All		The Best Romantic Hotels & Resorts The Best Sailing The Best Snorkeling The Best Tennis Facilities

		Complete Guide to Caribbean

		Introduction What's New, The Best Beaches, The Best Destinations for Serious Shoppers, more... Planning a Trip Visitor Information, When to Go, Getting There, more...		In Depth Active Pursuits Biking, Bird Watching, Hiking, more... Message Boards

		Countries in Caribbean

		Anguilla Antigua Aruba Barbados Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Cuba		Curacao Dominica Dominican Republic Grenada Guadeloupe Jamaica Martinique Puerto Rico		Saba St Eustatius St. Barthelemy St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Martin St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago

		Regions in Caribbean

		Basse-Terre Central Cuba Cuba's Northeastern Coast El Oriente		Grande-Terre Jamaica's Blue Mountains Matanzas Province Paradores of Puerto Rico		Southwest Coast Beach Resorts Western Cuba Zapata Peninsula & Playa Giron

		Cities in Caribbean

		Baracoa Barbuda Bayamo Cabarete Camaguey Cayo Levisa Cienfuegos Dorado El Yunque Fort-de-France Gosier Governor's Harbour Gregory Town Guardalavaca Havana Kingston La Romana Las Croabas Le Bas du Fort		Luquillo Beach Mandeville Maria la Gorda Marsh Harbour Matanzas Mayaguez Montego Bay Negril Ocho Rios Palmas del Mar Pinar del Rio Pointe des Chateaux Pointe du Bout and Les Trois-Ilets Pointe-a-Pitre Ponce Port Antonio Puerto Plata Punta Cana Rincon		Runaway Bay San Diego de los Banos San German San Juan Sancti Spiritus Santa Clara Santiago de Cuba Santo Domingo Sosua South Coast St-Francois Ste-Anne The North Loop The South Loop Treasure Cay Trinidad, Cuba Varaderos Vinales

		Island Groups in Caribbean

		Abaco Islands Bahamas Berry Islands Eleuthera		Exuma Islands Iles des Saintes Southern Bahamas		The Grenadines Turks and Caicos Virgin Islands

		Islands in Caribbean

		Acklins Island and Crooked Island Andros Anegada, BVI Bequia Bimini Canouan Cat Island Cayman Brac Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo Cayo Largo del Sur Culebra Elbow Cay George Town Grand Bahama Grand Cayman Grand Turk Great Guana Cay Great Inagua Green Turtle Cay		Guana Island, BVI Harbour Island Isla de la Juventud Jost Van Dyke, BVI Little Cayman Little Exuma Long Island Man-O-War Cay Marie-Galante Mayaguana Island Mayreau Mustique Nevis New Providence Palm Island Paradise Island Peter Island, BVI Petit St. Vincent		Providenciales Sampson Cay San Salvador and Rum Cay Spanish Cay St. Croix, USVI St. John, USVI St. Kitts St. Thomas, USVI St. Vincent Staniel Cay Terre-de-Haut Tobago Tortola, BVI Trinidad Union Island Vieques Virgin Gorda, BVI Walkers Cay

		National Parks and Monuments in Caribbean

Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve

Our Best Buys for the Beaches of Bermuda

Although Bermuda is often grouped together with the Caribbean, geographically the island is located in the North Atlantic, less than 600 miles off the coast of North Carolina. Its close proximity to the U.S. east coast makes it a natural choice for those looking for a sophisticated island destination with crystal clear waters, pink sandy beaches, world class golf and old fashioned British service. If you thought that a vacation to Bermuda was too expensive during spring and summer, think again. Combine rising temperatures with budget carriers introducing new routes from the east coast, and this may be the best time to visit this alluring destination.

Starting on May 4, 2006, JetBlue (tel. 800/538-2583; www.jetblue.com) will start flying non-stop twice daily from New York to Hamilton (Bermuda). The current one-way fare is listed as $129 for flights departing midweek in May and June, with a slight increase ($5) for flights in July and August, 2006. Following is a selection of Jet Blue midweek getaway packages to Bermuda during the month of May. Prices include round-trip airfare and five-nights' accommodations, based on two people traveling together:

• The oceanfront Wyndham Bermuda Resort and Spa located on Bermuda's south shore, from $884
• The oceanfront Grotto Bay Beach Resort from $956
• The historic harbor front Fairmont Hamilton Princess from $1,041

Liberty Travel (tel. 888/271-1584;�www.libertytravel.com) has a package that includes round-trip airfare from New York, Newark or Boston to Hamilton, four nights accommodation at the five-star Fairmont Hamilton Princess, round-trip airport transfers, hotel taxes and service charges from $1,119 for Monday to Friday departures from May 1 to November 30, 2006. Add $60 from Philadelphia, Atlanta or Washington, D.C. and $120 from Miami.

They are also featuring an expensive and indulgent seven-night romance package that includes round-trip airfare from Boston, New York or Newark, seven-nights' accommodations at the four-star Elbow Beach Hotel, round-trip airport transfers, hotel taxes and service charges, a four-course candle-lit dinner in your room for two people, a couples massage (80-minutes per person), an aromatherapy petal bath, a bottle of champagne and chocolates. This is priced from $2,399 per person. Add $40 from Philadelphia, Atlanta or Washington, D.C. and $125 from Miami. The package is valid for Monday to Friday departures from May 1 to October 31, 2006 and must be booked by October 17, 2006.

Cheap Caribbean (tel. 800/915-2322; www.cheapcaribbean.com) always has a few great deals that can get you on your way to Bermuda. Their current special is at the oceanfront Grotto Bay Beach Resort where guests can enjoy three private beaches on Bermuda's most protected ocean waters. Pay for four-nights' accommodations in an ocean view deluxe room and receive the fifth night free. The package is priced from $959 per person based on dual occupancy and includes five-nights accommodation and round-trip airfare from New York for travel between May 11 and October 31, 2006. Additional adults sharing the same room pay $659 and children pay $469. This deal must be purchased by April 9, 2006.

Apple Vacations (www.applevacations.com) is featuring the following Bermuda specials: Travel on any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday in June, 2006 and enjoy round-trip airfare from Newark on U.S.A 3000 and four-nights' accommodations at the adults-only Harmony Club situated on a hillside, two miles from Hamilton and minutes away from Elbow Beach from $999 per person based on double occupancy. Travel on the same dates and stay at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess from $1,159. Flying from Boston, travel any Wednesday of Thursday in May or June, 2006, and get the same deals from $945 (Harmony Club) and $1,099 (Fairmont Hamilton Princess), or from Charlotte for $929 and $1,089 respectively.

Travelocity (tel. 888/872-8356; www.travelocity.com) has a package that includes round-trip airfare on Continental Airlines from Newark and a five-night stay in a Coco Coral Cabana at the three-star 9 Beaches Resort situated on 18 acres of private waterfront land in Somerset Village Sandys, including continental breakfast daily from $877 per person including all taxes based on dual occupancy. Or stay in an ocean view superior room at the Grotto Bay in St George with round-trip airfare from New York from $941 per person including all taxes, valid for midweek travel during the month of May.

From Boston, fly Delta Airlines and get five-nights' accommodations at the Harmony Club from $1,060 per person including all taxes or for $1 more get breakfast to at the 9 Beaches Resort, or stay at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess from $1,170 including all taxes. This offer is valid for midweek travel during the months of May and June 2006.

Low-cost carrier U.S.A3000 (tel. 877/ 872-3000; www.usa3000.com) currently has non-stop flights from Baltimore or Newark to Hamilton from $89 one way. These fares are for midweek departures during April and May 2006. Taxes range from approximately $21 on the outbound sector to almost $60 on the return sector. For more information about Bermuda, visit www.frommers.com/destinations/bermuda and www.bermudatourism.com or call tel. 800/BERMUDA.

Talk with fellow Frommer's travelers about your vacation plans our on Bermuda Message Boards today.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Planning a Trip

Golden beaches shaded by palm trees and crystalline waters teeming with colorful tropical fish -- it's all just a few hours' flight from the East Coast of the United States. Dubbed the "Eighth Continent of the World," the Caribbean islands have an amazing variety of terrain that ranges from thick rainforests to haunting volcanoes, from white- to black-sand beaches. Spicy food, spicier music, and a gentle, leisurely lifestyle draw millions of visitors each year, all of whom are searching for that perfect place in the sun. In this section, we'll help you choose the right destination and the right time to go, and we'll explore the best strategies for getting a good airfare or package deal.

The Best Tennis Facilities

Curtain Bluff (Antigua; tel. 888/289-9898 in the U.S., or 268/462-8400): Small, select, and carefully run by people who love tennis, this is also the annual site of a well-known spring tournament. The courts are set in a low-lying valley.

Casa de Campo (Dominican Republic; tel. 800/877-3643 or 809/523-3333): The facilities here include 13 clay courts (10 are lit, and 2 are ringed with stadium seating), 4 all-weather Laykold courts, a resident pro, ball machines, and tennis pros who are usually available to play with guests. During midwinter, residents and clients of Casa de Campo have first crack at court times.

Half Moon (Montego Bay, Jamaica; tel. 876/953-2211): This resort sprawls over hundreds of acres, with about a dozen tennis courts and at least four squash and/or racquetball courts. Jamaica has a strong, British-based affinity for tennis, and Half Moon keeps the tradition alive.

Wyndham El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa (Puerto Rico; tel. 800/468-5228 in the U.S., or 787/863-1000): Facilities at this megaresort include seven Har-Tru tennis courts, a resident pro, and a clubhouse with its own bar. If you're looking for a partner, the hotel will find one for you. Only guests of the hotel can use the courts, some of which are illuminated for night play.

Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort & Country Club (Puerto Rico; tel. 800/233-1234 or 787/796-1234): This beachfront resort offers five all-weather tennis courts, some lit, some ringed with stadium seats; all are administered by a tennis pro who gives lessons. If you want pointers on improving your serve or strokes, someone will be on hand to videotape you. These facilities are open only to resort guests.

Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach Resort & Spa (St. Thomas; tel. 800/WYNDHAM in the U.S., or 340/777-7100): The resort offers the first stadium tennis court in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a capacity of 220 spectators. In addition, it has four Laykold courts, each of which is lit for night play. There's an on-site pro shop, and lessons are available.

The Buccaneer (St. Croix; tel. 800/255-3881 in the U.S., or 340/773-2100): Hailed as having the best tennis facilities in the Virgin Islands, this resort hosts several tournaments every year. There are eight all-weather Laykold courts, two of which are illuminated at night; there's also a pro shop. Nonguests can play here for a fee.

The Best Snorkeling

The Virgin Islands offer some particularly outstanding sites, but there are many other great places for snorkeling in the Caribbean.

Antigua: This is a snorkeler's dream. Most of its lovely beaches open onto clear, calm waters populated by rainbow-hued tropical fish. The marine life offshore is particularly dense, including gentle manta rays and colorful sea anemones. The rich types of different elk and brain coral make snorkeling particularly rewarding.

Bonaire Marine Park (Bonaire): All the attributes that make Bonaire a world-class diving destination apply to its snorkeling, too. Snorkelers can wade from the shores off their hotels to the reefs and view an array of coral and a range of colorful fish. In particular, the reefs just off Klein Bonaire and Washington-Slagbaai National Park receive rave reviews.

Stingray City (Grand Cayman): Stingray City is an easy 4m (13-ft.) diving site that can also be seen while snorkeling. It's an extraordinary experience to meet the dozens of tame, gentle stingrays that glide around you in the warm, crystal-clear waters.

Curaçao Underwater Marine Park (Curaçao): In contrast to Curaçao's arid terrain, the marine life that rings the island is rich and spectacular. The best-known snorkeling sites, in the Curaçao Underwater Marine Park, stretch for 20km (12 miles) along Curaçao's southern coastline, and there are many other highly desirable sites as well. Sunken ships, gardens of hard and soft coral, and millions of fish are a snorkeler's treat.

St. Martin: The best snorkeling on the island lies on the French side, where the government religiously protects the calm waters, which are populated with schools of brilliantly colored fish. Find a tiny cove and explore the shallow reefs along its shores, especially in the northeastern underwater nature reserve.

The Grenadines: Every island offers great snorkeling possibilities right off magnificent white-sandy beaches. In most places you'll have the waters to yourself. A reef stretching for 1.6km (1 mile) along the island of Canouan invites snorkelers, and the waters are filled with beautiful brain coral and rainbow-hued fish. The snorkeling is also good at Palm Island and Petit St. Vincent.

Tobago: The shallow, sun-dappled waters off the Latin American coastline boast enormous colonies of marine life. Buccoo Reef on Tobago is especially noteworthy, and many local entrepreneurs offer snorkeling cruises.

Coki Point Beach (St. Thomas): On the north shore of St. Thomas, this beach offers year-round snorkeling, especially around the coral ledges near Coral World's underwater tower, a favorite with cruise-ship passengers.

Provo (Turks and Caicos): Although this island is known primarily as one of the world's best dive sites, it also offers a number of snorkeling possibilities. The government has established snorkel trails at Smith's Reef and Bight Reef, right off of Provo's spectacular Grace Bay Beach. These reefs are right off the shoreline, and they provide easy access into the fragile but stunningly beautiful world of coral gardens, the most dramatic in the vast area immediately south of The Bahamas.

Buck Island (St. Croix): More than 250 species of fish, as well as a variety of sponges, corals, and crustaceans, have been found at this 340-hectare (840-acre) island and reef system, 3km (2 miles) off St. Croix's north shore. The reef is strictly protected by the National Park Service.

Cane Bay (St. Croix): One of the best diving and snorkeling sites on St. Croix is off this breezy north-shore beach. On a clear day, you can swim out 137m (449 ft.) and see the Cane Bay Wall that drops off dramatically to deep waters below. Multicolored fish and elkhorn and brain coral abound.

Trunk Bay (St. John): Trunk Bay's self-guided 205m-long (672-ft.) trail has large underwater signs that identify species of coral and other items of interest. The beach offers showers, changing rooms, equipment rentals, and a lifeguard.

Leinster Bay (St. John): With easy access from land and sea, Leinster Bay is filled with calm, clear, and uncrowded waters with an abundance of sea life.

Haulover Bay (St. John): A favorite with locals, this small bay is rougher than Leinster and is often deserted. The snorkeling is dramatic, with ledges, walls, nooks, and sandy areas set close together. At this spot, only about 182m (597 ft.) of land separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea.

The Best Sailing

Virtually every large-scale hotel in the Caribbean provides small sailboats (most often Sunfish, Sailfish, and small, one-masted catamarans) for its guests. If you're looking for larger craft, the almost-ideal sailing conditions in the Virgin Islands and The Grenadines come instantly to mind. These two regions offer many options for dropping anchor at secluded coves surrounded by relatively calm waters. Both areas are spectacular, but whereas the Virgin Islands offer more dramatic, mountainous terrain, The Grenadines offer insights into island cultures little touched by the modern world.

Other places to sail in the Caribbean include Antigua, Barbados, St. Martin, and the French-speaking islands. But if you plan on doing a lot of sailing, know in advance that the strongest currents and biggest waves are usually on the northern and eastern sides of most islands -- the Atlantic (as opposed to the Caribbean) side.

The Grenadines: Boating is a way of life in The Grenadines, partly because access to many of the tiny remote islands is difficult or impossible by airplane. One of the most prominent local charter agents is Nicholson Yacht Charters (tel. 800/662-6066 in the U.S.), headquartered in nearby St. Vincent. On Bequia, Mustique, Petit St. Vincent, and Union Island, all the hotels can put you in touch with local entrepreneurs who rent sailing craft.

The Virgin Islands: Perhaps because of their well-developed marina facilities (and those of the nearby United States), the Virgin Islands receive the lion's share of devoted yachties. The reigning capital for sailing is Tortola, the largest island of the British Virgins. On-site are about 300 well-maintained sailing craft available for bareboat rentals and perhaps 100 charter yachts.

The largest of the Caribbean's yacht chartering services is The Moorings (tel. 888/535-7289 or 888/952-8420 in the U.S. and Canada, or 284/494-2332 in the British Virgin Islands). If you'd like sailing lessons, consider Tortola's Treasure Isle Hotel (tel. 284/494-2501), which offers courses in seamanship year-round. (One of Treasure Isle's programs is exclusively on how to sail catamarans.) On the island of Virgin Gorda, in the British Virgin Islands, the best bet for both boat rentals and accommodations, as well as for a range of instruction, is the Bitter End Yacht Club (tel. 800/872-2392 in the U.S., or 284/494-2746).

Some of the biggest charter business in the Caribbean is conducted on St. Thomas, especially at American Yacht Harbor, Red Hook (tel. 340/775-6454), which offers bareboat and fully crewed charters. Other reliable rental agents include Charteryacht League, at Flagship (tel. 800/524-2061 in the U.S., or 340/774-3944).

On St. Croix, boating is less essential to the local economy than it is on St. Thomas or in the British Virgins, so if you're taking a Virgin Islands sailing trip, plan accordingly.

Caribbean PLACES

The Best Places to Get Away from It All

Caribbean

The Best Romantic Hotels & Resorts

More and more couples are exchanging their vows in the Caribbean. Many resorts will arrange everything from the preacher to the flowers, so we've included in the following list some outfits that provide wedding services.

Cap Juluca (Anguilla; tel. 888/858-5822 in the U.S., or 264/497-6779): This resort boasts a unique postmodern design, multimillion-dollar decor, and a thrillingly beautiful beach. The result resembles a Saharan Casbah with domed villas that seem to float against the scrubland and azure sky. It's an extremely stylish setting for romance. More than any other resort on Anguilla, Cap Juluca affords privacy with its 72 hectares (178 acres). In a private villa, honeymooners enjoy private pools and huge tubs for two. You can join other guests for meals and/or retreat into total seclusion.

St. James's Club (Antigua; tel. 800/858-4618 in the U.S., or 268/460-5000): There are enough diversions at this very posh, British-style resort to keep a honeymooning couple up and about for weeks. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included, along with unlimited drinks. Among the perks is a private, candlelit dinner for two in a romantic setting. Honeymooners are greeted with a bottle of champagne and freshly cut bougainvillea in their rooms, which can be private villas, suites, or, for complete seclusion, a hillside home. Unlike Cap Juluca, which promotes seclusion, this is for honeymooners who prefer an active lifestyle, gambling at the casino, taking in the beach, or enjoying the widest array of dining and drinking options of any hotel on the island.

Biras Creek Estate (Virgin Gorda, B.V.I.; tel. 800/223-1108 in the U.S., or 284/494-3555): If you're eager to escape your in-laws and bridesmaids after a wedding ceremony, this is the place. It's a quintessential mariner's hideaway that can be reached only via a several-mile boat ride across the open sea. Perched on a narrow promontory jutting into the Caribbean, it's an intensely private retreat set on 60 hectares (148 acres) with a crisscrossing network of signposted nature trails. Spacious, open-air, walled showers are provided in each bathroom. Honeymooners come here not to be pampered, but to be left alone to do their thing. Entertainment and dancing enliven some evenings, but for the most part you'll enjoy utter tranquillity. Its king-size beds are the best on the island. Don't come here for a lot of activities.

Peter Island Resort (Peter Island, B.V.I.; tel. 800/346-4451 or 284/495-2000): Romantics appreciate the isolation of this resort, on a 720-hectare (1,778-acre) private island south of Tortola and east of St. John. Reaching it requires a 30-minute waterborne transfer, which many urban refugees consider part of the fun. It's very laid-back -- bring your new spouse and a good book, and enjoy the comings and goings of yachts at the island's private marina while you recover from the stress of your wedding.

Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman (Grand Cayman; tel. 800/233-1234 or 345/949-1234): Hands down, this is the most glamorous and best-landscaped resort in the Cayman Islands. Honeymooners can buy a package that includes champagne and wine, a room with an oversize bed, a 1-day jeep rental, a romantic sundowner sail on a 12m (39-ft.) catamaran, and discounts at clothing stores, the resort's restaurants, and a golf course. They'll even present you with a honeymoon memento for your home.

Sutton Place Hotel (Dominica; tel. 767/449-8700): If you want something completely different, head for the remote island of Dominica. It's an inexpensive destination, with a lush, tropical setting. Although the beaches aren't great there is river swimming. Start off your married life at this romantic old place, where Princess Margaret and Noël Coward retreated in days of yore (not together). Opt for one of the top-floor suites for a real romantic getaway, and relax in your four-poster bed.

Sandals Royal Caribbean (Jamaica; tel. 800/SANDALS in the U.S., or 876/953-2232): There are a handful of members of this resort chain in Jamaica alone (plus three others on St. Lucia, one in Turks and Caicos, and yet another one on the island of Antigua that is far less grand). Each prides itself on providing an all-inclusive (cash-free) environment where meals are provided in abundance. Enthusiastic members of the staff bring heroic amounts of community spirit to ceremonies celebrated on-site. Sandals provides everything from a preacher to petunias (as well as champagne, a cake, and all the legalities) for you to get hitched here. Any of these resorts can provide a suitable setting, but one of the most appealing is Sandals Royal Caribbean, outside Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The SuperClubs of Jamaica (tel. 877/GO-SUPER in the U.S., or 876/940-1150): These all-inclusive properties, including the Breezes and the Grand Lido hotels, are for honeymooners who can afford a little more elegance and luxury. They operate somewhat like Sandals, but have far more style and a higher price tag. Prices are high in winter, but when mid-April arrives, rates plummet. SuperClubs, such as Grand Lido and Grand Lido Sans Souci, are scattered between Ocho Rios and Negril. If you pay for the food-and-room packages, the hotel chain will throw in the wedding for free -- providing the license, the witnesses, the minister, and even a two-tier cake. You can be married in the garden or on a white-sandy beach.

Wyndham El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa (Puerto Rico; tel. 800/468-5228 in the U.S., or 787/863-1000): A complex of hotels set on a forested bluff overlooking the sea, this is one of the most lavish resorts ever built in the Caribbean. The architecture incorporates Moorish gardens and Andalusian fortresses. You'll find hammocks for two on the resort's offshore private island, as well as about a dozen private Jacuzzis artfully concealed by vegetation throughout the grounds.

The Horned Dorset Primavera (Puerto Rico; tel. 800/633-1857 in the U.S., or 787/823-4030): This is the most elegant, intimate, secluded, romantic inn in Puerto Rico. It has private plunge pools; a cantilevered porch over the sea perfect for champagne at sunset; a fabulous candlelit restaurant; vast, well-equipped bathrooms with tubs big enough for two; seaview balconies; romantic four-poster beds; and a discreet, helpful staff that doesn't interfere with honeymooners who want to be alone.

Golden Lemon Inn & Villas (St. Kitts; tel. 800/633-7411 in the U.S., or 869/465-7260): It started its life as a French manor house during the 17th century, but by the time its present owners began restoring it, the Golden Lemon was decidedly less glamorous. It required the refined tastes of Arthur Leaman, a former editor at House & Garden, to bring it to its full potential. Today the Golden Lemon is an authentic Antillean retreat -- luxurious, laid-back, and romantic -- set in an isolated fishing village loaded with charm.

Four Seasons Resort Nevis (Nevis; tel. 800/332-3442 in the U.S., 800/268-6282 in Canada, or 869/469-1111): Though not as historic as some of the island's plantation-style inns, the Four Seasons rules without peer as the most deluxe hotel on the island, with the most extensive facilities. Set in a palm grove adjacent to the island's finest beach, it has the atmosphere of a supremely indulgent country club. The Four Seasons offers a 4-day wedding package with a choice of ceremony styles (in a church or on a beach, with a judge or with a civil magistrate). The resort's pastry chef designs each wedding cake individually, and the staff can arrange music, photographs, flowers, legalities, and virtually anything else you want.

Anse Chastanet (St. Lucia; tel. 800/223-1108 in the U.S., or 758/459-7000): Offering panoramic views of mountains and jungle, this intimate hotel is a winner with romantics. With its small size, it offers a lot of privacy and rustic charm. Its wedding package includes all legal processing, a wedding cake, and champagne, and add-ons cover everything from photography to a post-wedding sunset sail.

Petit St. Vincent Resort (The Grenadines; tel. 800/654-9326 or 784/458-8801): If your idea of a honeymoon is to run away from everybody except your new spouse, this is the place. It takes about three planes and a boat to reach it, but the effort to get here is worth it, if you want total isolation and privacy. Even the staff doesn't bother you unless you raise a flag for room service. If the honeymoon's going well, you may never have to leave your stone cottage by the beach. The artfully built clubhouses and bungalows were crafted from tropical woods and local stone. The results are simultaneously rustic and lavish.

The Cotton House (The Grenadines; tel. 784/456-4777): Cosmopolitan and stylish, this hotel was built as a cotton warehouse on the tiny island of Mustique during the 18th century. It's intimate, exclusive, and full of undeniable charm and romance.

Le Grand Courlan Resort & Spa (Tobago; tel. 868/639-9667): This is the favorite honeymoon retreat on Tobago. If you want to be fussed over, you and your new spouse can attend the spa for "release massages," or you can be left entirely alone to enjoy the bay outside your window or the sandy beach at your doorstep. From Guyanan hardwood to Italian porcelain, the decor is refined and elegant.

The Buccaneer (St. Croix; tel. 800/255-3881 in the U.S., or 340/773-2100): Posh and discreet, this resort boasts some of the most extensive vacation facilities on St. Croix -- three beaches, eight tennis courts, a spa and fitness center, an 18-hole golf course, and 3km (2 miles) of carefully maintained jogging trails. The accommodations include beachside rooms with fieldstone terraces leading toward the sea. The resort's stone sugar mill (originally built in 1658) is one of the most popular sites for weddings and visiting honeymooners on the island.

The Best Inns and Bed & Breakfasts

Admiral's Inn (Antigua; tel. 268/460-1027): The most historically evocative corner of Antigua is Nelson's Dockyard, which was originally built in the 1700s to repair His Majesty's ships. The brick-and-stone inn that flourishes here today was once a warehouse for turpentine and pitch. In the late 1960s it was transformed into a well-designed and very charming hotel. Note: If you're sensitive to noise, you might be bothered by the sometimes raucous bar and restaurant.

Avila Beach Hotel (Curaçao; tel. 800/747-8162 or 599/9-461-4377): This hotel's historic core, built in 1780 as the "country house" of the island's governor, retains its dignity and simplicity. Although it's been a hotel since the end of World War II, a new owner added 40 bedrooms in motel-like outbuildings and upgraded the sports and dining facilities in the early 1990s. Today the Avila provides a sandy beach and easy access to the shops and distractions of nearby Willemstad.

Spice Island Beach Resort (Grenada; tel. 800/448-8355 in the U.S., or 473/444-4258): Each of this hotel's 66 units is a suite (with Jacuzzi) either beside the beach (one of Grenada's best) or near a swimming pool. Friday night features live music from the island's most popular bands.

François Plantation (St. Barthélemy; tel. 590/29-80-22): At this inn, about a dozen pastel-colored bungalows are scattered among the lushest gardens on St. Barts. The mood is discreet, permissive, and fun. The food is French-inspired and served on a wide veranda decorated in a whimsical colonial style.

Ottley's Plantation Inn (St. Kitts; tel. 800/772-3039 in the U.S., or 869/465-7234): As you approach, the inn's dignified verandas appear majestically at the crest of 14 hectares (35 acres) of impeccably maintained lawns and gardens. It's one of the most charming plantation-house inns anywhere in the world, maintained with style and humor by its expatriate U.S. owners. The food is the best on the island, and the setting will soothe your tired nerves within a few hours after you arrive.

Montpelier Plantation Inn (Nevis; tel. 869/469-3462): Style and grace are the hallmarks of this former 18th-century plantation, now converted to an inn and set on a 40-hectare (99-acre) estate. Guests have included the late Princess of Wales. Cottage rooms are spread across 4 hectares (10 acres) of ornamental gardens. Swimming, horseback riding, windsurfing, a private beach, and "eco-rambles" fill the agenda.

The Hermitage Beach Club (Nevis; tel. 800/682-4025 in the U.S., or 869/469-3477): Guests stay in clapboard-sided cottages separated by carefully maintained bougainvillea and grasslands. The beach is a short drive away, but this slice of 19th-century plantation life (complete with candlelit dinners amid the antiques and polished silver of the main house) is decidedly romantic.

The Frangipani (Bequia, The Grenadines; tel. 784/458-3255): This is the century-old homestead of the Mitchell family, whose most famous scion later became prime minister of St. Vincent. Today, it's a small, very relaxed inn. It's fun to watch the yachts setting out to sea from the nearby marina.

Villa Madeleine (St. Croix; tel. 800/496-7379 in the U.S., or 340/778-8782): This recently built, almost perfect re-creation of a 19th-century great house occupies the summit of a scrub-covered ridge. The food is among the best on St. Croix. Accommodations include richly furnished hideaway suites with sweeping views over the coastline.

The Best Family Vacations

Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino (Aruba; tel. 800/233-1234 in the U.S. and Canada, or 297/58-61234): Designed like a luxurious hacienda, with award-winning gardens, this resort is the most upscale on Aruba. Supervised activities for children ages 3 to 12 include games and contests such as crab races and hula-hoop competitions.

Sandy Beach Island Resort (Barbados; tel. 800/448-8355 in the U.S., or 246/435-8000): Set amid lots of fast-food and family-style restaurants on the southwest coast, this family-oriented hotel offers one- and two-bedroom suites. Each unit has a kitchen, so you can cook for yourself and save money. The beach is a few steps away, and the ambience is informal. If you bring the kids, they'll have plenty of playmates.

Breezes Curaçao (Curaçao; tel. 599/736-7888): One of the most welcoming resorts for families is Breezes Curaçao, which features the best kiddie programs on island in its on-site Camp Breezes. Making it even more fun for children, the inclusive resort lies next to both the Undersea National Park and the Sea Aquarium and opens onto one of Curaçao's most beautiful and longest beaches.

Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman (Grand Cayman Island; tel. 800/233-1234 in the U.S., or 345/949-1234): Safe and serene, Grand Cayman Island, with its 11km (6 3/4-mile) sandy beach, seems designed for families with children. No one coddles children as much as the Hyatt people, who offer not only babysitting but also Camp Hyatt, with an activity-filled agenda, for children ages 3 to 12.

Sunset at the Palms Resort & Spa (Negril, Jamaica; tel. 800/234-1707 or 876/957-5350): Rising on stilts, these wooden cottages with private decks add a sense of adventure to a beach vacation. Surrounded by tropical vegetation, families are only steps from the beach. Features for kids include a playground, computer games, arts-and-crafts lessons, and even storytelling sessions. Children under age 2 stay free if they share a room with their parents; children ages 2 to 12 are $25 extra.

FDR Pebbles (Runaway Bay, Jamaica; tel. 888/FDR-KIDS in the U.S., or 876/617-2500): FDR gives you a suite with its own kitchen, and a "vacation nanny" whose duties include babysitting. Neither its beach nor its pool is the most appealing on Jamaica, but the price is right, and the babysitting is part of the all-inclusive deal. Programs for children include dress-up parties, donkey rides, basketball, tennis, and snorkeling.

Wyndham El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa (Puerto Rico; tel. 800/468-5228 in the U.S., or 787/863-1000): Children aren't forgotten amid the glamour and hoopla of this fabulous resort. Camp Coquí provides day care daily from 9am to 3pm for children ages 3 to 12, at a price of $40 per child per day. Activities include fishing, sailing, arts and crafts, and nature treks. Babysitting services are available, and children ages 15 and under stay free in a room with a parent.

Four Seasons Resort Nevis (Nevis; tel. 800/332-3442 in the U.S., 800/268-6282 in Canada, or 869/469-1111): The staff of the Kids for All Seasons day camp are kindly, matronly souls who work well with children. During the adult cocktail hour, when parents might opt for a romantic sundowner, kids attend a supervised children's hour that resembles a really good birthday bash. Other kid-friendly activities include tennis lessons, watersports, and storytelling.

The Buccaneer (St. Croix; tel. 800/255-3881 in the U.S., or 340/773-2100): Posh, upscale, and offering extremely good service, this hotel is a longtime favorite that occupies a 96-hectare (237-acre) former sugar estate. Its kids' programs (ages 2-12) include a half-day sailing excursion to Buck Island Reef and guided nature walks that let kids touch, smell, and taste tropical fruit.

The Best Golf Courses

Some of the world's most famous golf architects, including Robert Trent Jones (both Jr. and Sr.), Pete Dye, and Gary Player, have designed challenging courses in the Caribbean.

Tierra del Sol Golf Course (Aruba; tel. 297/58-67800): Robert Trent Jones, Jr., has designed an 18-hole, par-71, 6,811-yard course that is one of the grandest in the southern Caribbean. On the northwest coast of this arid, cactus-studded island, the course takes in Aruba's indigenous flora, including the divi-divi tree.

Teeth of the Dog and The Links, both at Casa de Campo (Dominican Republic; tel. 809/523-3333, ext. 3187): Teeth of the Dog is one of designer Pete Dye's masterpieces. Seven holes are set adjacent to the sea, whereas the other 11 are confoundedly labyrinthine. The resort also has a second golf course, The Links, which some claim is even more difficult.

Golf de St-François (Guadeloupe; tel. 590/88-41-87): Six of its 18 holes are ringed with water traps, the winds are devilishly unpredictable, and the par is a sweat-inducing 71. This fearsome course displays the wit and skill of its designer, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Most of the staff is multilingual, and because the course is owned by the local municipality, it's a lot less snobby than you might expect.

The Tryall Club (Montego Bay, Jamaica; tel. 800/238-5290 in the U.S., or 876/956-5660): This is the finest golf course on an island known for its tricky breezes. The site occupied by The Tryall Club was once the home of one of Jamaica's best-known sugar plantations, the only remnant of which is a ruined waterwheel. The promoters of Johnnie Walker Scotch, who know a lot about golfing, use this place for their most prestigious competition. In winter, the course is usually open only to guests of The Tryall Club.

Wyndham Rose Hall Resort & Country Club (Rose Hill, Jamaica; tel. 800/996-3426 in the U.S., or 876/953-2650): This is one of the top five courses in the world, even though it faces tough competition in Montego Bay. The signature hole is 8, which doglegs onto a promontory and a green that thrusts about 183m (600 ft.) into the sea. The back nine, however, is the most scenic and most challenging, rising into steep slopes and deep ravines on Mount Zion.

Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort & Country Club (Puerto Rico; tel. 800/233-1234 in the U.S., or 787/796-1234): This resort maintains two golf courses, both set on what were originally citrus and coconut plantations and both designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. No one can agree on which of the two courses is the more interesting, but the elegance of both is breathtaking.

Four Seasons Resort Nevis (Nevis; tel. 800/332-3442 in the U.S., 800/268-6282 in Canada, or 869/469-1111): We consider this our personal favorite in all of the Caribbean, and so do readers of Caribbean Travel & Life. It was carved out of a coconut plantation and tropical rainforest in the 1980s, and its undulating beauty is virtually unequaled. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the course begins at sea level, rises to a point midway up the slopes of Mount Nevis, and then slants gracefully back down near the beachfront clubhouse. Electric carts carry golfers through a labyrinth of well-groomed paths, some of which skirt steep ravines.

The Best Dive Sites

All the major islands offer diving trips, lessons, and equipment, but here are the top picks.

Bonaire: The highly accessible reefs that surround Bonaire have never suffered from poaching or pollution, and the island's environmentally conscious diving industry ensures they never will. Created from volcanic eruptions, the island is an underwater mountain, with fringe reefs right off the beach of every hotel on any part of the island.

Virgin Gorda: Many divers plan their entire vacations around exploring the famed wreck of the HMS Rhone, off Salt Island. This royal mail steamer, which went down in 1867, is the most celebrated diving site in the Caribbean.

Grand Cayman: This is a world-class diving destination. There are 34 dive operators on Grand Cayman (with five more on Little Cayman, plus three on Cayman Brac). A full range of professional diving services is available, including equipment sales, rentals, and repairs; instruction at all levels; underwater photography; and video schools.

Saba: Islanders can't brag about its beaches, but Saba is blessed with some of the Caribbean's richest marine life. It's one of the premier diving locations in the Caribbean, with 38 official diving sites. The unusual setting includes underwater lava flows, black sand, large strands of black coral, millions of fish, and underwater mountaintops submerged under 27m (89 ft.) of water.

Turks and Caicos Islands: These islands offer a rich assortment of relatively unexplored underwater sites, including sea lanes where boaters and divers often spot whales from January to March. A collection of unusual underwater wrecks includes the HMS Endymion, which sank during a storm in 1790. Miles of reefs house myriad kinds of colorful marine life. Right off Grand Turk, experienced divers love the many miles of "drop-off" diving, where the sea walls plunge into the uncharted depths of blue holes more than 2,100m (6,888 ft.) below sea level. As you descend you'll see colonies of black coral, rare forms of anemone, purple sponges, stunning gorgonian, endless forms of coral, and thousands of fish.

St. Croix: Increasingly known as a top diving destination, St. Croix hasn't yet overtaken Grand Cayman, but has a lot going for it. Beach dives, reef dives, wreck dives, nighttime dives, wall dives -- they're all here. The highlight is the underwater trails of the national park at Buck Island, off St. Croix's mainland. Other desirable sites include the drop-offs and coral canyons at Cane Bay and Salt River. Davis Bay is the location of the 3,600m-deep (11,808-ft.) Puerto Rico Trench, the fifth-deepest body of water on earth.

The Best Destinations for Serious Shoppers

Because the U.S. government allows its citizens to take (or send) home more duty-free goods from the U.S. Virgins than from other ports of call, the U.S. Virgin Islands remain the shopping bazaar of the Caribbean. U.S. citizens may carry home $1,400 worth of goods untaxed, as opposed to only $400 to $600 worth of goods from most other islands in the Caribbean. (The only exception to this rule is Puerto Rico, where any purchase, regardless of the amount, can be carried tax free back to the U.S. mainland.) St. Maarten/St. Martin, which is ruled jointly by France and the Netherlands, gives the Virgins some serious shopping competition. It is virtually a shopper's mall, especially on the Dutch side. Although the U.S. doesn't grant the generous customs allowances on St. Maarten/St. Martin that it does to its own islands, the island doesn't have duty so you still can find some lovely bargains.

Aruba: The wisest shoppers on Aruba are cost-conscious souls who have carefully checked the prices of comparable goods before leaving home. Duty is relatively low (only 3.3%). Much of the European china, jewelry, perfumes, watches, and crystal has a disconcerting habit of reappearing in every shopping mall and hotel boutique on the island, so after you determine exactly which brand of watch or china you want, you can comparison shop.

Barbados: Local shops seem to specialize in all things English. Merchandise includes bone china from British and Irish manufacturers, watches, jewelry, and perfumes. Bridgetown's Broad Street is the shopping headquarters of the island, although some of the stores here maintain boutiques (with similar prices but a less extensive range of merchandise) at many of the island's hotels and in malls along the congested southwestern coast. Except for cigarettes and tobacco, duty-free items can be hauled off by any buyer as soon as they're paid for. Duty-free status is extended to anyone showing a passport or ID and an airline ticket with a date of departure from Barbados.

The Cayman Islands: Goods are sold tax free from a daunting collection of malls and minimalls throughout Grand Cayman. Most of these are along the highway that parallels Seven Mile Beach; you'll need a car to shop around. There are also lots of stores in George Town, which you can explore on foot, poking in and out of some large emporiums in your search for bargains.

Curaçao: In the island's capital, tidy and prosperous Willemstad, hundreds of merchants are only too happy to cater to your needs. A handful of malls lie on Willemstad's outskirts, but most shops are clustered within a few blocks of the center of town. During seasonal sales, goods might be up to 50% less than comparable prices in the United States; most of the year, you'll find luxury items (porcelain, crystal, watches, and gemstones) priced at about 25% less than in the U.S. Technically, you'll pay import duties on virtually everything you buy, but rates are so low you may not even notice.

The Dominican Republic: The island's best buys include handicrafts, amber from Dominican mines, and the distinctive pale-blue semiprecious gemstone known as larimar. The amber sold by street vendors may be nothing more than orange-colored, transparent plastic; buy only from well-established shops if your investment is a large one. Other charming souvenirs might include a Dominican rocking chair (JFK used to sit in one), which is sold boxed, in ready-to-assemble pieces. Malls and souvenir stands abound in Santo Domingo, in Puerto Plata, and along the country's northern coast.

Jamaica: The shopping was better in the good old days, before taxes added a 10% surcharge. Despite that, Jamaica offers a wealth of desirable goods, including flavored rums, Jamaican coffees, handicrafts (such as woodcarvings, woven baskets, and sandals), original paintings and sculpture, and cameras, watches, and DVD players. Unless you're a glutton for handmade souvenirs (which are available on virtually every beach and street corner), you'd be wise to limit most of your purchases to bona fide merchants and stores.

Puerto Rico: For U.S. citizens, there's no duty on anything bought in Puerto Rico. That doesn't guarantee that prices will be particularly low, however. You'll find lots of jewelry and watches, often at competitive prices, especially in the island's best-stocked area, Old San Juan. Also of great interest are such Puerto Rican handicrafts as charming folkloric papier-mâché carnival masks and santos, carved wooden figures depicting saints.

St. Maarten/St. Martin: Because of the massive influx of cruise ships, shopping in Dutch St. Maarten is now about the finest in the Caribbean, though you may have to fight the crowds. Because there's no duty, prices can be 30% to 50% lower than in the U.S. Forget about local crafts and concentrate on leather goods, electronics, cameras, designer fashions, watches, and crystal, along with linens and jewelry. Philipsburg, capital of the island's Dutch side, is the best place to shop. Although it can't compete with Dutch St. Maarten, French St. Martin has been becoming a more popular shopping destination, especially for goods such as fashion or perfumes imported from France.

St. Thomas: Many of its busiest shops are in restored warehouses that were originally built in the 1700s. Charlotte Amalie, the capital, is a shopper's town, with a staggering number of stores stocked with more merchandise than anywhere else in the entire Caribbean. However, despite all the fanfare, real bargains are hard to come by. Regardless, the island attracts hordes of cruise-ship passengers on a sometimes-frantic hunt for bargains, real or imagined. Look for two local publications, This Week and Best Buys; either might steer you to the type of merchandise you're seeking. If at all possible, try to avoid shopping when more than one cruise ship is in port -- the shopping district is a madhouse on those days.

St. Croix: This island doesn't have the massive shopping development of St. Thomas, but its merchandise has never been more wide-ranging than it is today. Even though most cruise ships call at Frederiksted, with its urban mall, our favorite shops are in Christiansted, which boasts many one-of-a-kind boutiques and a lot of special finds. Prices are about the same here as on St. Thomas.

Southwest Airlines and StartupNation to Provide Podcasts for Entrepreneurs

StartupNation has reportedly partnered with Southwest Airlines to provide podcasts to help entrepreneurs to start and manage business successfully. The “Entrepreneurial Tips” small business podcasts will be available at StartupNation and will feature business advice, often highlighting many of the customer-service strategies that have contributed to Southwest Airlines’ success.

The podcast provides advice from entrepreneurial experts twice a month and will give

useful tips to boost business plans. As a special bonus, the users will receive occasional pointers straight from the customer service gurus at Southwest Airlines. Moreover, the subscribers can listen to the latest podcasts on their iPod/mp3 player or computer.

“The StartupNation community loves to learn from the companies who’ve made it, and Southwest Airlines is a great example of one that has differentiated itself with customer service and through its approachable, fun-loving brand,” states Jeff Sloan, StartupNation Co-founder in the press release.

“We are excited to be able to bring Southwest Airlines into our mix so our entrepreneurs can learn from their success and also take advantage of special travel offers.”

Entrepreneurs can visit startupnation.com, enroll in SWABIZ and take advantage of two special SWABIZ offers. New enrollees who work for companies with at least three employees can earn double Southwest Rapid Rewards credits. Any small business which books $2500 or more in travel using its SWABIZ account in the first 60 days of their enrollment will earn a free, round-trip ticket.

In the coming months, StartupNation and Southwest Airlines will also offer entrepreneurs and small business owners the chance to win a free, Southwest Airlines Vacation Getaway package and individual round-trip tickets.

The Best Beaches

Good beaches with soul-warming sun, crystal-clear waters, and fragrant sea air can be found on virtually every island of the Caribbean, with the possible exceptions of Saba (which has rocky shores) and Dominica (where the few beaches have dramatically black sands that absorb the hot sun).

Shoal Bay (Anguilla): This luscious stretch of silvery sand helped put Anguilla on the world-tourism map. Snorkelers are drawn to the schools of iridescent fish that dart among the coral gardens offshore. You can take the trail walk from Old Ta to little-known Katouche Beach, which offers perfect snorkeling and is also a prime site for a beach picnic under shade trees.

The Beaches of Antigua: Legend has it that there is a beach here for every day of the year, though we haven't bothered to confirm that by counting. Antiguans claim, with justifiable pride, that their two best beaches are Dickenson Bay, in the northwest corner of the island, and Half Moon Bay, which stretches for a white-sandy mile along the eastern coast. Most major hotels open directly onto a good beach, so chances are good yours will be built on or near a strip of white sand.

Palm Beach (Aruba): This superb white-sand beach put Aruba on the tourist map. Several publications, including Condé Nast Traveler, have hailed it as 1 of the 12 best beaches in the world. It's likely to be crowded in winter, but for swimming, sailing, or fishing, it's idyllic.

The Gold Coast (Barbados): Some of the finest beaches in the Caribbean lie along the so-called Gold Coast of Barbados, site of some of the swankiest deluxe hotels in the Northern Hemisphere. Our favorites include Paynes Bay, Brandon's Beach, Paradise Beach, and Brighton Beach, all open to the public.

Cane Garden Bay (Tortola, British Virgin Islands): One of the Caribbean's most spectacular stretches, Cane Garden Bay has 2km (1 1/4 miles) of white sand and is a jogger's favorite. It's a much better choice than more obvious (and more crowded) Magens Bay beach on neighboring St. Thomas.

Seven Mile Beach (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands): It's really about 9km (5 1/2 miles) long, but who's counting? Lined with condos and plush resorts, this beach is known for its array of watersports and its translucent aquamarine waters. Australian pines dot the background, and the average winter temperature of the water is a perfect 80°F (27°C).

The Beaches of the Dominican Republic: There are two great options here: the beaches of resort-riddled Punta Cana at the easternmost tip of the island, or those at Playa Dorada along the northern coast, which fronts the Atlantic. Punta Cana is a 32km (20-mile) strip of oyster-white sands set against a backdrop of palm trees, and Playa Dorada is filled with beaches of white or beige sands.

Grand Anse Beach (Grenada): This 3km (2-mile) beach is reason enough to go to Grenada. Although the island has some 45 beaches, most with white sand, this is the fabled one, and rightly so. There's enough space and so few visitors that you'll probably find a spot just for yourself. The sugary sands of Grand Anse extend into deep waters far offshore. Most of the island's best hotels are within walking distance of this beach strip.

Seven Mile Beach (Negril, Jamaica): In the northwestern section of the island, this beach stretches for 11km (6 3/4 miles) along the sea, and is backed by some of the most hedonistic resorts in the Caribbean. Not for the conservative, the beach also contains some nudist sections along with bare-all Booby Cay offshore.

Diamond Beach (Martinique): This bright, white-sandy beach stretches for about 10km (6 1/4 miles), much of it developed. It faces a rocky offshore island, Diamond Rock, which has uninhabited shores.

Luquillo Beach (Puerto Rico): This crescent-shaped public beach, 30 miles east of San Juan, is the local favorite. Much photographed because of its white sands and coconut palms, it also has tent sites and picnic facilities. The often-fierce waters of the Atlantic are subdued by the coral reefs protecting the crystal-clear lagoon.

St-Jean Beach (St. Barthélemy): A somewhat narrow, golden sandy beach, St-Jean is the gem of the island, reminiscent of the French Riviera (though you're supposed to keep your top on). Reefs protect the beach, making it ideal for swimming.

The Beaches of St. Maarten/St. Martin: Take your pick. This island, divided about equally between France and the Netherlands, has 39 white-sandy beaches. Our favorites include Dawn Beach, Mullet Bay Beach, Maho Bay Beach, and Great Bay Beach on the Dutch side. Orient Beach is another standout -- not because of its sands but because of the nudists.

Canouan (The Grenadines): Most of the other beaches recommended in this section have been discovered and may be crowded in winter. But if you're looking for an idyllic, secluded stretch of perfect white sand, head for the remote and tiny island of Canouan, one of the pearls of The Grenadines, a string of islands lying south of its parent, St. Vincent. You'll have the beaches and the crystal-clear waters to yourself, even in winter.

The Beaches of Tobago: For your Robinson Crusoe holiday in the southern Caribbean, head to the little island of Tobago. Even Trinidadians fly over here on weekends to enjoy the beach life. It doesn't get any better than a long coral beach called Pigeon Point on the northwestern coast. Other good beaches on Tobago include Back Bay (site of an old coconut plantation) and Man-O-War Bay, known for its beautiful natural harbor and long stretch of sand.

Grace Bay Beach (Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands): These 19km (12 miles) of pale sands are the pride of Provo; Condé Nast Traveler has called this one of the world's best beaches. It's such a spectacular setting that increasing numbers of resorts, including Club Med, have sprung up along the shore. A couple of miles out from the northern shore, the beach is fringed by a reef with fabulous snorkeling. Back on land, there are plenty of places where you can rent watersports equipment.

Trunk Bay (St. John): Protected by the U.S. National Park Service, this beach is one of the Caribbean's most popular. A favorite with cruise-ship passengers, it's known for its underwater snorkeling trail, where markers guide you along the reef just off the white sands; you're sure to see a gorgeous rainbow of tropical fish.

Ride through New Hampshire

Have Bike Will Travel: Ride through New Hampshire for Three Days from $279

From the edge of the Danube to the White Mountains of New England to the desert straits of the Moab, guided bicycle trips combine incredible landscape with exercise and activity. It's no wonder bicycle trips keep outdoing themselves looking for more intriguing and more scenic locales. And, as people become more interested in biking trips, the prices seem to be going down, making them affordable ways to travel the roadways (and off-roadways) of the world.

Bike the Whites (tel. 800/421-1785; www.bikethewhites.com) combines the inns of New Hampshire with the scenery of the White Mountain National Forests. Starting at $95 per day, these three day tours cost $279 in May, $329 in June, $379 from July to September 15 and then increase to $429 when the leaf-peeping season kicks into prime time viewing in October. The inns you'll be staying at and eating at on the tour include the Snowvillage Inn, the Tamworth Inn, and the recently-added award-winning 1785 Inn. For a detailed profile of the participating inns, go to www.bikethewhites.com/profiles.htm. These tours are customized, self-guided tours where all the cooking and luggage transferring is done for you. Departure dates are on Tuesday and include three nights lodging, hearty breakfasts and candlelight dinners. Distance per day usually comes out to around 20 miles.

For in-depth bike tours of some of Europe's most inspiring cities and countryside, Bike Tours Direct (tel. 877/462-2423; www.biketoursdirect.com) offers over 150 bike tours in over 30 countries. Currently featured, the "Danube Tour" is a six day, 35 mile per day, self-guided tour starting in Passau, Germany and ending up in Vienna. Cruising along the famous Danube River, Europe's second largest river, the Danube Tour is especially good for families with children as the route takes small ferries across the river, goes over bridges, and passes through quaint, peaceful and small towns. The trip includes five to ten nights' accommodations in rooms with private bathrooms, a welcome drink, daily breakfast, detailed maps, and the use of a service hotline. Dates for this trip are from April 8, 2006 to October 22, 2006. Depending on how far you want to travel on a daily basis, this trip can be lengthened to ten days. These passages are priced at $454 per person based on double occupancy for six days and $795 for ten days. Lodging is in three-star hotels along the route. The bulk of the trip passes through Austria's Wachau region filled with medieval castles, small wine vineyards blending some of Austria's best wines, and small farms and ancient monasteries. Trips to other European locations include Tuscany, Provence, Portugal and Poland.

For adventure seeking mountain bikers looking to conquer what some bikers call the best mountain bike trail on planet Earth, Rim Tours (tel. 800/626-7335; www.rimtours.com) has been operating day trips to Slickrock Trail in the Moab desert since the mid-1980s when mountain biking became a globally popular sport. A fully-guided three day three night Rim Tour of the best of Moab's inns cost $675 per person with double occupancy lodging. (Add $100 for a single supplement). Tour dates for this trip are from May 11 to 14, June 1 to 4, September 23 to 25, and October 12 to 15, 2006. For you advanced bikers, a thirteen-mile daytrip to Slickrock starts at $175 for a full day of biking and $135 for a half day of hard-core biking. The price includes bike rental, helmet, water bottle, transportation to the top of the trail, and a lunch. If you bring your own bike and equipment, subtract $20 from the price of the daytrip. You can combine a half-day of rafting with the biking. Other advanced one-day trips are available as well to other Moab-area bike trails.

Rim Tours is constantly adding new tours and partnerships with biking companies. A "Maverick Women's Weekend" is a newly added trip led by Mia Stockdale, a former world-class professional mountain biker. In conjunction with the Vail Mountain Biking Camp, this weekend trip includes two days of riding in one of two locations: the Moab from May 19 to 21, 2006 for $275 and Fruita, Colorado from May 13 to14 and September 30 to October 1 for $250. Stretching techniques and other teaching tips are part of this coaching-intensive two day trip that also comes with two packed lunches.

Another mountain biking tour company putting their adventure-feet forward but with an eye toward experiencing the Caribbean, Iguana Mama (tel. 800/849-4720; www.iguanamama.com/multiday_rides) has multi-day tours available to the Dominican Republic taking bike travelers to the heights of the Dominican Alps and the coastline of Hispanola. A nine day mountain bike tour of the Dominican Alps labeled strenuous but for intermediate level bikers goes to 5,500 feet and costs $1,450. Included in the trip are all meals, snacks, refreshments, maps, daily briefings so you can go out on your own and meet up later with other bikers, an Iguana Mama guide, constant van support, all lodging, park permits and entry fees and a rafting trip. Highlights of the trip include traveling through seven climate zones, ocean views, and high-altitude biking. Call Iguana Mama for departure dates but remember that groups of four can depart on this trip. One-day trips and other multi-day tours are also available from this unique adventure travel provider.

Check out our Outdoor and Adventure Travel Message Boards.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

The International Traveler

When I planned my 9-month around-the-world trip 10 years ago, airline ticket prices were $1,500 in economy and $4,000 in first class. Now economy is $3,500 and first class is $12,000, with a lot more limitations and annoyances. What is the best city to buy the ticket in and to start from - London, Bangkok, Athens or Johannesburg - to bring down the price?

Manfred Riha, Düsseldorf

Shopping for a round-the-world ticket is inevitably a compromise. There are probably more permutations of prices, routings, airline combinations, stopover options and classes than possible moves in a game of chess. You can save as much as 40 percent by buying your ticket in Bangkok, Colombo, Istanbul or Mumbai rather than in Frankfurt or New York. But remember, you must start your trip in the same country in which you bought your ticket. This only makes sense if you plan to return there within 12 months, before the last coupon of the round-the-world ticket expires.

Compare options at the three airline alliances: Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam. Book with a good travel agent. Ebookers.com offers a Qantas "Discovery" fare: London-Bangkok- Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles-London from £995, or $1,730; and a "Six Continents" (Oneworld) fare with unlimited stops up to a distance of 39,000 miles from £2,229. (Both fares are economy class.) Ebookers posts a round-the-world guide at www.ebookers.com and www.bridgetheworld.com with a "route planner" that allows you to match the itinerary with prices, airline combinations and fare conditions.

Jane Ralls was understandably upset (Q&A March 3) when she found her seat space invaded by an "extremely large" man who lifted the armrest. But it is my experience that armrests must be kept down, at least during takeoff and landing. How can this apply to large passengers who cannot fit in a seat unless the armrest is up?

Roberto Micele, London

Several readers have taken me to task for not properly answering Jane Ralls's question, which was how people should react when a very heavy passenger spreads into their space, and what the victims of such an incursion should expect airlines to do about it. You are correct; airlines require armrests to be kept down for reasons of safety and comfort during takeoff and landing. It follows, therefore, that if an exceptionally wide passenger can't fit into a seat without raising the armrest, he or she cannot be allowed to travel in that seat, but must either be required to buy a second seat, upgrade if there is space, or be transferred onto a later flight.

Airlines differ slightly in their responses to the problem. Kevin Johnston, a spokesman for United Airlines, says, "If we notice (or if it is brought to our attention) that one of our passengers is inconvenienced by his or her neighbor, we will try and re- seat one or both of the passengers so that everyone is comfortable."

At British Airways, Jay Merritt says, the airline "advises anybody who has concerns about seat width to purchase more than one seat, but we do not have a weight limit for passengers." He adds: "If a passenger cannot utilize a seat safely (armrests must be properly down for takeoff and landing), alternative arrangements have to be made," including extensions to seat belts and special seat belts for anyone who has purchased two seats.

When I planned my 9-month around-the-world trip 10 years ago, airline ticket prices were $1,500 in economy and $4,000 in first class. Now economy is $3,500 and first class is $12,000, with a lot more limitations and annoyances. What is the best city to buy the ticket in and to start from - London, Bangkok, Athens or Johannesburg - to bring down the price?

Manfred Riha, Düsseldorf

Shopping for a round-the-world ticket is inevitably a compromise. There are probably more permutations of prices, routings, airline combinations, stopover options and classes than possible moves in a game of chess. You can save as much as 40 percent by buying your ticket in Bangkok, Colombo, Istanbul or Mumbai rather than in Frankfurt or New York. But remember, you must start your trip in the same country in which you bought your ticket. This only makes sense if you plan to return there within 12 months, before the last coupon of the round-the-world ticket expires.

Compare options at the three airline alliances: Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam. Book with a good travel agent. Ebookers.com offers a Qantas "Discovery" fare: London-Bangkok- Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles-London from £995, or $1,730; and a "Six Continents" (Oneworld) fare with unlimited stops up to a distance of 39,000 miles from £2,229. (Both fares are economy class.) Ebookers posts a round-the-world guide at www.ebookers.com and www.bridgetheworld.com with a "route planner" that allows you to match the itinerary with prices, airline combinations and fare conditions.

Jane Ralls was understandably upset (Q&A March 3) when she found her seat space invaded by an "extremely large" man who lifted the armrest. But it is my experience that armrests must be kept down, at least during takeoff and landing. How can this apply to large passengers who cannot fit in a seat unless the armrest is up?

Roberto Micele, London Several readers have taken me to task for not properly answering Jane Ralls's question, which was how people should react when a very heavy passenger spreads into their space, and what the victims of such an incursion should expect airlines to do about it. You are correct; airlines require armrests to be kept down for reasons of safety and comfort during takeoff and landing. It follows, therefore, that if an exceptionally wide passenger can't fit into a seat without raising the armrest, he or she cannot be allowed to travel in that seat, but must either be required to buy a second seat, upgrade if there is space, or be transferred onto a later flight.

Airlines differ slightly in their responses to the problem. Kevin Johnston, a spokesman for United Airlines, says, "If we notice (or if it is brought to our attention) that one of our passengers is inconvenienced by his or her neighbor, we will try and re- seat one or both of the passengers so that everyone is comfortable."

At British Airways, Jay Merritt says, the airline "advises anybody who has concerns about seat width to purchase more than one seat, but we do not have a weight limit for passengers." He adds: "If a passenger cannot utilize a seat safely (armrests must be properly down for takeoff and landing), alternative arrangements have to be made," including extensions to seat belts and special seat belts for anyone who has purchased two seats.

When I planned my 9-month around-the-world trip 10 years ago, airline ticket prices were $1,500 in economy and $4,000 in first class. Now economy is $3,500 and first class is $12,000, with a lot more limitations and annoyances. What is the best city to buy the ticket in and to start from - London, Bangkok, Athens or Johannesburg - to bring down the price?

Manfred Riha, Düsseldorf

Shopping for a round-the-world ticket is inevitably a compromise. There are probably more permutations of prices, routings, airline combinations, stopover options and classes than possible moves in a game of chess. You can save as much as 40 percent by buying your ticket in Bangkok, Colombo, Istanbul or Mumbai rather than in Frankfurt or New York. But remember, you must start your trip in the same country in which you bought your ticket. This only makes sense if you plan to return there within 12 months, before the last coupon of the round-the-world ticket expires.

Compare options at the three airline alliances: Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam. Book with a good travel agent. Ebookers.com offers a Qantas "Discovery" fare: London-Bangkok- Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles-London from £995, or $1,730; and a "Six Continents" (Oneworld) fare with unlimited stops up to a distance of 39,000 miles from £2,229. (Both fares are economy class.) Ebookers posts a round-the-world guide at www.ebookers.com and www.bridgetheworld.com with a "route planner" that allows you to match the itinerary with prices, airline combinations and fare conditions.

Jane Ralls was understandably upset (Q&A March 3) when she found her seat space invaded by an "extremely large" man who lifted the armrest. But it is my experience that armrests must be kept down, at least during takeoff and landing. How can this apply to large passengers who cannot fit in a seat unless the armrest is up?

Roberto Micele, London

Several readers have taken me to task for not properly answering Jane Ralls's question, which was how people should react when a very heavy passenger spreads into their space, and what the victims of such an incursion should expect airlines to do about it. You are correct; airlines require armrests to be kept down for reasons of safety and comfort during takeoff and landing. It follows, therefore, that if an exceptionally wide passenger can't fit into a seat without raising the armrest, he or she cannot be allowed to travel in that seat, but must either be required to buy a second seat, upgrade if there is space, or be transferred onto a later flight.

Airlines differ slightly in their responses to the problem. Kevin Johnston, a spokesman for United Airlines, says, "If we notice (or if it is brought to our attention) that one of our passengers is inconvenienced by his or her neighbor, we will try and re- seat one or both of the passengers so that everyone is comfortable."

At British Airways, Jay Merritt says, the airline "advises anybody who has concerns about seat width to purchase more than one seat, but we do not have a weight limit for passengers." He adds: "If a passenger cannot utilize a seat safely (armrests must be properly down for takeoff and landing), alternative arrangements have to be made," including extensions to seat belts and special seat belts for anyone who has purchased two seats.

Travel Deals

Australia to Europe, Austrian Airlines, round-trip for 1,250 Australian dollars, about $880, plus 400 Australian dollars tax, from Sydney or Melbourne to Frankfurt, Paris, London, Prague or Vienna. Until April 30. www.travel.com.au.

North America to London, British Airways. Mother's Day package from $599 per person (plus fees and taxes) from New York to London includes round-trip airfare, three nights at three-star Royal National Hotel, Kensington, with continental breakfast and afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason. Available from all 22 British Airways North American gateways, including Washington and Baltimore, $675; Los Angeles and San Francisco, $759; Toronto, 789 Canadian dollars, or $673. Travel must begin by May 24 and be completed by May 28. Telephone: 1 (877) 428-2228, or www.ba.com/mothersdayoffer.

New York to Geneva, British Airways. Two-night "Love Geneva" package from $797 per person (based on two people sharing a double room) includes round-trip economy airfare, two nights at Hôtel d'Angleterre on Lake Geneva. Must include a Saturday night. Extra night rates available. For travel until May 28. Telephone: 1 (866) 732-9304; ask for "Love Geneva."

Doha, Qatar, to Hong Kong, Qatar Airways. Privilege Club members earn 25,000 bonus Qmiles for every return trip in business class; for economy passengers, double Qmiles. Until April 26.

Zurich/Geneva to Chicago, Swiss Air. Round-trip for 849 Swiss francs, or about $648 (including taxes). Until April 15.

United States to France, Uniworld Cruises. All-inclusive seven- night/nine-day river cruise package in Provence and Burgundy along the Seine and Rhône from $2,748 per person (based on two sharing); includes shore excursions and round-trip air travel from New York, Boston or other East Coast gateways. Until Nov. 1. Book at www.uniworld.com.

MANDARIN ORIENTAL, Singapore Two-night "Where Business Becomes Pleasure" package for 1,899 Singapore dollars, or about $1,172, per night in a Club Harbor Suite; includes Mercedes transfers, personal butler and concierge, 24-hour high-speed wireless Internet access, Champagne breakfasts and 20 percent off spa treatments and business center services. Until July 31.

RENAISSANCE CHANCERY COURT, London Easter rates from £99, or about $172, per night (plus VAT) for three nights or more if the stay includes Friday, Saturday or Sunday. April 13-23. (44) 207 829 9888 or visit www.renaissancechancerycourt.com.

Australia to Europe, Austrian Airlines, round-trip for 1,250 Australian dollars, about $880, plus 400 Australian dollars tax, from Sydney or Melbourne to Frankfurt, Paris, London, Prague or Vienna. Until April 30. www.travel.com.au.

North America to London, British Airways. Mother's Day package from $599 per person (plus fees and taxes) from New York to London includes round-trip airfare, three nights at three-star Royal National Hotel, Kensington, with continental breakfast and afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason. Available from all 22 British Airways North American gateways, including Washington and Baltimore, $675; Los Angeles and San Francisco, $759; Toronto, 789 Canadian dollars, or $673. Travel must begin by May 24 and be completed by May 28. Telephone: 1 (877) 428-2228, or www.ba.com/mothersdayoffer.

New York to Geneva, British Airways. Two-night "Love Geneva" package from $797 per person (based on two people sharing a double room) includes round-trip economy airfare, two nights at Hôtel d'Angleterre on Lake Geneva. Must include a Saturday night. Extra night rates available. For travel until May 28. Telephone: 1 (866) 732-9304; ask for "Love Geneva."

Doha, Qatar, to Hong Kong, Qatar Airways. Privilege Club members earn 25,000 bonus Qmiles for every return trip in business class; for economy passengers, double Qmiles. Until April 26.

Zurich/Geneva to Chicago, Swiss Air. Round-trip for 849 Swiss francs, or about $648 (including taxes). Until April 15.

United States to France, Uniworld Cruises. All-inclusive seven- night/nine-day river cruise package in Provence and Burgundy along the Seine and Rhône from $2,748 per person (based on two sharing); includes shore excursions and round-trip air travel from New York, Boston or other East Coast gateways. Until Nov. 1. Book at www.uniworld.com.

Tourists hooked by Georgia Aquarium

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- When the Georgia Aquarium opened nearly four months ago, supporters hoped for a haul of 2 million visitors in the first year.

But they landed an even larger catch -- more than 1 million people in its first 98 days. The planners now say 3 million visitors for the year is no longer fishy thinking.

Like a whirlpool, the aquarium that claims to be the world's largest has been drawing visitors to downtown Atlanta from all over. Packaged with nearby attractions -- including the newly renovated High Museum of Art, which will display works from the Louvre in Paris later this year -- Atlanta officials say the city is experiencing its largest tourism boom since the 1996 Olympics.

"The product is unbelievable. It's drawing many people downtown," said Spurgeon Richardson, president and CEO of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, of the aquarium. "When those people come downtown, they see the CNN Center and take that tour, they have dinner downtown, they walk around Centennial Olympic Park and see the Children's Museum. All the numbers are up as it relates to downtown."

The popular "Inside CNN" studio tour recently underwent a $5.5 million (euro4.6 million) overhaul to make it more interactive. Another big local draw, the World of Coca-Cola, continues to draw visitors while building a new attraction that is scheduled to open in 2007.

Atlanta also received a boost in conventioneers and sports fans after Hurricane Katrina forced the Sugar Bowl college football game and more than a dozen major meetings to move here from New Orleans. But the aquarium -- which opened November 23 -- has played the largest role in bringing tourists to Atlanta lately, Richardson said.

The travel booking Web site Expedia.com reported an increase in Atlanta hotel bookings between December and February, higher than for the same time period in years past. (Expedia would not reveal specific numbers.) Expedia's subsidiary, Hotels.com, reported a surge in weekend hotel bookings for downtown Atlanta from travelers from nearby Tennessee, Alabama and South Carolina.

Expedia spokesman David Dennis said he believes the increase is attributable to the aquarium.

"There have been healthy increases in the number of weekend nights booked from people in neighboring states as well as a lot of business travelers bringing their families and spending a long weekend in Atlanta," Dennis said.

The aquarium is considered a major draw because of its sheer size and its special inhabitants, including a pair of juvenile whale sharks, which as adults are known as the world's largest fish. The aquarium says it is the only whale shark exhibit in North America. Also featured are five beluga whales, two of them rescued from an amusement park in Mexico, in an 800,000-gallon (3-million-liter) tank.

The aquarium was designed to hold 8 million gallons (30.4 million liters) of water and 100,000 fish. By comparison, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago -- the nation's largest indoor aquarium for decades -- has 5 million gallons (19 million liters) and about 20,000 fish.

City tourism industries have always relied on large attractions such as the aquarium to bring visitors, said Daniel Connolly, an assistant professor at the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business.

"For Atlanta, it is a large city but in some cases has lacked the cultural amenities," Connolly said. "Having this new aquarium, that's been a huge boost to the cultural richness for the community, not only for people coming from out of state but also for locals."

Although the aquarium does not have the exact proportion of in-state and out-of-state visitors, officials estimate that about a third consist of out-of-town conventioneers, another third come from people who come to Atlanta to visit family and the remainder are locals.

"Some of the top aquariums in the United States, none have had two months of over 300,000 attendants," said Jeff Swanagan, the aquarium's executive director. "When we see this kind of data we're getting, we're not even in peak season yet, it tells us we're more than an aquarium."

Good marketing also helped bring in visitors to the Georgia Aquarium, said Debra Kerr Fassnacht, executive vice president of the Shedd Aquarium. But she said only time will tell whether the Georgia Aquarium will be able to maintain those high attendance numbers and stay in the same league as Shedd and the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, which typically draw up to 2 million people each year.

"Georgia has done some things very right. Even before it opened, you couldn't pick up something without reading about it," Fassnacht said. "It's an occurrence that doesn't happen very often."

Hawaii

Hawaii waiting out rain to launch sunny PR campaign

HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) -- State and county tourism officials hoped to launch a nationwide public relations campaign this week promoting Hawaii's sunny skies, but their plans were postponed for a week because of the rainy weather.

State tourism liaison Marsha Wienert said Tuesday that up to $100,000 will be spent on "a very aggressive" effort to reassure visitors that "Hawaii is the most beautiful place in the world and is open for business."

"We're getting word out that our regular tradewinds and our balmy weather are back," she said. "Hopefully, we've seen the last of the rains for awhile."

It has been raining continuously in Hawaii since February 19. Tourism officials are trying to counter newspapers' headlines and TV images of the deadly dam break on Kauai that flooded roads and homes, a shark bite in murky waters off Oahu and a major sewage spill in Waikiki.

"I've been here since 1961 and I've never seen such bad weather," said Kay Medhurst, 73, who was walking to her Waikiki condo carrying an umbrella.

Wienert said the impact of the bad weather on tourism has been minimal so far, but she expressed concerns about any long-term affects.

The state has already fielded many calls from worried travelers and dozens of parties have canceled their trips.

Tourism is the lifeblood of Hawaii's economy. In 2005, the islands welcomed 7.5 million visitors who spent a record $11.5 billion.

Wienert said it won't take long before Hawaii bounces back.

"All it takes is a few weeks of sunny weather, and it's back to normal," she said.

TRAVEL ADVISER

Savvy travelers can find affordable lodging

(CNN) -- Long days and a light dusting of pollen are sure signs that summer vacation is just around the corner. With hotel rates on the rise, you can find the best deals if you use the right strategies.

In the United States, hotel rates are expected to rise by 5.8 percent in 2006, according to a March report from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The average daily rate is expected to jump to $96.11 from 2005's $90.84 average -- the largest dollar increase ever.

To keep more dollars in your pocket, try some of the following tactics for finding and booking accommodations.

Call hotels directly

Dialing toll-free reservations numbers may yield less reliable information because many of the agents don't have firsthand knowledge of the location you want to book, said Paul Eisenberg, editorial director for Fodor's Travel Publications.

"I would recommend calling first because you get better on-the-ground information if you try to call the hotel directly and speak to someone at the desk," he said.

Take the time to investigate membership discounts like AAA or AARP. Ask about other offers and weigh the options against coupons or other discounts you've found, Eisenberg advises.

"It doesn't hurt to ask the person at the desk a lot of questions. For instance, 'What is the best room in my price range? Which rooms are the most popular?'"

Remember you have some leverage

There are a lot of hotel rooms in large cities and hotel managers want them filled.

"One thing that I think it helps to keep in mind if you're just the average consumer is that the worst nightmare for a hotel manager is to have an empty room because it generates no revenue," Eisenberg said.

Web surf

Compare prices on sites like Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz, and then broaden your Web search.

"People sometimes don't think to look at the hotel Web sites, but they very often have specials even at the busiest time if the hotel isn't filled," said Eleanor Berman, author of DK Eyewitness guides to New York City.

Book early for the best selection of discounted rooms on sites such as Quikbook and Expedia, Berman advises.

If you have a credit card that earns points good for flights or hotels, check the credit card company's Web site for special promotions, Eisenberg suggests. He also recommends referencing WebFlyer.com, a site that tracks a wide spectrum of hotel and airline award program promotions.

Look at business hotels

Occupancy at high-end business hotels drops on the weekends, so hotels usually drop rates to attract weekend guests.

"If you're a leisure traveler, especially on a weekend, you might miss a really good deal if you don't look carefully at a business hotel," Eisenberg said.

Look at a hotel's list of in-room amenities to help determine if it's a hotel that caters primarily to business travelers.

Consider lodging alternatives

Leave large chain hotels behind for some great values.

Berman advises travelers to look at bed and breakfasts. Even in large cities like New York, services like City Lights Bed and Breakfast will help travelers find lodging at reasonable prices.

"I think that is the best deal for someone really looking to save money," Berman said.

City Lights books rooms for guests in someone's home for $80 to $130 a night and can arrange apartment rentals for $125 to $300 a night.

Ask a lot of questions when booking this sort of accommodation to be sure it's close to public transportation and located in a neighborhood you want to visit, Berman advises.

Be as flexible as your schedule allows

The savings are there if you can schedule your trip just outside of peak season.

"If your destination's peak season is from December through April and you're coming at the end of April, you can probably save hundreds of dollars if you just adjust your travel dates by a week or two," Eisenberg said.

Business travel

Business travel: In booming Moscow, a bust for reasonable hotels

You will find few people in Moscow shedding tears for the Hotel Rossiya. The dour, hulking behemoth, which glowers at St. Basil's Cathedral and lurks near the Kremlin like a bad Cold War hangover, closed its doors on Jan. 1 and is being torn down to make way for a luxury hotel.

Ask tour operators, however, and you will find plenty scratching their heads over the loss of its nearly 2,700 rooms and the dwindling number of Moscow hotels that are both moderately priced and of reasonable quality.

A mix of bureaucratic regulations, astronomic real estate prices and poor planning has left Moscow with few mid-range hotels, forcing tourists and business travelers far afield for lodgings or resigned to glittering, five-star hotels with head- spinning room rates.

"It's that desperate," said Helene Lloyd, a tourism market consultant in Moscow.

Apart from the Rossiya, whose exterior has inspired nicknames like "the suitcase" and "the square," major hotels that have been demolished are the equally unlovely 430-room Intourist, nicknamed the "rotten tooth," and the nearby 1,000- room Moskva, whose image graces the labels of Stolichnaya vodka.

The Ukraina, one of the few mid-range hotels remaining in the city center, was sold last year for $274 million, a substantially higher price than expected, which indicates the buyers want to refit it for the high-end market.

"The loss of so many rooms - bringing the total room capacity lost to date to around 6,000 - is expected to have a major impact on tourism in Moscow in 2006 and beyond," the World Travel and Tourism Council noted in a report last month.

That is slightly less than 10 percent of the city's total hotel rooms.

An estimated 2.5 million tourists now visit the Russian capital annually, according to official statistics, bringing in as much as $1 billion for the city each year.

Moscow has one of the highest occupancy rates in the world at its roughly 170 hotels. When a trade exhibit is on, attracting businesspeople from across the country and around the world, hotels are solidly booked - although major business conventions still are often able to negotiate lower rates for large blocks of rooms.

The vast majority of Moscow's more than 65,000 hotel beds, the travel council noted, are of Soviet-era quality: a term invoking drafty windows, lumpy beds, surly staff and questionable plumbing.

The International Olympic Committee inspectors that last year reviewed Moscow's bid to be host of the 2012 games cited a lack of three-star hotels as one of several problems.

Real estate prices in Moscow - which are among the highest in the world - have meant that commercial office space and luxury residences are the fastest way to recoup costs and reap huge profits. For Western and Russian hotel investors, four- and five-star projects yield higher, quicker returns, said Gennady Lamshin, acting director of the Russian Hotel Association.

Foreign chains, including MeriStar Hospitality, Wyndham International and InterContinental Hotels Group, are pushing through the infamous Russian bureaucracy to enter Moscow's hurly- burly business climate.

A raft of new projects for high-end hotels are either under construction or slated to break ground in coming years.

In fact, the glut of projects largely four stars or better could end up flooding the market and potentially pushing down rates, said Arthur de Haast, global chief executive with the Jones Lang LaSalle real estate consulting group.

"The number of projects out there at the moment, if they all get constructed, there is a danger of causing oversupply in the luxury segment of this market," De Haast said.

As for mid-range hotels, two moderately priced Holiday Inns have opened in recent years - adding 340 rooms - but experts say it will be at least two years and likely more before any sizable block of rooms comes on the market to serve nonbusiness, non-luxury travelers.

The Rossiya is slated to be replaced with a new multi-use project, which will include a concert hall and movie theater along with at least 1,500 rooms that officials say will carry mid-range prices, but tourism analysts say 2010 will be the earliest that any number of those rooms will be available.

"Unfortunately, most of the supply we're aware of is four- or five-star hotels, so there's not a lot to attract leisure tourists," said Lasse Restolinian, a hotel consultant with HVS International in London.

You will find few people in Moscow shedding tears for the Hotel Rossiya. The dour, hulking behemoth, which glowers at St. Basil's Cathedral and lurks near the Kremlin like a bad Cold War hangover, closed its doors on Jan. 1 and is being torn down to make way for a luxury hotel.

Ask tour operators, however, and you will find plenty scratching their heads over the loss of its nearly 2,700 rooms and the dwindling number of Moscow hotels that are both moderately priced and of reasonable quality.

A mix of bureaucratic regulations, astronomic real estate prices and poor planning has left Moscow with few mid-range hotels, forcing tourists and business travelers far afield for lodgings or resigned to glittering, five-star hotels with head- spinning room rates.

"It's that desperate," said Helene Lloyd, a tourism market consultant in Moscow.

Apart from the Rossiya, whose exterior has inspired nicknames like "the suitcase" and "the square," major hotels that have been demolished are the equally unlovely 430-room Intourist, nicknamed the "rotten tooth," and the nearby 1,000- room Moskva, whose image graces the labels of Stolichnaya vodka.

The Ukraina, one of the few mid-range hotels remaining in the city center, was sold last year for $274 million, a substantially higher price than expected, which indicates the buyers want to refit it for the high-end market.

"The loss of so many rooms - bringing the total room capacity lost to date to around 6,000 - is expected to have a major impact on tourism in Moscow in 2006 and beyond," the World Travel and Tourism Council noted in a report last month.

That is slightly less than 10 percent of the city's total hotel rooms.

An estimated 2.5 million tourists now visit the Russian capital annually, according to official statistics, bringing in as much as $1 billion for the city each year.

Moscow has one of the highest occupancy rates in the world at its roughly 170 hotels. When a trade exhibit is on, attracting businesspeople from across the country and around the world, hotels are solidly booked - although major business conventions still are often able to negotiate lower rates for large blocks of rooms.

The vast majority of Moscow's more than 65,000 hotel beds, the travel council noted, are of Soviet-era quality: a term invoking drafty windows, lumpy beds, surly staff and questionable plumbing.

The International Olympic Committee inspectors that last year reviewed Moscow's bid to be host of the 2012 games cited a lack of three-star hotels as one of several problems.

Real estate prices in Moscow - which are among the highest in the world - have meant that commercial office space and luxury residences are the fastest way to recoup costs and reap huge profits. For Western and Russian hotel investors, four- and five-star projects yield higher, quicker returns, said Gennady Lamshin, acting director of the Russian Hotel Association.

Foreign chains, including MeriStar Hospitality, Wyndham International and InterContinental Hotels Group, are pushing through the infamous Russian bureaucracy to enter Moscow's hurly- burly business climate.

A raft of new projects for high-end hotels are either under construction or slated to break ground in coming years.

In fact, the glut of projects largely four stars or better could end up flooding the market and potentially pushing down rates, said Arthur de Haast, global chief executive with the Jones Lang LaSalle real estate consulting group.

"The number of projects out there at the moment, if they all get constructed, there is a danger of causing oversupply in the luxury segment of this market," De Haast said.

As for mid-range hotels, two moderately priced Holiday Inns have opened in recent years - adding 340 rooms - but experts say it will be at least two years and likely more before any sizable block of rooms comes on the market to serve nonbusiness, non-luxury travelers.

The Rossiya is slated to be replaced with a new multi-use project, which will include a concert hall and movie theater along with at least 1,500 rooms that officials say will carry mid-range prices, but tourism analysts say 2010 will be the earliest that any number of those rooms will be available.

"Unfortunately, most of the supply we're aware of is four- or five-star hotels, so there's not a lot to attract leisure tourists," said Lasse Restolinian, a hotel consultant with HVS International in London.

You will find few people in Moscow shedding tears for the Hotel Rossiya. The dour, hulking behemoth, which glowers at St. Basil's Cathedral and lurks near the Kremlin like a bad Cold War hangover, closed its doors on Jan. 1 and is being torn down to make way for a luxury hotel.

Ask tour operators, however, and you will find plenty scratching their heads over the loss of its nearly 2,700 rooms and the dwindling number of Moscow hotels that are both moderately priced and of reasonable quality.

A mix of bureaucratic regulations, astronomic real estate prices and poor planning has left Moscow with few mid-range hotels, forcing tourists and business travelers far afield for lodgings or resigned to glittering, five-star hotels with head- spinning room rates.

"It's that desperate," said Helene Lloyd, a tourism market consultant in Moscow.

Apart from the Rossiya, whose exterior has inspired nicknames like "the suitcase" and "the square," major hotels that have been demolished are the equally unlovely 430-room Intourist, nicknamed the "rotten tooth," and the nearby 1,000- room Moskva, whose image graces the labels of Stolichnaya vodka.

The Ukraina, one of the few mid-range hotels remaining in the city center, was sold last year for $274 million, a substantially higher price than expected, which indicates the buyers want to refit it for the high-end market.

"The loss of so many rooms - bringing the total room capacity lost to date to around 6,000 - is expected to have a major impact on tourism in Moscow in 2006 and beyond," the World Travel and Tourism Council noted in a report last month.

That is slightly less than 10 percent of the city's total hotel rooms.

An estimated 2.5 million tourists now visit the Russian capital annually, according to official statistics, bringing in as much as $1 billion for the city each year.

Moscow has one of the highest occupancy rates in the world at its roughly 170 hotels. When a trade

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Business travel

US Warns Citizens Against Travel to Pakistan on Terror Threat
Bloomberg - 5 hours ago
April 8 (Bloomberg) -- The US State Department warned its citizens against non-essential travel to Pakistan because of possible terrorist attacks. ...

Business travel: In booming Moscow, a bust for reasonable hotels International Herald Tribune, France - 8 hours ago ... total room capacity lost to date to around 6,000 - is expected to have a major impact on tourism in Moscow in 2006 and beyond," the World Travel and Tourism ...

Travel alert: Disease outbreaks in Fiji, Samoa National Business Review, New Zealand - 10 hours ago ... She says anyone planning to travel to the islands should make sure their immunisations are up to date. Dr Forde is also advising ... Up-to-date advice needed for overseas travel Scoop.co.nz (press release) all 8 related »

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