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We're outta here, cheap!
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June 19, 2000: 5:54 a.m. ET
Summer means vacation and a hunt for the best vacation deals
By Staff Writer Rob Lenihan
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Pack up all your cares and woe, it's time for vacation.
Whether it's a raft ride down the Amazon, a camel caravan across the Sahara or a bus tour of Bayonne, people want to hit the road, take to the air, ride the rails or sail the seas when summertime comes.
But what about the money? How do you keep a leisurely, restful vacation from turning into a financial sinkhole?
Right now, those dollars in your wallet carry a lot of weight in Europe and Canada. Or you could head out for Asia. If you want some company, packaged travel may be more in your line.
Whatever you do, make sure you do something. So put down that remote, get out suitcases and head for the airport. Your vacation starts now...
Shake your shekels
In the fiscal face-off between the dollar and the euro, the buck has rocked the house. Travel expert Laura Powell said the dollar is particularly strong in euro-dominated countries. 
"You have to pick and chose your countries," said Powell, a columnist for www.womenbusinesstravelers.com. "In certain places the dollar is stronger and you have to do some comparison shopping. Canada is a huge bargain. It's amazing."
For example, a night at the Hilton Montreal Bonaventure will cost you 240 Canadian dollars, or about US$162.61.
Powell said the best exchange rate you can get is by using your ATM card.
While it is possible you'll end up some place that doesn't have any ATM machines, that is becoming less and less likely as the global village continues to downsize.
"Generally, you're going to get the best rate," she said. "You have to know what the exchange rate is."
In some countries, the ATM keypads have only numbers. So if your account code is based on letters, memorize your code's appropriate number and letter keys.
Use your credit card for purchases and avoid exchanging money at hotels and local exchange places, which traditionally don't give you as much for your dollar.
Places to go, people to see
Powell said other travel possibilities include Australia, even though it is the off-season down under, but things will pick-up dramatically at the end of the summer as the Olympic Games kick off.
If you're feeling lucky, you can head to the Caribbean, where rates at five-star hotels can be half of what they are in the winter. But there is the risk of hurricanes, Powell said, which can take the fun out of just about anything.
Edward Hasbrouck, author of "The Practical Nomad," is giving the same advice he's been giving for a while. "Go to Asia, no question about it," he said.
Since Asia is so vast, Hasbrouck said there is no one time of the year that is the best time to visit. Also, the Asian market collapse three years ago has cut into the travel market, meaning there's a lot of vacant hotel rooms.
"It's almost axiomatic," he said. "The places that are most popular are not going to be the ones with the best bargains."
Hasbrouck has also been recommending Bali as a prime vacation spot, in spite of Indonesia's political instability
"Bail is a separate island," he said. "There are a huge number of empty rooms. I don't think there's a better bargain in the world than Bali."
You should be aware that the U.S. State Department made an announcement regarding current troubles, warning Americans to exercise caution. The announcement also noted "demonstrations in Bali have been infrequent and have not been directed at American citizens."
If you are headed to Asia, Hasbrouck said you can save money by waiting until you arrive at your destination to book your hotel room. If you book the room in the States, you will pay what people expect to pay for hotels of that caliber. Go local and you may have more leeway to bargain.
"If you walk into any hotel -- even in the U.S. -- they have empty rooms and it's the afternoon, you can haggle," he said.
Package deal
If you feel like making your vacation a group effort, you can choose a tour or packaged travel deal instead.
Ed Dresel, president-elect of the National Tour Association Inc., said packaged travel plans typically include transportation, meals, guides and access to local attractions.  You can save as much as 15-to-25 percent compared to a similar solo trip and you'll probably have better inclusions on the packaged travel plan.
"People often forget about meals," said Dresel, president of Destinations Unlimited in Southington, Conn. "They tend to add up. So with breakfast and dinner included daily ... you don't have to be constantly digging into your pocket."
If you packaged travel makes you think of some frenetic "if it's Tuesday, this must be Belgium" routine, relax. Dresel said packaged travel deals are much more flexible today, allowing consumers time to explore things on their own as well as with the crew.
"You still have some time frames, but it's a much more relaxed environment. You're on vacation and the tour guides understand that," he said.
When considering packaged travel, Dresel said you should look for a tour company that is member of a national association because it offers consumer protection plans. After that, check what's included in the package such as meals and options.
On the safe side
Before traveling to another country, you want to find out what's going on in the way of politics, crime, health conditions, drug penalties and traffic conditions. The U.S. State Department has a Web site listing consular information sheets for every country in the world.
The sheets are listed alphabetically by country and contain information about any local unrest and describe areas that tourists should avoid. In the case of a dangerous situation, the department issues a Travel Warning. Among those countries recently cited were Afghanistan, Burundi, Iran, and Yemen.
"The information sheets have often been accused of having a political bias," Hasbrouck said. "The big thing that's happened is the field staff is having more input into what goes into the travel advisory. But they're by no means the be-all and end-all people think they are." 
Hasbrouck said you can search the Internet and find a local newspaper site for the country you are visiting and check for newsgroups related to that country. Web sites such as expatexchange.com, an online community for English-speaking expatriates, and iAgora.com, which is primarily a portal for international students, are also sources of information.
In its publication "A Safe Trip Abroad" the State Department offers travelers some safety tips for Americans traveling overseas. The tips include:
· Avoid being a target; dress conservatively. Avoid the appearance of affluence as much as possible.
· Try to travel light and carry the minimum amount of valuables needed for your trip.
· To avoid problems when passing through customs, keep medicines in their original, labeled containers.
· Bring travelers checks and one or two major credit cards instead of cash.
· Be cautious or avoid places where you are likely to be victimized --such as crowded subways, train stations, elevators, tourist sites and marginal areas of cities. 
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