Multi-Sport Belize: Not for the Armchair Traveler

Seeing artifacts and ancient sacrificial remains in a sacred ceremonial cave in a Mayan jungle will give you something unusual to write home about. Island Expeditions’ “Sale Si Puede Jungle Expedition” won’t be your typical resort vacation. It’s a weeklong multi-sport adventure with departures Feb. 8 and 15; March 8, 15 and 22; and April 5. Participants will take a two-day trek through Cockscomb Basin and then camp in the rain forest during a multi-day white-water rafting trip on the Swasey River. The trip ends with a stay in a seaside hotel with a tour of the history-rich village of Placencia.

Cost: $1,899 per person, double occupancy, including lodgings, camping equipment, guides and most meals. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Island Expeditions; (800) 667-1630, www.islandexpeditions.com.

Costa Rica: Art Retreats

CreArte will host three 10-day art and music retreats on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica in February and March. Taught by artists and musicians, workshops are designed for novices and professionals. Guests can also snorkel, kayak, hike and swim.

Cost: $1,250 per person, double occupancy, including meals and lodging; $950 for companions who do not attend workshops. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Cynthia Kennedy at CreArte; (707) 573-6041, www.crearteretreat.com.

Thailand: Deluxe Train

Train lovers can ride the rails from Bangkok to Singapore on the luxury Eastern & Oriental Express. The 10-day independent tour departs Wednesdays and Sundays year-round. Passengers start in Bangkok and stay at the Peninsula Hotel for three nights. A city tour will visit the Grand Palace and the floating market. Then the train trip runs for two nights, stopping at the River Kwai for a barge cruise; colonial George Town in Penang, Malaysia; and villages with stilt houses. The next three nights will be spent in Singapore at the Raffles hotel. (Depending on dates of travel, the itinerary may start in Singapore and end in Bangkok.)

Cost: from $4,275 per person, double occupancy, including air fare from Los Angeles, hotels, most meals, train trip and day cruise on the River Kwai.

Contact a travel agent or call Maupintour; (800) 255-4266, www.maupintour.com.

Utah: For Adventurers

Active travelers can try several modes of transport on a trip to Canyonlands and Arches national parks. Guests will ride horses from Moab to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. Then the group will hike into Arches park and finish the day with a ride in a raft or an inflatable kayak down the Colorado River. Visitors take mountain bikes to see 1,000-year-old petroglyphs. Depending on tour dates, participants will camp or stay at inns. Dates are May 12 to 17 (inns), May 26 to 31 (singles camping), Sept. 22 to 27 (inns) and Oct. 13 to 18 (camping).

Cost: $1,595 per person for inn lodging, $995 for camping, including meals, guides and most equipment. Bike rental is $95, and transportation to Moab is extra.

Contact: the World Outdoors; (800) 488-8483, www.theworldoutdoors.com.

Myanmar: Mystical Sites

One of the more interesting aspects of Myanmar, formerly Burma, is its religious traditions. Travelers have numerous temples to explore and rituals to observe. Global Spectrum’s “Mystical Myanmar” is a 12-day trip that visits Yangon, Inle Lake, Mandalay, Bagan and Mt. Popa. One side trip is to Pindaya to see caves where more than 9,000 Buddhas are carved into a maze of chambers. Trips are available year-round if two or more people are booked.

Cost: from $2,115 per person, double occupancy, including accommodations, some meals, in-country transportation, musical performances and guide services. International air fare is extra.

Contact: Global Spectrum; (800) 419-4446, www.asianpassages.com.

Singapore: Feasting

Explore the culinary and cultural heritage of Singapore during the ninth annual Singapore Food Festival, a monthlong celebration of Asian and international cuisine. The trip, April 6 to 12, includes tours of the city’s diverse ethnic neighborhoods, dinners, festive events and educational programs that introduce a variety of Asian herbs and spices.

Cost: from $3,530 per person, double, including hotels, most meals and guides. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Abercrombie & Kent’s Special Interest Group Tours; (800) 323-7308, www.abercrombieandkent.com (and see www.singaporefoodfestival.com).

China: The Basics

The “Heart of China & Yangtze River Cruise” tour from Globus covers popular and out-of-the-way stops in its itinerary. Sightseeing in and near Beijing includes the Great Wall, the Imperial Palace, the Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square and the Ming Tombs. In Xian, guests will visit the Dayan (Wild Goose) Pagoda and the terra-cotta warriors archeological site. After a visit to the Flying Tigers Museum in Chongqing, China’s capital during World War II, participants will board a Victoria Cruises vessel that will sail for four nights on the Yangtze River between Chongqing and Wuhan. (Shore excursions and all meals on board are included.) Passengers will see the Three Gorges and the Lesser Gorges. The tour continues with two nights in Shanghai. Two more nights will be spent in Guilin for a day cruise on the Li River. The tour ends with three nights in Hong Kong.

This 19-day escorted vacation departs frequently between April 1 and Nov. 30.

Cost: from $2,299 per person, double, including hotels, tours and most meals. Air fare is extra.

Contact a travel agent or Globus and Cosmos Tours; (866) 313-2855, www.globusandcosmos.com.

England, France: Music

Two music teachers from Los Angeles will host a “Castles, Concerts and Chateaux” tour July 2 to 16 in England and France. In England, the group will tour London and attend two concerts. After crossing the English Channel to France, guests will take a tour of Paris, visit chateaux, take a Seine River cruise, see Monet’s home and gardens and attend concerts.

Cost: $2,947 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, some meals, guides, ground transportation and concert tickets.

Contact: Cleora Leist; (626) 333-3422.

Italy: Sicily

Venture Out, a San Francisco-based international tour operator offering tours for gay and lesbian travelers, is hosting a tour to Sicily March 6 to 16. The island’s highlights include Monreale’s Norman cathedral, the medieval hill town of Erice, the Roman mosaics at Villa Casale and Taormina.

Cost: from $2,600 per person, double occupancy, including hotels, guide, most meals and transportation within Sicily. Air fare to Italy is extra.

Contact: Venture Out; (888) 431-6789 or (415) 626-5678, www.venture-out.com.

Tahiti: Cruise

Radisson Seven Seas’ Paul Gauguin sails on weeklong cruises departing Saturdays around the islands of Raiatea, Bora-Bora, Moorea, Tahaa and Tahiti from January through March. The 320-passenger vessel has a retractable water sports platform for kayaking, water skiing, windsurfing and scuba diving. Two days each are spent in Bora-Bora and Moorea.

Cost: from $2,605 per person, double, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles.

Contact a travel agent for reservations. Information is available through Radisson Seven Seas Cruises; (800) 285-1835, www.rssc.com.

Japan: Cherry Blossoms

In spring, cities celebrate when the cherry blossoms bloom. On a tour to Japan April 2 to 11, guests will start in Kyoto to see the shrines and temples lighted at night and the cherry dance in Gion Corner. Other cities on the tour are Tokyo, Nikko, Matsumoto, Takayama and Nara. Guests will stay in hotels and in Japanese country inns.

Cost: $2,495 per person, double occupancy, including lodging, daily breakfast, tours and guides. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Makiko at Japan Tours Specialist; (714) 734-6001, www.japantoursspecialist.com.

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The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. These should be confirmed with travel agents or tour operators.